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acolbert@aspentimes.com
The New Year will have plenty to live up to in terms of local sports excitement, as 2024 certainly delivered. Here’s a look back at the top 10 storylines from the season, as picked by Aspen Times sports editor Austin Colbert.
The Aspen-raised halfpipe skier had the best World Cup season in history in 2023-24, becoming the first athlete to make a perfect run through winter, winning every contest he entered. From wins at Copper and Mammoth, to his third overall X Games Aspen gold last January, it can be argued it was the most dominant season by any freeskier in the halfpipe — ever. And he’s fresh off yet another win at Copper to close out 2024, so expect much more from Ferreira in 2025.
This was a massive year for the Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club, which saw the prestigious club return to play at the Division II level via the Rocky Mountain Rugby Premiership. The Gents used to compete for national championship on a regular basis in the 1990s and 2000s, and they took a substantial step in getting back to that level by winning the RMR title — on top of winning their own Ruggerfest tournament — in recent months. The win qualifies them for regionals this coming spring.
Aspen born and raised, Johno McBride is one of the most decorated ski coaches in U.S. history and was rewarded for his work by being named to the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame Class of 2024. A longtime national team coach for both the Americans and Canadians, McBride had a heavy hand in the development of U.S. stars Bode Miller and Daron Rahlves, among others. When not coaching the top skiers on the planet, McBride can still be found working with the AVSC kids, where he previously served as the club’s alpine director.
The Roaring Fork Valley has long been the epicenter of the American halfpipe skiing scene, with stars like Torin Yater-Wallace and Alex Ferreira. Hunter Maytin, currently 16, solidified himself among the next group of up-and-comers when he was invited to last year’s Youth Olympic Games in Korea, finishing fifth. You’ll be seeing lots more of Maytin.
Of the notable deaths from 2024 is that of Wally Dallenbach Sr., the famed IndyCar racer and patriarch to one of the most notable racing families in the country. A longtime resident of the Fryingpan Valley who helped found Basalt Rescue nearly five decades ago, he passed on April 29 at age 87. According to IndyCar.com, Dallenbach Sr.’s career highlights include 13 Indianapolis 500 starts between 1967-79, his best finish being fourth.
It was another magical run for the Basalt High School football team in 2024, which included another undefeated regular season and a trip to the Class 2A state semifinals. This was only the second semifinal appearance as a member of 2A in school history, the other coming in 2019. The season ended with a 41-28 home loss to The Classical Academy one round short of the finale.
It can’t be taken for granted any time World Cup ski racing makes its way to Aspen — case in point, no World Cup races in 2024-25. But the 2023-24 ski season did include a return to Aspen Mountain last March, a rare spring showing for the U.S. Swiss superstar Marco Odermatt won both the giant slaloms, while his teammate, Loic Meillard, won the slalom after finishing runner-up to Odermatt the previous two races (Odermatt skipped the slalom).
Shaun White, the unquestioned GOAT of halfpipe snowboarding, is launching his own league and it will debut here in Aspen on March 7-8. Yes, this could also go in 2025, but it was announced in 2024, along with the return of X Games, and it has potential to become a big movement in winter sports.
Comebacks are all the rage these days, and Aspen’s Wiley Maple has bought in. He originally retired following the 2019-20 season after undergoing spinal fusion surgery to fix a herniated lumbar disc in his back. But, much like Lindsey Vonn this year, Maple’s overcome the health issues and still feels a desire to keep racing. Despite the layoff, the now 34-year-old is back on the World Cup full time, an impressive accomplishment, regardless of results.
Hosting regional or even state golf is nothing out of the norm for the area, but this past fall brought something new. That is, the Snowmass Club hosted a regional golf tournament for the high school boys, believed to be a first for the mostly private club. And for Aspen High School, it couldn’t have gone better, with Houston Benvenuto leading the team to the regional championship. Basalt finished second. Don’t forget about AHS senior Ryan Rigney, a Snowmass local, who even hit a hole-in-one during his round.
acolbert@aspentimes.com
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