Moguls skier Kauf delivers the love and wins Olympic silver

Kauf spent time as the top-ranked skier in the world and went into the Pyeongchang Games among the favorites to win a medal. But moguls is one of the most fickle events on snow. She finished seventh there. She bashed into a tree and suffered a back injury at the beginning of last year. All of that made her wonder if keeping on in this sport was really worth it.

That’s how “Deliver the love” became the catchiest phrase in Alta.

“I got into the sport because I love it, and that’s why I’m still competing in it,” Kauf said. “Every time I push out the start gate for training or competition, I just want to deliver the love and do it without reason.”

Her parents signed onto that outlook quickly.

“It wasn’t about the medals,” Patti said. “It wasn’t about anything else but just going out there and having her best run every day.”

On the night — or make that, the morning — of her Olympic triumph, the Kaufs gave a lot of credit to big brother Skyler.

“He kept it together tonight when everyone was losing it,” Patti said.

There was a short time when Kauf actually held the lead in the big final and a gold medal looked within reach. Australia’s Jakara Anthony ended up taking the top spot, but that had nothing to do with why the folks at the Tetonia were losing it.