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USSA NorAms come to Copper with downhill, super-G and more through Feb. 11

Phil Lindeman
plindeman@summitdaily.com
Lila Lapanja with the U.S. Ski Team rounds a gate on the Rosi's Run giant slalom course at Copper Mountain during the 2017 U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association NorAm races this past week. Between now and Feb. 11, hundreds of alpine skiers from across the world come to Copper for a slate of races in five disciplines: slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill and alpine combined.
Tripp Fay / Special to the Daily |

2017 USSA NorAms schedule

Feb. 4 — Women’s giant slalom, Rosi’s Run

Feb. 5-6 — Men’s and women’s downhill training, Andy’s Encore

Feb. 7-8 — Men’s and women’s downhill, Andy’s Encore

February 9 — Men’s alpine combined and women’s super-G, Rosi’s Run

February 10 — Women’s alpine combined and men’s super-G, Rosi’s Run

February 11 — Men’s and women’s super-G, Rosi’s Run

Note: U.S. National downhill champion awards ceremony is held Feb. 8 after the races.

It doesn’t matter how many times her daughter barrels downhill — Karen Adams still gets anxious when Casey Adams steps into the gates.

“She’s doing speed and that’s her favorite event, so we’re going to be 100 percent behind her,” said Karen Adams, a Breckenridge resident since 2000 whose 17-year-old daughter started with Team Breck and now competes at the FIS level for Ski and Snowboard Club Vail. “I always get very nervous right before she races, but we’re very excited for her.”

From now until Feb. 11, Casey Adams joins hundreds of high-level alpine skiers at Copper Mountain Resort for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association NorAm races high above East Village on Andy’s Encore and Rosi’s Run. Racers compete in all five disciplines — slalom, giant slalom, super-G, downhill and alpine combined — to earn World Cup points and crown men’s and women’s U.S. National champions in downhill.



Along with Casey Adams, who’s competing in the NorAm downhill and super-G for the first time, the event draws athletes from every corner of the alpine world: private ski clubs, collegiate ski teams, national team members and the U.S. Ski Team’s developmental program.

While Team Breck and Loveland Ski Club don’t have any skiers registered for NorAms, Team Summit is sending two promising young women: Kayo Denda of Japan (GS, super-G and downhill), who is currently ranked No. 1 in her country for super-G and will likely make the 2018 Winter Olympics; and Kayleigh MacGregor of the U.S. (super-G and downhill), who lives with cystic fibrosis and “still manages to compete at a high level, and never ever mentions it or complains about it,” said her coach, Troy Watts.



Racing continues today with women’s giant slalom and goes through next Saturday. Events are free for spectators from the base of Super Bee chairlift at Copper Station.


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