California- Yesterday, the World Cup circuit returned to Palisades Tahoe.
The Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup kicked off yesterday with the Giant Slalom. Marco Odermatt won his tenth Giant Slalom win in a row, helping him officially secure the Men’s World Cup title for the third year running. Henrik Krisofferson finished in second, narrowly missing gold by 0.12 seconds. For the American fans, the highlight was seeing River Radamus secure his first-ever World Cup podium finish.
Following the race, Radamus explained how he was feeling to U.S. Ski & Snowboard:
“It’s been a long time coming. I’ve wanted to feel what this moment feels like for so long and I’ve just been working and working… Doing it on home soil in front of friends and family and an amazing hometown crowd is so perfect. I was in a better position than I ever had been after first run and I just kept telling myself you can’t go easy.”
The Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup continues today with the men’s Slalom race. For more information about the Saturday’s Giant Slalom, check out the press release from Palisades Tahoe below.
Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup Opens with Giant Slalom
Palisades Tahoe kicked off World Cup competition on Saturday with Marco Odermatt clinching 2024 Men’s World Cup title and American River Radamus claiming his first-ever podium
[Olympic Valley, Calif.] February 24, 2024—With 59 athletes returning to Palisades Tahoe looking for a Giant Slalom World Cup win, Swiss skier and two-time defending World Champion Marco Odermatt took first place today at the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup. After leading the pack on the first run, Odermatt grabbed his 10th consecutive Giant Slalom win by just 0.12 seconds. With this victory, Odermatt officially clinched the Men’s World Cup crystal globe for the third year running. With his first podium of the season, Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen took second place while Team USA’s River Radamus took home third. Taking place on home soil, this marks the first ever World Cup podium for Radamus, while American teammates Tommy Ford and Patrick Kenney finished in 20th and 24th places respectively.
Under sunny skies and in front of a packed and energetic crowd—including the Sierra Swiss Club and the iconic sound of their Swiss cowbells—the world’s top racers from 20 different countries took to the infamous Palisades Red Dog run. The Giant Slalom course boasts 1,267 feet (386 meters) of vertical descent along 49 gates, with pristine conditions to start the day.
“We are stoked to welcome back the Stifel Palisades Cup to North Lake Tahoe, and after a tight Giant Slalom race today, we look forward to some fast Slalom runs tomorrow,” said Patrick Lacey, PR Manager at Palisades Tahoe. “After record-breaking snow at last year’s competition, we were thrilled to show off some California sunshine during today’s race. We are grateful to our talented course crew, more than 400 dedicated volunteers, and passionate local and traveling fan base that came together to truly bring today’s event to life!”
The festivities continue at Palisades Tahoe on Saturday night, including a U.S. Ski Team autograph signing and a free concert featuring Eve 6 and Ludacris. The Stifel Palisades Cup competition resumes on Sunday morning with the men’s Slalom race, which will feature 70 athletes.
Palisades Tahoe has a long history of international competition. A renowned ski racing venue that has trained champions since the 1960 Winter Olympics, the California resort’s legendary terrain played host to last year’s 2023 Stifel Palisades Cup for the men’s Slalom and Giant Slalom events. The course, also raced in 2017 for the women’s alpine event, is one that Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin described as “one of, if not the toughest” on the World Cup circuit.
For results, images, videos, and more, please visit the Palisades Tahoe online Media Center.
About Palisades Tahoe
Palisades Tahoe is one of the largest ski resorts in North America, boasting 6,000 skiable acres across eight peaks. Formerly Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, the more than 70-year-old resort celebrates a rich history as the host of the 1960 Winter Olympics, the Spring Skiing Capital, and home mountain to dozens of Olympic and World Cup athletes across multiple snow sports. With an average annual snowfall of 400 inches, Palisades Tahoe frequently operates the longest ski and snowboard season in Lake Tahoe. The Village at Palisades Tahoe offers year-round events and over 50 bars, restaurants and boutiques, many of which are locally owned and operated. Palisades Tahoe is also the largest resort on the Ikon Pass, which offers access to 47 international ski destinations. In 2021 the resort changed its name, trading in a harmful slur for a name that better reflects its values and legacy. Visit the Palisades Tahoe website or call 1.800.403.0206 to learn more. You can also visit us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Vimeo.
Image/Video Credits: Palisades Tahoe, US Ski & Snowboard Team
