BIRD MAN @ KILLI WORLD CUP

YO!!! I MET BIRDMAN!!!!!!!!! Killi regulars, iykyk.

As a lifelong lover of skiing and people-watching, the Killington World Cup on Saturday, November 25th, was the right spot for me. In a brief summary, one could say it was an all-day party gathering folks from across the country and world to the good 'ol mountains of Vermont. :)

But anyway, let's break it down.

The morning day of, before my drive, I made sure to prep a hefty thermos of coffee for the *day* ahead. Of course, this resulted in me having to pee like a mf on the way there and on the shuttle from Pico (where we parked) to Killington. Upon arrival at approximately 10:30 am, I could already tell that the vibes were going to be rolling all day long. Stepping off the shuttle, I was immediately met with the Red Bull vehicle that is famously found at Rail Jam and the wafting smell of burgers from pre-game tailgates right in the parking lot.

There was a certain buzz about, with folks from around the country and globe coming together for the ski race. Anticipation for the victors and excitement for the arrived winter season circulated through the chilly Vermont air. After making our way through the large crowd, my family and I finally made it out behind the lodge, where the vendors, event stage, and beverage carts were stationed. A bustling row of tents, the vendors attracted many guests looking to win giveaways from Nolan Tires or cop a free can of Nitro Cold Brew. Skida, Atomic Skis, and some other local vendors were geared up, selling their goodies all day long.

After zig-zagging through the tents, we made our way over to the race area. Positioning ourselves in front of one of the few jumbotrons and nestled in a sunny spot, the women's giant slalom was a perfect time to watch. While I am no ski racer and have not spent much time at alpine ski racing events, watching the race was awesome. Not only was the action always visible with the outstanding filming, but it was super cool to see the results changing in real-time in front of my eyes. It was so exhilarating anytime anyone bet the fastest run, and the crowd demonstrated the excitement with a proper ruckus.

After the first run, the crowd dispersed and refueled at one of the many food trucks or replenished a brew from the various bev tents. In the intermission between the first and second runs, a DJ named Mix Master Mike performed his set on stage. Apparently, this dude won a Grammy with the Beastie Boys ??? He was pretty ferda, played a lot of Metallica and of course Sabotage was included in the mix too. Personally, I would have loved to hear some more Dom Dolla and Fred Again.. maybe, but house tunes were bumping during the entirety of the race, so I still was jammin all day long. During his set, the infamous "Bird Man" showed up, dawning his feathered Turkey Hat and blew his Shofur, announcing his lively presence. Killington regulars are certainly familiar with this dude as he is a mountain staple and can

be found on the slopes, eager to share details about his fit. It's Drip or Drown for Birdman and bro is swimminggggg in it.

Finally, it was time for the second run. Once again, we returned to our original spot and watched in awe of each skier's strength and tenacity. Through the crowd, I saw a good UVM buddy of mine named Sydney Julius, who is a dedicated alpine race fanatic. She mentioned in class on Monday during our World Cup debrief that USA's very own Mikaela Shiffrin won her 90th overall win after her 1st place finish from Sunday's races, which is incredibly impressive. Also, a little social media scrolling on Sunday led me to Noah Kahan's Instagram story, posted right from Killington the day before. Spectators had to harness a Northern Attitude to overcome the chilly temperatures, which only intensified as the sun diminished.

Overall, the Killington World Cup was a day well-spent. While it would have been cool to stick around for Sunday's races, I stopped at Sugarbush and got my first ski day of the season in the books before returning to campus.

SKI SEASON IS BACK, EVERYONE! GET STOKED AND GET TO THE MOUNTAIN!!!

Zoe Armet ‘26