Returning from a nearly 22-month hiatus, the HomeLight Foundation NorAm Series kicked off Thursday with women’s GS at Copper Mountain.

Sweden’s Estelle Alphand, Canada’s Britt Richardson, and Italy’s Roberta Melesi claimed podium spots. It was also the first time any of these three women have achieved a top three in a NorAm. 

Richardson, who catapulted onto the Canadian ski team this season, by way of the Calgary Alpine Racing Club and most recently Burke Mountain Academy, scorched the first run, showing her pre-season training was on track.

“The start to the season started off in the right direction today, I was stoked to grab my first NorAm podium,” said Richardson, the world’s top ranked 2003 born skier. “The conditions were perfect on the race hill and it was so fun to be racing again.”

Sarah Bennett was the second fastest Canadian of the day after Richardson, landing in sixth place. 

Meanwhile, three Americans cracked into the top 10 for the first time in their NorAm careers. Two are current D Team athletes, Allie Resnick in eighth and Ava Jemison in ninth. Tatum Grosdidier, in 10th, skis for Steamboat. Resnick and Jemison have competed on the NorAm circuit previously, but this was Grosdidier’s NorAm debut. 

Resnick was the fastest American woman. Not only is she excited that NorAms are back, she is already looking forward to the next races.

“I am super excited for tomorrow and the upcoming slalom races,” said Resnick. “There is such a great energy on and off the hill as it’s the first time in nearly two years we are all racing together for NorAms.”

Her coach, Coley Oliver, has a similar mindset. He views today’s race as a starting point – something to push off of and build momentum for the rest of the season.

“She [Resnick] put down two very solid runs with a particularly fast second run where she mixed it in with some women who are regulars on the World Cup, which is of course, the goal,” Oliver said. “I think it was a great start for us and a great spot to continue working and continue to close those gaps to hopefully overtake some of those faster women.”

With Colorado experiencing a warmer-than-average fall, many racers were wondering how the snow would hold up. Both Resnick and Oliver said they were happy with the conditions and the venue.

“I love the hill and especially the snow,” said Resnick. “The snow is perfect. We couldn’t ask for a better surface. The course crew and coaches have put in so much time slipping, watering and prepping the hill and it shows.”

“Copper has prepared a really great hill, the race crew and coaches here have put a tremendous amount of work into creating a surface that is going to give really high quality racing for all four starts for men and women,” said Oliver.

Also making her NorAm debut was American Elisabeth Bocock. In fact, today was the first time Bocock pushed out of the start in a FIS race, and she certainly made the most of it. In her first run, the 16-year-old American moved from bib 73 to third, leapfrogging familiar names to come within a half-second of the leader. While Bocock was unable to finish her second run, she certainly started her FIS career with a bang today. Tomorrow she’ll have another chance to put two runs together.

“On the second run I got hung up on a gate and got twisted around and high sided. I got the wind knocked out of me and rung my bell a bit but besides a sore shin, I should be good to go for tomorrow,” Bocock said. “I am planning on racing tomorrow. I still want to go into it with an open mind and no expectations. I’m excited to get back out there and hopefully put two runs together.”

RESULTS

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s recap.