Sun Valley abuzz with World Cup skiing, appearance by Olympic legend Picabo Street
Editor’s note: Saturday’s men’s and women’s downhill competitions have been canceled because of high winds.
The best skiers in the world will be in Sun Valley over the next week for the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals.
The first Stifel Sun Valley Finals commence Saturday with the men’s downhill at 11 a.m. followed by the women’s downhill at 12:30 p.m. Other disciplines include the super G, giant slalom and slalom. Competition wraps up March 27.
On the call for the NBC television broadcast in Sun Valley will be skiing legend — and Idaho native — Picabo Street.
“I’ve been doing the mom thing, and I’ve had my head buried in that for a lot of years,” Street told the Idaho Statesman by phone earlier this week. “So to be back in the ski racing scene and in and around it calling races for NBC, that’s kind of a comeback for me in and of itself. I’m really excited. I’m stoked.”
But Street, who grew up in Triumph, Idaho, a tiny town about 12 miles from Sun Valley, says she’s also a little overwhelmed about the homecoming.
“I’m a little bit embarrassed that I’ve got a run on the mountain and a street at the bottom (named after me) that a lot of stuff is going to be happening on because it’s at the base on Warm Springs,” Street said. “And then the unveiling of my statue. It’s just a little overwhelming how much attention I’m potentially going to get and how much of my name is going to get splashed around again. I’m a little nervous about it.”
But the attention is well-earned.
Street represented the United States at three Olympic Games, taking silver in the downhill at Lillehammer in 1994 and winning the gold in super G at Nagano in 1998. In eight seasons competing in the World Cup, she recorded nine wins with 17 podium finishes.
Her bronze statue will be unveiled at 11 a.m. Monday at the newly renamed Champions Meadow in Sun Valley. It will stand alongside statues of Sun Valley’s Olympic and Paralympic medalists Kaitlyn Farrington, Gretchen Fraser, Christin Cooper and Muffy Davis.
“I’m so excited, so honored,” Street told EyeOnSunValley.com last summer. “I’m not often at loss for words, but trying to articulate the meaning of this is beyond words. Watching how Muffy Davis and Kaitlyn and Christin Cooper responded to this is an opportunity I will never forget. It says: We did this. We accomplished this.
“And it’s the epitome of paying it forward, giving kids a spot to come and dream. It’s amazing to think I will live on in bronze, and it gives the kids who look at it a chance to aspire to something, to shoot for something, to think about what it could take for them to achieve something like this. And — mandatory — it reminds me to ask myself: What are you doing to pay it forward? Is what I’ve accomplished useful?”
If you’re hoping to get in on the action over the next week — or watch it from afar — the Statesman has you covered. Here’s your guide to the Stifel Sun Valley Finals:
How and when to watch
All races will take place on the International trail, finishing in the Warm Springs Base Area of Bald Mountain. Spectators can watch the races for free from the Greyhawk Finish viewing areas or in the designated spectator viewing areas along the course. Course and venue maps can be found at sunvalley.com. All times listed are Mountain.
- Men’s downhill: 11 a.m. Saturday (NBC, Peacock) (Canceled because of high winds)
- Women’s downhill: 12:30 p.m. Saturday (NBC, Peacock) (Canceled because of high winds)
- Women’s super G: 11 a.m. Sunday (NBC, Peacock)
- Men’s super G: 12:30 p.m. Sunday (CNBC, Peacock)
- Women’s giant slalom: 9:30 a.m. first run, noon second run Tuesday (USA second run only)
- Men’s giant slalom: 9:30 a.m. first run, noon second run Wednesday (USA second run only)
- Women’s slalom: 9 a.m. first run, noon second run March 27 (USA second run only)
- Men’s slalom: 10 a.m. first run, 1 p.m. second run March 27 (no live TV)
Which Americans qualified for Sun Valley?
WOMEN
Downhill: Breezy Johnson, Lauren Macuga, Lindsey Vonn, Jacqueline Wiles.
Super G: Lauren Macuga, Lindsey Vonn.
Giant slalom: Katie Hensien, AJ Hurt, Paula Moltzan, Nina O’Brien.
Slalom: Paula Moltzan, Mikaela Shiffrin.
MEN
Downhill: Bryce Bennett, Ryan Cochran-Siegle.
Super G: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Jared Goldberg.
Giant slalom: River Radamus.
Slalom: Ben Ritchie.
Are there any Gem State competitors?
Downhill skier Breezy Johnson grew up in Victor, Idaho.
The two-time World Cup champion ranks seventh in the downhill standings and has two podium finishes this season, winning gold at the Saalbach World Championships and taking third at Kvitfjell.
What’s at stake?
Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt (men) and Italy’s Federica Brignone (women) have all but wrapped up the overall titles, but there are still plenty of discipline titles up for grabs.
- Men’s downhill: Odermatt (605 points) leads countryman Franjo von Allmen by 83 points.
- Men’s slalom: Leader Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway (612) will try to hold off Switzerland’s Loic Meillard (565) and France’s Clement Noel (526).
- Women’s downhill: Brignone (384) owns a 16-point lead over Austria’s Cornelia Huetter, and Italy’s Sofia Goggia (350) is still in the running.
- Women’s super G: Brignone once again leads with 570 points over Suitzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami (565).
- Women’s slalom: Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutic (515) leads Switzerland’s Camille Rast by 41 points, and Austria’s Katharina Liensberger (464) and Switzerland’s Wendy Holdener (419) have not been mathematically eliminated.
- Women’s giant slalom: New Zealand’s Alice Robinson (520) leads Brignone by 20 points.
What’s happening besides World Cup skiing?
- Opening Ceremony bib draw: The top 10 men and top 10 women downhill racers select their starting positions for Saturday’s race, followed by a performance by Mix Master Mike, at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sun Valley’s Outdoor Ice Rink.
- Worldcup Rebels Après Music series: Paul Oakenfold (March 22), 220 Kid (March 23), DJ Logic (March 25), G. Love (March 26), Switchfoot (March 27). Concerts begin at 2 p.m. at the Warm Springs Plaza at Bald Mountain.
- Vendor Village at Warm Springs: Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily starting Friday.
- Wild West Skijoring Invitational: Skiers are pulled by horseback through an action-packed course, noon to 3 p.m. Monday.
This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 4:00 AM.
