Welcome to My Rally Campaign

My name is Piper Sage, I’m 17 years old, from Girdwood, Alaska, and live and train at Sugar Bowl Ski Academy near Truckee, California.  I started skiing at two and racing at five, and with your help I will be able to continue my progress toward the US Ski Team and World Cup.  I'm inviting you to be part of my journey to ski racing success!

What's An Alaskan Girl Like Me Doing in a Place Like California?!

The 2017-18 race season was an important moment for both my ski racing career and my family.  My good results earned me a two-year scholarship to Sugar Bowl Ski Academy (SBA).  So in August 2018, at barely 16, I packed up my most important belongings and headed thousands of miles south to pursue my ski racing dreams.  Leaving home was hard - I left everything familiar to go to school, live, train and race with new classmates, new teammates, new teachers, and new coaches, all while jumping into the deep end of FIS racing.  As challenging and scary as that was, I was convinced then, and am even more so now, that this was the right move, and that it would give me access to the training and racing opportunities that I’ll need to achieve my goals of being on the national team and ranking in the top twenty-five for speed events.

Why I'm Raising Funds

Ski racing is super expensive and even with generous support for tuition and room-and-board provided by SBA and support from Nordica towards equipment costs, my family’s responsibility for training and racing expenses stretched the limits of our resources last year.  Ski racing at an elite level requires year round training and lots of travel with lots of bulky gear, sometimes with as many as six pairs of skis.  Last year alone, I travelled to 4 countries and 5 states, and covered more than 40,000 miles by plane and over 4,100 miles by car!  In order to be fully prepared for the North American racing period, we start training in summer in the southern hemisphere and with early fall camps in the Rockies.  After that, the racing season kicks into full swing, often with periods of back-to-back races and targeted training camps.  We expect 2019-20 training and racing expenses to be about $29,000 this year. 

My family does our best to make this sport as affordable as possible and to stretch every dollar.  Your support would help cover the travel expenses and equipment costs for the 2019-20 race season, and would help ensure that I can participate fully in all training and racing opportunities available to me this season. 

How I Got Here

Skiing forms some of my earliest memories. Whether it's my dad lifting me high in the air as we launch from a jump, or my mom chasing me down the bowl, skiing is a family affair in my house.  I ski race because it's in my blood; it makes me happy; and it is part of who I am and who  I want to be. 

My first year FIS racing started in New Zealand in August of 2018 and ended in April with the Mammoth spring series and included 16 different race series and 6 training camps.  Overall, I consider it to be a success.  Out of 58 starts (including downhill training runs), I had 38 finishes, 30 in the top 30, 13 top 10, 7 top 5, and 2 top 3. I scored my first North American Cup (NorAm) points, qualified for US Alpine National Speed Championships, and have been nominated to the Western Region Regional Training Group, which will give me access to more invitational training opportunities.  

Racing Highlights:

2019 WR Spring Speed, Mammoth, CA, DH (4th, 4th)

2019 WR Spring Speed, Mammoth, CA, SG (5th)

2019 WR Spring Elite, Mammoth, CA, SL (11th)

2019 US Alpine National Speed Championships, Sugarloaf, ME, DH (26th; 5 NorAm points)

2019 Dreadnaught Speed, Kimberley, BC, SG (2nd)

2019 WR Elite, Big Sky, MT, GS (8th)

2018 NorAm Cup, Panorama, BC, SG (28th; 3 NorAm points)

Prior Seasons:

2018 WR U16 Championships, Alyeska, AK SL (5th), GS (1st)

2018 Lone Peak Speed Series, Big Sky MT SG (1st)

2018 Northwest Cup, Mt. Spokane WA GS (1st)

2018 Alyeska Cup, Alyeska AK SG (1st), GS (1st)

2017 Alyeska Cup, Alyeska AK SG (1st), SL (1st)

2016 U14 WR Championships, Jackson, WY SG (9th)

My Team

I may be the one standing in the start gate, but I couldn’t do this without the support of my team.

I want to thank all my family and friends who support my dream and cheer for me from near and far.

Thank you, Nordica, for your support over the last three years, and especially for the 2018-19 race season. Nordica's generous and attentive support helped ease my transition into FIS racing while I also adjusted to academy life.

Lastly, a special thank you to mom and dad.  My dad, who instilled in me a love for skiing that will last a lifetime and who shows me unconditional love and support.  And my mom, whose absolute enthusiasm for my dream and unwavering belief in my potential is unrivaled. 

Join My Team and Spread the Word!

Thank you very much for supporting my Rally and considering joining my team!  One BIG way to help is to spread the word by sharing this link with anyone who may be interested.

Your support will help me find my true potential and propel me towards my goals.