STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

You could tell when one of the world’s fastest man or woman started headed out of the starting gate at the top of International down Sun Valley’s steep World Cup course.

Someone would shout, “On course!” Immediately the cowbells would start ringing and the cheers would resound from the Warm Springs side of Bald Mountain over to the River Run side.

The Sun Valley crowd got their first look at the world’s fastest skiers on Friday as the 25 fastest male downhillers and the 26 fastest female downhillers (there was a tie in the final rankings) got their first crack at the world’s steepest World Cup course—a course that didn’t even exist a few months ago.

Skiers and their coaches congregate around the starting gate at the top of International waiting for the first downhill training run.

They will battle for World Cup titles today when the men toe the starting line at 2 p.m. (not 11 a.m. as previously scheduled) and the women at 3 p.m. (instead of the previously scheduled 12:30 p.m.) with the presentation of the Globe trophies immediately following the race in the finish area.

Not only are World Cup globes on the line, but the fastest male and female downhillers will get 25-pound Harriman Cup trophies manufactured by the same company that manufactures the Heisman Trophy.

The City of Sun Valley, which is handing out the trophies, is also giving $20,000 to each winner.

For spectators, it’s a preview of the 2026 Winter Olympics ski races that will take place next February in Cortina, Italy.

Lindsey Vonn talks with her coach following her training run on Friday.

But dozens, maybe hundreds, of volunteers will be blurry eyed after spending the night sidestepping down the course to push the three inches of snow that fell overnight off the icy hard course. Crews were scheduled to hit the mountain at 10 p.m., 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. The Warm Springs side of the mountain was ablaze with lights as they tried to keep the overnight snow from delaying the start of the races. But the jury decided at 6 a.m. to delay the starts until afternoon.

There was but one crash and just a few missed gates during Friday's training runs as racers skied the brand new course cautiously, trying to figure out where they could challenge it to beat their fellow racers.

Members of the U.S. Ski Team were jazzed on Friday to be skiing the World Cup finals on American soil.

Lindsey Vonn, now 40, is on her comeback tour, coming out of retirement after a knee replacement made her realize she could still do it.

Picabo Street is providing commentary for the races in a broadcast booth above the grandstand.

"I learned that I haven't forgotten anything--it's like riding a bike. I know exactly what I need to do and everything came back very quickly."

She is racing in today's downhill and Sunday's Super-G.

“When I heard the World Cup Finals were coming to Sun Valley, I was really sad because I was like, ‘I would have liked to have skied there.’ And, lo, here I am racing. I haven’t had many chances to race in World Cup races at home and this may be my last chance to race at home in my lifetime so I am going to enjoy it.”

Vonn said she made a mistake on the middle part of the course Friday—a mistake that left her 12^th, although no one was likely racing their fastest since it was a training run.

Skiers navigated a couple super-G-like turns as they headed towards the fearsome jump at the Steilhang.

“It’s new, this course. You need to be challenged, and that's what i enjoy. This course is a fun challenge for me. I just have to figure out my equipment and I will be in a good place,” she said. “So, it's nice to be back and as Breezy so kindly pointed out yesterday I am, I think the oldest woman to ever make a World Cup finals. So there’s always that--I'll take it. If you feel good, if you mentally have the drive, there’s no reason you should stop doing what you love to do. I stopped because my body wasn't working and now that my body's working again, my mind is able to do what it wants to do, which is go fast."

Vonn said she likes the opportunity to race with the men--it's more exciting and the atmosphere is nice. "It's spring so it's not as cold and just overall finals are always fun. "

Breezy Johnson, who grew up in Victor, Idaho, elicited a roar from the crowd watching the first part of the race on a giant screen at the bottom of the race course as she jumped the Steilhang,  coming down on one ski. But she hung on, and waved to the crowd as she made a hockey stop at the bottom.

“It’s cool to end the season here, so exciting to see all the support that’s turned out. I hope Idahoans are excited about having a high-level sport here in a small town,” said Johnson, a two-time World Cup Champion.

Seventh in the downhill standings, Johnson has two podium finishes this season—a gold at the Sallbach World Championships and a bronze at Kvitfjell

“This was a very technical course—a lot of super-G turns. A lot of side hills, jumps,” she said. “I’ve been working toward a season like this for a long time. I feel like I’m in a good place, but I know everybody who’s here feels like they had a good season. And everyone here’s going to bring their A game so I can’t sit on my laurels just because I had a good season.”

Lauren Macuga, who rounds out the U.S. Women’s Ski Team with Jacqueline Wiles, was especially bubbly, even getting sporty by pulling on a jaunty little hat and fun afterwear at the end.

“My expectations for the season was high, but this surpassed them,” said Macuga, who raced in Sun Valley during the 2022 and 2024 U.S. Alpine championships. “It’s really cool to have the final race here--if I have my best ski down, I’ll be even more excited to go to work this summer.”

