U.S. Ski & Snowboard found a lot of success across the globe over the weekend, including a podium finish for one Park City resident.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Communications Tom Webb reports the US Snowboard and Freeski halfpipe teams opened up their season in Copper Mountain, Colorado. Park City resident’s Brita Sigourney and Devin Logan led the way for the women’s Free Ski team. Sigourney finished 3rd while Logan finished 6th. The pair from Park City were just part of the domination in Colorado.
“Took seven of 12 podium positions at that event. That really is some dominance. I think a couple of names that really stood out from that, Chole Kim, who I’m sure everyone is aware of after her exploits at the Olympic games and at the ESPYS. If you follow Twitter, make sure you follow Chloe Kim because she’s highly entertaining. She was extremely dominant, joined on the podium by Maddie Mastro. David Wise out of Reno Tahoe, a double Olympic gold medalist, he had a strong weekend as well. So did Brita Sigourney who calls this part of the world home. Aaron Blunck from Crested Butte in Colorado also had a very strong weekend.”
Chloe Kim finished 1st on the snowboard halfpipe with Maddie Mastro finishing 2nd For the men’s snowboard halfpipe Toby Miller finished 2nd with Chase Josey finishing 3rd, Aaron Blunck finished 1st in the men’s freeski with teammate David Wise finishing 3rd.
The Moguls Team also opened their season over the weekend in Ruka, Finland. Finishing on the podium in 3rd was Tess Johnson.
“Tess, one of the younger members of the moguls team putting herself onto the podium. Surrounding by a number of her teammates who all scored points, Jaelin Kauf in particular. Casey Andringa on the men’s side finishing 9th, good result for that team in their first world cup of the season.”
Plenty of members of the Freestyle Moguls team make Park City their home, on the women’s side Jaelin Kauf finished 5th, Olivia Giaccio, 12th, Alex Jenson 13th, Ali Kariotis 17th and Nessa Dziemian 19th. For the men’s Bradley Wilson finished 18th, Jack Kariotis 25th, Jesse Andringa 43rd.
Meanwhile the US Cross Country team competed in Beitostølen, Norway. Park City’s Rosie Brennan finished 15th, behind teammates Sadie Bjornsen in 13th and Jessie Diggins in 8th. The US Women’s cross-country team also finished 5th in the 4X5 km relay.
“Rosie had a really good result, just behind her teammates Sadie Bjornsen and Jessie Diggins. Pretty tough day of racing for those guys in the 15k freestyle out in Norway. Another good result for that team in the early part of the season.”
In Val d’lsere, France Ted Ligety finished 25th in the Giant Slalom. While teammate Tommy Ford had a career best result.
“Finishing 6th in the GS on Saturday in Val d’lsere, so yeah Tommy’s very happy. I think again, an overall trend in that men’s team with Ryan Cochran-Siegle’s early season form and a few of those other skiers really starting to post results that bode very well for the season ahead and for the future.”
Meanwhile in St. Mortiz Switzerland Mikaela Shifrin continued her dominance. Winning twice over the weekend including in parallel slalom which has skiers racing head to head.
“Hot on the heels of her first ever Super G win up in Lake Louise she managed to get another Super G win, this time in St. Maritz. So, she’s crossed the Atlantic, and has gone and continued this dominant streak that she’s having. Followed that with another win on Sunday in parallel slalom, which I think is wins 47 and 48 of her career. When we’re talking about an all-time world cup record that Stenmark holds, around 85, we’re already starting to look at how and when she may approach that record. So astonishing result for her. I think overall when we’re talking about this number of podiums, this number of top 10’s, all these points we’re accumulating this is turning out to be a pretty exciting start to the winter for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes overall.”
