U.S. Ski Team News - Alpine

Cook Tests at Center of Excellence

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (June 26) - While she may have been skiing Mammoth Mountain top to bottom a week ago, Stacey Cook (Mammoth, CA) traded the snow for the gym as she made her way to Park City for physical testing at the newly opened Center of Excellence.

To kick off her testing Cook perches atop a bike where at specific intervals, her blood is tested and the intensity of her workout is increased.

"They test our blood in stages for levels of lactate and from that test we get our heart rates to work out in when we're training this summer," Cook explains. "At the end of it they'll write us a summary and tell us what we need to do better on. We get a lot of information because of the technology involved in the test."

According to Cook, who has been tested multiple times each year for the past seven years, there is important information to be gained from looking at how far she's come from her first tests.

"It's valuable to have the information dating back from the very first time I tested. From the one I did seven years ago to now I can monitor how I did as an athlete," Cook said. "It also helps with being able to work on weaknesses.

"My weakness is I'm very strong but I need to get better at the coordination to be able to use that strength. We figured that out from that test and we've been able to track it for seven years."

Once the bike testing is complete, Cook moves on to the strength portion of her test where, as the floor plate she stands on and the belt she wears are hooked into computers, her trainers will be able to see the output of her force in various situations.

"The strength portion is a lot of jumping. That test is pretty high tech," said Cook, who is standing atop a scale while pushing against 240kg (528lbs) of weight with her shoulders. It's an impossible amount for her to lift, but a way to test how much force Cook generates through the scale. "You really get valuable information the more you do it."

Finally, after hours of bikes, blood tests, jumping and pressing, Cook is ready for her final test - the 40, 30, 30, which is a test that requires an athlete to jump high and fast for 40 seconds, break for 30 and jump for the last 30.

"It kind of mimics skiing," Cook said, explaining that the intense spurts of energy and brief moments of relief in the test are similar to racing a downhill.

Cook begins her test, jumping as high as she can as the athletes in the gym stop to cheer her on. Mustering every last piece of energy she has, she finishes strongly, and is happy to be done.

"My favorite and least favorite test is the 40, 30, 30 test. You push yourself to the max and it sucks, but you feel like you've done a lot, and that's a good feeling for me," Cook said.

Now, with all the information gathered, the sport science department will meet, discuss her results and make a training plan for Cook that will lead her through the summer months as she prepares to pursue her Olympic dreams.

U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding athletes will continue testing at the Center of Excellence through the summer.

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2010 U.S. Alpine Ski Team Named

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (June 23) – Two-time World Cup overall champion and double World Championships gold medalist Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) along with Olympic gold medalists Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) lead a high caliber group of athletes named to the 2010 U.S. Alpine Ski Team.

The Team includes four training groups competing across the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup, Europa Cup and NorAm Cup levels. Separate teams will also be named for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and FIS Alpine Junior World Championships.

Vonn moves into the Olympic season on the heels of the most successful season in U.S. women's alpine skiing history. In five months, Vonn defended her World Cup overall and downhill titles, added the super G title, captured two gold medals at the World Championships and nine World Cup victories across four disciplines, including an international record four consecutive super G wins. She also finished in the top 10 World Cup standings for slalom and giant slalom, making the 24-year-old a solid medal contender in five events.

"It goes without saying that we have the reigning World Champion and two-time World Cup overall champion in Lindsey Vonn on this Team," said Women's Alpine Head Coach Jim Tracy. "She's already doing whatever it takes to continue that run in both the World Cup and at the Olympics."

Mancuso was an underdog going into the Torino Games, yet exited the event as a 21-year-old Olympic giant slalom champion. Now a proven winner on the World Cup, she enters the 2010 season following a winter that didn't live up to her ability or expectations, which is more than enough motivation for Mancuso.

"Julia is the defending Olympic giant slalom champion and that's something she's serious about defending," added Tracy. "She's taking charge of her program and so are all the athletes on this Team. We now have a number of racers with the experience and talent to make their mark. That's the tone we're setting this season."

Already a proven medal threat after stunning the 2006 Olympic field with a combined gold medal, Ligety earned a bronze medal in giant slalom at the recent World Championships and is the discipline title winner from the 2008 World Cup season.

Joining Ligety are World Cup winners Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) and Steven Nyman (Provo, UT), along with a solid group of young guys eager to make a personal impact on international skiing. Last season, the men's program produced the greatest finish in U.S. Ski Team history as five Americans finished in the top 10 during a downhill in Val Gardena, Italy.

"This is a larger Team than we've had in the past, but it's still a very young Team" said Men's Alpine Head Coach Sasha Rearick. "The average age of the A Team is 26 and that says a lot about the future of this program. We also have a group of C Team athletes with tremendous talent and they're going to push the other guys. It's a good balance."

Also named are a group of 15 Development Team athletes all with birthdates in the early 1990's. The Development Team is the first step on the U.S. Ski Team ladder and includes the best young athletes from some of the top ski racing clubs in the country.

