Featured Image: Giant Slalom podium featuring Franziska Gritsch, Anna Trocker, and Arianne Forget. Photo provided by VIX Protection.
Copper Mountain, CO — The North American Cup returned to the storied race hill that hosted World Cup action in November, giving rising stars a chance to test themselves on the same terrain as the world’s best. The condensed women’s series packed five races into four days, starting with two Super-Gs in one day, followed by two Giant Slalom races, and finishing with a single slalom. With a limited Nor-Am schedule, every race carries extra weight, making focus and consistency essential for athletes aiming to score points toward overall or discipline titles.
Super-G Double for Mary Bocock
The Stifel US Ski Team’s Mary Bocock dominated the opening Super-Gs, claiming both wins in impressive fashion. She topped the podium in the first race by over half a second and stretched her margin to .79 in the second, setting the tone early in the condensed series.
“I’m really happy with the two wins because I’ve been training well, so it’s nice to be able to put it together in a race,” Bocock said. “I’m hoping to continue the momentum into the GS races.”- Mary Bocock
Bocock, who has been balancing more Giant Slalom alongside speed training this season, showed strong form and versatility on the World Cup hill at Copper. She followed up her Super G with a 4th and 3rd in the Giant slalom races and currently sits after the series second overall and 1st in SG.
Rising star Katie Rowekamp of Burke Mountain Academy made a memorable North American Cup debut. Not only was it her first Nor-Am series, but it marked just her sixth ever FIS start. Rowekamp impressed with a second- and fourth-place finish in the Super-Gs, showing early promise in the speed events and consistent top-30 results across the series.
Reflecting on her first Nor-Am experience, Rowekamp said:
“Going into the Copper Nor-Ams I was pretty excited. They were my first ever Nor-Ams, so I didn’t know what to expect. Really, I was hoping to have a couple good runs and maybe get my start position dialed for the next races. I was really happy with my series, and I’m super excited to race in Tremblant.”– Katie Rowekamp
Independent Canadian skier Sarah Bennett made her mark in Copper with a well-rounded and consistent series, combining speed and technical skill throughout the week. Bennett finished second and third in the Super-Gs, followed by strong Giant Slalom results of fourth and seventh, before capping off the series with a victory in the final-day slalom.
Zoe Gray, representing the Canadian Development Team and Montana State University, also impressed in the speed events, earning third- and fifth-place finishes in the Super-G races to open the series.
Sixteen-year-old Logan Grosdidier demonstrated maturity beyond her years, putting in 4th and 5th place finishes in the Super-Gs and 6th and 3rd in the technical races, ahead of many university-level and veteran competitors.
Women’s Copper Mountain NorAm Super-G One — Finish Order (12/08/2025)
• 1st — Mary Bocock (USA) — 1:01.94
• 2nd — Sarah Bennett (CAN) — (+0.57)
• 3rd — Zoe Gray (CAN) — (+0.90)
• 4th — Katie Rowecamp (USA) — (+1.06)
Women’s Copper Mountain NorAm Super-G Two — Finish Order (12/08/2025)
• 1st — Mary Bocock (USA) — 1:02.15
• 2nd — Katie Rowecamp (USA) — (+0.79)
• 3rd — Sarah Bennett (CAN) — (+1.08)
• 4th — Logan Grosdidier (USA) — (+1.34)
Strong Giant Slalom Showings and International Competition
The Giant Slalom races brought World Cup–caliber athletes back to Copper in pursuit of valuable points. Austrian Franziska Gritsch, who competed at the Tremblant World Cup and also raced in the late-November World Cup at Copper, claimed victory in the second GS. In the first GS, Kjersti Moritz carried strong momentum from Tremblant, delivering a dominant performance and winning by 1.60 seconds over Gritsch.
Young Italian standout Anna Trocker (2008) also took advantage of the early-season North American Cup opportunity, racing against a deep field to gain valuable points before returning to Europe. Representing the Italian national team, Trocker delivered a strong showing in the Giant Slalom races, finishing fifth in the opening event before stepping up to second in the second GS. Her performances underscored the growing international interest in the Nor-Am level and the value of competing on a World Cup venue.
Women’s Copper Mountain NorAm Giant Slalom One — Finish Order (12/09/2025)
• 1st — Kjersti Moritz (USA) — 2.04.53
• 2nd — Franziska Gritsch (AUT) — (+1.60)
• 3rd — Mary Bocock (USA) — (+1.64)
• 4th — Sarah Bennett (CAN) — (+2.98)
Women’s Copper Mountain NorAm Giant Slalom Two — Finish Order (12/10/2025)
• 1st — Franziska Gritsch (AUT) — 2.04.40
• 2nd — Anna Trocker (ITA) — (+0.17)
• 3rd — Arianne Forget (CAN) — (+.20)
• 4th — Mary Bocock (USA) — (+.35)
Slalom Thriller to Close the Series
The final day of the series featured a single slalom, where Sarah Bennett tied for first with Italy’s Anna Trocker, while Logan Grosdidier rounded out the podium in third.
Sarah Bennett, the Canadian skier racing independently, put together one of the most consistent and impressive series of the week. Bennett opened the event with strong speed performances, finishing second and third in the Super-Gs, before backing it up with solid technical results of fourth and seventh in Giant Slalom. She capped off the series in standout fashion with a victory in the final-day slalom, highlighting her versatility and consistency across disciplines. Bennett’s performances marked a confident and well-rounded start to the season as she builds momentum moving forward.
Reflecting on her performance, Bennett said:
“Overall, I feel very good about how the series went. I’m definitely disappointed with how the GS played out, especially the second race, but I’m proud of how I responded by bouncing back and winning the slalom.”– Sarah Bennett
Reflecting on the U.S. Ski Team’s results, Mihi Kürner, head Europa Cup coach, emphasized both the progress and potential of the squad:
“Our team did well and achieved the goals we set for the most part. There is still room for improvement, and we are working hard to be even better in the races to come. In general, our team is strong technically and tactically, and it is hard to predict which one will be the fastest on a given day. Race simulation trainings are our main focus right now. Finding the right approach is the key concern; as stated before, they all have the speed, we just have to find more consistency.”– Mihi Kürner
With the North American Cup schedule condensed and limited scoring opportunities, these results highlight the importance of consistency and strong performances. The week at Copper provided a glimpse of the athletes ready to compete on the World Cup stage, while also showcasing emerging talent pushing their limits.
Women’s Copper Mountain NorAm Slalom — Finish Order (12/11/2025)
• 1st — Anna Trocker (ITA) — 1.50.43
• 1st — Sarah Bennett (CAN) — 1.50.43
• 3rd — Logan Grosdidier (USA) — (+.67)
• 4th — Arianne Forget (CAN) — (+1.10)
What’s next on the Women’s NorAm calendar
The Women’s NorAm circuit now heads to Mount Tremblant, Quebec, for two giant slaloms on January 6-7, contested on the World Cup race hill.
About the Author: Katie Twible
