March 20-22, the U16 Alpine Team Steam traveled to Winter Park for the SYNC Cup Finals, closing out the season with a competitive and exciting series of races. Winter Park delivered a fantastic event, working hard to manage increasingly challenging snow conditions and ensure a quality race environment.
The girls showed impressive consistency throughout the weekend, a testament to their hard work and resilience after a long season. In Super-G, Caroline led the team in 10th, supported by solid finishes from Miya Lippuner (13th), Brielle Walsh (18th), and Ella Orton (22nd).
Stepping up again in Giant Slalom, Caroline Kristof-Brown secured a strong 5th-place finish, with Rylee Thomsen close behind in 6th. Brielle Walsh added a top-10 result in 10th, while Miya Lippuner followed in 13th.
A standout moment came in Slalom, where U14 athlete Frances Fernley stepped up to compete in the U16 field and made an immediate impact, finishing an impressive 5th in her debut. She was joined by Rylee Thomsen (15th) and Ella Orton (16th), rounding out a strong showing for the women.
On the men’s side, the weekend started with a podium performance from Felix Hadley, who claimed 2nd place in the Super-G. The men then dominated the final race of the weekend, sweeping the podium in Slalom with an outstanding performance: Owen Applequist took the win, Reed Pope secured 2nd, and Soren Shepherd rounded it out in 3rd. Additional finishes from Jonathan Nichols (11th) and the rest of the crew capped off a strong team effort and an exciting conclusion to the series.
Overall, the SYNC Cup Finals highlighted the team’s depth, determination, and growth across the season, with athletes stepping up in key moments and supporting each other through a full weekend of racing.
Results:
Women’s SG: 10th Caroline Kristof-Brown, 13th Miya Lippuner, 18th Brielle Walsh, 22nd Ella Orton
Men’s SG: 2nd Felix Hadley
Women’s GS: 5th Caroline Kristof-Brown, 6th Rylee Thomsen, 10th Brielle Walsh, 13th Miya Lippuner, 34th Ramey Shepherd
Men’s GS: 9th Reed Pope, 15th Christian Biglow, 21st Holt Birkett, 30th Asher Nichols, 31st Jackson Guggisberg, 39th Boone Purviance
Women’s SL: 5th Frances Fernley, 15th Rylee Thomsen, 16th Ella Orton, 30th Ramey Shepherd
Men’s SL: 1st Owen Applequist, 2nd Reed Pope, 3rd Soren Shepherd, 11th Jonathan Nichols, 25th Asher Nichols, 31st Boone Purviance, 35th Jackson Guggisberg
Photos Top to Bottom: (credit: Ann West)
Men’s SL Podium: 1st Owen Applequist (SSWSC), 2nd Reed Pope (SSWSC), 3rd Soren Shepherd (SSWSC)
Women’s Europa Cup Tier GS Podium: 1st Rylee Thomsen (SSWSC), 2nd Brielle Walsh (SSWSC), 3rd Lejla Bambur (SSCV)
Women’s NorAm Cup Tier SL Podium: 1st Frances Fernley (SSWSC), 2nd Brooke Bjorklund (SUM), 2nd Liv Fischer (WPK)
Men’s World Cup Tier SG Podium: 1st Felix Hadley, 2nd Bryce Monte (SUM), 3rd Ronan Curran (AVSC)
