South American Cup: Bocock Wins, Lindsey Breaks Through

Gina Oberhuber, Mary Bocock, Barbora Nováková, Nicolas Quintero, Rhett Lindsey, Owen Vinter, Corralco, Chile

As the World Cup season edges closer, the South American Cup had titles and points on the line. Its final speed series in Corralco, Chile, delivered American victories, tight finishes and a dominant conclusion to Barbora Nováková’s season.

Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Mary Bocock won the opening women’s downhill, while U.S. independent Rhett Lindsey finished his four-race series with a downhill victory, three podiums and a tie for fourth. Fellow American AJ Hurt, also a Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete, added a runner-up finish in super-G.

Nováková won the other three women’s races, securing the overall, downhill and super-G titles. Britain’s Owen Vinter collected three podiums, and Canadian independent Stefanie Fleckenstein finished in the top five in both downhills.

The Sept. 28–29 series gave athletes four races apiece in two days to close the 2026 South American Cup season.

Bocock wins opening downhill by three hundredths

In the first women’s downhill, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Mary Bocock took the win by three hundredths of a second ahead of Germany’s Gina Oberhuber.

The Rowmark Ski Academy alumna finished in 1 minute, 8.36 seconds. Czechia’s Barbora Nováková completed the podium in third, 0.19 seconds behind.

Bocock credited adjustments between training and race day for helping her find an advantage.

“I was happy that I was able to make adjustments from the first training run to the first race,” Bocock told Ski Racing Media. “It’s really hard to differentiate yourself on this course because it’s so flat and complete tucking the whole time.”

She described a very flat hill and soft snow, while acknowledging the organizers’ work under weather constraints.

“That being said, they were dealing with weather constraints so it’s good that the organizing committee could pull it off,” she said.

The victory came during a preparation period that has included giant slalom, super-G and downhill.

“Overall prep is going well,” Bocock said. “I’ve been doing a mix between GS, SG, and DH, and I’m getting more and more comfortable with the speeds of Downhill.”

She planned about two more weeks in Chile before heading to Sölden.

Chile’s Matilde Schwencke finished fourth on home snow. Canadian independent and SYNC athlete Stefanie Fleckenstein tied Australia’s Greta Small for fifth.

Women’s downhill 1 — Sept. 28
FIS race penalty: 36.53

• 1st 🇺🇸 Mary Bocock — 1:08.36 — 36.53 FIS points result; Stifel U.S. Ski Team; Rowmark Ski Academy.
• 2nd 🇩🇪 Gina Oberhuber — 1:08.39 (+0.03) — 37.08 FIS points result.
• 3rd 🇨🇿 Barbora Nováková — 1:08.55 (+0.19) — 40.00 FIS points result.
• 4th 🇨🇱 Matilde Schwencke — 1:08.67 (+0.31) — 42.20 FIS points result.
• Tied 5th 🇦🇺 Greta Small — 1:08.79 (+0.43) — 44.39 FIS points result.
• Tied 5th 🇨🇦 Stefanie Fleckenstein — 1:08.79 (+0.43) — 44.39 FIS points result; University of Colorado, Canadian independent; SYNC.
• 10th 🇬🇧 Giselle Gorringe — 1:10.14 (+1.78) — 69.08 FIS points result.

Nováková wins second downhill; Bocock fourth

Nováková returned to winning ways in the second downhill, finishing 0.63 seconds ahead of Schwencke.

The contest for second was much closer. Schwencke edged Oberhuber by two hundredths, leaving the German with her second podium of the day.

Two North Americans completed the top five. Bocock finished fourth, while Fleckenstein again placed fifth.