2010 U.S. Alpine Ski Team
(including birthdate, hometown and club program; * indicates Olympian):

A TEAM
Men
Erik Fisher (3/21/85; Middleton, ID; Rowmark/Bogus Basin)
Tim Jitloff (1/11/85; Reno, NV; Park City Ski Team)
TJ Lanning (8/27/84; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team)
Ted Ligety (8/31/84; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team)*
Scott Macartney (1/19/78; Crystal Mountain, WA; Crystal Mountain Alpine Club)*
Steven Nyman (2/12/82; Provo, UT; Park City Ski Team/Sundance)*
Marco Sullivan (4/27/80; Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)*
Andrew Weibrecht (2/10/86; Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation)

Women
Julia Mancuso (9/9/84; Olympic Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)*
Lindsey Vonn (10/18/84; Vail, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail/Buck Hill Ski Team)*

B TEAM
Men
Thomas Biesemeyer (1/30/89; Keene, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation)
Will Brandenburg (1/1/87; Spokane, WA; Schweitzer Alpine Racing)
Jimmy Cochran (5/29/81; Keene, NH; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club)*
David Chodounsky (6/25/84; Crested Butte, CO; Dartmouth Ski Team)
Tim Kelley (5/20/86; Starksboro, VT; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club)
Cody Marshall (11/15/82; Pittsfield, VT; Burke Mountain Academy)
Paul McDonald (6/25/84; Bellevue, WA; Crystal Mountain Alpine Club)
Jeremy Transue (6/1/83; Hunter, NY; Green Mountain Valley School)
Jake Zamansky (6/26/81; Park City, UT; Aspen Valley Ski/Snowboard Club)

Women
Stacey Cook (7/3/84; Mammoth, CA; Mammoth Mountain Ski Team)*
Hailey Duke (9/17/85; Boise, ID; Park City Ski Education Foundation/McCall Ski Team)
Sterling Grant (6/1/87; Amery, WI; Buck Hill Ski Team)
Keely Kelleher (8/12/84; Big Sky, MT; Rowmark Ski Academy)
Jessica Kelley (10/5/82; Starksboro, VT; Cochran's/Mount Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club)
Chelsea Marshall (8/14/86; Pittsfield, VT; Green Mountain Valley School)
Megan McJames (9/24/87; Park City, UT; Park City Ski Education Foundation)
Kaylin Richardson (9/28/84; Edina, MN; Team Gilboa)*
Sarah Schleper (2/19/79; Vail, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail)*
Leanne Smith (5/28/87; Conway, NH; Mt. Washington Valley Ski Team)
Resi Stiegler (11/14/85; Jackson Hole, WY; Park City Ski Team/Jackson Hole)*

C TEAM
Men
Tommy Ford (3/20/89; Bend, OR; Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation)
Will Gregorak (9/30/90; Longmont, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail)
Nolan Kasper (3/27/89; Warren, VT; Burke Mountain Academy)

Women
Alice McKennis (8/19/89; Glenwood Springs, CO; Rowmark Ski Academy)
Laurenne Ross (8/17/88; Klamath Falls, OR; Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation)
Kiley Staples (2/2/89; Park City, UT; Rowmark Ski Academy)

U.S. Alpine Development Team
Men
Michael Ankeny (1/17/91; Deephaven, MN; Buck Hill Ski Team)
Nick Daniels (4/5/91; Tahoe City, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Colby Granstrom (9/21/90; Lake Stevens, WA; Mission Ridge Ski Education Foundation)
Wiley Maple (5/25/90; Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski Club)
Keith Moffat (2/3/91; Berkeley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Ben Morse (4/23/92; Carrabassett Valley, ME; Carrabassett Valley Academy)
Hunter Schleper (3/26/91; Vail, CO, Iced Out Racing)

Women
Vaneesa Berther (2/11/92; Sammamish, WA; TAS Alpental Snoqualmie Ski Foundation)
Felicia Byers (12/17/91; Sandy, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation)
Greta Byrne (5/12/93; Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail)
Rose Caston (7/20/92; Salt Lake City, UT; Park City Ski Team)
Devin Delaney (2/24/91; North Conway, NH; Green Mountain Valley School)
Julia Ford (3/30/90; Plymouth, NH; Holderness Ski Team)
Anna Marno (11/23/92; Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)
Lauren Samuels (10/13/92; Minneapolis, MN; Team Gilboa)

Carey Named Europa Cup Head Coach

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (June 18) – The U.S. Alpine Ski Team welcomed back Forest Carey as the new men's Europa Cup Head Coach this week. A member of the U.S. Ski Team as an athlete from 1993-97, Carey also was an assistant World Cup technical coach during the 2007 season.

"Forest has a tremendous athlete background, thanks to his years of racing and he brings that unique athlete perspective with him as a U.S. Ski Team coach," said men's Head Coach Sasha Rearick.

"I look forward to working with a team of younger athletes," said Carey, who worked along side both the men's technical and speed World Cup coaching staffs the last two years. "Ultimately our goal is for all of our athletes to have success on the World Cup. My goal is to help them successfully make that jump."

Following his racing years, Carey returned to Middlebury College in Vermont where he became a three-time All-American before graduating in 2000. He later took an assistant coaching role at Middlebury in '01 and eventually moved into the head coach position at Maine's Carabbassett Valley Academy, a renowned USSA club program.

