Miller, Huckaby, Hicks shine in Steamboat; First domestic Para Snowboard World Cup in 8 years

The Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team at the top of the World Cup course in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Photo: Joshua Duplechian, @joshdup // courtesy of U.S. Ski & Snowboard

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — U.S. Ski and Snowboard announced that on Tuesday the U.S. Para Snowboard Team took advantage of their first home snow World Cup start since 2017 by landing multiple competitors on the podium in Steamboat Springs.

The conditions were picture-perfect at Steamboat Ski Resort, with warm weather and winds to keep the course intact. The women kicked things off in qualification, where Utah’s Brenna Huckaby took the top seed heading into the finals with the best women’s time of the day. Huckaby would stay in the top spot throughout the day, all the way to the top of the podium. Kate Delson, also from Utah, qualified in second place.

In the men’s LL-1 qualification, Schultz led the way, qualifying in second place just 0.3 off the top spot. Noah Elliott qualified in third. Park City resident Zach Miller was the top qualifier in the men’s LL-2 class, finishing in fourth.

In the semifinals, Huckaby and Delson both from Team Utah Snowboard/Snowbird Education Foundation, took the top spots in their respective heats. Due to the number of competitors in the men’s LL-1 class, there was a preheat to determine who would advance to the big final. Elliott won the heat to secure the final spot in the big final alongside Schultz. Zach Miller continued to shine, advancing to the big final. 

Anticipation was building among the athletes as the finals neared. Huckaby was unphased, and won the women’s LL big final by a considerable margin, earning her second win and fourth podium of the year. Delson came in second, her third podium of the season. Isabelle Hicks, an athlete who competes with the National Ability Center (NAC) in Park City, was the lone competitor in the women’s UL class but put down great runs all day, earning experience and the win on the way.

Elliott and Schultz went head to head in the men’s LL-1 big final, both vying for the top spot on the podium. Despite Elliott’s best efforts, Schultz found that next gear to earn his first win of the season in front of his family cheering in the finish. Elliott finished in second, his seventh podium of the season.

Miller was the sole U.S. representative in the men’s LL-2 big final, going against some of the toughest competitors in the race. In the closest battle of the day, Miller finished on the podium in third place, his first snowboard cross podium of the season. 

“It’s been too long since I took the top spot, so this one feels incredible, especially since my family was here to experience it,” Schultz said to U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “They haven’t seen me race since 2018, so this one was special. “Right now, I’m focused on the race tomorrow, followed by World Championships in Canada next week, which carries a lot of weight for us as we head into the Paralympics in Italy next year.”