World Cup notebook: Tess Johnson and Kai Owens ski into super final at Deer Valley World Cup

Former Ski and Snowboard Club Vail stars Tess Johnson and Kai Owens placed fourth and sixth, respectively, at the Intermountain Health Freestyle International World Cup mogul competition at Deer Valley on Thursday night.

The Americans advanced three skiers into the six-person super final, led by Jaelin Kauf, who claimed the win with an 80.75 score on her final run. France’s Perrine Laffont (79.63) placed second and Canada’s Maia Schwinghammer (65.22) was third.

“It was pretty spectacular,” Kauf told FIS after her third win of the season — first in individual moguls — and seventh-straight World Cup podium finish. “This crowd, this course — it’s all so amazing. To take the top spot tonight is incredible. This place is so special.”

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Abnormally warm weather and a subsequent freeze-thaw cycle made the already challenging Champion course extra difficult. Several athletes struggled to navigate the deep, icy ruts and firm bumps. Even 96-time World Cup winner Mikael Kingsbury tripped up on the demanding 2002 Olympic course, ultimately finishing an uncharacteristically low 16th. Owens was unable to find a clean purchase off the top air in her super final run and did not finish. Still, the 20-year-old’s comeback season continued, as the 2022 Olympian moved into seventh in the individual moguls standings.

Johnson’s fourth was her best result this year and her third top-5 finish in the 2024-25 season. The 24-year-old sits fifth in the mogul cup standings. Another former SSCV athlete, Dylan Walczyk, finished 14th in the men’s event, which was won by Japan’s Ikuma Horishima.

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Current SSCV skier Reese Chapdelaine — who won a silver and gold at the World Junior Championships last month in Almaty, Kazakstan — finished 27th overall in what was just her third-career World Cup start.

The Intermountain Health Freestyle International continues with aerial competitions on Friday and the dual moguls event on Saturday.

Radamus places 19th in world championship super-G

Edwards skier River Radamus took 19th in the super-G at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships on Friday in Saalbach, Austria.

Marco Odermatt claimed his first world championship medal in the event, securing gold after blitzing the Schneekristall/Zwolfer slope in 1 minute, 24.57 seconds to finish a full second ahead of Austrian Raphael Haaser as Norway’s Adrian Sejersted rounded out the podium.

“This means a lot. If I could wish for probably (anything) I would take this one as the first one. It’s unbelievable to be a world champion in three different disciplines,” said Odermatt, who also has golds in GS and downhill. “Two other races to come, so I’m just happy to be here, healthy and be in good shape.”

Ryan Cochran-Siegle (1:25.88) led the American quartet in seventh while Bryce Bennett placed 15th. Jared Goldberg was 25th.

“I am happy with the skiing I was able to do knowing that my best skiing is enough so just trying to really just enjoy that,” Cochran-Siegle told U.S. Ski and Snowboard’s Sierra Ryder.

“I think everyone’s skiing well,” Bennett added. “Ryan is skiing really well and confident and I feel like we’re rebounding after our rough patch.”

The world championship calendar continues with the women’s downhill, featuring Lindsey Vonn, on Saturday, followed by the men’s downhill on Sunday.