Sun Valley spring series foretells next season’s US Nationals

The Western Region FIS Elite Spring Series wrapped on Monday after a six-day race series at Sun Valley Mountain Resort —a successful event foretelling next season’s U.S. Alpine Championships.

Each gender had two slaloms, two giant slaloms and two super G races as a part of the series. The U.S. dominated the speed events, taking all podiums but one in the super G races. Hometown girl Haley Cutler (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) won the ladies’ first super G, followed by Tenaya Standteiner (Squaw Valley Ski Team) and Isabella Wright (Snowbird Sports Educational Foundation). In the second super G, Canadian Rae Swette took the victory with Madison Ostergren (Rowmark Ski Academy) finishing second and Cutler in third.

In the men’s super G races, Bronson Wright (Snowbird Sports Educational Foundation) took the first win with Eric Haferman (Bridger Ski Foundation) in second and Luke Winters (Sugar Bowl Academy) third. Luke Mathers (Rowmark Ski Academy) won the second race, Wright was second and James Lebel (Lake Tahoe Racing) was third.

Foreign-born racers, mostly ones who race on the NCAA circuit, shredded the tech events. But there were a few glimmers of American talent sprinkled in as well. Will Brandenburg and Sun Valley local Hailey Duke (Boise, Idaho – Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) captured podium spots in the slalom, both taking second place in one race. Duke was also fourth in the other slalom. In the GS races, Ty Sprock (Treble Cone Ski Academy) took second in one race and was fourth in the other.

International racers from Utah colleges ruled the tech events. Germany’s Ann-Kathrin Breuning of Westminster College took both women’s giant slaloms and one slalom, while the University of Utah’s Andy Trow of Canada won back-to-back men’s giant slaloms. Westminster College’s Sofija Novoselic of Croatia won the other women’s slalom and Endre Bjertness of University of Utah and Giulio Bosca of Westminster College split the men’s slalom.

This high-caliber event showcased Sun Valley’s excitement to host the 2016 U.S. Alpine Championships, in which many of these young athletes will compete against World Cup stars for their chance at the top.

Release courtesy of USSA, photo courtesy of SVSEF