Ritchie Wins Second Nationwide Slalom Title
Ben Ritchie received his second U.S. Alpine Nationals slalom title on Monday in Vail, Colorado, main a Stifel U.S. Ski Group podium sweep. The 24-year-old additionally claimed the crown in 2021 at Aspen Highlands. This season, Ritchie broke via on the World Cup, ending seventeenth within the slalom standings and incomes a career-best seventh on the Stifel Solar Valley Finals.
Ritchie laid down the quickest first run (46.81) and adopted it with a clear, composed second run (47.94) to complete with a profitable whole of 1:34.75.
Males’s Podium – U.S. Alpine Nationals Slalom
1st Ben Ritchie – 1:34.75
2nd Stanley Buzek – 1:34.86 (+0.11)
Second-ranked North American within the 2025 NorAm slalom standings
Earned a World Cup slalom begin place for subsequent season
third Camden Palmquist – 1:35.21 (+0.46)
Raced in two World Cup slaloms this season (Levi and Kranjska Gora)
Why Ritchie Raced Nationals
Regardless of a protracted and profitable World Cup season, Ritchie made the journey to Colorado to compete.
“It’s tremendous enjoyable for certain,” Ritchie stated. “It’s fairly a unique expertise from World Cup Finals, however after I was a younger FIS racer beginning to do Nationals, I at all times cherished when the higher guys within the U.S. confirmed up and raced.”
He emphasised the significance of high athletes supporting home occasions.
“I feel it’s good for the game within the U.S. I feel all the nice guys ought to be at U.S. Nationals,” he stated. “It’s enjoyable, and there’s no stress. Just a few fast turns and a great time.”
No Plans to Gradual Down
After a giant World Cup marketing campaign, Ritchie stated he isn’t planning on a lot downtime.
“I’m not somebody who actually likes the break normally,” he stated. “After a pair days, I’m itching to do one thing.”
He plans to go house to Vermont briefly, then get again to coaching. “I spent a number of time final summer season preparing,” he added, “and it actually paid off this season.”
Robust Depth Behind the Podium
Fourth place went to Jett Seymour, simply 0.68 seconds again, with a powerful push in Sector 1. River Radamus was fifth (+0.79), adopted intently by Cooper Puckett (+0.84), who posted the fourth-fastest second run.
Matej Vidovic of Croatia, the one worldwide skier within the high ten, completed seventh (+0.88). U.S. teammates Luke Winters and Isaiah Nelson adopted in eighth and ninth, whereas Jevin Palmquist rounded out the highest ten.
All high ten finishers had been inside 2 seconds of Ritchie—highlighting tight margins and rising expertise.
Girls’s Slalom
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Harm Ends Season witHurt Ends Season with a Win
AJ Harm of the Stifel U.S. Ski Group closed her season on a excessive notice Monday, profitable the ladies’s slalom on the U.S. Alpine Nationals introduced by Stifel in Vail, Colorado.
After scuffling with again ache early within the yr, the 24-year-old delivered a powerful end. Regardless of incomes fewer World Cup factors than in 2024, she achieved her best-ever season slalom rating: twenty ninth.
Harm was second after the primary run however attacked the second with dedication. She skied at her restrict, made thrilling recoveries, and posted the quickest second run (47.10) to edge out her teammate Katie Hensien by 0.05 seconds. Her profitable time was 1:37.48.
“Slalom’s at all times hit and miss for me,” Harm stated. “I used to be like, ‘Oh, I haven’t received a race this complete season.’ Clearly, I haven’t finished a number of races that I may win, nevertheless it feels good to lastly be capable of win one—and in slalom, within the final race of the season.”
Her run mirrored her all-in model. “No stress. It was a number of enjoyable,” she added.
Girls’s Podium – U.S. Alpine Nationals Slalom
1st AJ Harm – 1:37.48
Quickest second run (47.10)
Closed a +0.34 first-run deficit
Made daring recoveries on the restrict of management
2nd Katie Hensien – 1:37.53 (+0.05)
Led after the primary run (50.38)
Former College of Denver All-American
Returned from damage to put up career-best World Cup slalom and GS outcomes this season
third Sara Rask – 1:39.73 (+2.25)
Present DU All-American from Sweden
Secured podium with a composed second run
Hensien Returns to Kind
Katie Hensien, additionally of the Stifel U.S. Ski Group and a former College of Denver All-American, completed second after main the primary run. It was a powerful finish to her comeback season after lacking all of 2024 with a knee damage.
“I feel after my slalom season—solely ending one slalom all yr—it was good to place one other one down,” Hensien stated. “It’s positively relieving understanding that my slalom snowboarding’s nonetheless there.”
She certified for her first World Cup Finals this season—in big slalom—and earned a career-best twelfth in slalom at Kranjska Gora.
She additionally took delight in sharing the stage with one other DU Pioneer.
“I really like sharing the rostrum with a fellow Pio,” she stated. “It simply reveals which you could go to the World Cup after snowboarding in faculty. Many have confirmed it.”
Rask Leads Collegiate Cost
Sweden’s Sara Rask, an All-American and present College of Denver standout, positioned third. She not too long ago accomplished her third NCAA season and hopes to return for a fourth.
“A U.S. Nationals podium has been a aim since I got here right here three years in the past,” Rask stated. “It was so wonderful to do it in my final for-sure yr. It’s a lot greater than I anticipated, and it’s cool to see that we (DU PIOS) can pull it off at Nationals.”
Regardless that she didn’t attend DU similtaneously Hensien, she stated it nonetheless felt like a staff victory.
“It’s so enjoyable. Regardless that I by no means went to highschool with Katie, it nonetheless seems like she’s one among my teammates,” Rask stated. “We root for one another all yr. It’s actually an incredible neighborhood.”
She additionally spoke concerning the lasting influence of school ski racing. “You assist one another out, regardless that everybody needs to win. You don’t do it on the expense of not serving to your teammates or associates. It’s lifted my expertise and made me higher.”
The College of Denver Dominates High 5
4 College of Denver athletes made up the highest 5: Hensien (2nd), Rask (third), Mia Hunt (4th), and Stella Buchheister (fifth).
Keely Cashman positioned sixth, adopted by a wave of sturdy performances from U.S. athletes and present faculty racers. In whole, eight of the highest ten had been American, with worldwide skiers Rask (Sweden) and Louison Accambray (France) ending third and seventh, respectively.
Males’s High 30 Outcomes
Girls’s High 30 Outcomes
