Waterville Valley to host first-ever freestyle World Cup races beginning in 2024

Hannah Soar of Somers, Conn. will likely be among those competing at Waterville this weekend. (Getty Images)

New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley Resort is known as “the birthplace of freestyle skiing,” It will add to that reputation next season, the first of a two-year agreement with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation to host the best mogul skiers in the world. 

Waterville, which opened the first freestyle instruction program in the United States in 1969, will host its first-ever freestyle World Cup event in 2024, with the addition of men’s and women’s moguls and dual mogul races. 

This may be the first time Waterville has hosted a freestyle World Cup event, but it has a rich history of freestyle. In 1970, it organized the first open championships of freestyle skiing on the Sunnyside trails. It has hosted 16 competitions, including 11 Alpine World Cup races, four U.S. freestyle championships, and one U.S. Alpine championship. 

“Waterville Valley Resort is honored to host the upcoming 2024 and 2025 World Cup and continue our partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” Waterville president and general manager Tim Smith said. “Having a World Cup event back in New Hampshire after the resort last hosted a World Cup race in 1991 is extremely exciting.” 

Just last week, the U.S. ski team released its freestyle team nominations, a list that includes some local faces who could be competing in the World Cup event at Waterville next season. They include Olivia Giaccio from Redding, Conn. and Hannah Soar from Somers, Conn. and Killington Mountain School. 

“As an East Coast skier who grew up competing at Waterville Valley at 12 years old, I’m incredibly excited to have an East Coast World Cup return to the circuit,” Soar said. “I believe that this addition to the schedule will promote mogul skiing on the east coast and bring regional mogul skiers from the area to Waterville and enable them to see a World Cup competition in person. I think this will go a long way in promoting freestyle in the area and continue Waterville’s legacy of being the birthplace of freestyle skiing. I’m looking forward to having a World Cup close to home and hopefully a hometown advantage.”

Waterville is one of two U.S. stops (Deer Valley) for the freestyle World Cup. 

“We are thrilled to host this world-class freestyle competition alongside Deer Valley, and we’ve already begun preparing to deliver an unforgettable experience for everyone involved,” Smith said. “The Waterville team looks forward to welcoming the world’s top freestyle athletes as we bring together passionate fans and a community of people who share a love for the sport.”

The inaugural event is slated for Jan. 27-28 on Lower Bobby’s Run (246 meters long with a pitch of 28 degrees). 

“I competed in my first sanctioned mogul event at Waterville Valley when I was eight years old,” retired two-time Olympic medalist and moguls World Champion Hannah Kearney said. “When young athletes watch the best in the world compete in their backyard it provides a source of tangible inspiration to achieve their potential. I hope to return to my roots to cheer them on in person next January.”