Ski Racing

Alpine skier Lila Lapanja has built her career on independence, resilience and belief. After narrowly missing Olympic qualification twice and facing major setbacks, she chose a new path — representing Slovenia and creating her own structure within the sport. In My Way, Lapanja shares how embracing her heritage and owning her journey brought a deeper sense of purpose, pride and peace.

Dartmouth returned to the top of the podium in dominant fashion at the Williams Carnival, sweeping all four alpine events and racking up seven podium finishes. Oscar Zimmer and Emma Resnick led the charge with discipline-defining victories, while the NCAA qualifying picture tightened heading into the final race of the regular season at Middlebury.

Four generations deep in ski racing, Andreas Žampa is carrying forward a family legacy built on commitment, precision, and resilience. Beyond the World Cup stage, the Slovak standout is investing in the next generation through the growing Žampa Cup initiative.

Conference competition heated up across the country as collegiate ski teams battled for early-season titles from Pennsylvania to Colorado. Standout individual performances and tightly contested team races defined a weekend of slalom and giant slalom action across six conferences.

As Olympic dreams become reality, Vail Mountain School proudly celebrates alumni competing on the world stage. From balancing academics and elite training to representing their countries internationally, these athletes embody the character, dedication, and sense of belonging cultivated within the VMS community.

Sarah Schleper is preparing for her seventh Olympic Games — the only female alpine skier ever to reach that mark. This time, she’ll share the stage with her son, Lasse Gaxiola, making them the first mother and son to compete in the same Olympic edition. Read the full story of their historic journey on ShredOptics.com.

Collegiate ski teams across the country delivered standout performances this weekend, as conferences from the Midwest to the Rocky Mountains saw dominant wins, tight podium battles, and individual breakthroughs. From sweeping finishes to season-opening statements, racers and teams set an exciting tone for the weeks ahead.

College ski racing is often dismissed as an unlikely route to the World Cup—but Winterfell Alpin is changing that narrative. By providing elite-level training, race support, and structure beyond NCAA limitations, Winterfell is redefining the collegiate-to-professional pipeline and helping athletes bridge the critical gap between college racing and international competition.

In a very special episode of the Skiing is Believing Podcast summer series, Matt Garcka and Alan Rigg welcomed renowned sports psychologist, Dr. Jim Taylor to express the importance of mentality and psychology across sport, and particularly ski racing. Tune in!

In the fourth episode of the Skiing is Believing Podcast summer series, Croatian technical expert and three-time World Cup winner Filip Zubčić joined Alan Rigg and Matt Garcka. Tune in!

The Gear Testing season has arrived, with alpine ski racing boots and ski brands gearing up to be available at various off-season training locations. Check out dates, locations and other information.

Bear Den Partners (BDP) has officially acquired Burke Mountain Resort in East Burke, Vermont, ushering in a new era by also making Burke Mountain Academy (BMA) minority owners of the mountain. BMA is thrilled about this purchase not only for its pivotal moment in emerging from receivership and turning a new era but also for the future of ski racing. 

Nordica athlete Lenz Hächler represents the Swiss Team and has shown remarkable resilience in overcoming pain to excel on the Europe Cup circuit this past season. Discover more about his determination and achievements.

Race Place is more than just a leading retailer of alpine race gear; it’s a vital source of ski tuning innovation. Founded by Scott Holmer in 1995, Race Place has grown from a humble mail-order catalog to one of North America’s largest retailers of race equipment. Learn more about the story of Race Place.

This past week, the men competed in the final regular season NorAm series, hosted in Mont Ste-Marie, Quebec. Two giant slaloms and two slaloms were scheduled. However, one of the slaloms got canceled. Nevertheless, the men had a successful few days of racing before the NorAm Finals. 

By Emma Logan Featured Image: Male racer competing at a McConnell Division race on January 12th.

The King of Kitz, Didier Cuche, shares his insight on the most famous and dangerous Downhill on the World Cup circuit, Kitzbuhel.

Dave Ryding, is striving to climb to the top of podiums this season. His main goal is to become the oldest ski racer to podium in a World Cup slalom.