2025 Breakout Season Fuels Olympic Ambition
PARK CITY, Utah — Elisabeth Bocock didn’t ease into World Cup ski racing; she jumped in wide-eyed with highly effective turns and dedication, understanding she belonged—lengthy earlier than the outcomes proved it.
Final season, the 19-year-old from Salt Lake Metropolis scored her first World Cup factors in entrance of a roaring dwelling crowd in Killington, Vermont. Whereas Sölden, not Killington, was the primary big slalom of the season, Bocock wasn’t chosen to begin there. So Killington turned her season debut, and it marked a turning level. She landed in eighth after the primary run, shocked herself, and completed inside the highest 30 to notch her first World Cup end result.
“It was so significant for me to carry out my first race of the season in entrance of my household,” Bocock mentioned. “I used to be completely stunned by the primary run… it confirmed me a few of my potential and raised my requirements—and my expectations.”
All through the season, she certified for 4 second runs and scored in three, culminating in a breakthrough 14th-place end on the World Cup common season remaining big slalom in Åre, Sweden. The regular climb has put Bocock on the radar as a reputable contender for considered one of 4 U.S. Olympic spots in big slalom—a self-discipline that may possible be the toughest to qualify for heading into the 2026 Cortina Video games.
However Bocock isn’t shying away from the strain. She’s studying from it.
Studying From the Lows—and Climbing Again
Bocock’s season wasn’t all momentum. After her early success, she broke her hand in Killington and struggled to search out consistency by means of the center months. However her end in Åre proved she couldn’t solely get better—however ship.
“It simply confirmed me that I can take care of the perfect on the planet, not simply when the situations are completely fitted to me,” she mentioned. “That gave me extra confidence… and received me excited for making an attempt to qualify for the upcoming Olympics.”
Nonetheless, the expertise taught her that surviving on the World Cup is about greater than snowboarding quick; it’s about exhibiting up mentally and bodily robust, daily.
“You possibly can’t simply ski and make your approach down—you need to push,” she mentioned. “Everybody within the second run is pushing, pushing, pushing. For those who get a superb begin place, that’s an enormous alternative. It’s a must to make the most of it.”
Staying Grounded Whereas Aiming Excessive
The Olympic season brings new depth, and Bocock admits it typically weighs on her—particularly when a difficult coaching session feels extra consequential than it ought to.
“I can form of get in my head about these items,” she mentioned. “There’s quite a lot of strain… but additionally that rather more motivation.”
She is aware of what it’ll take to earn one of many coveted Cortina spots: constant, quick snowboarding. However she additionally understands that the U.S. tech group is without doubt one of the best on the planet, with a number of ladies commonly ending within the prime 15.
“I’m undoubtedly making an attempt to be a part of that dialog,” she mentioned. “However I’m additionally protecting in thoughts it is a actually laborious 12 months. If it occurs, that will be nice—however I’m nonetheless younger.”
Coaching for Consistency and Versatility
Bocock plans to race full-time on the World Cup this season, with a deal with big slalom, her strongest occasion. However she’s additionally decided to enhance her slalom and preserve super-G within the combine.
“It’ll in all probability prioritize GS first, slalom second, super-G third,” she mentioned. “I don’t assume I’ll be racing a ton of super-G, however I hope to race it at World Juniors, U.S. Nationals, possibly some Europa Cups.”
Her low season preparation has adopted an analogous construction to final 12 months, with power coach Foreste Peterson concentrating on key areas primarily based on bodily testing outcomes. Collectively, they’ve elevated deal with core stability and mobility—important for steadiness and management by means of lengthy, demanding programs.
“We’ve executed extra core-focused workout routines, which is sweet as a result of I can get a bit of unfastened within the course,” Bocock mentioned. “We’ve been engaged on staying balanced—and I’ve additionally been rehabbing a minor knee problem, so hopefully, I’ll be pain-free after I get again on snow.”
Home Success Paved the Method
Earlier than she turned an everyday in World Cup begin gates, Bocock made a reputation for herself on dwelling soil. She received the 2025 Nor-Am big slalom title—incomes World Cup begin rights for this season—and claimed the U.S. nationwide GS title in a deep, exhausted discipline in Vail.
“That was a very thrilling race,” she mentioned of nationals. “It was such an extended, tiring course on the finish of an extended season. To place down two good runs was thrilling, and it was particular to be on the rostrum with Nina [O’Brien] and AJ [Hurt]—two of my actually good buddies.”
Her Nor-Am factors additionally gave her earlier begin numbers in World Cup races—shifting from the mid-50s into the low 30s—and that made all of the distinction.
