SSCV’s 16-year-old phenom nabs top-10 at U.S. Alpine Championships

Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s youngest Alpine skiers continue to lead the way.

“The 2007 birth years have been exceptional this season,” said Ryan Wilson, SSCV’s head women’s FIS coach. The trend continued at the U.S. Alpine Championships, held at Sun Valley ski resort March 21-24.

Viktoria Zaytseva — who is ranked first in the world in the super-G and third in the GS for her birth year —earned top-10s in both the giant slalom and super-G and finished 13th in the slalom. The 16-year-old flashed her top-tier talent in last Saturday’s GS in particular, posting the fourth-fastest second run to make up for what Wilson described as a “costly mistake” in the first.

“She showcased her determination,” Wilson said, adding that the March 23 race “presented its own set of challenges with steep and icy conditions (which) tested athletes’ skills.”

Fellow SSCV skiers Tianna Bruce finished 19th while Abby Dembeck (22nd) and Sophie Stocker (23rd) rallied from bib 50 and 59, respectively, to finish in the top 25. World Cup star Paula Moltzan won the event and Australian Madison Hoffman took the slalom title the next day. U.S. Ski Team athlete Elisabeth Bocock was the third champion of the three-event competition, taking the super-G title on March 21.

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Coming in with confidence

Wilson said his crew of nine athletes arrived in Sun Valley “with a sense of confidence, stemming from their dominant team performances throughout the season.”

Zaytseva won the super-G and giant slalom at the national junior championships earlier this month in Jackson Hole and grabbed slalom silver as well. She’s also accrued three top-10s in the NorAm Cup circuit, where she finished the season ranked 14th in the super-G and 28th overall. Meanwhile, Solveig Moritz — who is third and fifth in the country for her age group in the giant slalom and slalom, respectively — claimed a FIS-event victory at Breckenridge to cap off January before fifth and sixth-place finishes at junior nationals. Fellow 16-year-old Maizy Douglas and 18-year-old Katharine McKenney also earned top-10 results in Jackson Hole.

“With a mix of experienced competitors and rising stars, the team was poised to make an impact at the (senior) championships,” Wilson said regarding the group’s momentum heading north to Idaho last weekend.

In the opening super-G, SSCV skiers took to the “Greyhawk” course, which will host the 2025 World Cup Finals.

“Despite the steep and icy conditions, SSCV’s athletes rose to the occasion,” Wilson said. Zaytseva and McKenney led the way in 10th and 14th, with Moritz coming in 19th. Althea Noyes (22nd) Douglas (25th) and Bruce (27th) rounded out the SSCV contingent. Alumnae Liv Moritz placed seventh in the race.

“All of those ladies demonstrated their resilience with solid performances,” said Wilson.

The final event was marred by crashes and DNFs as 25 athletes failed to complete run No. 1.

Ultimately, Heaydon led the way for SSCV in 12th, with Zaytseva right behind in 13th. Bruce snuck inside the top-20 in 17th while Douglas and Moritz finished 24th and 29th, respectively. Bruce stuck around Sun Valley to place seventh in a pair of FIS slalom races held in the three days following the championships —proving the young-guns aren’t the only ones capable of turning heads.

“The post-grad athletes have also made their mark with several top-10 results on the NorAm Cup tour and impressive point hauls all season, highlighting SSCV’s depth and consistency across all ages and disciplines,” Wilson stated.

“Overall, the 2024 U.S. Alpine Championships provided an opportunity for Ski Club Vail’s athletes to showcase their talent and resilience against the best racers in the country,” the coach continued.

“Despite facing challenging conditions and fierce competition, SSCV’s athletes demonstrated their skill, determination and team spirit throughout the championships, setting the stage for future success on both the national and international stages.”