On Feb. 13, Alpine Ski captain Vivien Pihlstrom ‘25 won her race and the 2024 Alpine State Champion title, beating out 86 other athletes. Previously, on Jan. 31, Pihlstrom got first place in her section and conference, and after her medal at an IMAC meet, where she had a time of 44.55 seconds, she has medaled 7 times this season.
Pihlstrom’s best event is slalom, a skiing discipline that involves skating through poles or gates. And, although she has tried others, slalom sticks out as her favorite due to its level of engagement. Additionally, Pihlstrom has led her team and herself to multiple state tournaments, five consecutive conference titles and won the Giants Ridge Invitational this season. She stated that continuing her skiing career throughout college through club skiing was something she’d be interested in.
“She’s very supportive,” said teammate Martha Hughes ‘24. “She brings a ton of energy to the ski team and is a great leader.”
“Vivien is a super enthusiastic teammate,” added Ainsley Pflaum ‘25. “She’s super talented but very humble about it and always very focused on the team and how the team does. Even if she has a really good race, it’s about how the team did.”
Pihlstrom has been a member of the Girls’ Alpine Ski team since seventh grade, but she has been skiing since she was two. “My sister [Ava Pihlstrom ‘22] won it [state] three years ago, so we were both juniors. It’s nice having that to connect us together,” stated Pihlstrom.
Pihlstrom added that her runs at state had some flaws. “There were probably some things I didn’t do as well as I should’ve,” she said. “However, skiing is more about making the run as a whole instead of being perfect the whole time.”
Pflaum emphasized how Pihlstrom has always led by example. “It’s really evident now in terms of work ethic and camaraderie. She always sets a good example and is really good about reaching out to the younger skiers.”
Pihlstrom stated that the support of the people watching her was a key factor to her success. “My family was texting me the whole time and supporting me. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Pihlstrom also figure skates competitively and is a member of the Girls’ Lacrosse team.
