It’s early December in Colorado and for ski racing fans that means one thing: Stifel Birds of Prey at Beaver Creek is here.

Over the next two weekend, men’s and women’s World Cup ski racing will be flying down the Birds of Prey course, and if you don’t have tickets already, get some. But for those who just want to watch the races, that’s fine too. They are thrilling beyond thrilling.

World Cup ski racing starts with the men’s downhill races at 11 a.m. Friday, then Super-G races at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, and the weekend concludes with giant slalom races at 10 a.m. Sunday.

For the men, lots of eyes will be on Swiss skier Marco Odermatt, who’s won Super-G at Beaver Creek twice and snagged three, No. 2 podium spots (two Super-G, one Downhill) since 2019.

The men’s races are fast, too — like 80 mph fast.

Plus the Birds of Prey course is known for its jumps, including the Golden Eagle, Harrier, and Red Tail, where skiers can sometimes take to the air for almost the length of a football field.

“Thanks to the incredible work of the Beaver Creek Mountain Operations Team, Race Department, and Mother Nature delivering more than three feet of natural snow since Nov. 1, we are excited to say that the Birds of Prey course is ready to host the fastest alpine ski racers in the world,” said Birds of Prey Event Director Sarah Franke of the nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation.

When are the men’s Birds of Prey ski races?

• 11 a.m. Friday – Downhill, live on Outside (free)
• 10:30 a.m. Saturday – Super G, live on Outside (free)
• 3 p.m. Saturday – Super G (delayed) on NBC
• 10 a.m. Sunday – Giant Slalom, run 1, live on Outside (free)
• 1 p.m. Sunday – Giant Slalom, run 2, live on Outside (free)
• 3 p.m. Dec. 14 – Giant Slalom, (delayed) on NBC

‘I can feel it, can you?’

That quote came from Lindsey Vonn on X. According to Vonn, she’s ready to race — and guess what, she will be racing this weekend.

The Queen of Speed has been on her way to a return to racing Alpine World Cup eventually, teasing race fans on social media posts for months now while training at Copper Mountain for most of November.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Vonn — having already announced last month that she was coming out of retirement — will race lower-level FIS Downhills and Super-Gs on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, in Copper Mountain, U.S. Ski Team head coach Paul Kristofic told The Associated Press.

The AP reported Vonn needs some decent results to improve her long-dormant ranking so she can enter World Cup races this season under a new wild card rule.

“Obviously her history speaks for itself and she’s definitely the most decorated speed skier out there and has done amazing things throughout her career,” Kristofic said. “So it will be really, really fun and interesting to see what she can do.”

It’s likely that many of the current World Cup racers will be competing alongside Vonn at Copper Mountain.

Vonn has shown signs of a full recovery and seems nearly ready to race again, but no official word on when she’ll return to an actual race-course for 2025 has been made.

Vail Valley’s Queen of Ski Racing Mikaela Shiffrin is nursing an injury, saying in part, “Oh look, I’ve been impaled, just like Olaf” after crashing and sustaining an abdominal puncture wound Saturday at Killington during her second run in the Giant Slalom race of the Killington Cup, a race she was leading after the first run.

Shiffrin said she’ll be more than likely out a few weeks minimum while she heals. Shiffrin also announced Wednesday on social media she will not be racing Birds of Prey at Beaver Creek next weekend because of her injury.

Fear not though, fellow American female ski racers Nina O’Brien (not racing at Beaver Creek) has been climbing up the FIS ranks this season, and Jackie Wiles who is a speed ski-races contender, could be women to watch in the interim while Shiffrin heals and going forward through the rest of the season.

Since 2017 Wiles has four, Top 5 finishes in Downhill and could contend next weekend for a podium spot.

For O’Brien, she’s emerging on the Slalom and Giant Slalom scenes this season so far with a 7th place finish in Giant Slalom at Soelden to start the season and a 6th place finish in Giant Slalom at Killington last weekend.

When are the women’s Birds of Prey ski races?

• Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 11-13 – Downhill training
• 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 – Downhill, live on Outside (free)
• 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 15 – Super G, live on Outside (free)
• 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15 – Downhill & Super G, (delayed) on NBC

Did you know Klaus Obermeyer is now 105?

Yep, the Aspen local had a birthday on Monday and to celebrate he took to the slopes at Aspen and posted on social media a message to all.

“Another beautiful day today with blue sky and great snow. It’s just terrific. We’re so thankful for it and it’s my birthday today, 105, so getting up there. Have a lot of fun.”

Obermeyer was born in 1919 in Oberstaufen, Germany, a small Bavarian village.

He started skiing on his family’s property at age 3.

Obermeyer fashioned his first pair of skis by tying a flexible orange chestnut crate to his feet with string.

Known for being a pioneer in outdoor ski apparel, Sport Obermeyer was founded in Aspen in 1947 by Obermeyer, and the company has been a staple in the outdoors industry for more than 75 years.