Weather may have stopped the race at Killington, but it did not stop the crowd, as New England’s ski racing fans turned out in droves for Saturday’s GS. Killington Resort confirmed a sellout crowd of 10,000, despite wind and snow squalls that caused the race to be canceled after nine competitors made their runs.

Doug Lewis, who again joined Peter Graves in announcing the event live, was surprised to look up from his booth and see both grandstands full. “I couldn’t believe it. New England just comes out no matter what.” 

Among the crowd were an army of junior racers, and hardy fans like those in the American arm of the Petra Vlhova Fan Club. The band of Slovaks from New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania waved flags and wore jerseys bearing their national hero, and dropped into a Conga line at the least provocation. In the Killington World Cup’s fifth iteration in six years, the local enthusiasm shows no sign of waning. 

If it’s not one thing …

Leading up to this weekend, race organizers were most concerned with creating adequate cover and an ideal surface for the event. Warm temperatures and rain presented a challenge that Killington’s snowmaking and race crew once again overcame, serving up a rock solid surface on both the training and race hill. On Friday, the storm moved in and changed the landscape from brown and green to solid white. 

In the end, it was the wind that made the conditions unsafe, with squalls buffeting skiers and blowing snow obscuring the track. Of the nine skiers who made their runs, Tessa Worley found her way through the storm the fastest, and all made it down without incident. Nonetheless, as Lewis notes, considering the wind and the visibility, “They definitely made correct call.”

Disappointed but grateful

When interviewed in the finish after her run, and before the race was canceled, Shiffrin trailed Worley by more than a second and was disappointed with her skiing. “I have better skiing than that,” she said, noting that the conditions were tricky. She was also gracious and grateful to the crowd. “It’s so nice to be here racing Killington after last year and not being able to do it. This is my favorite stop on the tour. And I love this crowd. I love to be here. It feels like home, so it means a lot to me to be here, and that’s really special.”

Paula Moltzan took a moment to sign autographs and visit with friends in the finish, and while she was all smiles admitted, “I’m sad,” which summed up the collective mood among the five Americans who did not get to run. As tough as it is to get mentally prepped for challenging conditions, it’s even tougher to lose an opportunity, especially on home turf. The athletes were quick to shrug off the disappointment and switched gears, heading to the training hill with their slalom skis.  

Meanwhile, in the Festival Village, the beat went on, with bands, food trucks and plenty of hot chocolate and frosty IPAs. The big winners of the day were likely the two Vermont companies Overeasy and Skida, as people sought out cozy headwear so they could stay out in the elements and keep the party going. 

If past years are any indication, most of them will be back for the slalom, no matter what Mother Nature serves up. As Lewis said of the crowd, “It was a strong showing. It made me proud to be a New Englander and a Vermonter.”