28 November 2016 — Excitement PLUS might be the best way to describe the weekend World Cup action and festivities at Killington VT, marking the first east coast appearance of the “white circus” in over a quarter century. With 16,000 or more filling grandstands and milling about the base of the Superstar course, the action on the hill had a lot to live up to and indeed it did! GS action Saturday had French star Tessa Worley topping the podium for her 9th World Cup victory, with Norway’s Nina Loeseth and Italian Sofia Goggia rounding out the podium. That’s Goggia’s first podium, and we’re glad to see it considering the one time up-and-coming star suffered a nasty knee injury in 2013. Mikaela Shiffrin finished a respectable fifth which adds nicely to her overall total. Yesterday the much anticipated slalom competition was expected to be Shiffrin’s chance to strut her stuff on her New England home stage, and she did not disappoint. Notching her 22nd career victory, Shiffrin edged Slovakia’s Veronika Velez Zuzolova and Swiss technician Wendy Holdener. Loeseth was fourth, adding nicely to her overall total. Another skier to note was American Resi Steigler who finished 17th and brought her usual exuberance to the day. Conditions were terrific; kudos to all the participants and the Killington team who put on the event…elsewhere in New England, Waterville Valley has announced that NH Governor-elect Chris Sununu has stepped down as CEO; GM Tim Smith will take over Sununu’s role at the resort…snow overnight in Colorado; 6.5″ reported at Steamboat, 4″ at Arapahoe Basin and Loveland…that snow and cold is much needed; last week Wyoming’s Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort both delayed opening, New Mexico’s Ski Apache was forced to do the same as temps skyrocketed…picture looked equally bleak at Utah’s Brighton Resort but after a heroic effort and late storm the Big Cottonwood Canyon area was able to open Friday, and they’re spinning 7 days a week…and in Idaho Sun Valley kicking off the season with a whimper rather than a bang with just the River Run chair and trail open on the lower part of the mountain…update on the tragedy at Nashoba Valley Massachusetts, what we know now (after some initial confusion) is that a 70-year-old employee was killed in an industrial accident, and it is being investigated by OSHA. The victim’s name has not been released.
Photo above: Adjacent to the Superstar course, Killington’s Skyelark trail provided race teams and staff with a service trail over the weekend. This photo was taken early yesterday morning prior to the slalom race. Photo courtesy FIS World Cup.