He returned to Middlebury in 2003 as the alpine head coach before joining the U.S. Ski Team coaching ranks from 2006-07. Most recently, Carey coached World Champion and two-time World Cup overall champion Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) during the 2008 and '09 seasons.

During the past two seasons, Forest was able to see first hand what it takes to be successful on the World Cup," added Rearick. "We're fortunate to have him bring this experience to our Europa Cup Team as they work on making the jump to World Cup competition."

Vonn, Stiegler Featured on NBC

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (June 10) – U.S. Ski Team alpine stars Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY) have found their way to the small screen in recent weeks as NBC begins to introduce its coverage of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, just under 250 days away.

It was a rare day off for Vonn, who jetted from training in Innsbruck, Austria to watch tennis hero Roger Federer win the French Open last weekend in Paris. NBC Sports was there to catch the two-time World Cup overall champion with its celeb cam.

It's no secret that Vonn is a tennis fanatic and that Federer is her favorite athlete, but it was luck that Federer sealed the French Open victory with Vonn in the audience. The win was the 14th Grand Slam title for the Swiss ace and secured Federer's spot as the sixth man in history to complete a career Grand Slam, notching wins at all major championships.

Vonn was planning on making it her personal mission to meet Federer during a trip to Wimbledon at the end of the month, but her opportunity came early as she was able to hang out with Federer after the match. She has the photo to prove it.

Stiegler's tube time came on the hinges of a pre Olympic media session with NBC in Los Angeles. During the event producers tagged her for a feature on the May 27 edition of Last Call with Carson Daly.

Stiegler's segment includes her thoughts on growing up with Olympic gold medalist Pepi Stiegler for a father and also her battle back from a 2007 season ending crash in her former hometown of Lienz, Austria. And yes, she does show off the scars.

Fans got a glimpse of what is to come this season when the tech ace skied to a slalom 19th at the 2009 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. Due to injury it was the only race she started all season, but that didn't slow her from climbing into the stands for French President Nicolas Sarkozy's autograph on her race bib.

Both athletes are now back in the gym full-time as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup and Olympic season. But chances are we'll be seeing a lot more TV time for these women's alpine stars.

Vonn Media Links:

Stiegler Media Links:

Ford, Kasper Win Golden Ski Award

Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

FRANCONIA, NH (June 4) – The Eastern Ski Writers Association (ESWA) has awarded U.S. Ski Team alpine racers Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH; Holderness Ski Team) and Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT; Burke Mountain Academy) with the 2009 Don A. Metivier Golden Ski Award. It is the second consecutive season Ford has captured the female honor.

The winners will be officially recognized at the New England Ski Museum in Franconia, NH on Friday, June 5 during a 5-7 p.m. ceremony.

The Golden Ski Award was recently named in memory of longtime snowsports journalist Don A. Metivier in the 1960s and was awarded to the top male and female skiers in the East until 1975 when the ski was lost. Two years ago the New England Ski Museum was given some artifacts and in that donation was the Golden Ski, prompting the ESWA to revitalize the honor; this time awarding the top junior athletes.

"It gives ESWA and I great pleasure to recognize the top Eastern junior skiers for 2009 with this unique award," said Jim Gregory, chairperson for the Golden Ski Award. "Both Julia and Nolan possess the determination, skills and talent, as their results indicate, to be worthy of this honor."

Ford, who is in her third year with the U.S. Ski Team program, nearly swept the top of the junior podium at the recent Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships held at Alyeska, AK. In three days, she was the top junior in giant slalom and slalom and finished second in the junior downhill ranks. Incredibly, she also finished in the top 10 of all competitors during in each race, prompting Ski Racing Magazine to also name her their Junior of the Year.

"This is a really cool award to win and does a lot of great things for skiing in the East," said Ford, who narrowly missed the combined podium at the 2009 FIS Junior World Championships. "Last year it was pretty unexpected since the actual award had been lost for so long, but now that it's getting established again, the Eastern skiers are gunning for it. I'm proud to represent the East, this is a big honor."

Ford also won the NorAm Cup super combined title, earning her a World Cup starting spot in the discipline for the 2010 season. The points helped propel her to finish second in the overall NorAm standings.

Kasper also punched it at the U.S. Championships, winning the junior slalom title, while finishing third in the junior ranks for giant slalom and second overall in combined, but it was his slalom bronze medal at Junior Worlds that boosted him to the top of the ESWA list.

"It's pretty awesome to be recognized for an award that's been around so long," said Kasper, who is currently training at the newly opened Center of Excellence in Park City, UT with the U.S. C Team. "I had a pretty solid season last year and my progression with the U.S. Ski Team is right were I want it to be. It's cool to see the hard work pay off."

"This award would not be possible without the continued help of ESWA members Peggy Shinn and Lisa Densmore, and is made possible by funds donated by Doyle Communications" added Gregory. "I look forward to presenting this award for many more years, assuming, the ski doesn't disappear again."