Women’s downhill 2 — Sept. 28
FIS race penalty: 27.09

• 1st 🇨🇿 Barbora Nováková — 1:05.41 — 27.09 FIS points result.
• 2nd 🇨🇱 Matilde Schwencke — 1:06.04 (+0.63) — 39.13 FIS points result.
• 3rd 🇩🇪 Gina Oberhuber — 1:06.06 (+0.65) — 39.51 FIS points result.
• 4th 🇺🇸 Mary Bocock — 1:06.54 (+1.13) — 48.68 FIS points result; Stifel U.S. Ski Team; Rowmark Ski Academy.
• 5th 🇨🇦 Stefanie Fleckenstein — 1:07.31 (+1.90) — 63.40 FIS points result; University of Colorado, Canadian independent; SYNC.
• 9th 🇬🇧 Giselle Gorringe — 1:07.93 (+2.52) — 75.25 FIS points result.

Banyai wins men’s opener; Vinter second, Lindsey third

Hungary’s Attila Eberhard Banyai won the opening men’s downhill by four hundredths of a second ahead of Vinter.

Lindsey finished third, just one hundredth ahead of Argentina’s Tiziano Gravier. Switzerland’s Finn Zueger completed the top five.

For Lindsey, who grew up skiing at Palisades Tahoe, the podium marked the beginning of his strongest series yet.

Men’s downhill 1 — Sept. 28
FIS race penalty: 33.22

• 1st 🇭🇺 Attila Eberhard Banyai — 1:05.53 — 33.22 FIS points result.
• 2nd 🇬🇧 Owen Vinter — 1:05.57 (+0.04) — 33.98 FIS points result; Glasgow Ski.
• 3rd 🇺🇸 Rhett Lindsey — 1:05.92 (+0.39) — 40.66 FIS points result; U.S. independent.
• 4th 🇦🇷 Tiziano Gravier — 1:05.93 (+0.40) — 40.85 FIS points result.
• 5th 🇨🇭 Finn Zueger — 1:06.35 (+0.82) — 48.86 FIS points result.
• 12th 🇺🇸 Cooper Iacobelli — 1:08.05 (+2.52) — 81.29 FIS points result; U.S. independent; NCAA — Williams College.

Lindsey takes second downhill; Vinter third

In the second men’s downhill, Lindsey moved to the top of the podium.

The American finished in 1:04.52, beating Argentina’s Nicolas Quintero by 0.27 seconds. Vinter collected his second podium of the day in third, two hundredths behind Quintero.

Gravier again finished fourth, with Czechia’s Marek Muller fifth. Cooper Iacobelli, who raced collegiately for Williams College, placed sixth.

Men’s downhill 2 — Sept. 28
FIS race penalty: 30.18

• 1st 🇺🇸 Rhett Lindsey — 1:04.52 — 30.18 FIS points result; U.S. independent.
• 2nd 🇦🇷 Nicolas Quintero — 1:04.79 (+0.27) — 35.41 FIS points result.
• 3rd 🇬🇧 Owen Vinter — 1:04.81 (+0.29) — 35.80 FIS points result; Glasgow Ski.
• 4th 🇦🇷 Tiziano Gravier — 1:05.38 (+0.86) — 46.84 FIS points result.
• 5th 🇨🇿 Marek Muller — 1:05.39 (+0.87) — 47.04 FIS points result.
• 6th 🇺🇸 Cooper Iacobelli — 1:05.53 (+1.01) — 49.75 FIS points result; U.S. independent; NCAA — Williams College.

Lindsey finds speed and confidence in Corralco

“This past series in Corralco was my best to date,” Lindsey told Ski Racing Media.

He praised the organization and the opportunity to complete four races in two days. Course setting also gave him something specific to work on.

“They set the courses according to the softer conditions so it was a good opportunity to work on my gliding and speed position,” he said.

The results capped a two-month training block in Chile. For Lindsey, the progress went beyond his place on the results sheet.

“I am finally starting to understand what I need to do in order to create speed and take it down the hill,” he said. “It’s been a great learning process and the results are a bonus.”

His path has required patience. After injuring his knee in 2023, Lindsey worked through his recovery and spent the past two years based in Austria, pursuing speed training and racing.

