Palisades Tahoe Wraps Up Unforgettable Stifel World Cup Competition

Palisades Tahoe hosted 102 athletes from 23 countries for World Cup skiing this weekend, with huge crowds coming out to support the men’s Giant Slalom and Slalom racers. Nearly 15,000 fans watched the action live, while ski racing enthusiasts tuned in from over 100 countries. The US Ski Team brought nine athletes back to home soil, while the international competitors marveled at the Sierra’s impressive snowfall. 

“We were so thrilled to welcome back our friends in World Cup skiing to Palisades Tahoe,” remarked Palisades COO Dee Bryne. “Our legendary terrain and snowfall exceeded all expectations and we were overjoyed to be able to offer the competitors the rare opportunity of a powder day alongside a challenging race course.” 

More than 400 volunteers and a course crew of 100 made the event possible amidst a winter storm, which dumped more than 108 inches of snow on the resort over the weekend and the days leading up to the event. Approximately 60 inches of snow had to be removed from the Red Dog course to create the ideal racing surface, and a slip crew of 64 worked tirelessly from the early hours of the morning through race days to ensure the course remained clear.

Austrian Marco Schwarz won Saturday’s Giant Slalom race, followed by Swiss skier Marco Odermatt in second and Norwegian Rasmus Windingstad in third. After Greece’s AJ Ginnis was disqualified following a jury review, Norway’s Alexander Steen Olsen won Sunday’s Slalom competition by 0.05 seconds. His countryman Timon Haugan took second place and Albert Popov (BUL) and Clement Noel (FRA) tied for third place.

“The Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup had an amazing atmosphere with tens of thousands of screaming American ski racing fans. Having the opportunity to host the first men’s technical series in the United States in decades at a historic Olympic venue like Palisades Tahoe was incredible,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President & CEO Sophie Goldschmidt. “It was very fun to see our international competitors enjoy the slopes of Palisades on an amazing day of powder skiing, with many claiming it to be the best skiing they have ever had. We hope to see more U.S. races in the future, and continue to inspire the next generation of ski racers and fans!”

Following the resort’s official renaming in 2021 and new Base to Base Gondola debut in late 2022, Palisades Tahoe stepped back onto the international stage to challenge the world’s best ski racers and reintroduce itself to the world. A renowned venue that hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics and the 2017 Women’s Alpine World Cup event, Palisades Tahoe has produced legendary ski racing champions including Tamara McKinney, Jonny Moseley, Travis Ganong, Julia Mancuso, and more.