Golden Ski History
1969: Tyler Palmer, Karen Middleton
1970: Charles Bent, Karen Middleton
1971: Judy McNealus, Rod Taylor
1972: Jody Palmer, Laurent Gaudin
1973: Jerry McNealus, No female winner
1974: No award
1975: Holly Flanders, Scott Light
1976-2007: Award Lost
2008: Bump Heldman, Julia Ford
2009: Nolan Kasper, Julia Ford

Devo Teams Rally at Mt. Bachelor/Park City

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (May 27) – A slow spring is not in the U.S. Alpine Development Team vocabulary. Athletes nominated for both the men's and women's programs rallied in May for a 10-day on snow camp at Mt. Bachelor, OR then rocketed to the newly opened Center of Excellence in Park City for three days of physical testing.

"We try to run pretty parallel programs for men and women," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Competition Services Director Walt Evans. "The volume for each group is typically the same, but the content varies. Starting this block off at Mt. Bachelor set an incredibly positive and productive tone for the entire program."

According to Evans, it was former Women's U.S. Alpine Ski Team Head Coach Herwig Demschar who is personally responsible for bringing the alpine program back to Mt. Bachelor for the first time in nearly 10 years. Demschar is now COO of Park City based Powdr Corp, who owns and operates Mt. Bachelor.

And what a welcome back it was. Women's Development Team Assistant Coach Kraig Sourbeer and men's Development Team Assistant Coach Tommy Eckfeldt reported incredible "winter-like" conditions, perfect for maximum productivity.

"Mt. Bachelor was a super invaluable partner in providing the best possible spring snow training," said Sourbeer. "We had several wave tracks set up which held up incredibly each day. Mt. Bachelor is also at a pretty high elevation, so it was great to train at altitude and then bring the Team down to nearby Bend for recovery sessions and video review."

Women's on snow participants included Greta Byrne (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail), Vanessa Berther (Sammamish, WA; TAS Alpintal Snoqualmie Ski Foundation), Rose Caston (Salt Lake City, UT; Park City Ski Team), Devin Delaney (North Conway, NH; Green Mountain Valley School), Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH; Holderness Ski Team), Anna Marno (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club), Lauren Samuels (Minneapolis, MN; Team Gilboa) and Felicia Byers (Sandy, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation), who did not ski, yet continued to rehab a late season injury.

Men's participants were Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN; Buck Hill Ski Team), Wiley Maple (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski Club), Ben Morse (Carrabassett Valley, ME; Carrabassett Valley Academy), Keith Moffat (Berkeley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) and C Team nominee Will Gregorak (Longmont, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail).

Colby Granstrom (Lake Stevens, WA; Mission Ridge Ski Education Foundation), Nick Daniels (Tahoe City, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) and Hunter Schleper (Vail, CO, Iced Out Racing) missed the Mt. Bachelor camp due to injury recovery, but are scheduled to be in Park City for testing with the men's C Team along with Gregorak.

"Mt. Bachelor was pretty awesome," said Ankeny, a second-year Development Team athlete. "They were so accommodating and it was a great opportunity for all the athletes to put in a few miles before we move into a few months of straight up conditioning."

Following the Mt. Bachelor session, both squads jumped flights directly to Utah for three packed days of physical testing at the state-of-the-art Center of Excellence where Sports Science staff Ernie Rimer and Randy Hill ran the crew through the full gamut of tests.

"Ski racing is all about explosivity both in a straight line and while moving," said Eckfeldt. "The guys did an incredible job measuring every possible thing to ensure that we can build custom programs for each athlete in order to get them up to the highest possible level of fitness by the time we get back on snow later this summer. Now it's all about taking all that potential energy and learning how to convert it into kinetic."

The experience proved to be more than expected for both coaches and athletes as it was the first time breaking in their new home at the Center of Excellence.

"Everyone was pretty blown away and it was so cool to see their reactions," added Eckfeldt. "Not only is this an incredible tool for training, it's also a huge motivator for these athletes knowing that all this was built and designed to help them achieve."

"I was here during construction, but had no idea that this is what the Center of Excellence would become," said Ankeny, who will live in Park City for the month of July and part of August to take advantage of the facility along with most of the men's Development Team. "Even after one session of testing I can already see the benefits."

Benefits for Ankeny and Maple included skateboarding during down time on the custom built ramps adjacent to the gym.

Multimedia
A complete photo gallery from Mt. Bachelor and the Center of Excellence is available at ussa.smugmug.com.

Spring Training Opens for Men's Alpine

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 MST

MAMMOTH, CA (May 18) – Batter up! Following individual testing sessions at the newly opened U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's Center of Excellence in Park City, the men's U.S. Alpine Ski Team officially opens spring training this week as 11 athletes nominated for the 2010 squad arrived at Mammoth Mountain.

"This is a key camp for a couple of reasons," said Men's Alpine Head Coach Sasha Rearick. "It's the first opportunity for our entire staff to get together and lay out our goals, not just with the athletes, but for the coaches too. We all set goals."

Jimmy Cochran kicks it up a notch in Mammoth. (USSA)

"It's also going to be an opportunity for the athletes to refine the technical fundamentals they learned last season. Last year was all about innovation with this program, now we're going to refine that innovation so we can execute in all situations," Rearick said.

The 10-day session will feature super G and giant slalom training for the speed group and a combination of slalom, giant slalom and super G for the technical group.

"Each of these guys has a weakness in one of these disciplines," said Rearick. "We’re going to work on repetition and get those little things cleaned up. Mammoth does a really good job providing us with everything we need to focus on what we need to do. They go out of their way to build terrain so we can keep things running smoothly with the guys. They are an incredible partner and always step up to the plate with the best possible conditions."

