STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

It’s official.

The world’s fastest 25 male and female alpine skiers will compete in the World Cup Finals at Sun Valley Resort. It will be the first time the finals have been on U.S. soil since 2017.

A 20-member delegation from FIS and US Ski & Snowboard took part in the inspection that led to the FIS awarding Sun Valley Resort the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals on Friday. The event will be held March 22-27, 2025.

The ratification was granted upon completion of the new Challenger race course, which promises to be one of the most demanding downhill courses in North America. The name Challenger is a nod to Union Pacific, which built America’s first destination ski resort in Sun Valley in 1936. And it’s a nod to the railroad’s challenger cars known for their speed and power.

The name also honors the resort’s new state-of-the-art Challenger chairlift, which serves the race course terrain.

The finals will include all four disciplines for men and women.

“Sun Valley has a long and storied history in ski racing, for many years hosting the revered Harriman Cup, our first FIS World Cup in 1975, and most recently the U.S. Alpine Championships back-to-back,” said Pete Sonntag, Sun Valley Resort general manager and vice president. “We’re proud of our mountain and believe it will provide a great test of the world’s greatest skiers, but we’re even more proud of our community and the way this small western town can rally around an event of this caliber. We’re thrilled for athletes, families and travelers worldwide to come experience the best of Sun Valley.”

The Stifel Sun Valley Finals schedule is as follows:

March 22- men's and women's downhill

March 23- men's and women's super-G

March 24- off day, no race events

March 25- women's giant slalom

March 26- men's giant slalom

March 27—men’s and women’s slalom

“We are thrilled to welcome back the best skiers from each alpine discipline to the iconic slopes of Sun Valley Resort,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, president and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “We are confident that this event will not only be a success, but it will further show that we have world class venues right in our backyard.”

Organizers are planning live music after each day of races at Warm Springs Base. The 5850 Fest will bring entertainment to downtown Ketchum. And on Monday, March 24, activities will shift to Festival Meadow in Sun Valley for special events celebrating Sun Valley’s ski heritage and western roots.

It’s expected a new statue honoring Sun Valley Olympic Gold Medalist Picabo Street will be unveiled at that time.

Now the race is on to find housing for the athletes, their tech crews, families and spectators and some 600 volunteers.

Volunteer opportunities will range from supporting the race at Warm Springs Base Area and Sun Valley Village to building the course and assisting with course maintenance. Sign up at https://www.sunvalley.com/events/audi-fis-ski-world-cup/volunteer/.

VIP Packages are available for purchase beginning Oct 1. Packages include lounge areas, complimentary gourmet catered food and beverages, VIP shuttle services and branded swag. See the options at https://www.sunvalley.com/events/audi-fis-ski-world-cup/vip-experience/.

Sponsorship opportunities are available—last year’s World Cup finals in Saalbach, Austria, had a cummulative live audience of more than 30 million viewers, according to Harry Griffith, executive director of Sun Valley Economic Development. To learn more, email ian@ikppartnerships.com.

Griffith said the World Cup Finals will bring an unprecedented number of people to the Wood River Valley. Bigger teams are expected to be housed in Sun Valley Resort and Limelight Hotel but stand-alone housing options are needed for athletes and officials of the smaller teams, ranging in size from three to 10 individuals.

Learn more at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbhcqbEutUz5eAeuGKsiEbx-mWIJ8dDJqZcp5j6sAP05NxzQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0