The Surefoot Colorado Ski Cup tour took to the hill at Steamboat Monday with its first of four days of slalom for the men and women, and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail’s Taylor Shiffrin put himself in the middle of collegiate athletes from CU, DU, New Mexico, and Utah on this day to finish first for the juniors and fourth overall.

“I put in a good bid against a bunch of really good skiers,” said Shiffrin.

And a very good bid it was.  Coming from a start of 17, Shiffrin skied to a seventh in the first run and had the fourth fastest time on his second go at the track.

“The first run was straighter with some tricky combinations,” Shiffrin said.  “The second course was turny, and this favors my style.”

SSCV’s Alex Leever, Sean McCormick, and Colin Hayes also worked through the field placing 16th, 17th, and 20th, respectively.

“The men that stuck through the first run did well,” said coach Ben Babbitt.  “It was a good day for our boys.”

Monday’s slalom for the women also had several talented college skiers taking their turn, and CU skier and SSCV alumna Erika Ghent raced to second place with the fastest run on the second course.

Greta Byrne took her runs to a third for the juniors and eighth overall while Erika McCormick, starting 61, finished 18th.

Tuesday, 12/20

Tuesday had the women kicking out of the start first, and after two runs, Anna Kocken, skiing for the University of Utah, took first after finishing third in Monday’s race.  U.S. team member and SSCV alumna Abby Ghent took third, first for the juniors, while Greta Byrne raced to a sixth overall and second for the juniors.  SSCV’s Erika McCormick, a J2 and starting 64th, worked her way up to a 16th place overall.

“Greta’s second run today was a breakthrough for her,” said coach Dan Stripp.  “Even with a mistake, she stayed aggressive and was close to the winners.  And McCormick has had great results for the past two days with big moves through the field from back in the pack.”

In the men’s slalom for Tuesday’s race, collegiate athletes were charging the hill as in Monday’s SL, and SSCV’s Taylor Shiffrin took it down the course with the fifth fastest second run to finish first for the juniors and 7th overall, just 1.11 seconds off of the winner Christopher Acosta from the University of New Mexico.

SSCV’s Cannon O’Brien, starting 45th, Colin Hayes, starting 67th, and Sean McCormick, starting 65th, made some big moves into the pack to finish 22nd, 25th, and 26th, respectfully.

“These are very good college skiers here,” said coach Mile Wommack.  “And our men are moving up and skiing strong and confident.”

The Surefoot Colorado Ski Cup continues today moving from Mt. Werner to Howelsen Hill with more slalom racing for the men and women at Steamboat.