"We're very proud to have the U.S. Ski Team begin its Olympic preparation here in Mammoth," said Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory. "We still have great ski conditions and it's an exciting opportunity for our staff, community and our resort guests to have the men with us in Mammoth."

Campers include Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA), Erik Fisher (Middleton, ID), Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV) and Jimmy Cochran (Keene, NH).

"This is mostly about going back to the most basic things and working on the same sort of fundamental drills that we all did as a kid," said Fisher, who qualified for A Team status after a season that produced a downhill top-10 finish in Val Gardena, Italy. "Mammoth is a perfect place for this camp. We had a good Spring Series there last month and it's a good scene for training. They go all out for ski racing. It's much appreciated."

Notably absent from snow while recovering from injury are World Championship giant slalom bronze medalist Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), Steven Nyman (Provo, UT), TJ Lanning (also Park City), Scott Macartney (Crystal Mountain, WA) and Will Brandenburg (Dakota Dunes, SD).

"All those guys are doing great," said Rearick. "None of them have had any complications and they're focused on staying with their recovery programs. Ted, TJ, Will and Steven have been working in Park City and Scotty has been in and out of town a lot. They're looking and feeling good."

Prior to the annual Audi FIS Alpine World Cup opening preliminarily set for October 24-25 in Soelden, Austria, the men's Team will also train on snow in New Zealand and Chile during the summer months.

Between camps, the athletes stick to a custom built conditioning program built from their recent testing results from the Center of Excellence.

"As soon as we leave Mammoth, Per [Lundstam, USSA Strength and Conditioning Manager] will have a complete program ready to go for these guys and they'll keep plugging on that, but most guys are in and out of the Center of Excellence all summer."

The Center of Excellence officially opened its doors to athletes on May 1, but a public opening is set for July.

Alpine Director to Leave USSA

Fri, 8 May 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (May 8) – U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Alpine Director Jesse Hunt is leaving the organization to take over leadership of the Park City Ski Team, a USSA club program, according to USSA Vice President, Athletics, Luke Bodensteiner. Hunt is a former national team member who has worked for the USSA as a coach and program director for 16 years.

Hunt, a Burlington, VT native who was twice named Ski Racing Magazine's Junior Alpine Skier of the Year, began coaching with the U.S. Ski Team in the 1993-94 season and was named men's head slalom and giant slalom coach in 1998. He took over leadership of the overall alpine program at the USSA after the 2002 Olympics.

Hunt will be taking over as general manager and program director of the Park City Ski Education Foundation, where he coached for three years in the early '90s before moving to the U.S. Ski Team.

"Jesse has done a remarkable job in developing a pipeline from grassroots to the Olympic podium while shepherding the U.S. Alpine Ski Team through one of its most successful periods in history," said USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt. "As an athlete, Jesse came up through USSA programs to become a member of the national team. As a coach, he started again at the grassroots level and worked his way up to lead one of the world's best alpine programs. I know he is excited and enthusiastic to bring his expertise to lead aspiring athletes in a strong grassroots program."

"Jesse has made a big difference for our alpine programs at every level through his leadership," said Bodensteiner. "He did it by building a strong staff and working closely with the alpine community."

"As alpine director I was most proud of hiring great people and building a great team," said Hunt. "The scope of the program is so large and there are so many moving parts that success requires the energy and expertise of many. We were able to build momentum through these past seven years and achieve individual athlete and team success that had not been achieved in many years."

During his tenure as program director, alpine athletes won 18 World Championship medals. In addition, American skiers Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn each won two World Cup overall titles. At the same time, his leadership in developing a strong athletic pipeline saw winners at every level.

"Jesse has made a special point of keeping focused on development," said Bodensteiner. "His staff team and clubs have worked together to build a very strong pipeline and Jesse has continually pushed senior leadership on the vital need to support development programs."

Hunt's tenure as a coach produced many memories, notably Miller's two Olympic silver medals in 2002.

"Working in an era with tremendously talented athletes has been a fantastic opportunity for me," said Hunt. "Now, I'm looking forward to bringing my international experience in skiing, leadership and management to continue to build on the legacy of a strong community program like the one in Park City."

Hunt will remain with the USSA through its USSA Congress and FIS Calendar Conference meetings. He will also continue in his role on the FIS Alpine Executive Committee.

Beaver Creek/Vail Bids On 2015 Alpine Worlds

Wed, 6 May 2009 00:00:00 MST

VAIL, CO (May 6) - The Vail Valley has officially begun the process of pursuing its dream of hosting a third World Alpine Ski Championships, as the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has selected Beaver Creek/Vail as the American candidate applicant for the 2015 Championships.

The Vail Valley played host to the 1989 and 1999 World Championships and has been a part of the FIS Alpine World Cup since the circuit's inception in 1967. The annual Birds of Prey men's World Cup is one of the most popular on the six-month global circuit each season.

"Beaver Creek/Vail has long been one of the world's foremost leaders and innovators in alpine ski racing," said USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt. "The USSA is proud to put Beaver Creek/Vail forward as our candidate for the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. It's the right time for this prestigious event to come back to America."

