Ski & Snowboard Club Vail runs deep for 2022 Winter Olympians
16 SSCV current and alumni athletes are competing in Beijing
Special to the Daily
There must be something in the snow in Vail that produces Olympians. Seeing 16 Ski & Snowboard Club Vail athletes and alumni competing in Beijing, China, this month exemplifies the dedication of the world-class ski and snowboard club in working with every athlete to achieve their full potential.
Each SSCV 2022 Olympian walked through the SSCV clubhouse doors and trained on the local venues at some point, and every athlete has their own unique snowsport journey that connected them to SSCV and the Vail Valley.
“SSCV is immensely proud to be a part of the journey of each of these 2022 Beijing Winter Olympians. They inspire the next generation of SSCV athletes, whether watching them from afar or training alongside them,” SSCV Executive Director John Hale said.
Following the 16 athletes with local connections in Beijing will require a functioning alarm clock. With Beijing 15 hours ahead of the mountain time zone, most events will broadcast live early in the morning and rebroadcast in a prime-time slot in the evening. You can catch Friday’s opening ceremonies twice in the U.S.: Live at 4:30 a.m. on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock and again at 6 p.m. on NBC.
The full Olympic schedule alongside a detailed broadcast schedule can be found at NBCOlympics.com.
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All watch times posted below are in Mountain Standard Time (MST).
Aaron Blunck
Freeski Halfpipe | U.S.
Blunck, an SSCV alumnus, came to SSCV in order to further his training alongside his academics. Blunck is representing the U.S. Freeski Team in Beijing as a three-time Olympian. As a high-schooler, Blunck filled the halls of Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy with excitement as he headed off to Sochi in 2014 on his first Olympic stage. VSSA is an Eagle County public school and SSCV academic partner.
Watch Aaron: Feb. 16: Qualification, Feb. 18: Final
Alex Ferreira
Freeski Halfpipe | U.S.
Ferreira is an SSCV alumnus representing the U.S. Freeski Team and competing in his second Olympics. Ferreira trained and competed with SSCV.
Watch Alex: Feb. 16: Qualification, Feb. 18: Final
Olivia Giaccio
Moguls | U.S.
Giaccio, an SSCV alumna, is competing in moguls as a first time-Olympian in Beijing. Giaccio trained and competed with SSCV and attended VSSA.
“I worked with Livy back when she was 13 and 14. She has been on a great path and it’s great to see her go to the Olympics. Winning her first World Cup this year was huge,” SSCV Mogul Program Director John Dowling stated.
Watch Olivia: Feb. 3: Qualification 1, Feb. 6: Qualification 2, Final
Kai Owens
Moguls | U.S.
Owens is a current SSCV athlete and first-time Olympian. Adopted from China at a very young age, Owens has been in the Vail valley for most of her life. Her appearance in Beijing as an Olympian is her first return to China since her adoption, creating added meaning to an already extraordinarily meaningful stay. Owens began training and competing with SSCV as a very young athlete and is a currently a student at VSSA.
“Kai was a prodigy with SSCV back when she was 6”, said Dowling. “She has always had that fire and that competitive drive. She is the consummate competitor and fierce skier. She’s a threat to medal at the Olympics.”
Watch Kai: Feb. 3: Qualification 1, Feb. 6: Qualification 2, Final
Dylan Walczyk
Moguls | U.S.
Walczyk, a current SSCV athlete, has been training with SSCV as he enters his first Games
“Dylan has forged his own way, and skied himself to this point,” Dowling said in summarizing Walczyk’s journey. “There was certainly an element of vindication for him and I couldn’t be happier. I have worked with Dylan since he was 12 and him making it as an Olympian is a monumental lifetime achievement.”
Watch Dylan: Feb. 3: Qualification 1, Feb. 5 Qualification 2, Final
Faye Gulini
Snowboardcross | U.S.
Gulini, an SSCV alumna, is in Beijing for her fourth experience as an Olympian. Gulini trained and competed with SSCV and was a graduate of VSSA. Amidst her many successes as a national team athlete and Olympian, she found time to earn B.S. and master’s degrees in accounting from Westminster College.
Watch Faye: Feb. 8: Seeding, Feb. 9: Rounds/Finals
Meghan Tierney
Snowboardcross | U.S.
Tierney is an SSCV alumna going to Beijing as a second-time Olympian. Tierney trained and competed with SSCV and also attended VSSA. As her passion for snowboarding led her to focus on snowboardcross, she transitioned to a snowboardcross-specific team.
Watch Meghan: Feb. 8: Seeding, Feb. 9: Rounds/Finals
Zoe Kalapos
Snowboard Halfpipe | U.S.
Kalapos is making her first appearance as an Olympian in Beijing as part of the U.S. Snowboard Team. Kalapos, an SSCV alumna, trained and competed with SSCV and attended VSSA. Alongside her athletic exploits, she also earned her degree in marketing from Westminster College.
“I’ve known Zoe since she was 7 years old. It’s been amazing watching her grow into the person she is today. She is smart, driven and caring,” SSCV Snowboard and Freeski Program Director Chris Laske said.
“From a young age, she wasn’t like other kids. She was so focused on snowboarding and always stayed out of trouble even through her teenage years. I saw firsthand the remarkable sacrifices that both Zoe and her family made to give her every chance to succeed in snowboarding. It’s so exciting to see her hard work pay off and her Olympic dream come true. Go Zoe, go Olympians!”