“It’s simply so laborious once you’re beginning late within the pack to assume, ‘Okay, I’ve to maneuver up 30 locations to make the flip,’” she mentioned. “While you’re beginning earlier, it simply makes it that a lot simpler mentally.”
Delivering Underneath Stress at Junior Worlds
Regardless of her World Cup season, Bocock remained centered on one main objective: incomes a person medal on the Junior World Ski Championships.
“I attempted to do all the things I might to be at my finest degree there,” she mentioned. “So to have the ability to get a medal, particularly after a mistake within the first run—that was actually thrilling. I used to be most pleased with with the ability to carry out with that strain—as a result of that race was my massive objective all season.”
She additionally earned medals within the group occasion—an expertise she treasures for various causes.
“Successful as a group is a lot enjoyable. You’re not likely the star of the present, however you’re celebrating everybody else too. It bonds you collectively,” she mentioned. “Ski racing is a person sport, and it’s simply so enjoyable to have the group occasion carry everybody collectively.”
Youngest on Tour—and Soaking It All In
Bocock spent final season because the youngest member of a robust and seasoned U.S. tech group. She observed the expertise hole instantly—and embraced it.
“The following youngest woman on the group is AJ, and she or he’s 5 years older than me,” she mentioned. “However they’ve form of introduced me in. AJ particularly has taken me beneath her wing.”
And the vacations away from dwelling? Powerful at first—however her teammates stepped in.
“Paula [Moltzan], Nina [O’Brien], AJ, and Katie [Hensien] received Mary and me Christmas pajamas and confirmed us their traditions,” she mentioned. “We baked cookies, went rodeling. They actually helped make it enjoyable after I was truthfully tremendous unhappy to be away from my household.”
Sister, Teammate, Finest Buddy
Her closest teammate can be her sister. Mary Bocock, a three-discipline World Cup skier, is Elisabeth’s coaching associate, motivator and confidante.
“Mary and I are finest buddies,” she mentioned. “She is aware of after I’m unhappy—even when I don’t say something—she is aware of what to do. We’ve been by means of the very same issues, and it’s so nice to really cheer somebody on one hundred pc.”
Mary’s depth additionally units the tone.
“She’s extremely hardworking,” Elisabeth mentioned. “With out her, I’d’ve tried to take shortcuts. However she’s proven me that each little piece of effort counts.”
Balancing Books and Massive Targets
Between World Cup races and coaching camps, Bocock can be a pupil at Dartmouth School, attending courses in fall and spring quarters.
“I actually take pleasure in being busy,” she mentioned. “Juggling a number of issues makes you extra productive. I labored out on a regular basis with Mary and AJ—we had a routine, and we helped one another keep it up.”
The problem, she admits, is the shortage of precise downtime.
“You go straight from the World Cup to highschool, after which straight into dryland coaching,” she mentioned. “It’s taxing. However most individuals’s lives are busy—it’s not that totally different.”
Nonetheless, she values the long-term perspective faculty offers.
“Snowboarding doesn’t final endlessly. I’m simply making an attempt to set myself up for all times after the game.”
Assist Behind the Scenes
From her mother and father to her power coach to the ski technicians making ready her tools, Bocock is aware of success doesn’t occur alone.
“My mother and father have been extremely supportive,” she mentioned. “They’re big followers of the game. They took us to look at World Cups as children, they usually love touring to look at our races. It simply makes it extra enjoyable.”
Her proximity to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Middle of Excellence in Park Metropolis is one other key asset. She trains there 5 days every week when she’s dwelling, typically with Foreste Peterson, who has guided her since her junior days.
“She’s helped me tremendously—bodily, technically, and mentally,” Bocock mentioned.
Final season, Bocock labored with each her longtime technician Jesús Calzada, with whom she shared a really profitable partnership, and Tadej Kunc, who helps fellow World Cup skier Katie Hensien. Together with her full-time transfer to the World Cup group this 12 months, she’ll now work primarily with the extremely achieved Kunc, and she or he’s excited to construct on the robust basis she created with Calzada.
“I labored with Tadej a bit final 12 months,” she mentioned. “Now that I’m full-time on the World Cup group, I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing what we will do collectively.”
Nonetheless a Teen, Already a Menace
Whether or not it’s the violin she performed by means of highschool or the nerves she feels watching her sister race, Bocock is refreshingly grounded. However she’s additionally quietly fearless—and steadily climbing.
“I feel I may be up there with the highest of our ladies,” she mentioned. “I simply need constant races. Maintain my ft on the bottom, push laborious, and preserve progressing.”
With 13 World Cup begins over the past two seasons, a Junior Worlds medal, a Nor-Am title, and a nationwide championship behind her, Bocock has confirmed she will be able to compete.
The Olympic dialog has now begun.