“I was on my own trying to make the best of my recovery and am proud of what I was able to do over there,” he said.

Those experiences have helped him understand what he wants from the sport.

“Every day I see growth and am excited knowing I can accomplish so much more,” Lindsey said.

Nováková wins opening super-G; Hurt fourth

Nováková carried her downhill form into the opening women’s super-G, winning by 0.83 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Nina Lehmann.

Schwencke completed the podium in third on home snow.

Hurt, a Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete with World Cup podiums in slalom and giant slalom, finished fourth. The Team Palisades Tahoe skier placed 1.42 seconds behind Nováková.

Britain’s Giselle Gorringe finished fifth, ahead of Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Isabella Wright in sixth. Fleckenstein placed 10th.

Women’s super-G 1 — Sept. 29
FIS race penalty: 36.10

• 1st 🇨🇿 Barbora Nováková — 1:17.40 — 36.10 FIS points result.
• 2nd 🇨🇭 Nina Lehmann — 1:18.23 (+0.83) — 48.86 FIS points result.
• 3rd 🇨🇱 Matilde Schwencke — 1:18.57 (+1.17) — 54.09 FIS points result.
• 4th 🇺🇸 AJ Hurt — 1:18.82 (+1.42) — 57.93 FIS points result; Stifel U.S. Ski Team.
• 5th 🇬🇧 Giselle Gorringe — 1:18.99 (+1.59) — 60.55 FIS points result.
• 6th 🇺🇸 Isabella Wright — 1:19.05 (+1.65) — 61.47 FIS points result; Stifel U.S. Ski Team.
• 10th 🇨🇦 Stefanie Fleckenstein — 1:20.26 (+2.86) — 80.07 FIS points result; University of Colorado, Canadian independent; SYNC.

Nováková completes super-G sweep; Hurt second

In the second women’s super-G, Nováková completed a perfect four-for-four season in the discipline.

It was her sixth victory from eight South American Cup speed races.

Hurt moved up to second, finishing 0.56 seconds behind. Oberhuber rounded out the podium in third, adding to her two downhill podiums.

Schwencke placed fourth and Lehmann fifth. Fleckenstein finished sixth, one hundredth ahead of Gorringe, while Wright placed eighth.

Women’s super-G 2 — Sept. 29
FIS race penalty: 33.70

• 1st 🇨🇿 Barbora Nováková — 1:17.28 — 33.70 FIS points result.
• 2nd 🇺🇸 AJ Hurt — 1:17.84 (+0.56) — 42.32 FIS points result; Stifel U.S. Ski Team.
• 3rd 🇩🇪 Gina Oberhuber — 1:18.32 (+1.04) — 49.71 FIS points result.
• 4th 🇨🇱 Matilde Schwencke — 1:18.81 (+1.53) — 57.26 FIS points result.
• 5th 🇨🇭 Nina Lehmann — 1:19.37 (+2.09) — 65.88 FIS points result.
• 6th 🇨🇦 Stefanie Fleckenstein — 1:19.69 (+2.41) — 70.81 FIS points result; University of Colorado, Canadian independent; SYNC.
• 7th 🇬🇧 Giselle Gorringe — 1:19.70 (+2.42) — 70.96 FIS points result.
• 8th 🇺🇸 Isabella Wright — 1:19.77 (+2.49) — 72.04 FIS points result; Stifel U.S. Ski Team.

Gravier wins tight super-G; Lindsey second

Argentina’s Gravier won the opening men’s super-G in the closest contest of the series.

Only 0.13 seconds separated the top six, and the top 10 finished within seven-tenths of a second.

Lindsey finished second, three hundredths behind Gravier and three hundredths ahead of Croatia’s Aaron Pedimina.

Vinter missed the podium by another three hundredths in fourth. Czechia’s David Kubes finished fifth, while Iacobelli placed sixth, just 0.13 seconds from the win.