"We are excited to get underway with the candidate process," offered Ceil Folz, president of the Vail Valley Foundation" and we look forward to working closely with USSA and all of our partners to bring home the Championships."

The USSA and Beaver Creek/Vail submitted the candidacy application to the FIS by the May 1 preliminary deadline. The FIS has established an Oct. 31 date for each bid candidate to confirm its application, given the outcome of television and sponsorship contract negotiations.

In addition to Beaver Creek/Vail, other candidate applicants for the 2015 FIS World Alpine Ski Championships are expected to include St. Moritz, Switzerland and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Both St. Moritz and Cortina were also candidates for the 2013 Championships.

The 2015 FIS World Alpine Ski Championships will be awarded in May of 2010 at the FIS Congress in Antalya, Turkey.

Vonn Nominated for Laureus Top Honor

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (April 20) – Two-time Audi FIS World Cup overall champion and double World Championship gold medalist Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) has been nominated as World Sportswoman of the Year for the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.

Each year, the Laureus World Sports Academy honors the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports. Journalists from around the world generate athlete nominations with the eventual winners selected by a 46-member panel comprised of living sports legends.

Vonn's nomination stems from a historic season where she produced one of the most successful winters in international ski racing history with two gold medals at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and her second consecutive World Cup overall title – a first for American women.

In addition she clinched the World Cup downhill title for the second straight season and produced a female international record five straight World Cup super G wins en route to the discipline title. With 22 World Cup victories, Vonn is universally recognized as the most successful women in American ski racing history.

But above the records and trophies, Vonn stayed committed to serving as a positive ambassador for ski racing spending countless hours with young fans throughout the five-month season. "More than any record, I want to be good example to young athletes," said Vonn, who raced the final month of the season with a brace on her hand after surgery to repair a torn tendon in her right thumb.

The awards will be presented individually at a series of presentations throughout May and June. Also nominated in the World Sportswoman of the Year category is Venus Williams (America, Tennis), Tirunesh Dibaba (Etheopia, Athletics), Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia, Athletics), Lorena Ochoa (Mexico, Golf) and Stephanie Rice (Australia, Swimming).

For a complete list of Laureus nominees, visit www.laureus.com.

Cook Doubles to Close Spring Series

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN, CA (April 20) – Stacey Cook (Mammoth, CA) took full advantage of racing on her home mountain to win back-to-back Spring Series downhills in the Eastern Sierra's. Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) completed the U.S. Ski Team clean sweep of the top spot also nabbing his second victory in as many days.

Rowmark Academy racer Taylor Vest-Burton (Breckenridge, CO) was third Friday and U.S. Development Team racer Wiley Maple (Aspen, CO) third Saturday.

Kaylin Richardson (Edina, MN) and Keely Kelleher (Big Sky, MT) kept the women's Team charge rolling Friday finishing two-three respectively, while Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club athlete Ann West (Boulder, CO) and Kirsten Cooper (Eagle, CO) stepped it up on Saturday finishing second and third, respectively.

Saturday's downhill was the final race in the two-week FIS Spring Series held at Mammoth, which kicked off on April 9 with a slalom victory for Richardson. A pair of giant slalom races followed on Easter weekend with Cook and Kelleher nabbing a victory each while U.S. Development Team racer Will Gregorak (Longmont, CO) and Warner Nickerson (Gilford, NH) split the men's events.

Back-to-back super G's were up next with 2009 World Cup breakout star Erik Fisher (Middleton, ID) taking the April 13 race along with fellow U.S. Ski Teamer Megan McJames (Park City, UT).

After a one-day hold for high winds, Katie Hitchcock (Sugar Bowl, CA) and Jeremy Transue (Hunter, NY) climbed to the top of the podium on April 15 before downhill training kicked in Thursday.

The annual FIS Spring Series at Mammoth is a critical opportunity for North American racers to earn FIS points, which determine their starting positions throughout the season.

For complete results click here.

Francis Retires from U.S. Alpine Ski Team

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (April 13) – Following six seasons with the U.S. Ski Team, 2008 U.S. super G champion Kevin Francis (Bend, OR) is retiring, announced Alpine Program Director Jesse Hunt.

"I've been focused on being a ski racer for so many years, it's actually pretty exciting to take the next step in my life," said Francis, while grabbing lunch between classes at Dartmouth College. "I have two more quarters here and then I'll have my geology degree. There's a lot of career options from there – I'm looking forward to the change."

A product of the Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation, Francis was a silver medalist in giant slalom, super G and downhill at the Western J2 Junior Olympics and was the Western J1 champion before making the U.S. Development Team in 2002. Despite a dislocated knee at the 2004 U.S. Championships and a broken right ankle from a 2006 World Cup giant slalom at Beaver Creek, CO, Francis battled to a World Cup starting spot in super G last season.

"He had a lot of potential and that was something we knew from the start," said the U.S. Ski Team's Tim "Swampy" LaMarche, who coached Francis at the NorAm and Europa Cup level. "He did a good job fighting his way back to get a World Cup start last season, but weather canceled a few races and in others he was always a tenth or two on the other side of the 30.