Watch Zoe: Feb. 8: Qualification, Feb. 9: Finals
Queralt Castellet
Snowboard Halfpipe | Spain
Castellet is a current SSCV athlete making her third Olympic appearance as an athlete for Spain in snowboard halfpipe.
“Having Queralt on our team has truly been a great experience,” Laske said.
“She has such a great work ethic that inspires our whole team. Being able to watch her put in the work and take her riding to the next level has really been amazing. Both on and off the hill Queralt holds herself to a higher standard, treats everyone with respect, and is an extremely motivating person to be around. We wish her the best of luck at this year’s Olympics — our whole team will be rooting for her!”
Watch Queralt: Feb. 8: Qualification, Feb. 9: Finals
Ayumu Hirano
Snowboard Halfpipe | Japan
Hirano, an SSCV alumnus, hails from Japan and will represent the country in her third Olympic appearance.
Watch Ayumu: Feb. 8: Qualification, Feb. 9: Finals
Julia Marino
Snowboard Slopestyle | Big Air
Marino, an SSCV alumna, is making her Olympic debut in Beijing. She trained and competed with SSCV and attended SSCV Winter Tutorial.
Watch Julia: Feb. 13: Qualifying, Feb. 14: Finals
Mikaela Shiffrin
Alpine | U.S.
Mikaela Shiffrin, a name known to all members in the snowsports community, is an SSCV alumna. Entering her third Olympics, Shiffrin’s Alpine racing career has figuratively moved mountains and literally broken long-time records. She had her start with club training and competition at SSCV as a young and eager athlete. After spending those formative years at SSCV, a family career move landed Shiffrin on the east coast. Still, the Vail valley remains home to both Shiffrin and her family.
SSCV U10/U12 Alpine Coach Simon Marsh stated of Mikaela, “I coached Mikaela when she was about 6 years old in SSCV Gravity Core, a predecessor to today’s Future Stars program. Her mom Eileen had a very synergistic involvement in the process. As a 6-year-old Mikaela showed a great deal of drive and very mature skills that one might expect to see in a 13- or 14-year-old. When given directions, Mikaela understood them and she worked hard to practice and perfect her skills through many days of repetition until they became second nature to her. “
“Mikaela was raised to ask questions so that she had a good understanding of why she was doing a drill or an exercise. She was incredibly inquisitive and cerebral about the sport. Her stretch goal as a 6-year-old was to be an Olympian by age 16, and when all was said and done, she was an Olympian by age 18. She set the goal, she believed in it, and even at that young age, she made me believe it was possible for her.”
Watch Mikaela: Feb. 6: giant slalom, Feb. 8: slalom, Feb. 10: super-G, Feb. 14: downhill, Feb. 16: Combined, Feb. 18: Mixed team parallel
Paula Moltzan
Alpine | U.S.
Moltzan, an SSCV alumna, will make her Olympic debut in Beijing. She trained and competed at SSCV and attended Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy before making the U.S. Alpine Ski Team. In addition to her national team experience, Paula also spent a few years racing collegiately for the University of Vermont.
Watch Paula: Feb. 6: giant slalom, Feb. 8: slalom
Sarah Schleper
Alpine | Mexico
Schleper, an SSCV alumna with multiple experiences under her belt as an Olympian for both the U.S. and Mexico, is coming back for her sixth winter games as a part of Mexico’s Alpine team in Beijing. After coming back from retirement from the U.S. team, and acquiring Mexican citizenship, it’s accurate to state that her distinguished career as been monumental for both nations. She was born and raised in the Vail Valley and trained and competed with SSCV as a youth before becoming a U.S. Alpine Ski Team member.
Watch Sarah: Feb. 6: giant slalom, Feb. 8: slalom
River Radamus
Alpine | U.S.
Radamus, an SSCV alumnus, is bringing his energy and competitive spirit to his first appearance as an Olympian in Beijing. Radamus became an SSCV athlete at a very young age. He continued to train and compete with SSCV and attended VSSA until transitioning to the National Training Group and Team Academy, ultimately qualifying for the U.S. Alpine Ski Team. Radamus’ family lives in the Vail Valley, a place River also calls home.
“River took advantage of every opportunity presented to him to be on snow, full-gas and with a never-ending love for the sport,” said Rob Worrell, Alpine Head U14 Coach.
“SSCV gave him opportunity and access and he fully embraced it, taking every opportunity on every little bump and knoll to lay his hip down and feel that angulation. River is a great example of ‘practice makes permanent.’ His passion and drive really took him to the level he is at today. He had the best energy — super competitive and super intense, bringing great energy to the team.”
Watch River: Feb. 7: super-G, Feb. 12: giant slalom
William Flaherty
Alpine | Puerto Rico
Flaherty is a current SSCV athlete representing Puerto Rico’s Alpine Ski Team as a first-time Olympian. He is supported academically during the winter by attending Winter Tutorial based out of Minturn, Colorado. Flaherty’s inspiring backstory — overcoming a life-threatening illness as a young boy — makes this Beijing winter games appearance all the more inspiring.
Brett Borgard, SSCV U14 Coach stated, “I met William in June of 2014 as he showed up to SSCV Summer Ski Camp in Bend, Oregon, and from the start, William showed he wanted to ski and get better. He has worked so hard and focused over the years on improving each day he is on the hill. He is kind, caring and will share all he has to anyone that needs something. His smile, laugh and energy is contagious and whatever you put in front of him he will succeed at it. I am lucky to have been a part of his journey of making it to the 2022 Olympics.”
Watch William: Feb. 12: giant slalom, Feb. 15: slalom
