Alpine

Top 15 Moments of the 2014/2015 Season

by
Megan Harrod
2015-04-09 14:06
 

Now that the season has wrapped, U.S. Ski Team alpine press officer Megan Harrod reminisces on the 2014/15 season with the top 15 moments of her first season on the World Cup circuit.

The birds are chirping, the little snow is melting, and springtime is in the air. Let’s get real for a second—by now you’ve all likely moved on to the next sport. But perhaps there are some of you, like me, who are still holding on to the winter months—lamenting season’s end and anxiously looking forward to getting out there for summer ski camps, and eventually, for the snow to fly and the 2015/16 season to start. Seriously. I’m ready. I didn’t want the season to end. Or so I thought until Jared Goldberg said to me at U.S. Alpine Champs, “If you woke up tomorrow in Lake Louise, would you still feel this way?” The answer is no, likely not. But a couple more races? That would have been lovely.

So since there are a few of you out there who are missing the fluffy white stuff as much as I am, let’s spend some time reminiscing on some of the most memorable moments of the 2014/2015 season. Racer ready? Go!


Marco Sullivan took sixth at the Garmisch downhill. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alexis Boichard)

#MARCOROCKS – HE'S BACK, FOLKS!

Pretend for a second it’s the beginning of the season and we’re back in the picturesque, frigid Lake Louise. Veteran Marco Sullivan skied with his uncle Sully in mind—who was battling cancer—and landed in an impressive fifth place. It was his best finish since he podiumed in 2012. After a rough go in the middle of the season, Sully snagged four top 20s to finish off the season in style. Two of those were top 10s. He’s back, and you better believe he’ll be gracing us with his chill demeanor and veteran wisdom for another year.


Lindsey Vonn, Stacey Cook and Julia Mancuso swept the podium in Lake Louise. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

LADIES HISTORIC PODIUM SWEEP

In the first downhill race of her comeback season, Lindsey Vonn crushed and emerged victorious, proving to those who doubted her recovery that the Speed Queen was back with a vengeance. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, teammates Stacey Cook and Julia Mancuso rounded out that podium, cementing themselves in history as the first ever podium sweep in U.S. history. That was fun.


Starting 66th, David Chodounsky grabs 17th at Birds of Prey in December. (Getty Images/Doug Pensinger)

CHODOUNSKY SCORES WORLD CUP GS POINTS

Though this may not be top of mind for everyone, it was certainly at the top of the list for me. David Chodounsky, a slalom specialist, snagged second at the Aspen NorAm, earning himself a start position in the GS at Birds of Prey. Though Ted Ligety’s come-from-behind win after having surgery just two weeks before wowed the crowd, it was Daver’s sheer, authentic excitement during his finish area celebration that stuck with me. Coming from 66th to make the flip for second run in 29th and then eventually landing in 17th overall, Chodounsky reminded us all why these guys do what they do: their love and passion for the sport.


The #AmericanDownhiller team poses with Travis Ganong after his win in Santa Caterina.

THE #AMERICANDOWNHILLER CREW SCORES IN ITALY

Gotta love this #AmericanDownhiller crew—they’re some of the best guys on the circuit, and they certainly have a bond unlike many other teams. Italy was good to them this season. It all started with a hat-trick win for Steven Nyman in Val Gardena. That was his third victory in his career—all snagged at Val Gardena Saslong downhill. WOW. Then it was Travis Ganong’s turn to taste victory with a downhill win at Santa Caterina just before the New Year. There, Steve Nyman gifted him the American Downhiller vest—a tradition started this year, in which the best top-15 finisher at a downhill earns the hilarious Levi’s denim vest.


The men’s tech team wears armbands and tape on their helmets to remember Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle. (Studio HRG)

TECH SKIERS SALUTE TO TEAMMATES

In my first season with the U.S. Ski Team, we experienced a devastating event when we were informed of the tragic loss of teammates Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle in a Soelden avalanche.

Ronnie and Bryce...those kids were special. If you could bottle up and share the incredible amount of enthusiasm that emanated from these guys on training and race days, you could make even the most unhappy person’s day, week, month, year a whole lot brighter.

