- Team USA's women Alpine skiers faced challenges in Cortina on Thursday during the Winter Olympics.
- In the Alpine race, Keely Cashman finished 15th; in the super-G, Jackie Wiles placed 13th while Breezy Johnson crashed.
- Johnson, however, got engaged afterwards, adding a bit of joy to an otherwise difficult day.
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — It was a rough day on the slopes for Team USA's women Alpine skiers. But there were silver linings as well. And the day was capped with a diamond.
Team USA missed the podium, and it wasn't by a thin margin. The day started with clouds and fog that lifted just minutes before the race was set to begin. The weather left a fresh dusting of snow, then temperatures quickly rose into the 40s. It added up to a very tricky track.
If the race had a theme, it would be: did not finish. When all was said and done, only about 60% of the women who started the race actually crossed the finish line.
University of Utah student Keely Cashman was one of them. She finished 15th.
"Definitely a challenging set, lots of terrain on the hills," Cashman said. "It was pretty tricky out there."
It was a smaller crowd today for the women's Super-G. The event was missing some star power. Lindsay Vonn was scheduled to ski, but that, of course, didn't happen. Vonn broke her leg in a crash here last weekend.
Still, with two women who have already medaled in these Olympics skiing for the Americans, the day began with high hopes.
But Jackie Wiles, who earned bronze two days ago, finished 13th today.
Breezy Johnson, who earned gold on Sunday, crashed violently — as did Salt Lake City native Mary Bocock.
"I'm totally fine," Bocock said after the race. "I got lucky."
Bocock is a first-time Olympian, and her younger sister, Elizabeth, is also on the U.S. Ski Team. So, silver lining: This is an experience the 22-year-old can take into the rest of her career, she said.
My interview with Bocock was interrupted by noisy Italian fighter jets celebrating Italy's gold medal win. For Bocock, watching the jets fly over, it was easy to fantasize about winning at home when the Olympics return to Salt Lake City in eight years.
"I hope so. That would be amazing," Bocock said. "That's the goal."
Then, a diamond lining.
The U.S. Ski Team posted images from the race of Salt Lake City resident Breezy Johnson getting engaged, with the caption, "Just added another ring to the Olympics."
When Breezy Johnson heads home to Utah, she'll be bringing a gold medal — and an engagement ring.
