STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK
PHOTOS BY NILS RIBI AND KAREN BOSSICK
You saw some of them speeding downhill at the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. Now you can see many of America’s Olympians in person when the 2018 Toyota U.S. Alpine Championships come to Sun Valley.
The championships, billed as “the fastest show on snow,” will return to Bald Mountain for the second time in three years for six action-packed days Wednesday through Monday, March 21-26.
They’ll be augmented by a big air exhibition, a Hahnenkamm race for youngsters, a parade of athletes, an autograph party and street parties featuring Jason Spooner and Micky and the Motorcars.
And it’s all free and easily accessible to spectators.
“It hearkens back to when Sun Valley was the epicenter of ski racing in America—all the way back to the Diamond Sun, which went from the top of Baldy down Ridge, Rock Garden and Canyon to the bottom,” said Mike Fitzpatrick, director of marketing for Sun Valley.
Those who watched the 2016 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships Nationals were blown away by the skiing they saw.
“Just really good skiing,” said Alan Patzer, former director of the Sun Valley Ski School. “These are some of the fastest skiers in the world.
The racers themselves were challenged by the mountain’s steep relentless pitch that kept them on their edges the entire time.
And this year’s courses will be even more difficult, with a acourse that runs through the trees from Greyhawk to Hemingway and then back again.
Ski racers praised the 2016 crowds, which were estimated to be close to a thousand each day. They said they’d never seen such big crowds turn out for nationals.
And the skiers liked having a course that ended in a European-like village atmosphere, in contrast with race courses at places like Park City that end where there’s nothing, noted Fitzpatrick.
A six-member delegation from Sun Valley’s sister city of Kitzbuhel, Austria, led by Bergermeister Dr. Klaus Winkler will be in town for the event. They hosted Sun Valley Mayor Peter Hendricks, his wife Lisa-Marie Allen, an Olympian figure skater, and others last year at the famed Hahnenkamm downhill race, considered the toughest downhill in the world.
In their honor, there will be a Hahnenkamm race for kids at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 24, on Dollar Mountain. It will be followed by a Big Air exhibition at 5 p.m. at Dollar Mountain featuring such high flying athletes as Wing Tai Barrymore and Banks Gilberti, along with BBQ brats, burgers, pulled pork.
The 3 p.m. Saturday, March 23, street party at the bottom of Warm Springs will feature Micky and the Motorcars, which includes two of Idaho crooner Muzzy Braun’s sons now living in Austin Texas. Warming up the show will be Jason Spooner.
There also will be a 3 p.m. street party Thursday, March 22, at the bottom of Warm Springs.
And the 4 p.m. Opening Ceremonies at Ketchum Town Plaza, will include a Parade of Athletes and live music by Portland’s neo-folk guitarist and singer Nate Botsford.
Most of the U.S. Ski Team’s 42 members are expected to take part, including Breezy Johnson, the up-and-coming Victor, Idaho skier who finished seventh in downhill and 14th in Super G at the 2016 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Other Olympians who were confirmed as of Thursday are David Chodounsky, Bryce Bennett, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Stacey Cook, Mark Engel, Tommy Ford, Jared Goldberg, Nolan Kasper, Tricia Mangan, Wiley Maple, Alice McKennis and Alice Merryweather.
Ted Ligety and Resi Steigler are slated to make appearances, even though they may not be racing.
Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation alumni Haley Cutler, Kipling Weisel and Tanner Farrow will compete, along with current SVSEF racers Erin Smith, Lily Fitzgerald, Spencer Wright, Jack Smith and Hayden Terjeson.
Some of the SVSEF athletes will also compete in the U.S. Junior Alpine Championships that will be held at Sun Valley the following week. Hilary Knight, who won a gold medal in hockey at PyeongChang and some of her teammates, will hand out medals at that event.
Also taking part in this week’s championships will be about 200 other collegiate racers and international skiers who attend college in the United States—all competing to be the fastest in Alpine Combined, Super G, Slalom and Giant Slalom.
This year’s course will be steeper, longer and more technical, thanks to Sun Valley’s race department, which has been working on the course all winter.
The longest courses will start just below International on Warm Springs, run across a hold-onto-the-edge-of-your-skis slope onto Greyhawk, then cross through the woods just below the cat track onto Hemingway before returning to Greyhawk and the finish line.
It adds to the degree of difficulty, while creating a longer course.