Men’s super-G 1 — Sept. 29
FIS race penalty: 37.96

• 1st 🇦🇷 Tiziano Gravier — 1:16.37 — 37.96 FIS points result.
• 2nd 🇺🇸 Rhett Lindsey — 1:16.40 (+0.03) — 38.43 FIS points result; U.S. independent.
• 3rd 🇭🇷 Aaron Pedimina — 1:16.43 (+0.06) — 38.89 FIS points result.
• 4th 🇬🇧 Owen Vinter — 1:16.46 (+0.09) — 39.36 FIS points result; Glasgow Ski.
• 5th 🇨🇿 David Kubes — 1:16.49 (+0.12) — 39.83 FIS points result.
• 6th 🇺🇸 Cooper Iacobelli — 1:16.50 (+0.13) — 39.99 FIS points result; U.S. independent; NCAA — Williams College.

Pedimina wins finale; Americans tie for fourth

In the final South American Cup race of the season, Pedimina won ahead of Switzerland’s Kevin Fritschi.

Vinter completed the podium in third, giving the British skier three podiums and a fourth-place finish from his four starts.

An all-American tie followed. Iacobelli and Lindsey both finished in 1:16.78, sharing fourth place, 0.65 seconds behind Pedimina.

Lindsey’s series ended with a win, a second, a third and a tie for fourth.

Men’s super-G 2 — Sept. 29
FIS race penalty: 36.72

• 1st 🇭🇷 Aaron Pedimina — 1:16.13 — 36.72 FIS points result.
• 2nd 🇨🇭 Kevin Fritschi — 1:16.47 (+0.34) — 42.03 FIS points result.
• 3rd 🇬🇧 Owen Vinter — 1:16.56 (+0.43) — 43.44 FIS points result; Glasgow Ski.
• Tied 4th 🇺🇸 Cooper Iacobelli — 1:16.78 (+0.65) — 46.88 FIS points result; U.S. independent; NCAA — Williams College.
• Tied 4th 🇺🇸 Rhett Lindsey — 1:16.78 (+0.65) — 46.88 FIS points result; U.S. independent.

Nováková claims women’s South American Cup overall title

Nováková’s six speed victories carried her to the overall title with 740 points, 177 ahead of Britain’s Gorringe.

Argentina’s Nicole Begue completed the overall podium, finishing 10 points ahead of compatriot Francesca Baruzzi Farriol.

U.S. independent Haley Cutler finished eighth, while Fleckenstein placed 10th. Cutler, a Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation alumna, previously raced for the University of New Mexico and Montana State.

Women’s final overall standings — top 10

• 1st 🇨🇿 Barbora Nováková — 740 points.
• 2nd 🇬🇧 Giselle Gorringe — 563 points.
• 3rd 🇦🇷 Nicole Begue — 553 points.
• 4th 🇦🇷 Francesca Baruzzi Farriol — 472 points.
• 5th 🇨🇱 Matilde Schwencke — 410 points.
• 6th 🇩🇪 Jessica Hilzinger — 400 points.
• 7th 🇩🇪 Gina Oberhuber — 358 points.
• 8th 🇺🇸 Haley Cutler — 340 points.
• 9th 🇦🇩 Iria Medina Girones — 310 points.
• 10th 🇨🇦 Stefanie Fleckenstein — 303 points.

Women’s downhill title also goes to Nováková

Nováková finished 100 points ahead of Schwencke in the downhill standings.

Oberhuber’s two Corralco podiums helped her finish third, ahead of Cutler. Fleckenstein placed sixth and Bocock seventh.

Women’s final downhill standings — top eight

• 1st 🇨🇿 Barbora Nováková — 340 points.
• 2nd 🇨🇱 Matilde Schwencke — 240 points.
• 3rd 🇩🇪 Gina Oberhuber — 204 points.
• 4th 🇺🇸 Haley Cutler — 180 points.
• 5th 🇦🇷 Nicole Begue — 174 points.
• 6th 🇨🇦 Stefanie Fleckenstein — 156 points.
• 7th 🇺🇸 Mary Bocock — 150 points.
• 8th 🇬🇧 Giselle Gorringe — 140 points.

