GMVS Congratulates Sponsored Athletes on a Successful Season

Press Release provided by Green Mountain Valley School

AJ Ginnis (GRE), Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR), Alex Vinatzer (ITA) Photo: GEPA

As the 2022-23 season comes to a close, GMVS congratulates its team of sponsored athletes on a successful season. The team includes six alumni who race on national teams and/or in the World Cup and receive financial support from GMVS to help in their pursuit of being the best in the world: 

GMVS Sponsored Athletes

AJ Ginnis ’11, GRE Ski

Ali Nullmeyer ’16, Canadian National Team

Ben Ritchie ’19, U.S. Ski Team

Brian McLaughlin ’12, Team Global Racing

Charlie Raposo ’14, British Alpine Ski Team

Jimmy Krupka ’16, U.S. Ski Team Nor Am Team

Brian McLaughlin, one of this year’s six athletes, reflects on how the program has positively impacted his racing career: “The GMVS sponsorship program has been a win-win for both sides. I am excited to represent GMVS on the world stage, and interacting closely with the school that raised me is rewarding. I am grateful for the support I receive that allows me to chase my dreams and I look forward to making the GMVS family proud!”

Top Canadian slalom racer Ali Nullmeyer also talks about how the support of a community can make all the difference when pursuing this individual sport of ski racing: “The GMVS sponsorship program means feeling the support of a community behind me. Ski racing can be challenging in many aspects, so having this support helps me do what I need to do on and off the hill!”

Each athlete posted top results, and we’re proud to call this alumni group part of our team. This year’s top accomplishments include AJ Ginnis’ February second-place performance at the World Cup SL in Chamonix, France and the silver medal at the World Championship SL in Courchevel —additionally, Ali Nullmeyer’s 11th-place finish at the February World Cup SL in Flachau, Austria.

Congratulations to this year’s GMVS Sponsored Athlete Team:

AJ Ginnis ’11, GRE Ski

AJ Ginnis is a Greek-American Dartmouth graduate who moved to Vermont at 15. He races for Greece with coaching support from his fellow GMVS classmate, Sandy Vietze ’11. Ginnis recently placed second in the World Championship slalom event in Courchevel, France and is hungry to stand on future podiums.

Ali Nullmeyer ’16, Canadian National Team

Ali Nullmeyer was born and raised in Ontario, Canada, and currently races on the Alpine Canada Alpin National Team. Nullmeyer was one of 13 alpine skiers the Canadian Olympic Committee nominated to compete in the 2022 Winter Games. In her Olympic debut, she secured a solid 21st-place finish in the women’s slalom. While pursuing the World Cup, Ali continues to balance her pursuit of high-level athletics with academics, studying economics at Middlebury College. 

Ben Ritchie ’19, U.S. Ski Team

Ben Ritchie, a member of the U.S. Ski Team, hails from Waitsfield, Vermont, just down the road from the GMVS campus. Ben’s top three athletic accomplishments so far were winning the World Juniors Slalom in Bansko, Bulgaria, in 2021, a thirteenth-place finish at the 2021 World Championships in Cortina, Italy, and two 2nd place finishes at World Juniors 2019. 

Brian McLaughlin ’12, Team Global Racing

Brian McLaughlin races with Global Racing, a team founded by GMVS Graduate Paul Epstein ’00. Brian’s path to success started as a junior in high school at GMVS, where he qualified for the USST Development Team the following year. He raced for four years for Dartmouth College, and during his senior season, he earned a World Cup start. Brian kicked off the 2022-23 season strong with a 19th-place finish in Val d’Isère World Cup GS in December. 

Charlie Raposo ’14, British Alpine Ski Team

Charlie’s move to Vermont to attend GMVS at 14 became a central stepping stone in his rise to becoming one of the best junior racers in the world for his age. Charlie is a five-time British Champion and has been the best-ranked giant slalom skier from Great Britain for the last eight years. Charlie secured a 17th-place finish in the 2023 World Championship GS in Courchevel.

Jimmy Krupka ’16, U.S. Ski Team Nor Am Team

Jimmy Krupka qualified for the U.S. Development Team at the end of his senior year at GMVS. Upon graduating, he raced and trained with the team for two years, skied for Dartmouth College for a year, and then re-qualified for the U.S. Team that he’s been skiing with ever since. In addition to continuing to pursue courses at Dartmouth and elite racing, Jimmy hosts his podcast, Arc City, which has gained a following of racing enthusiasts across generations.

GMVS is closing in on its third year of the pilot program, supporting alumni racing on a national team and/or the World Cup. The athlete sponsorship program launched in the spring of 2020 when a group of supporters partnered with GMVS to develop an athlete sponsorship program to provide financial support for elite alumni who, during their initial years pursuing elite racing, often struggle to find the means to pay for team fees, travel and accommodations, and all of the costs associated with ski racing at the highest level. 

Managed independently from the school’s annual fund, which helps support the school’s programming throughout the year, the Athlete Sponsorship Program is funded by donors who specifically designate their gifts to support elite alumni pursuing racing beyond GMVS. 

As the program closes in on the end of its third year, donor support has positively impacted the lives, and results, of these six athletes. With several up-and-coming elite athletes, GMVS hopes the program will continue.