The men’s tech team donned black arm bands and wore “RIP RB + BA” stickers on their helmets, and after all was said and done that weekend, they went around the dinner table and shared stories of Ronnie and Bryce. Will Brandenberg—never at a loss for the right words at the right time—led the charge, and we laughed with tears welling up in our eyes too. #SkiInPeace


Lindsey Vonn gets sprayed with champagne after tying Annemarie Moser-Pröll’s 62-win record. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

LINDSEY MEETS RECORD OF 62 VICTORIES

Lindsey Vonn ended the season with 67 victories, but it was the 62nd that is cemented in the memory of most—namely Lindsey’s memory. When Lindsey tied the all-time women’s World Cup wins record with Annemarie Moser-Pröll at 62 victories, the pressure to hit records seemed to melt away. Good for her, because she went on to win five more golds and end the season with thrilling edge-of-our-seats downhill and super G victories and crystal globes at Meribel for World Cup Finals. But who’s counting, right?


Andrew Weibrecht shreds to fifth in the Kitzbuehel super G. (Getty Images/AFP-Joe Klamar)

WARHORSE DOMINATES IN KITZ SUPER G 

Big event skier Andrew Weibrecht slayed at Kitzbuehel, to grab a career-best fifth place World Cup result. Known for winning Olympic bronze and silver in 2010 and 2014 respectively, he had never cracked a top-five World Cup finish before Kitz.


Will Brandenburg takes 17th and a World Champs start at the Schladming night slalom. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

BRANDENBURG GRABS A WORLD CHAMPS SPOT

Willie B has a heart of gold and he crushes on the mountain, but has struggled in his career to put two runs together. In the Schladming night slalom, when it counted most in order to snag that World Champs starting spot, Will Brandenburg skied smart and held back speed in order to snag his first finish of the season—and his first World Cup points in almost a year—landing in 18th. "I thought this was going to be my last race,” Brandenburg noted after the race. “I didn’t plan after this weekend going into the season. It didn’t look like things were going that way. But I’ll now rethink it. That feeling today was pretty sweet. I want to keep going. I think I just answered my own question: I’m not done ski racing." Go Willie B!

bode miller

BODE MILLER GOES OUT IN STYLE

Would he go out in any other way? In classic Bode style, Miller did not hold back and led all splits behind leader Georg Streitberger of Austria at the World Championships downhill in Beaver Creek. But when he went over Golden Eagle, he got caught in a panel and completely lost control, spinning around before tumbling and suffering from a severed hamstring tendon.

He’ll keep his options open for next year. ”I tried retiring a couple of times, it just didn’t stick,” said Bode after the season-ending injury. “I haven’t [made up my mind] yet, but I’m leaning pretty heavily towards not going out there.” Will he be back? Stay tuned…


Travis Ganong celebrates his silver medal at World Champs. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

MEN'S DOWNHILL DAY ON BIRDS OF PREY

The crowd at the World Championships downhill totaled somewhere between 15-20,000. Fans lined the hill and filled the stands. Downhill day, folks, is my favorite day. I was standing with the infamous Daron Rahlves—who foreran the course—and Jared Goldberg, when Steve Nyman came down in first. After that, we watched teammate Travis Ganong ski into second place, knocking Nyman off the podium by .03 behind Beat Feuz of Switzerland. Of course, who could forget Weibrecht’s ninth place finish in true Warhorse-style. That energy will never be forgotten.

MR. GS DEFENDS HIS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLE

Defending his World Championships giant slalom title—his third straight—was his biggest goal in this challenging season for Ted Ligety. After injuring his wrist in training prior to Lake Louise, Ted had a rough start to the season. But just two weeks after he suffered the injury, he won the GS at Birds of Prey. With the World Championships on that same track, it was an arc-er’s show starring Ted Ligety. He shredded the track, gaining speed and building his lead the entire way down, and he gave the massive crowd something to cheer for. That was the loudest we heard the crowd the entire two weeks. Ted, you’re the man.


