Second downhill race added to Birds of Prey World Cup event in Beaver Creek
The Vail Valley Foundation, organizer of the Birds of Prey World Cup races in Beaver Creek, announced Friday that the 2025 event will feature four men’s races for the 2025-26 season, adding a second downhill to the December 4-7 competition schedule.
The expansion marks one more men’s race than previous seasons and creates an extended weekend of world-class Alpine racing on one of the circuit’s most iconic and challenging courses. The enhanced four-race format will showcase the sport’s best athletes competing in two downhills, a super-G, and a giant slalom as they battle for crucial Olympic qualifying points ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
“While summer is in full swing here in the Vail Valley, we are already looking ahead with tremendous excitement to December and the return of the men’s Stifel Birds of Prey World Cup races,” said Sarah Franke, senior vice president of operations for the Vail Valley Foundation. “After the incredible energy and enthusiasm we witnessed hosting both men’s and women’s races in 2024, we’re eager to build on that momentum and deliver another world-class event that showcases the best of alpine racing on one of the sport’s most challenging and respected courses.”
The Swiss swept the top step of the podium in the men’s events last December at Beaver Creek. Justin Murisier won the downhill, Marco Odermatt claimed the super-G and Thomas Tumler took the giant slalom. Edwards skier River Radamus wowed the hometown crowd with two top-10 finishes to lead the American contingent.
Since its founding in 1981, bringing World Cup racing to the area has been a staple of the Vail Valley Foundation. The nonprofit recently unveiled an ambitious $72 million capital campaign, part of which will secure and expand upon that legacy with the continuation of the Birds of Prey event. The addition of a second weekend of women’s races following the men’s events last December yielded an economic impact for Beaver Creek and Avon of $6.8 million.
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With Olympic qualification on the line, the December showdown in Beaver Creek promises to deliver exceptional racing and determine which athletes earn their place on the world’s biggest stage.
For the complete 2025-26 U.S. domestic World Cup schedule featuring 10 events across all disciplines, visit the full announcement from U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