Four wins give Nováková the super-G title

Without dropping a point, Nováková claimed the super-G title with the maximum 400 points.

Schwencke finished second, while Begue edged Cutler by eight points for third. Fleckenstein placed sixth and Hurt seventh.

Women’s final super-G standings — top nine

• 1st 🇨🇿 Barbora Nováková — 400 points.
• 2nd 🇨🇱 Matilde Schwencke — 170 points.
• 3rd 🇦🇷 Nicole Begue — 168 points.
• 4th 🇺🇸 Haley Cutler — 160 points.
• 5th 🇩🇪 Gina Oberhuber — 154 points.
• 6th 🇨🇦 Stefanie Fleckenstein — 147 points.
• 7th 🇺🇸 AJ Hurt — 130 points.
• 8th 🇨🇭 Nina Lehmann — 125 points.
• 9th 🇬🇧 Giselle Gorringe — 110 points.

Palamaras wins men’s overall; Lindsey sixth

Germany’s Nickco Palamaras took the men’s overall title. Lindsey finished sixth, fellow American Nicholas Unkovskoy eighth and Vinter ninth.

Men’s final overall standings — top 10

• 1st 🇩🇪 Nickco Palamaras — 586 points.
• 2nd 🇦🇷 Tiziano Gravier — 415 points.
• 3rd 🇦🇷 Nicolas Quintero — 379 points.
• 4th 🇩🇪 Dominik Zerhoch — 359 points.
• 5th 🇩🇪 Lukas Krauss — 348 points.
• 6th 🇺🇸 Rhett Lindsey — 324 points.
• 7th 🇯🇵 Shiro Aihara — 306 points.
• 8th 🇺🇸 Nicholas Unkovskoy — 302 points.
• 9th 🇬🇧 Owen Vinter — 282 points.
• 10th 🇩🇪 Benno Brandis — 268 points.

Roesle takes downhill title; Lindsey runner-up

Germany’s Felix Roesle won the downhill title, just 20 points ahead of Lindsey. Vinter completed the season podium.

Men’s final downhill standings — top eight

• 1st 🇩🇪 Felix Roesle — 200 points.
• 2nd 🇺🇸 Rhett Lindsey — 180 points.
• 3rd 🇬🇧 Owen Vinter — 172 points.
• 4th 🇫🇷 Matthieu Bailet — 160 points.
• 5th 🇦🇷 Tiziano Gravier — 145 points.
• 6th 🇦🇷 Nicolas Quintero — 144 points.
• 7th 🇭🇺 Attila Eberhard Banyai — 121 points.
• 8th 🇸🇪 Felix Monsen — 120 points.

Brandis wins super-G title; Lindsey fourth

Germany’s Benno Brandis won the super-G title. Gravier placed third, Lindsey fourth, Vinter sixth and Iacobelli seventh.

Men’s final super-G standings — top eight

• 1st 🇩🇪 Benno Brandis — 200 points.
• 2nd 🇭🇷 Aaron Pedimina — 172 points.
• 3rd 🇦🇷 Tiziano Gravier — 161 points.
• 4th 🇺🇸 Rhett Lindsey — 144 points.
• 5th 🇨🇭 Kevin Fritschi — 116 points.
• 6th 🇬🇧 Owen Vinter — 110 points.
• 7th 🇺🇸 Cooper Iacobelli — 105 points.
• 8th 🇸🇪 Felix Monsen — 104 points.

Corralco closed the South American Cup season with established World Cup racers and developing athletes sharing the podiums. For Lindsey, the series brought both results and a clearer understanding of how to find speed.

After two months in Chile, his outlook was direct: “With a two-month block of training and those results I am fired up for the season!”