Mikaela Shiffrin holds the American flag in the finish after her World Champs slalom win. (Getty Images/AFP-Fabrice Coffrini)

HOMETOWN HERO SHIFFRIN GRABS GOLD

Miss Mikaela Shiffrin—you are a wonder. Both a class act and an incredibly gifted and beautiful skier, this gal rips in a seamingly effortless manner. It's like dancing on snow. Under tremendous pressure in front of her hometown of Vail, she let her skis run at the World Championships slalom and slayed the bottom of the course second run in true Mikaela style to come out on top. Not only did she defend her slalom World Championships title, but she totaled six victories in the season, went on to win the final slalom race of the season at World Cup Finals and won her third slalom crystal globe in a row. Of course she took time to thank the World Champs fans in style. Safe to say, Mikaela: You’re amazing.


Jared Goldberg slays in front of a huge crowd at Beaver Creek. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alexis Boichard)

GOLDBERG: GLIMPSES OF BRILLIANCE

Jared Goldberg is young, but has a promising career ahead of him as a huge threat. He’s also one of the most dynamic people off the snow—he loves playing music, mountain biking, surfing, hiking. You name it: Jared does it. In a world where being a multi-discipline skier is becoming more and more rare, Jared likes to switch it up so he doesn’t burn out on one discipline. He’s a beast—super-solid and strong—and he’s fun to watch. At World Championships, we had a glimpse of Jared Goldberg’s brilliance when he was third fastest in the downhill portion of the alpine combined, before boot topping a gate in slalom, throwing him out of the course. He clocked a significant amount of time in the leader box and noted, “It was a legitimate fist pump in the finish.” We can’t wait to fist pump with him more in the future.


Alice McKennis comes back after breaking her leg last season in Garmisch to take 13th in the downhill.

MMCKENNIS CONQUERS GARMISCH

On a track where she broke her leg just two seasons ago, Alice McKennis overcame nerves and found a little bit of redemption to clock the 16th fastest time in the first and only downhill training run in Garmisch. She carried that confidence over to the downhill the next day, grabbing her second top-15 finish of the season, finishing 13th. They don’t call her Klammer for nothing, folks!


The World Juniors team stands with their coaches after AJ Ginnis and Paula Moltzan’s amazing results.

JUNIORS SHOW PROMISE AT SEASON'S END

How about the young guns AJ Ginnis, Paula Moltzan, Drew Duffy and Nina O’Brien with incredible showings at season’s end? AJ and Paula are two of my favorite athletes—great kids on and off the hill—and both of them had outlined a podium at World Juniors as one of their goals. And they followed through with those goals, as these two young, promising U.S. Ski Team members fed off of each other’s energy at the Junior World Championships: Paula Moltzan won the slalom and AJ Ginnis grabbed third place. Impressive.

Then, we finished the season with U.S. Alpine Championships at Sugarloaf, Maine and a surprise super G victory by young Drew Duffy over Steven Nyman and Travis Ganong. After an incredibly challenging season for that crew, coach Justin "J.J." Johnson told me tears welled up in his eyes when Drew won, and that the only other time he cried was when they lost Ronnie and Bryce. It was an amazing way to end the season for Drew and his crew. Then, the following day, NTG U18 skier Nina O’Brien wowed the crowd with a victory over Paula Moltzan and Megan McJames. There are good things to come from these guys, my friends.

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What a season to join the White Circus! With off-snow activities like the autograph signings at the U.S. Military Base in Garmisch, rookie haircuts, countless walleyball, soccer and speed ball games with the speed teams, powder freeski days with teammates, and beyond—I feel honored to hang with this crew. World Championships was on home turf at Vail/Beaver Creek, and it was a wild, wild ride—but it was an incredible journey. A great big ol’ THANK YOU to each and every one of you fans for your undying support and your loud cheers. We can’t wait to give you a good show again in 2015/16!

Total season results count: five World Championships medals, 26 World Cup podiums, three World Cup globes and two Junior Worlds medalists.

Megan travels with the men and women’s alpine teams throughout the season. If you’d like to be added to her daily World Cup notes distribution list for next season, please send her an email at mharrod@ussa.org.

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