From Copper Mountain to the World Cup
When Stanley Buzek steps into the start gate in Levi, Finland, on November 16, he’ll be living the dream of his seven-year-old self. The 20-year-old Team Summit, Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete and incoming University of Colorado Buffalo will make his first World Cup slalom start, marking a milestone built on joy, resilience, and belief.
Buzek first learned to ski in Crested Butte, though he doesn’t remember those early runs. Some of his earliest memories are from Copper Mountain, where his family spent weekends skiing while living in Boulder. “My family had a condo in Silverthorne that we would go up to every weekend and ski, while living in Boulder,” Buzek said. “I first started ski racing on Team Summit when I was five in the devo program.”
His development took an unexpected turn when his family moved to Minnesota, where he joined the Buck Hill Ski Team—a program known for producing world-class racers. “That’s where I really started to take ski racing more seriously,” he said. “Because there is not much freeskiing to do in Minnesota, I started training gates much more. Every day in the winter, I would go to school, come home, and go straight to ski practice from 5:00 to 7:00 at Buck Hill. This is where I truly became a ski racer. Because you can get so many runs at Buck, it was the perfect training spot for a young skier.”
Free Skiing at the Core
Even after years of structured training, Buzek says the foundation of his skiing still comes from the pure fun of being on snow.
“Free skiing has played a very large role in my love of the sport,” he said. “I grew up loving free skiing and always wanting to hit jumps and go ski the moguls. I actually got hit a couple times when I was little because I would cut all the way from one side of the run to the other to hit the jumps on the side. Free skiing will always be at the core of my love for ski racing.”
That playfulness continues to fuel his motivation. “My main motivation as I have progressed in this sport has been my younger self,” he said. “I am living the dream of my seven-year-old self and I believe that I owe it to him to put in as much effort as I can.”
Finding His Own Balance
Last spring, during an athlete panel in Copper Mountain, Buzek spoke candidly about how difficult it can be to find balance within the traditional development system. He shared that last season tested his relationship with the sport.
“Last season I really struggled with enjoying ski racing and wanting to do it,” he said. “I think that ski racing went from just a sport that I did after school, to my entire life and that is not what I wanted. I think that is where the college pathway has become helpful to me. I am still training with the U.S. Ski Team, racing Europa Cup and World Cup, but I am also a student and a part of the CU Ski Team. I think that going to college has helped me see that there is so much more to life and gives me a sense of purpose, no matter how skiing is going.”
That perspective now defines how he approaches competition. For Buzek, ski racing is not just about results but about rediscovering the balance that keeps him excited to push harder.
Confidence and Momentum
Performances on the NorAm circuit opened doors. Over the past two seasons, Buzek earned four podiums, including a win in Panorama last December. “The NorAms really helped me with my confidence in my skiing and showed me what I was capable of,” he said. “Having confidence from those races was very helpful for the rest of my season.”
Those results earned him the opportunity he’ll seize this weekend—his first World Cup start..
Ready for Levi
Now, standing at the top of the Levi Black World Cup race arena, Buzek views the race as both an opportunity and an adventure. “I am looking at this race as a huge opportunity and I am very excited,” he said. “I really have nothing to lose and everything to gain, which is an awesome feeling going into a race.”
It’s a surreal step for a skier who once watched World Cup Winning Runs DVDs with his dad. “I remember feeling like those skiers were superhuman and it felt so far away from my training at Buck Hill,” Buzek said. “Now it is a crazy feeling to be one of those athletes racing on the biggest stage.”
Both of his parents traveled to Finland to watch him race. “I want to thank them for being so supportive of me in this journey and for helping me at every step along the way,” he said. “I’m hoping to come away from this experience being proud of my performance and gaining some clarity into what the future of my ski career might look like.”
Back to Boulder
This Winter, Buzek will eventually return to Boulder to join the University of Colorado Ski Team and start a new chapter that blends academics, training, and team spirit. “I am super excited to be back in Boulder for a little bit,” he said. “I am most looking forward to being part of the team, and also the new team aspect of skiing where I am not just racing for myself but my teammates too.”
He believes the collegiate environment will help him stay grounded. “Being in a more relaxed setting and a team environment will be very good for me,” he said. “I’m hoping it brings back my love for ski racing.”
For Stanley Buzek, that love began with family ski days at Copper Mountain and cold nights training under the lights at Buck Hill. This weekend in Levi, that same spark will guide him into his first World Cup race.
U.S. fans can follow Stanley and his teammates as they kick off their World Cup season in Levi, Finland. The men’s slalom races stream live on Ski and Snowboard Live Nov. 16.
About the Author: Peter Lange
