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Kauf registers breakthrough World Cup finish

Joel Reichenberger

A bobble in the bumps cost Steamboat Springs moguls skier Jaelin Kauf a great chance to win or podium at a World Cup event, but Thursday still marked a huge night for the Steamboat Springs teenager.

Kauf led the field in a moguls World Cup event at Deer Valley, Utah, after the first of two finals runs. A mistake on the second set her into sixth place, still easily the best result of her career.

“I did a heli up top — it felt big, felt good. The middle section felt awesome — I was skiing fast, and the course was really soft, really nice,” she said in a news release. “The bottom air I came in with a little bit of speed and went a little bigger than I thought, kind of sat down on the landing, but overall, it felt real good.”



Kauf, in just her third World Cup event, laid down blistering ski times on the course in her final run. She was 13th after qualifications, barely making the 16-skier field. She was then first going into the six-skier finals.

“I tried not to think about (the pressure) too much,” she said. “I just tried to relax and keep cool. It’s my first time in the top six, so I really had nothing to loose.”



“Tonight was all Jaelin. She’s worked so hard at it, and she’s just starting that progression,” said Scott Kauf, her father and a pro moguls champ himself. “As parents, you want to see her do the very best she can. This is just the beginning for her.”

Steamboat skier Olivia Giaccio also made the first finals, placing 16th overall. Sophia Schwartz just missed that mark, in 17th. Lane Stoltzner was 23rd.

On the men’s side, local skier Jeremy Cota placed 20th

Canada’s Justine Dufour-Lapointe went on to win the event for the women. Australia’s Matt Graham won for the men.


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