World Cup Racing Returns to Squaw Valley For the First Time Since 1969

The Women's FIS World Cup returns to Squaw Valley this weekend for Giant Slalom on Friday, and Slalom on Saturday, March 10. This year's races mark the return of the World Cup to Squaw for the first time since 1969. A mountain with a long tradition of churning out Champions, Squaw is home base for Olympic athlete Julia Mancuso, who's first appearance back on snow after hip surgery was just weeks ago. She'll be sitting this one out and cheering on her team mates. 

“The terrain at Squaw Valley is what raised me as a skier, and I know that when my peers stand on top of the course on Red Dog they will see what competitors saw in 1960 and 1969: one of the most challenging courses in the world. So many of today’s racers have trained and competed on Red Dog in the past, and now we can see this legendary venue re-emerge onto the world stage.”

— Julia Mancuso

Just a few days from the FIS World Cup Championships in Aspen, current leader Mikaela Schiffrin is expected to dominate, and is closing in on an overall title at just 21. 

Squaw Valley will host an Audi FIS World Cup in March 2017, consisting of a women’s giant slalom on Friday, March 10 and a women’s slalom on Saturday, March 11. The event will mark the return of World Cup ski racing to California for the first time in 19 years. The World Cup will bring Olympic champions like Mikaela Shiffrin and Squaw Valley’s own Julia Mancuso to compete on the legendary Red Dog run, which also played host to the ladies’ slalom and giant slalom events at the 1969 World Cup and 1960 Winter Olympics. With the 2017 season culminating in the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals in Aspen, Colorado, the USSA had a unique opportunity to schedule an additional women’s World Cup weekend in the U.S. following Olympic test events in PyeongChang, South Korea. The addition of Squaw Valley and Killington, VT to the calendar will total 16 World Cup events hosted in the U.S. in the 2016-17 race season, the second highest ever.

We'll be watching this weekend and cheering on Shiffrin, as she seeks to solidify her lead over Ilka Stuhec. With Laura Gut out after an ACL tear, it's looking like Shiffrin is in prime position to take this all the way. She's even familiar with the course, after winning a giant slalom title there during U.S. Alpine Championships in 2014. 

NBC Sports has the live stream going this weekend...with temps cold on the East Coast, we'll be tuning in!