The race department pumped 5 million more gallons of water onto the course than it normally would have to ready the course. And it has stockpiled 25,000 pounds of salt to firm the course if the warm weather threatens to turn it mushy.
The race department has also lined the course with 6.2 miles of parallel netting, raising the impressive A nets along the entry to Greyhawk.
There’ll be more seating at this year’s race, including seating placed above the finish line on skiers’ right of Greyhawk.
While some bleacher seating is free, a $750 VIP access pass will offer VIP bleacher seating on Tobacco Road between Warm Springs and Greyhawk.
The pass, available by calling 208-622-2135, includes four days of unlimited skiing, access to VIP tents, sack s and beverages and a welcome gift bag. The pass is $650 for Sun Valley pass holders, with the money helping to support the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, which is co-hosting the event.
NBC will televise the Super G and this year Sun Valley will live stream races on its website and on televisions throughout the resort. To see the live stream go to https://livestream.com/accounts/1605680 . Highlights of the races will be shown most days at the Sun Valley Opera house.
For more information, go to www.sunvalley.com/usalpine.
THE SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, March 21
ALPINE COMBINED/MEN
Super G starts at 9:30 a.m. and the Slalom starts at 1:15 p.m.
SUPER G WOMEN FIS starts 11:45 a.m.
AWARDS CEREMONY starts at 2:15 p.m. at Warm Springs Plaza
THURSDAY, March 22
ALPINE COMBINED WOMEN SUPER G starts at 9:30 a.m.
MENS SUPER G FIS starts at 11:45 a.m.
MENS SLALOM starts at 1:15 p.m.
STREET PARTY AND BBQ WITH LIVE MUSIC starts at 3 p.m. on Picabo Street in front of Apples Bar & Grill
FRIDAY, March 23
MENS SUPER G starts at 9 a.m. CHANGED TO 11 a.m.
WOMENS SUPER G starts at 12:30 p.m. CHANGED TO 2:30 p.m.
AWARDS CEREMONY starts at 1:30 p.m. at Warm Springs Plaza
RACE HIGHLIGHTS will be shown at 4 p.m. at Sun Valley Opera House
OPENING CEREMONY AND PARADE OF ATHLETES will start at 4 p.m. at Ketchum Town Square. Music featuring Nate Botsford starts at 4 p.m., followed by parade of athletes at 4:30 p.m., welcoming remarks at 4:50, an awards ceremony for Super G winners at 5:15 p.m. Music will resume at 5:30 p.m. and continue until 8 p.m. Food trucks will be on site, said Ketchum City Administrator Suzanne Frick.
SATURDAY, March 24
WOMENS SLALOM begins at 9 a.m. followed by second run at noon
MENS SLALOM begins at 10:30 a.m. followed by second run at 1:30 p.m.
NBC TV airs Super G at 10 a.m. on NBC Sports
STREET PARTY AND CONCERT featuring Micky and the Motorcars starts at 3 p.m. on Picabo Street in front of Warm Springs Plaza
RACE HIGHLIGHTS will be shown at 4 p.m. at Sun Valley Opera House
AWARDS CEREMONY will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Warm Springs Plaza
ATHLETE AUTOGRAPH PARTY will start at 5 p.m. in the Sun Valley Village. Admission is limited to the first 150 people.
SUNDAY, March 25
MENS GIANT SLALOM begins at 9:30 a.m. with the second run starting at 12:30 p.m.
AWARDS CEREMONY starts at 1:30 p.m. at Warm Springs Plaza.
In their honor, there will be a Hahnenkamm race for kids at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 24, on Dollar Mountain. The race is open to youngsters 3 and 4 years old and 5 to 7 years old. Registration is free and can be done up until 3 p.m.that day at the Dollar Mountain SnowSports desk.
RACE HIGHLIGHTS will be shown at 4 p.m. at Sun Valley Opera House
BIG AIR EXHIBITION starts at 5 p.m. at Dollar Mountain, featuring such athletes as Win Tai Barrymore, Jason Hindman, Tom Flocco, Hunter Butler Banks Gilberti and Justin Aday flying off a 65-foot jump.
MONDAY, March 26
WOMENS GIANT SLALOM starts at 9:30 a.m. with second run at 12:30 p.m.
AWARDS AND MUSIC starts at 1:30 p.m. at Warm Springs Plaza
RACE HIGHLIGHTS will be shown at 4 p.m. at the Sun Valley Opera House.