Is it time for a little R&R?
No, not that kind of R&R. Resting and relaxing in the world of Alpine comes after the Winter Olympics and after March for that matter (when the World Cup season concludes).
River Radamus and Ryder Sarchett, aka River and Ryder, aka R&R, were the two American technical specialists selected to represent Team USA in Milan Cortina. First, they’ll compete in Schladming.
Radamus boasts an Olympic pedigree, placing fourth in two events — including the giant slalom — at the Beijing Games in 2022. In his last four GS races this Cup season, the 27-year-old hasn’t finished worse than 7th. He’s finding consistency at the right time, which bodes well for an athlete with self-described “unfinished business.”
Sarchett, by contrast, possesses no Olympic experience and has just nine Cup starts to his name. His best result came in December in Val D’lsere, leap-frogging to 10th while wearing bib No. 52.
The 22-year-old spent a lot of time as a kid free skiing, which often involved landing jumps and jibbing. He believes that enabled him to develop creativity, fluidity and instinctiveness, all traits that are important for effectively adapting to changing race conditions. In Schladming, the phenomenon pretty much is a given due to the limited visibility of a nighttime race and the dropping temperatures that affect the snow’s surface.
The 2024 junior world champion in GS could use a standout result as a confidence booster before his first Winter Games, and Schladming may be the ideal match for Sarchett’s style.