Macuga said women’s courses are usually flatter than Sun Valley’s course, which is the steepest in the world.

“It’s pretty flowy. Flows well. It has a lot of halfpipe turns, very fun stuff flowing the whole way down. And it’s magical having so many with people standing along the course cheering us on and people honking as we walk around town. So exciting to have this in the United States. So excited to have so many show up.”

On Friday skiers watched the race from several points including Machine Road, which starts on Flying Squirrel and runs past Picabo Street and Limelight to a point on Warm Springs just above the Steilhang Traverse. Despite fears it would be crowded, there was plenty of room for more.

Others watched from the bottom of Greyhawk where ticket holders filled the grandstand and other spectators stood in an open area, watching the athletes navigate the upper part of the course on a big screen before bursting into sight below the Steilhang Traverse.

Among them, Willi Boni, a Swiss man, who danced around ringing 60-pound cowbells hanging from a cow's yoke on his back every time a Swiss racer crossed the finish line.

"Cowbells are tradition back home. They are start to every parade, and we have big Swiss bell club--I used to be president of the club. My grandkids even ring the cowbells," he said.

Cox Communications is providing access to Outside TV on Channel 4 at no extra charge. Also broadcasting the races is NBC Peacock.

Swiss racer Marco Odermatt has already wrapped up his fourth straight men’s overall, along with the super-G and Giant Slalom titles. But he must best his teammate Franjo Von Allman to win the downhill title.

He leads Von Allman 605 points to 522, meaning all he has to do is finish inside the top 14 to win the downhill title.

The women’s overall title is Italian racer Federica Brignone’s for the taking, as she leads Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami, who came in first in Friday’s training runs, by 382 points.

Brignone also has a chance to capture the world titles in downhill, super-G and giant slalom. To win the downhill title, she will have to hold off Austria’s Cornelia Huetter, who won the downhill crystal globe last season. Goggia, in third, has won the title four times.

The American men in the downhill are Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who finished fifth to a resounding cheer from the crowd, and Bryce Bennett, who  brought a number of Squaw Valley spectators to town. “You can’t miss him—he’s 6-foot-7!” they said.

Bennett could very well leave everybody eating his dust today he’ll be so eager to get down the course. His wife is back home in Truckee, Calif., due to give birth to their first child today.

SATURDAY, March 22

9 a.m-5 p.m. VENDOR VILLAGE at Warm Springs Base Area

11 a.m. (DELAYED UNTIL 2 p.m.) MEN’S DOWNHILL can be viewed from the Lower Greyhawk Base viewing area and live on Outside TV, Cox Cable Channel 4 and CNBC/Peacock. (May be delayed due to last night's snow).

11 a.m. The AUDI FIS WORLD CUP FINALS WATCH PARTY will be held at the Main Stage on Main Street Ketchum

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. DJ DOT provides live music at Warm Springs Base 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. (DELAYED TO 3 p.m.) WOMEN’S DOWNHILL can be viewed from the Lower Greyhawk Base viewing area and live on Outside TV

Following Women’s Downhill—PRESENTATION OF THE HARRIMAN CUP by the City of Sun Valley to the fastest male and female downhill racers at Warm Springs Base Area

2 p.m. NEW MEN'S START

2 p.m. APRES PARTY with thrice Grammy-nominated PAUL OAKENFOLD, the Godfather of electronic music, at Warm Springs Base Area. Oakenfold is known for groundbreaking performances at such exotic locales as the Great Wall of China and Mount Everest base camp, and he has contributed to films like “The Bourne Identity” and “The Matrix Reloaded.”

2 p.m. Free BODY TALK at The Argyros with Dr. Charles Weaver, who will look at innovations transforming patient care and treatment.

 3 p.m. NEW WOMEN'S START

3-4 p.m. ATHLETIC POSTER SIGNINGS with Rossignol Athletes at Sturtevants on Main Street.

3:30 p.m. Free “KINDRED” FILM at The Argyros features former U.S. Olympic team members Devin Logan and Caroline Claire from competitions to the backcountry as they take the next step in their careers fueled by their loves for the mountain. Q&A to follow.6 p.m. A RETRO PEAK PARTY featuring BARENAKED LADIES, SUGAR RAY and BRANDI CYRUS will take the Main Stage on Main Street

4 p.m. LIVE MUSIC by Pisten Bullys outside Apple's Bar & Grille

6 p.m. A RETRO PEAK PARTY featuring BARENAKED LADIES, SUGAR RAY and BRANDI CYRUS will take the Main Stage on Main Street

LATE AFTERNOON and EVENING—Speed painter Evan Struck will make a show of painting World Cup athletes at Graham Galleries on Sun Valley Road

10 p.m. LATE NIGHT PARTY featuring DJ Locomotive will start at 10 p.m. at Whiskey’s on Main

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/.