World Cup in Killington is ‘loud, it’s energetic’

Vermont Standard 

12/5/19

By Neil Allen

Standard Staff

The crowd at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Killington held last weekend.

John Everett Photo

Mikaela Shiffrin, who trained at Burke Mountain Academy in East Burke, making her way down the mountain during the slalom competition at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Killington on Sunday.

Dave Young Photo

KILLINGTON — The Killington Resort hosted the Audi FIS Ski World Cup over Thanksgiving weekend, bringing more than 36,000 spectators to the mountain. The ski races and concerts are free and open to the public.

The event, which was broadcast worldwide to more than 60 nations along with national broadcast coverage, has drawn an increasing number of spectators to Killington each year to cheer on racers from around the world. This year, they had 6,000 people at Friday’s opening ceremonies, 19,500 showed up for Saturday’s giant slalom races — setting a single-day record for the event at Killington, and 11,000 people for Sunday’s slalom races.

“It’s loud, it’s energetic,” said Courtney DiFiore, Communications/PR & Social Media Manager at Killington/ Pico Ski Resort Partners. “New Englanders take pride in being the largest crowd for the series. They come out in droves — cheering and being so positive. They’re excited and want everyone to do well.”

This is the fourth year they have hosted the competition featuring the best women skiers from around the world. The 2016 Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Killington was the first World Cup in the eastern U.S. since 1991, which was held at Waterville Valley, N.H., and the first in Vermont since 1978 at Stratton Mountain.

The Audi FIS Ski World Cup includes women’s giant slalom and slalom races, attracting athletes such as U.S. Ski Team member Mikaela Shiffrin, who trained at Burke Mountain Academy in East Burke and grew up in nearby Lyme, N.H.

“The Killington Cup has long been a highlight of mine on the World Cup tour the last three seasons,” says Mikaela Shiffrin in a press release. “In 2018 we — all of us together — set a new precedent for ski racing internationally, boasting the largest World Cup crowd for women on the entire circuit.

“To get that hat trick slalom victory in front of thousands of screaming fans at home is something I will never, ever forget. I’m looking forward to once again competing on home soil,” she continued.

Shiffrin stretched her three-year “hat trick” win-ning streak in the slalom to four on Sunday. She also came in second in the giant slalom races on Saturday.

DiFiore said the crowds are a barometer of the action on the mountain.

“You can tell what’s happening on the mountain through the sounds the crowd is making,” she said. “You can tell they’re loving it and that makes it more fun for us as we’re working.”

It is great for the skiers as well. Throughout the event, during interviews the competitors often commented on the crowds and how much they appreciate them.

“I’ve heard that in the European races once the higher level racers are done, the crowds start to disperse so those lower on the list don’t have many people cheering for them,” DiFiore said. “This is one of the first times some of them are having the crowds cheering for them. The crowds cheering for them can make or break a run as they push down the mountain.”

The numbers on Sunday were nearly half that of Saturday. DiFiore said she didn’t know for sure why, especially with Shiffrin going for her fourth win in the slalom but overheard people at the event discussing the impending snowstorm.

“Some may have changed their plans and wanted to get on the road early so they could get home safely,” she said. “A lot of the people who come to watch are coming up from Massachusetts and Connecticut, which is where the storm was expected to be worse.”

This year the entertainment included concerts from Recycled Percussion, Grace Potter, DJ Logic and Twiddle.

“This year’s entertainment truly showcases the state of Vermont and our neighbors to the east – New Hampshire,” said Jordan Spear, director of marketing and sales for Killington Resort. “The combination of talented artists and world-class athletes make World Cup weekend a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests.”

Recycled Percussion performed before the bid draw then participated in the bid draw as well, according to DiFiore. DJ Logic performed during runs on Saturday and Grace Potter performed after the second run.

Twiddle, a Vermont jam band that has a dedicated following, performed between runs on Sunday. “They don’t usually perform for free so there was a lot of hype about them,” DiFiore said. “After their performance here, they went to a local night club and performed there.”

With a two year contract in place, the FIS Ski World Cup will be coming to Killington again next year.

“Establishing another multi-year World Cup schedule here at Killington is an incredible opportunity for the resort and the surrounding community. I continue to be blown away by the sheer size of the crowds, and their enthusiasm leads me to believe that we’ll continue to see large numbers of spectators to watch the fastest female ski racers in the world take on the Superstar trail,” says Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort.

“We use every cold period in October and November to build a world-class race venue on Superstar, and getting the job done early in the season showcases Killington’s state-of-the-art snowmaking system as an industryleading powerhouse while also setting us up to offer the longest season in the east. In fact, we skied into June this season for the second time in three years,” he continued.