After defending his NCAA title and claiming NorAm crown, Norway’s Herland wins US giant slalom

Sunday’s sunny skies and soft snow had Johs Braathen Herland feeling like he was in just another college race.

“Racing in the U.S. is amazing,” the University of Utah sophomore said on Sunday after winning the giant slalom title on Day 2 of the U.S. Alpine National Championships in Vail. “You wake up almost everyday to weather like this and really good conditions.”

Well, maybe not every day. But runner-up Erik Read — a former four-time first-team All-American at DU — felt the flashback, as well.

“You get conditions like today, which are more like college racing. You kind of have to just stick your nose into it and it’s more about attitude than like actually good skiing,” the two-time Canadian Olympian said. “That was the case a lot of the time in college — crazy snow conditions, but the race kind of went on regardless.”

After posting the fastest first run of the day, Herland held off Read — who moved up three spots in his second trip down Golden Peak — for the 1.58-second victory. Aspen’s Bridger Gile rounded out the podium in third as the top American, while local favorite and defending national champion River Radamus slid three spots to sixth.

“That second run was tough. What we like to call mush,” Gile admitted. “Anytime you tried to turn, the snow was just peeling back away from you. So it kind of felt like waterskiing — like, when you’re not that good at water skiing.”

Gile, who sat in second after the first run, was just 25th through the first sector on his second. He said one reason he lost time near the top was that he couldn’t stay in the ever-developing groove that became increasingly essential for speed.

“It’s so much energy you’re spending just trying to stay in the groove and it’s just a really long course,” he said before adding, “that was a good way to end the season — a really good lung-burner.”

After struggling with mental confidence and tactics through most of the first three months of the year, Gile said “something started to click” in January.

“From then on, I’ve been on an upward trajectory,” he added.

Gile notched three Europa Cup top-10s to start 2026, then came home for two runner-up NorAm finishes at Whiteface Mountain. That was followed by another second in the Europa Cup in Berchtesgaden, Germany, and a fourth a week later in Norefjell, Norway. In his final World Cup start, Gile finished 27th in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

“All in all, I think it was one of my best years,” the 26-year-old former Ski and Snowboard Club Vail athlete said.

The same is true for Herland, who not only won the overall NorAm crown, but successfully defended his NCAA GS title earlier this month. American Isaiah Nelson made the former race tight after winning back-to-back speed races a couple weeks ago at Aspen Highlands.

“He put on a big show and made it interesting and then I managed to pull it off,” Herland said. “I’m really happy; that was a big goal of mine this season.”

Alex Krupka led the current SSCV contingent, moving up nine spots into 15th place. Aksel Kitt was close behind in 21st.

“I had a little mistake, but it was good overall,” said Kitt, who is coached by his dad, A.J. Kitt, and Will Hadden as part of the club’s U21 team. Kitt competed across FIS, University and NorAM races all season, hoping to attract the attention of a college team.

“It’s been good,” he said. “I’ve put together a good first run or second run and just not put two together. This has been a good step, putting two solid runs together and in a super stacked field.”

On Saturday, he also found out there’s a spot for him at the University of New Hampshire.

“I’m super excited for that,” Kitt said. “They have a sweet squad and great coaches.”

The U.S. Alpine Nationals continue with the women’s giant slalom on Monday and conclude with slaloms for both genders on Tuesday.

While Gile joked he was happy to at least beat his longtime teammate and friend, Radamus, on Sunday, he wasn’t as pleased about letting non-Americans take the top two steps of the podium.

“It’s not good,” he said with a smile. “We’ve got some work to do.”