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Tahoe s Lila Lapanja skis to a giant slalom national championship in Aspen, Colorado, on April 15.
Courtesy of U.S. Ski & Snowboard
Incline Village’s Lila Lapanja stands in the dark Finish Lapland, eyeing the traces of fog that dance among the lights and slalom gates below her.
It’s November at Finland’s largest ski resort, Levi, and Lapanja, 26, is seeking her first World Cup points since 2016.
During these past few years, she’s dealt with various nagging injuries, losing her place on the national team, and fighting to continue her career as an independent racer. Now on a dark night in Finland, Lapanja has a chance to prove to herself and everyone else that she still belongs among the world’s top alpine skiers.
Photo by Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times.
With Aspen Highlands closing for the season Sunday again sans the usual party opening day for the U.S. Alpine National Championships is knocking on the door. The popular locals’ hill is set to host some of the country’s top ski racers the next two weeks in a low-key end to the competitive season.
“A lot of people are kind of running on fumes, but we are all psyched to see high-level racing,” said Johno McBride, the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club’s alpine director and a longtime national team coach. “It’s also important for us to showcase the venue. That speaks volumes. It’s a great venue.”