STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK and JOHN W. LUNDIN

PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

The first of the Men’s and Women’s Downhill Training Runs set to take place on Thursday were cancelled after four inches of snow fell on Sun Valley Resort’s Bald Mountain.

The snow, which pushed Sun Valley well past its seasonal average of 166 inches, had powder hounds whooping for joy. But it was a nightmare for those trying to keep the downhill course icy hard, which makes it safer for the racers. They’d have a better chance of injuring themselves catching their ski in a soft rut.

Trailers housing ski techs from Europe, North America and New Zealand—yes, New Zealand—have sprung up in the Sun Valley Pavilion parking lot.

Six Pisten Bully groomers worked the course, and World Cup skiers managed to get a few runs in, anyway. And volunteers sidestepped down the mountain along netting to provide viewing platforms for spectators.

A TV cameraman readied his post on a platform looking out onto Mid Warm Springs.

“Your mountain is very steep,” said Norwegian downhiller Adrian Sejersted, adding that it was his first visit to Sun Valley.

Italy’s Federica Brignone is likely mere days away from claiming the women’s overall World Cup trophy, as she leads Switzerland’s second-place Lara Gut-Behrami by several hundred points. And she is anxious to claim the downhill title, as she is leading Austria’s Cornelia Heutter by 16 points with Italy’s Sofia Goggia in third place.

A ski tech from Slovenia works in one of the trailers.

Brignone said she really likes Sun Valley and its downhill course: “It is very steep, there are a number of control gates that make the course turn-y, but they are well-placed to capture the curve of the slope and do not affect a skier’s rhythm.”

None of the courses on the World Cup circuit are like Sun Valley’s, she added. But it reminds her most of the downhill at St. Anton, Austria, which she said was her favorite before coming to Sun Valley. The Sun Valley course is very well designed and will make for exciting racing, agreed  Brignone and two women from the Austrian ski team.

Formerly a technical skier, Brignone said she is happy with her year on the World Cup Circuit and hopeful she can win the overall trophy.

“But if I do not, I will be satisfied with my performance.”

Some of the spots along Sun Valley’s World Cup downhill course honor those associated with Sun Valley’s ski history, including Dick Durrance and Gretchen Fraser.

Ski techs have been hard at work in nearly three dozen trailers that were trucked into the valley and placed in the Sun Valley Pavilion parking lot. There, they are testing various waxes and grinds to see what works best in Sun Valley’s spring conditions.

World cup athletes have been seen strolling through town, noshing on cold brews and other nibbles as they gear up for the Super Bowl of Skiing.

Today the activity heats up with Downhill Training runs resuming on the Warm Springs side of the mountain. They are expected to resume at 11 a.m. with the Women’s Downhill Training, which can be viewed from the lower Greyhawk Base viewing area, as well as several areas along the course for those on skis.

The world’s fastest 25 men and 26 women (there was a tie in the final standings) will take part in a downhill bib draw at the Sun Valley Resort Outdoor Ice rink from 6 to 7 p.m. The event, open to the public, will also feature an ice show, fireworks and other surprises from the Idaho Potato Commission.

Sun Valley’s World Cup downhill course is steeper than any of the other World Cup downhills.

Here’s today’s schedule:

FRIDAY, March 21

11 a.m. WOMEN’S DOWNHILL TRAINING can be viewed from the Lower Greyhawk Base viewing area

Noon-8:30 p.m. VENDORS will be set up at Ketchum Town Square until 5 p.m., while FOOD TRUCKS will be at the square from noon until 8:30 p.m.

12:30 p.m. MEN’S DOWNHILL TRAINING can be viewed from the Lower Greyhawk Base viewing area.

2-4 p.m. DJ DOT performs live music at the Warm Springs Base Area.

2-6 p.m. BOOKSIGNING for "Skiing Sun Valley: A History from Union Pacific to the Holdings" with author John W. Lundin at Signatures Gift Shop in Sun Valley Village.

3-5 p.m. BOGNER AND BRASS RANCH PRE-BIB DRAW PARTY at the Brass Ranch Village; Pete Lane’s plans to join in the fun, as well.

4 p.m. APRES with BRANDI CYRUS, sister of Miley Cyrus, gets the music going on the Main Stage on Main Street Ketchum.

6 p.m. The CHASING POWDER PARTY launches at the Main Stage on Main Street Ketchum. Performers include Brandi Cyrus, Annie Bosko and the Jake Maurer Band, with an after-party featuring DJ Locomotive beginning at 9 p.m. at Whiskey’s on Main.

5:30-7 p.m. A free OPENING CEREMONY and DOWNHILL BIB DRAW at the Sun Valley Resort Outdoor Ice Rink. The top 10 men and top 10 women downhill racers will select their starting positions for Saturday’s race from 6 to 7 p.m. There’ll be an ice show and surprises from the Idaho Potato Commission.

7-8 p.m. DJ MIX MASTER MIKE, a Grammy winner called the world’s greatest DJ by USA Today, will perform with fireworks following at the Sun Valley Resort Outdoor Ice Rink

FREE SHUTTLES

There is no parking in the Warm Springs area, but Sun Valley Resort and Mountain Rides will be running shuttles every 15 minutes from 5:15 a.m. to 3:30 pm., then every 30 minutes from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Riders may park for free at the Upper Parking Lots on the River Run side of Bald Mountain. Additional parking lots throughout town, such as the south lot of the Wood River YMCA and Rotary Park, will also be activated as park-and-ride areas.

The Mountain Rides Bronze route leaves from the River Run Plaza bus stop by the bridge at :47 and :06 after the hour from 8:47 a.m. to 4:47. There also will be shuttles from the Baldy View Circle bus stop in the Sun Valley Village every 30 minutes starting at 5 a.m.

Those wishing to ride buses from Bellevue or Hailey may pick them up at the Atkinsons’ Market in Bellevue, Hailey Ice Rink north lot, Hailey Park & Ride on River Street and Wood River Middle School. Riders will transfer from the Valley route to the Blue route in Ketchum.

Buses will drop off in front of Apples; the drop-off location for motorists will be on Howard Drive.

Learn details at https://www.sunvalley.com/events/audi-fis-ski-world-cup/parking-transportation/.