"He certainly did his fair share of helping the younger guys make a good transition from the NorAm to the Europa Cup level and he also taught me quite a bit about how to best communicate with athletes – he's a good kid and will certainly be missed."

In addition to the U.S. title in 2008, Francis says the next career milestone was racing the famed Hahnenkamm downhill at Kitzbuehel, Austria this past season. It was an honor he thanked World Cup speed coaches Chris Brigham, Michael Branch, Rewk Patten and his ski technician Gus Macleod for helping him achieve.

"Kitz was a huge accomplishment," said Francis, who finished 33rd in the race. "Sure, I was just outside the top 30, but finishing that race is a victory. It's such a show there and it's the race every speed skier wants to start."

In addition to the big races, Francis will also look back to kicking back with his teammates, whether playing soccer or just hanging out in the finish after a good day of ski racing.

"Ultimately, the thing I'm going to remember most is high-fiving my friends in the finish after a perfect day of racing," said Francis. "We had a day like that just a few weeks back at an Eastern Cup race at Burke Mountain in Vermont. The weather was so awesome. It didn't matter where anyone finished, it was sweet just to be racing on such a perfect day with perfect snow – that's a big reason why we race."

Following graduation from Dartmouth, Francis hopes to move his career into studying hydrology with perhaps a focus on snow studies. Regardless, he plans to stay active in the sport of ski racing.

"I will stay involved at some level," said Francis. "I just won't be racing down the Hahnenkamm anymore. I love ski racing and will be a part of it for the rest of my life."

Memorial Set for Andrea Mead Lawrence

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN, CA (April 13) - A memorial for 1952 Olympic double gold medalist Andrea Mead Lawrence will be held on Sunday, April 19 at Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge from 6 to 8 p.m. Lawrence, one of the nation's greatest Olympic champions, passed away in Mammoth Lakes, CA, Monday at the age of 76.

The memorial will be held on what would have been Lawrence's 77th birthday in the Mountain Conference Center of the main lodge.

A three-time Olympian, Lawrence pushed the U.S. into the spotlight as an alpine power against the traditional Europeans and Scandinavians, winning two gold medals in the 1952 Olympic Winter Games in Oslo.

"Andrea Mead Lawrence was one of the most respected champions of all time," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt. "As a teenager, she led by her example of perseverance in never giving up. Nearly a half century later, she remains a distinguished role model for today's athletes."

In honor of Lawrence, donations can be made to the Andrea Lawrence Institute for Mountains and Rivers, a non-profit organization she established. ALIMAR established a planning forum to identify key environmental challenges confronting the Eastern Sierra Nevada where Lawrence has lived for many years. Donations can be made to PO Box 100, PMB 334, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 or at alimar.org.

ALIMAR is also gathering stories, tributes, and photos of Lawrence to cerate a publication honoring her life. Submissions may be sent to honoringaml@alimar.org.

Moltzan Second in Whistler Cup GS

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

WHISTLER, BC (April 12) - The Buck Hill Ski Team's Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, MN) took the lead for the U.S., finishing second as the 2009 Whistler Cup wrapped up with giant slalom Sunday.

Bara Strakova of the Czech Republic won and Burke Mountain Academy's Mikaela Shiffrin (Lyme, NH) joined Moltzan on the podium, finishing third.

Shaffrin, who won the slalom on Saturday, was on the podium all three days of the Whistler Cup with a second place finish on Friday. Moltzan was a double podium finisher with a third place on Saturday.

Aspen Valley Ski Club's Bobby Moyer (Aspen, CO) took the lead for U.S. men, finishing ninth. Finland's Mikael Svensk won the competition followed by Shogo Arai of Japan in second and Max Luukko of Finland in third.

The GS marked the close of the 2009 Whistler Cup. The event hosted athletes ages 11-14 for three days of competition at Whistler-Blackcomb resort in British Columbia. For complete results click here.

Shiffrin Takes Whistler Cup Gold

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

WHISTLER, BC (April 11) - Mikaela Shiffrin (Lyme, NH) wrapped up day two of competition at the 2009 Whistler Cup by leading the U.S. with a win in slalom.

Shiffrin, a Burke Mountain athlete who won three gold medals in last season's Whistler Cup, topped second place finisher and Friday's super G winner Bara Strakova of the Czech Republic. Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, MN) joined Shiffrin on the podium, finishing third.

In the men's slalom Green Mountain Valley School's Daniel Duffy (Warren, VT) led the U.S. with a second place finish. Max Luukko of Finland won and Canadian Broderick Thompson was third.

The 2009 Whistler Cup concludes Sunday with men's and women's GS.

For complete results click here.

Robles Leads U.S. In Whistler

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

WHISTLER, B.C. (April 10) - Thomas Robles (Windsor, CA), Eric Hafferman (Bozeman, MT) and Mikaela Shiffrin (Lyme, NH) kicked off the 2009 Whistler Cup by landing on the podium during the men's and women's super G.

A product off the Squaw Valley Ski Team, Robles led the way for U.S. men in second with Hafferman, a Bridger Ski Foundation athlete, in third.

Canada's Broderick Thompson won the men's race.

Burke Mountain Ski Academy's Shaffrin, who took three gold medals at the Whistler Cup last season, led for the U.S. and was .3 seconds from the win. Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, MN) was next up for the U.S. in seventh.

