US women earn abundant World Cup start quota

The 2023 Stifel US Women’s Alpine Team performance was exciting. Even while experiencing the absence of some of its World Cup talent because of injuries, they still finished 1st in the slalom and 2nd in the giant slalom Nations Cup standings.

US women finished the season with 11 women among the top 60 on the World Cup Start List (WCSL). Because of their 2023 performances, the 11 women each added to the US national World Cup start quota. Additionally, five women earned personal qualifications for the World Cup through their season-long Nor-Am Cup success.

Considering the number of injured athletes missing and those returning from serious injuries, the women achieved considerable 2023 success. Additionally, three of the younger members scored their first World Cup points.

Mikaela Shiffrin led the entire Stifel Alpine Team, finishing all four events among the top 60 on the WCSL. Four other athletes, Breezy Johnson, Isabella Wright, Paula Moltzan, and Katie Hensien, finished among the top 60 WCSL in two events. Six other US women finished among the top 60 WCSL in one event. That group includes Tricia Mangan, Keely Cashman, Lauren Macuga, Ava Sunshine, Zoe Zimmermann, and Nina O’Brien.

It is also impressive that five US women earned personal qualifications for the World Cup through their season-long Nor-Am Cup results. Topping that list is the overall, giant slalom and super-G champion, Mary Bocock. Additionally, Mangan earned a spot in both downhill and super-G. Also, Macuga earned a downhill spot for the second consecutive season. Allie Resnick has traded her 2022 GS title for a 2023 slalom title and Zimmermann also earned a slalom spot.

Mangan, Macuga, and Zimmermann also finished among the top 60 WCSL in a discipline, and if the Stifel Ski Team desires, they can use the national spots they created for other women ranked 120th on the FIS list or better.

When you add the basic spot in each discipline, plenty of US start quotas will be available for the women returning from injuries and emerging athletes. 

The downhill skiers earned six national spots and three women have access from their personal qualification through Nor-Ams. The US Team could start as many as ten women in the early World Cup downhills with the basic spot. 

In 2023, the slalom skiers earned five national World Cup start spots and three women have start quotas from their personal qualifications through the Nor-Ams. When the basic quota is added, the US women could start nine athletes in the Levi slaloms.

Five US women earned World Cup GS national start quotas. Additionally, Bocock made her personal qualification through the Nor-Ams. Including the basic start quota, the US women could start six women in Sölden.

Notably, the US women only earned three national super-G start quotas. Additionally, two women gained super-G start access from their personal qualifications through the Nor-Ams. Including the basic spot, the women will begin the 2024 season, potentially starting six women in the super-Gs.

Stifel US Ski Team women’s head coach, Paul Kristofic, offered his thoughts on the quota situation. “The volume of national quota spots speaks to the depth of our women’s program. The number of personal World Cup spots speaks to the success of US women in the Nor-Am Cups. Both are good news.

However, our primary philosophy is to bring athletes to the World Cup that have the potential to score. When appropriate, we also use starts to introduce developing athletes to the realities of the World Cup, not only the profiles of the slopes and the level of skiing required to compete, but also the atmosphere of the events. For many of our developing athletes, it is an eye-opener. When they get to the World Cup races, they can quickly see how hard they will have to work to compete. But our emerging athletes must focus on levels of racing in which they can compete for top finishes.

Also, we want to manage the risks on the speed side, so we emphasize learning the tracks in the safest ways possible. We make sure the venues are suitable for their level of skill. Because of that, we must utilize both the Europa Cups and the World Cups and have a program to support them at both levels.”

US Women’s World Cup Start quota