Thick snow swirled around the stands this weekend at Beaver Creek, as spectators erupted in cheers and raised flags from around the globe — Czech, Swiss, and American. Some lifted champagne glasses in celebration, while others huddled together, sharing hot dogs. For almost three decades, the Stifel Birds of Prey Ski World Cup event has drawn competitors from around the world, aiming to improve their international rankings and — in Olympic years — earn a spot at the games.
Willie Böni, originally from Switzerland, made the 22-hour drive from Tacoma, Washington, with friends Paul Inderbitzin and Dave Henline to watch the all-men’s competition. To them, seeing the sport’s fastest take on one of the world’s steepest and most demanding courses was more than worth the trip.
“The people from Switzerland say it's as good as any European event,” said Böni, who, alongside his two friends, brought giant, 60-pound cowbells to the event.
“In Switzerland, it's a big tradition to have cowbells at all the ski races,” he said. “So, we're here to represent and support the American skiers and the Swiss skiers as well. We've been here before, and we've been to other races in the United States.”
The Birds of Prey course is regarded as one of the most challenging downhill ski races in the world — thanks in large part to its more than 700 meters of vertical drop that tests even the best skiers. While the venue has been a staple for men's ski racing since the late 90s, last year was the first time the course hosted the same event for the world’s fastest women.
Its name and raptor motif nod to the way skiers seem to dive down the mountain — dropping like birds of prey on a steep, controlled freefall. Fittingly, a real bald eagle was also in the crowd, drawing almost as much attention as the racers themselves.
“She’s sort of the signature for the Birds of Prey event,” Anne Price, president of the Raptor Education Foundation, said of the 10-year-old eagle she held as spectators gathered to take pictures. “We're here in Eagle County, in the Eagle Valley. The bald eagle has seen a tremendous recovery in numbers over the last 30 years. (They) are no longer an endangered species.”
At World Cup stops in Europe, reindeer occasionally appear on the podium with racers. Here in Beaver Creek, a bald eagle takes that spotlight, bringing a distinctly American touch to the scene.
Many Americans in the crowd came to watch River Radamus, the 27-year-old alpine ski racer from Edwards, Colo., compete on his home turf.
“It was amazing,” Radamus told CPR News shortly after his Super-G run on Friday. “Conditions were awesome. It was a long day, but we knew that the snow was good. And you always want to put on a show.”
Radamus, a three-time Youth Olympic Games gold medalist, grew up skiing on the slopes of Vail and Beaver Creek. He closed out the weekend on a high note. On the final day of the World Cup, he delivered his best result of the season — finishing sixth after jumping 12 places from his first run on Thursday.
He finished 12th in Friday’s Super-G, a race cut short after the jury halted competition when visibility deteriorated — leaving 37 of 68 athletes unable to start. The decision came shortly after 2025 Downhill World Champion Franjo von Allmen, from Switzerland, crashed 40 seconds into the race due to poor visibility.
“What gets better than coming to World Cup downhill and Super G races at Beaver Creek?” said John Warren, who traveled from California with his wife, Shanda, to see the race. “The excitement around this is spectacular. I love seeing the finishes. I'm a little disappointed they moved the finish line up, so we don't get as much action right in front of us, but it's still a spectacular venue.”
Sarka Higgin, originally from the Czech Republic, also traveled from California.
“We were here last year,” Higgin said as she raised a Czech flag above the crowd. Higgin and her husband were there to support Jan Zabystran, her 27-year-old nephew. “Normally, he loves skiing in Colorado; he loves the snow here. But today, with these conditions, probably not as much. It’s hard to see, and the falling snow is not great either.”
Zabystran placed 14th in Friday's Super-G race.
Meanwhile, Marco Odermatt, a Swiss skier and crowd favorite, delivered the weekend’s biggest moment at Beaver Creek. He won Sunday’s World Cup giant slalom, his second victory in four days after also taking first in Thursday’s downhill on the Birds of Prey course.
While Odermatt has enjoyed continued success at the venue, Sunday’s win carried extra weight. Before this year’s race, his best giant slalom finish at Beaver Creek was 27th.
“We love to support the American athletes first and foremost, but it is hard not to like Odermatt,” Warren said. “He's so spectacular to watch race. He's at the top of his game right now, so yeah, it’s pretty exciting.”