Bara Strakova of the Czech Republic won the women's race followed by Canadian Kailee Darlington in second.

The Whistler Cup continues Saturday with the slalom.

For complete results click here.

U.S. Names 2009 Whistler Cup Team

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

WHISTLER, B.C. (April 8) - Nine men and nine women from the U.S. will be on hand to compete as skiers from around the globe descend upon Whistler this weekend for the 2009 Whistler Cup. The event hosts athletes ages 11-14 for three days of slalom and giant slalom competition at Whistler-Blackcomb resort in British Columbia.

Leading the way for the U.S. will be Mikaela Shiffrin (Lyma, NH) of Burke Mountain Academy. Shiffrin stunned the competition last season as she took three gold medals at the Whistler Cup.

"It's a great experience. I like competing at the Whistler Cup," Shiffrin said. "There are so many countries competing here. It's one of the only places where everyone can be together and compete. I think we have a really strong U.S. Team."

Also heading up the competition will be Buck Hill's Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, MN), Bridger Ski Foundation's Eric Haferman (Bozeman, MT) and Bobby Moyer (Aspen) of the Aspen Valley Ski Club, who all had top 15 finishes in the Topolino Cup.

"I qualified for the Whistler Cup through super G and GS, which aren’t my strong events, but somehow I managed to do well in them, Moltzan said. "Now that I am here, I'm super excited to start racing. Whistler has really good terrain"

Now in its 17th year, the Whistler Cup will host over 390 athletes from an estimated 17 countries around the world.

2009 U.S. Whistler Cup Team

Men
Kieran Adams, Park City Ski Education Foundation, Park City, UT
Ian Beal, Ausblick Ski Race Team, Delafield, WI
Daniel Duffy, Green Mountain Valley School, Warren, VT
Eric Haferman, Bridger Ski Foundation, Bozeman, MT
Jackson Keogh, Gould Academy, New York City
Bobby Moyer, Aspen Valley Ski Club, Aspen, CO
Nicholas Pasteris, Green Mountain Valley School, Fayston, VT
Thomas Robles, Squaw Valley Ski Team, Windsor, CA
Mitchell Underhill, Buck Hill Ski Team, Minneapolis, MN

Women
Julia Cooper, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, Steamboat Springs, CO
Tenaya Driller, Squaw Valley Ski Team, Tahoe City, CA
Elle Gilbert, Suicide 6, Woodstock, VT
Madeleine Hall, Squaw Valley Ski Team, Truckee, CA
Mardene Haskell, Holderness Ski Team, Holderness, NH
Katharine Irwin, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, Vail, CO
Paula Moltzan, Buck Hill Ski Team, Prior Lake, MN
Morganne Murphy, Squaw Valley Ski Team, Truckee, CA
Mikaela Shiffrin, Burke Mountain Academy, Lyme, NH

Mancuso 2nd at Verbier

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

VERBIER, Switzerland (April 8) - The U.S. Ski Team's Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) was just four points shy of a win Tuesday as she took second during the 10th edition of the Verbier High Five by Carlsberg.

The High Five pits skiers against each other in five competitions throughout the day. The person with the highest cumulative score after competing in the giant slalom, ski cross, speed skiing, the Carlsberg "triathlon" and a parallel slalom reigns supreme.

Tina Maze of Slovenia won the event and Chemmy Alcott of Great Britain was third. World Cup overall champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) finished fourth, just off the podium, but was still able to best Husband Thomas Vonn (Park City, UT) who was last in eighth in the men's races.

The High Five put a fun and light hearted close on the 2009 ski racing season.

For complete results click here.

VPR: Andrea's Story

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

It was fitting just six weeks ago that Andrea Mead Lawrence went home - home to Vermont and to the resort her parents started, Pico Peak. She was being honored, like she had been many times before since she won two gold medals in Oslo 57 years ago. But this visit was special - the 60th anniversary of the Pico Ski Club where she grew up. Vermont Public Radio talked with the Olympic champion who tells her story in one of her last recorded interviews.

VPR Recorded Interview
VPR Transcript

Ligety Optimistic After Knee Injury

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (April 2) - Olympic champion Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), who suffered a knee injury Saturday in downhill training at the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships in Alaska, will be in a brace for a few weeks but Team officials are optimistic for his recovery. Ligety underwent an MRI scan Tuesday in Park City with the Team's Dr. Vern Cooley at the Rosenberg, Cooley, Metcalf Clinic to determine the extent of the injury.

According to U.S. Ski Team Medical Director Richard Quincy, Ligety suffered damage to the medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee, and some bone bruises. But there was no sign of damage to the more significant anterior cruciate ligament or to the menisci. At this time, no surgery is planned.

"We're optimistic for Ted so far," said Quincy. "He'll be in a DonJoy knee immobilizer for up to two weeks and we'll re-evaluate his injuries." There was no immediate determination on a return to snow training date.

"I feel pretty fortunate that it's not as bad as it could be," said Ligety, who earned a bronze medal at the recent World Championships. "At this point, I'm just going to rest and recuperate in Park City. I'll have regular check-ups and will hopefully be able to get back into preparing for the Olympic season in the not too distant future."