Winter Olympic & Paralympic Preview

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Express

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Friday, February 4, 2022

SVSEF, PAPOOSE CLUB ANNOUNCE RETURN OF NORDIC CUP RACE-After a two-year hiatus, the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation and the Papoose Club are joining forces for the Nordic Cup on Feb. 13. This event is free and open to all kids ages 3-13 on the trails at the BCRD Quigley Nordic center in Hailey. Classic and skating events on courses ranging in distances from a halfkilometer to 3K are offered as well as an obstacle course. Races begin at 10 a.m. This year’s theme is “Gliding on Rainbows,” which celebrates the return of full spectrum of Papoose Club activities. Costumes in bright colors are encouraged. There will be prizes for the first 60 kids that sign up. Day of registration is at 8:30 a.m. For more information, go to www.papooseclub.org/nordic-cup.

Sports EDITOR JON MENTZER: (208) 726-8060 sports@mtexpress.com

BALDY CHALLENGE TO BENEFIT SENIOR CONNECTION IN MEMORY OF CHRIS HILLEARY-The Senior Connection in Hailey will be the beneficiary of the 11th Annual Baldy Challenge, which will honor Chris Hilleary. This event is currently underway and will last through Feb. 28. Skiers pay $30 at PK’s Ski and Sports, Apples Bar & Grill or The Senior Connection to ski all the runs on Baldy during the 28 days of February and be entered into a raffle for the chance to win fun prizes, 20222023 ski pass if you participate in the Full Baldy Challenge or the 3 Bear Challenge. Completed run cards need to be turned in to PK’s by March 1 to qualify for drawings on March 7. In 2021, the event raised $11,125 for the Senior Connection.

2022 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Preview

Express file photo by Roland Lane

Knight was propelled to stardom as a four-time Olympian, and three-time medalist (winning gold in Pyeongchang in 2018).

Hilary Knight, Team USA aim for gold

Jake Adicoff (left) and Sam Wood (right) celebrate after Adicoff’s first-place finish at the Para World Championships in Norway.

Sun Valley resident believes Americans have the skillset in women’s hockey

BROTHERS WITH A VISION

Courtesy photos by Gisle Johnsen

Jake Adicoff, Sam Wood eye Paralympic Gold

By JON MENTZER Express Staff Writer

When Hilary Knight broke the all-time World Championships scoring record in career goals (45) on Aug. 24 for the Americans, it was another accolade in the storied career of the Sun Valley resident. However, Knight—and Team USA—aren’t done, as the Americans are favored to reach the Gold Medal Game at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Knight has been a huge deal in Sun Valley ever since she and her parents—James and Cynthia Knight—moved here in 2000 from Palo Alto, California. Her popularity has gotten so big that May 19 is officially “Hilary Knight Day.” Since first suiting up for the national team in 2006, Knight, 32, has grown to be the face of the sport and a national icon, fueling the growth of women’s hockey both locally and across the country. Knight was propelled to stardom as a four-time Olympian and three-time medalist, winning gold in Pyeongchang in 2018. This year’s Beijing Games will look different from usual, with COVID-19 lingering in the background. However, Knight said she is keeping her eyes on the podium. “I’m expecting things to be adaptable,” Knight said. “We have to take one day at a time. If COVID has taught us anything, it’s you have to adjust and adapt.” Team USA opened the Olympics on Thursday, Feb. 3, a day before the Opening Ceremonies (Feb. 4) against Finland in Group A at Wukesong Sports Centre. According to Knight, Team USA has been ready for quite some time. “We always look good,” Knight said. “I’m really excited. We have a great mixture of veterans and some newer players on the squad. What I’m most looking forward to in the Olympics is finally taking the world stage and showcasing all of our abilities.” The roster welcomes veterans like Megan Keller and Briana Decker back to go along with first-year players Abby Roque and Abbey Murphy. Knight said Murphy is a player that the crowd should tune in to watch because of her presence and attitude. “You love to feed off of her fire,” Knight said of Murphy. “Her competitiveness is like nobody I’ve ever seen. I’m excited for that to be unleashed.” Along with one of the best rivalries in sports against See OLYMPIC HOCKEY, Page 15

By JON MENTZER

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Express Staff Writer

ike most skiers, Jake Adicoff was on snow in early elementary school. Even then, he was legally blind: While Jake was in utero, he contracted chickenpox; as a result, he has scars on both of the macula in his eyes. From birth, he had no vision in his right eye and very limited vision in his left. But the Sun Valley resident was born to Nordic ski—and even he couldn’t ignore his talent. Come March, Adicoff will be competing at the 2022 Paralympic Games in Beijing with friend and Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Gold Team member Sam Wood as his guide. The pairing has been nothing short of elite. On Jan. 13, Adicoff earned his first Para World Championship gold medal in the Men’s Middle C, Visually Impaired 12.5-kilometer cross-country race in Lillehammer, Norway. He finished first among 134 athletes, clocking a time of 33 minutes, 54 seconds. “Being able to share that moment and help him is fun,” Wood said. “Win or lose, we have a good time. On the days you win, it’s a bit more special because you know everything went well. My job is to help Jake get as much out of himself as he can. If we win, that tells me I did my job because, in mind, we should be winning every day.”

A serendipitous comeback Back in the middle of 2014, Adicoff had plans to go ski at Bowdoin

Courtesy photos by Gisle Johnsen

Jake Adicoff will be competing in his third Paralympics. Previously, Adicoff earned a silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

“There are no barriers. It’s a different thing competing with a close friend that I’ve spent a lot of time with.” Sam Adicoff Skier College in Maine. A few days before Adicoff began his journey from Idaho to Maine, Sam Wood was making his trek the other way, from Maine to Idaho. After high school, and before going to Middlebury College in

Vermont, Wood spent a year with friend Braden Becker in the SVSEF Post Grad program. The day before Adicoff was set to leave, Wood and Becker drove into Ketchum, and with not even a couch to crash on, Wood received a call from SVSEF Nordic Program Director Rick Kapala, telling the two lost skiers that he had found a house for them. That house was the home of Sam Adicoff and Sue Conner— Jake’s house. So, Adicoff and Wood, going in the opposite direction, met briefly for 24 hours before Jake headed east. However, that brief meeting would have a lasting effect. The Adicoffs offered their house to Wood for two months, and Jake and Sam stayed in contact when Sam went back to Vermont. The two also competed against each other while Adicoff was at Bowdoin and Wood was at Middlebury. They saw each other six weekends a year and spent three summers together training in Sun Valley. “We have such a strong friendship, which makes the communication a lot easier while competing,” Adicoff said. “There are no barriers. It’s a different thing competing with a close friend that I’ve spent a lot of time with.” By then, Adicoff had climbed through the ranks of the SVSEF junior Nordic development team and parlayed that into an impressive para skiing career. A Wood River High School product, Adicoff earned a lot of early success while at college. He was a U.S. Paralympics See ADICOFF, Page 15


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