Photo by: U.S. Ski & Snowboard
Laukli Makes History with First World Cup Win
1/8/2024 11:39 AM | Skiing
Utah Ski Team alumna becomes youngest American to win a cross country individual World Cup
ITALY – Utah Ski Team alumna Sophia Laukli, who competed with the Utes in 2022 and '23, made history on the international stage Sunday as Laukli earned her first individual victory in a World Cup race. It happened on the final day of the seven-stage Tour de Ski, in a 10K freestyle mass start.
Laukli clocked a time of 38:16.5 in the race, giving her over 17 seconds of padding in the win. The stage included the famed Alpe Cermis hill climb and is typically regarded as the most difficult stage of the Tour, putting athletes through a four-kilometer climb averaging a 12% grade and as high as 28%.
The result made Laukli the youngest American to win a cross country individual World Cup race and first to win the Final Climb. She placed 14th in the overall Tour de Ski standings, with Jessie Diggins taking the title.
Post-race, she told U.S. Ski & Snowboard, "I don't think I've let it fully sink in. It feels insanely good. It's super fun to have my first victory, but also have one of the best races of my life—feelings-wise and tactics-wise. Obviously I've had the most success in this race, but it's just really motivating for the rest of the season and future seasons—and in more than just the hill climb. I don't think I could be more motivated for skiing in general."
During her two seasons with the Utes, Laukli made 12 starts—all podium finishes—and had two victories during the 2022 season. She was part of two NCAA Championship-winning teams and also captured the 2022 individual title in women's 15K freestyle. In that win to cap off the 2022 NCAA Championships, Laukli was victorious by over 33 seconds—plenty of time for her to be handed a Utah Ski Team flag on the final turn at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, and wave it while skiing into the finish line.
She briefly paused her 2022 collegiate season to represent the United States at the Winter Olympics, and also completed the Tour de Ski in 2023 with a third-place result in the final stage.
Laukli was a five-time NCAA First Team All-American, earning four honors with the Utes and one more in 2020 while at Middlebury College in Vermont. She was named All-RMISA First Team and All-Academic both in 2022 and '23. In 2022, she received the Utah Ski Team's Toril Forland Award, presented annually to the program's outstanding female skier on both the alpine and Nordic teams.
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Laukli clocked a time of 38:16.5 in the race, giving her over 17 seconds of padding in the win. The stage included the famed Alpe Cermis hill climb and is typically regarded as the most difficult stage of the Tour, putting athletes through a four-kilometer climb averaging a 12% grade and as high as 28%.
The result made Laukli the youngest American to win a cross country individual World Cup race and first to win the Final Climb. She placed 14th in the overall Tour de Ski standings, with Jessie Diggins taking the title.
Post-race, she told U.S. Ski & Snowboard, "I don't think I've let it fully sink in. It feels insanely good. It's super fun to have my first victory, but also have one of the best races of my life—feelings-wise and tactics-wise. Obviously I've had the most success in this race, but it's just really motivating for the rest of the season and future seasons—and in more than just the hill climb. I don't think I could be more motivated for skiing in general."
During her two seasons with the Utes, Laukli made 12 starts—all podium finishes—and had two victories during the 2022 season. She was part of two NCAA Championship-winning teams and also captured the 2022 individual title in women's 15K freestyle. In that win to cap off the 2022 NCAA Championships, Laukli was victorious by over 33 seconds—plenty of time for her to be handed a Utah Ski Team flag on the final turn at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, and wave it while skiing into the finish line.
She briefly paused her 2022 collegiate season to represent the United States at the Winter Olympics, and also completed the Tour de Ski in 2023 with a third-place result in the final stage.
Laukli was a five-time NCAA First Team All-American, earning four honors with the Utes and one more in 2020 while at Middlebury College in Vermont. She was named All-RMISA First Team and All-Academic both in 2022 and '23. In 2022, she received the Utah Ski Team's Toril Forland Award, presented annually to the program's outstanding female skier on both the alpine and Nordic teams.
Follow the Utah Ski Team
Follow the Utes on social media (@utahskiteam).
Players Mentioned
Nordic
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