Mangan Wins Second U.S. Super-G Title in Three Seasons
VAIL, Colo. — Tricia Mangan charged to victory Saturday in the women’s super-G at the U.S. Alpine National Championships, claiming her second career title in the discipline.
The 28-year-old from New York State, a former NCAA All-American at Dartmouth College, laid down a time of 56.31 seconds on Golden Peak to beat a field full of skiers with World Cup experience. Mangan previously won the super-G national title in 2023 at Sun Valley.
The race was postponed from Friday due to warm weather and soft snow, but conditions held for Saturday’s rescheduled start.
Skiers with World Cup Experience Set the Pace
Mangan led a sweep of the top six spots by athletes with World Cup experience. Keely Cashman, the 2023 national downhill champion, finished second, just 0.42 seconds off the lead. Elisabeth Bocock, who won last year’s super-G title, took third, 0.61 back.
Fourth place went to Kaitlin Keane, a Vail local racing on home snow. Mary Bocock and Allison Mollin — last year’s runner-up — rounded out the top six.
A Late-Season Bonus
The national championship came with a $3,000 payday for the winner. Second place earned $1,500, and third took home $1,000 — a meaningful bonus for athletes capping off a long season.
“It’s Always a Highlight for Me”
Mangan, who returned from the World Cup circuit to race in Vail, said U.S. Nationals are one of her favorite events of the year.
“Oh my gosh, I love U.S. Nationals,” she said. “It’s one of the highlights of my year. It’s so fun to be able to see all of our teammates. We don’t really get to see the tech side at all. We don’t get to see the boys at all. So coming to U.S. Nationals just reminds you how special the ski racing community is.”
“I Ran Out of Energy”
While Mangan delivered a fast, confident run in Vail, she admitted that her season left her drained — both physically and mentally.
“I got a little bit overtired at the end of the World Cup season, so I did get about a week off, which was super nice,” she said. “Then I did a little bit of training and came here. Honestly, it doesn’t feel like that much time off, but I definitely felt better here than I did at the end of that World Cup season.”
“I usually pride myself on my stamina throughout the season, but this year was a little bit tough for me,” she added. “I got sick and just run down. I think it’s important for all athletes to do a mid-season check-in. It’s not just physical energy, it’s mental and emotional energy too, and I think sometimes that’s underappreciated.”
“I didn’t do a very good job of that this year — but lesson learned for next time.”
Winters Wins U.S. Men’s Super-G Title on Borrowed Skis
VAIL, Colo. — Known for his slalom success, Luke Winters stunned the field on Saturday by winning the men’s super-G at the U.S. Alpine National Championships — using a pair of borrowed skis he hadn’t touched in a year.
The 27-year-old Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete posted a winning time of 55.25 seconds on Golden Peak. It’s his first national title in super-G and a rare speed victory in a career focused almost entirely on tech events.
“First thanks Sam Morse. He gave me these speeds skis for Sun Valley — U.S. Nationals last year,” Winters said. “One run on ’em, put ’em in my garage for a year, and brushed them.”
A Slalom Star Finds His Speed
Winters is a three-time U.S. slalom champion (2019, 2020, 2024) and won the alpine combined title in 2021. He also finished third in super-G at the 2018 Junior World Championships but hadn’t raced the discipline much in recent seasons.
“I don’t know what happened,” he said. “I just went as straight as possible and got as low as possible and kept it running — and it worked out.”
“Once you’re able to glide and when you have a feel for going fast, you don’t really ever lose that,” Winters added. “With all the focus on my technical skiing in the past five years, I think that really transfers over to GS and super-G. Maybe I needed that — maybe I can ski some speed now.”
Nelson and Smith Tie for Second
Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes Isaiah Nelson and Jack Smith tied for second, just 0.03 seconds behind Winters. Both have World Cup starts in super-G, and Nelson was the Junior World Champion in the event in 2022.
After spending the winter racing in Europe, Nelson said the return to Vail brought a sense of relief.
“The Europe grind is real,” he said. “It’s been a lot of work and at times it feels not fulfilling. You’ve got to keep your head down and trust that it’s all going to work out in the end.”
“To then go from there to Vail, and be surrounded by so many friends and family — it feels so good,” he continued. “Just to go out there and send it. I don’t really feel like I have pressure on my shoulders through these races. I’m just trying to have fun and enjoy the end of the season.”
He also credited the coaches and community that helped launch his career.
“I owe it all to the coaches who taught me how to ski,” Nelson said. “A lot of credit to Tasha Nelson, Uroš Pavlovčič, and Erich Sailer — the heart of Midwest ski racing. They’re the reason I’m here.”
Radamus Delivers for the Home Crowd
Pre-race favorite River Radamus, who grew up skiing at Vail, pushed hard to give fans a show. He attacked the course with power and speed but made a small mistake on the pitch that cost him time in the final section. He finished tied for eighth, just 0.16 seconds off the winning mark.
Stacked Field, Tight Margins
Just 0.22 seconds separated the top 10 in one of the closest U.S. Nationals super-G races in recent memory. Loïc Chable of Switzerland placed fourth, 0.09 seconds back, followed by Tanner Perkins in fifth. Sam Morse — who lent Winters the skis — finished sixth.
The podium may have surprised some, but the high level of competition didn’t. Skiers with World Cup experience, Junior World medals, and strong club backgrounds all battled for the national title on a demanding course that rewarded risk and clean execution.
Women’s Top 30
Click Images to enlarge
Men’s Top 30
About the Author: Peter Lange
