Congratulations are in order for GMVS alumna Ali Nullmeyer ’16 who competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Ali, a 23 year-old Middlebury College student, manages the rigors of training and racing throughout the world while also balancing college academics. Throughout the 2021-22 season, she was racing among the world’s best when she finished fifth in a World Cup slalom in Zagreb; her first-ever top 10 finish on the World Cup circuit. Five days later, she landed a sixth-place finish in the slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.
In Ali’s words, “This season was a whirlwind of emotions. After getting off to a rocky start, I took some time to train at Sugarbush with help from former GMVS staff members Dave and Traudl Gavett. The training at Sugarbush was awesome and spending this time in this environment helped me rebuild and grow my confidence for the coming racing block. Once returning to Europe around Christmas, I had some of the best races of my career so far and officially qualified for my first ever Olympic games!”
Ali was one of 13 alpine skiers nominated by the Canadian Olympic Committee to compete in the Winter Games, and in her Olympic debut, she secured a solid 21st place finish in the women’s slalom. Ali describes the intense Olympic experience: “Leading up to the Olympics was nerve-wracking, not only due to the size of the event but also due to the strict Covid protocols. Once we finally made it to Beijing and began training, it took time to get used to the snow, which felt different from the conditions we normally see in Europe and North America. The experience as a whole was incredible, and I am grateful for those who contributed to helping me get there.”
Congratulations on an outstanding season, Ali. We can’t wait to see where you go from here!