Johnson, Smith and Resnick end seasons with national titles

Tess Johnson finished the 2022 season on a high note, winning a pair of national championships last weekend at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. The 2018 Olympian won the U.S. Freestyle Ski Championships individual moguls on March 26 by a fairly wide margin over Park City skiers August Davis and Sami Worthington before snatching the dual moguls title the next day.

“I’m very proud of my skiing in Utah, as well as my mentality over the past few weeks to finish the season as strongly as I could,” Johnson said in a statement.

“It’s been a long, hard-fought season, and to finish it off with the most fun nationals ever is just magical.”

Fellow Olympians Hannah Soar, Jaelin Kauf, Olivia Giaccio and Kai Owens did not compete in Deer Valley.

“I missed skiing with them, but I had so much fun skiing with all the other mogul skiers of the country,” Johnson stated.

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“They reminded me what true passion for mogul skiing looks like, and they approached ‘Champion’ with impressive fierceness,” she noted of the athletes’ approach to the Olympic course. “I learned so much from them in just four days! The future is bright for our sport.”

The Vail athlete finished eighth in the Chiesa in Valmalenco dual moguls World Cup March 12 before traveling to Megeve, France for the World Cup Finals, where she also placed eighth in the singles event there.

“My lovely parents got to watch me in World Cup finals … so that was very special as well,” she said.

Johnson finished ranked fifth in the FIS overall moguls cup standings, the second American behind Olivia Giaccio (fourth). She finished fifth in the singles discipline and seventh in duals.

With the season in the rearview mirror, Johnson expressed gratitude to the Vail community for showing their love and support every step of the way.

“I’d be nothing without my amazing hometown!” she stated.

“Can’t wait to spring shred the back this month; I’ll be out there for anyone who wants to ski!”

Oliver Smith took a suprise win in the men’s dual moguls, taking down top seeded George McQuinn, No. 4 seeded Jack Petrone and No. 3 Charlie Mickel to earn a spot in the big final. There, he outlasted Olympic Valley’s Ryan Tam to claim the title.

“Smith’s win in the final was a real ‘feel good’ moment to cap off US Nationals,” said John Dowling, SSCV Mogul Program Director.

“Oliver battled back from a tough singles event and proved he could really ski that course.”

Allie Resnick claims national giant slalom title

Johnson was not the only local to claim a national title over the weekend. Vail’s Allie Resnick won the U.S. Alpine Ski National Championship in the giant slalom on Sunday at Sugarloaf Resort in Maine.

“This one feels good. So happy to take home the GS title after a fun year of exciting races,” Resnick wrote on social media after the event. The win earns Resnick World Cup starts in every GS next year.

“This was a big goal of mine this season, and I am super happy for next year’s World Cup opportunity,” she said in an email.

It’s been a wild month for Resnick. She took a big crash in Andorra right before the Europa Cup Finals.

“I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to compete in our final races. Fortunately, my body is feeling a lot better and I was able to get back in the gate for NorAm finals and the National championships,” she stated.

Resnick also competed at World Juniors in Panorama, Canada in March, a venue where she tore her ACL three years ago.

“It was incredibly rewarding to return to the hill and conquer my fears,” she wrote. “Although I did not do as well as I had hoped in the individual events, I had probably the most fun ski racing in a long time in the team event.” The crowd’s energy and camaraderie from teammates were especially memorable.

“Ski racing is an individual sport and it’s not very often we get to ski as a team. It was amazing to be apart of the crew, and it has made me really excited for more team events in the future,” she stated.

Several U.S. Ski Team comrades, including Johnson, expressed their congratulations in the comment sections of Resnick’s post. Nina O’Brien wrote, “World Cup here she comes,” and sister Emma wrote, “Finally got the win!! Only took you seven second places.”

Edwards resident Ava Sunshine Jemison, an SSCV athlete and VSSA alumna, took the NorAm overall season title, with Resnick claiming third.

“I am super happy to end the NorAm season with a third place in the overall,” Resnick told Ski Racing Media.

“I am so happy for both Stef and Ava. They have shown speed in all disciplines this year from start to finish. Winning an overall is no easy feat; huge congratulations to Ava on World Cup starts in every event next year.”