LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (October 12, 2023) – In a surprising turn of events, Team Palisades Tahoe skier Bryce Bennett has been named the sole representative from the Lake Tahoe region on the U.S. Alpine Ski Team’s A Team. This decision comes after years of having multiple athletes hailing from the area on the national team. Bennett, a longstanding member of the program since 2011, is poised to continue the tradition of Olympic Valley downhill skiing.
Last season, Bennett, now 31, finished 35th in the World Cup downhill standings, with his top finish being a commendable 10th place at the Aspen downhill. Despite the challenges, he’s set to take on the world’s best in alpine skiing as part of the 55 athletes confirmed for this season’s Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team.
This transition follows the retirement of one of the area’s top racers, Travis Ganong, leaving Bennett as the torchbearer for the Lake Tahoe region.
But, there’s a twist to the story. Another prominent athlete from Team Palisades Tahoe, Nina O’Brien, was also named to the A Team but will be sidelined for the season due to a recent leg fracture suffered during a training camp in New Zealand. O’Brien, a talented 25-year-old skier, expressed her determination to bounce back, noting that this marks her second time breaking her left leg, the first time occurring during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Following surgery at Vail Health Hospital, she’s on her way to recovery and is eagerly anticipating her return to the slopes.
In the face of adversity, O’Brien remains resilient, having finished last year ranked 26th in the World Cup giant slalom standings and achieving a remarkable world championship in the team event at the Courchevel-Meribel World Championships.
Team Palisades Tahoe also welcomes the return of Keely Cashman and AJ Hurt, who will be members of the program’s B Team. Cashman, 24, enjoyed success across various events last year, clinching victory in four FIS races, including a first-place finish in slalom at Alpine Meadows in April. Hurt, 22, overcame a season-ending injury and came back strong, securing wins in slalom and giant slalom during the Australian New Zealand Cup. She also claimed first place in slalom at the New Zealand National Championships.
On the men’s side, Erik Arvidsson, 27, will join the B Team as another representative of Team Palisades Tahoe. Arvidsson’s achievements include a pair of Nor-Am Cup wins in downhill, a runner-up position in super-G at the U.S. National Championships, and a ninth-place finish in combined at the World Championships in France. He wrapped up the 2023 season as the top-ranked downhill racer in the Nor-Am Cup standings.
Sugar Bowl Academy skier Luke Winters, 26, will also be part of the B Team. He secured a runner-up spot at the U.S. National Championships in slalom and posted notable 11th and 12th place finishes in slalom at the World Cup level.
Furthermore, Alix Wilkinson, 23, a member of Team Palisades Tahoe, has been named to the program’s C Team. She is still on the path to recovery after breaking her ankle in Chile last year but is determined to make her comeback to competitive racing.
Finally, Allison Mollin, another athlete from Team Palisades Tahoe, will start her journey with the D Team in her first year with the program. Mollin is a U21 downhill champion and U18 downhill champion, setting her sights on winning the Nor-Am Cup downhill title and making it to the World Cup.
As the 2023-24 World Cup season approaches, the excitement is building. The schedule includes 21 women’s World Cups and 20 men’s events, commencing with a weekend of giant slalom in Soelden, Austria on October 28-29.
North American fans will have the chance to witness four World Cups in the United States, including the highly anticipated Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup on February 24-25.
It’s worth noting that members of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams receive varying levels of support for training, travel, and other expenses related to ski racing. Alpine Director Patrick Riml expressed his excitement for the upcoming season, highlighting the progress made by the athletes in both speed and tech disciplines. Riml is confident that they will make their mark on the World Cup tour and bring home impressive results for the organization and the nation.
