CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — The nation’s best downhill skiers will begin competing at Sugarloaf at 9 a.m. Wednesday when the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships get underway with the men’s and women’s Super G.
The U.S. Ski Team is coming off a successful season that included five medals at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek, along with three season-long World Cup titles.
Racing will take place on Sugarloaf’s Narrow Gauge trail, which also was the site of a 1971 FIS World Cup. It will be the fifth time Sugarloaf has played host to the championships after successful events in 1996, 1997, 2006 and 2008.
“New England skiers don’t often have the opportunity to experience races of this caliber in-person,” Sugarloaf General Manager John Diller said in a news release. “Sugarloaf has a proud tradition of hosting some of the world’s premier ski racing events, and we’re honored to have the U.S. Alpine Championships return this spring.”
The women’s giant slalom will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, followed by by men’s giant slalom at 9:30 a.m. Friday, the women’s slalom at 9 a.m. Saturday and the men’s slalom at 9 a.m. Sunday. Second runs of each event will be held three hours later.
Leading a strong contingent of skiers will be Lindsey Vonn, who captured the World Cup downhill and giant slalom overall season titles last week.
“This will be my first time back at U.S. Alpine Championships since before my injuries — the last time I was at U.S. champs was at Winter Park. I’m looking forward to being back there as it’s always a great environment with great energy,” Vonn said in a news release.
“But the primary reason I’m heading out to Sugarloaf is not for the competition itself, but to be there to support the younger generation of ski racers. I know it meant a lot to me as a young ski racer to compete in this event amongst some of the best ski racers in the world, and I’m hoping to have the same influence on the younger generation,” she added.
Other top competitors include Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin as well as World Cup skiers Lauren Ross, Stacey Cook, Andrew Weibrecht, Steve Nyman and Tim Jitloff.
Some top skiers will not be competing because of injuries, including Carrabassett Valley Academy graduate Bode Miller, who is recuperating from a leg injury and Julia Mancuso, who has a sore hip.
On Saturday, three people were sent to a hospital with injuries not considered life threatening after an accident on the King Pine chairlift at Sugarloaf. Four more people injured in the accident were treated at the scene.
The U.S. ski team said in a Boston Globe story that it is confident in Sugarloaf’s ability to host the event.
A ceremony welcoming the athletes begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Fans who want to watch the races will have to ski or hike to the location.