Former SSWSC skier Kauf takes second, helps US win moguls Nations Cup
Patti Kauf/Courtesy photo
As the World Cup season comes to a close, the FIS freestyle skiing World Cup finals are taking place in Shymbulak, Kazakhstan.
Kicking off the weekend event was the moguls competition on Friday, March 17. Former Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club athletes Jaelin Kauf and Olivia Giaccio each posted top results on Friday, taking second and eighth, respectively.
Kauf was the top finisher among all seven American women to reach the final, earning her sixth podium of the season and, most impressively, closing out the World Cup moguls season ranked third overall.
In a March 17 Instagram post, Kauf said she is “stoked to end the Singles (World Cup) season with another 2nd place …”
In her super final run on Friday, Kauf earned a score of 76.3 points thanks to her speed down the hill and impressive performance in the air. She crossed the finish line almost a half second faster than anyone else in the competition.
Giaccio took a slower approach to the event, taking two more seconds to finish than the leaders but earning more points in the air and limiting the deductions on her turns. She scored 73.0 points in the event, falling 0.17 points short of seventh place.
With strong results throughout the entire World Cup season, the U.S. clinched the 2023 moguls Nations Cup. Kauf and Giaccio were major contributors to Team U.S.A. earning those honors.
This season, Kauf earned six major podiums including silver medals in moguls and dual moguls at the World Cup event in Deer Valley and the World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia. She also landed a bronze medal in moguls during the World Cup in Val St. Come, Canada.
Giaccio was unable to podium this season but collected nine top-10 finishes across major competitions including fourth-place finishes in Idre Fjäll, Sweden, for singles and more recently in Chiesa In Valmalenco, Italy, for dual moguls.
The season is not quite over for Kauf, Giaccio and the U.S. moguls team. They are back on the hill Saturday, March 18, for the dual moguls World Cup final, with an opportunity to add another Nations Cup to the trophy case.
To reach Tom Skulski, call 970-871-4240, email tskulski@SteamboatPilot.com.
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