U.S. Ski Team News - General

Ski Hall Of Fame Names Inductees

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST

ISHPEMING, MI (Nov. 6) – Paralympic champions Chris Waddell and Sarah Will highlight a group of eight athletes and sport builders named for induction to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. They are joined by adaptive skiing pioneer Jack Benedick, legendary big mountain skier Doug Coombs, noted industry writer and instructor Stu Campbell, veteran ski jumping champion Ansten Samuelstuen, the father of southern skiing Sepp Kober and longtime U.S. Ski Team press officer and journalist Paul Robbins.

The adaptive skiing champions are the first to be named to the Hall of Fame since the late Diana Golden Brosnihan was named in 1997. It's the largest class of inductees since 1984 for the Hall of Fame, which is located Michigan's Upper Peninsula – the birthplace of organized ski competition in 1905.

Chris Waddell (Park City, UT) recently made international headlines for his successful climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in September, a first for a paraplegic. Paralyzed from the waist down after a skiing accident in 1988, he took up adaptive skiing and won twelve medals at four Paralympic Games including a sweep of the gold medals in 1994 at Lillehammer. He also competed at three Summer Paralympic Games winning silver in Sydney in 2000 in the 200 meter wheelchair event. The Massachusetts native has been a charismatic promoter for adaptive skiing and was a prominent ambassador for the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.

Sarah Will (Edwards, CO) was also paralyzed in a skiing accident in 1988 and also won 12 medals competing at four Paralympic Games. Like Waddell, she too swept the gold medals, this time at Salt Lake City in 2002. Shortly after her accident she read Hall of Famer Hal O’Leary’s book on adaptive skiing and started to train at Winter Park in Colorado. Within three years she won gold medals in the downhill and super G at the 1992 Paralympic Games. With Waddell, she started an adaptive skiing program at Vail and was recently recognized by the United States Olympic Hall of Fame to go along with honors accorded her in 2004 by the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

"Chris Waddell and Sarah Will were model athletes," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt. "Not only did they have the perseverance and drive to accomplish great athletic goals, but both have given back to their sport their entire careers. It was an honor to work with them as members of the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team."

Jack Benedick (Golden, CO) brought passion and innovation to adaptive skiing that has left a lasting legacy. Benedick, a double leg amputee from the Vietnam War, took up adaptive skiing for rehabilitation when the sport was still in its infancy. He worked hard with the USSA to create a U.S. Adaptive Ski Team and lobbied the International Ski Federation to accept adaptive skiing. A holder of the Paralympic Order for his contributions, he was a silver medal winner in the combined at the 1984 Paralympic Games.

"Jack Benedick was an amazing pioneer and really singelhandedly helped build the adaptive skiing program," said Marolt. "His early efforts were a big part of the strength of the Paralympics today."

The late Stu Campbell lived in Stowe, VT and was a writer, instructor and resort executive who impacted millions of American skiers over a career that spanned five decades. He was the author of six books on ski instruction, served as an equipment consultant to several manufacturers, raced and coached racers and provided television commentary. For thirty years he was the instructional editor for SKI Magazine and was recognized, prior to his death in 2008, by the Vermont Ski Museum with its Paul Robbins Award for ski journalism.

The late Doug Coombs may be the most recognizable skier in this year’s class for his appearances in many ski films in the 1990’s. A former ski racer from Montana State University, he is regarded by many as the most important skier of his generation in popularizing adventure skiing. He and his wife, Emily, started the first heliskiing operation in Alaska’s Chugach Mountains. He held steep skiing camps in Switzerland, France and Greenland. The complete expert skier, he won the first two World Extreme Skiing Championships. Although his skills far surpassed those of most of the people he guided, he had a capacity to make every skier who came into contact with him believe they could try bigger challenges. He died while attempting to rescue a friend in a skiing accident in 2006.

The late Paul Robbins spent three decades as a ski journalist and a U.S. Ski Team press officer. He possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of skiing and ski racers of every discipline that he willingly shared with anyone who asked. Ski jumper Jeff Hastings wrote: “His breath filled the sails of the athletes he covered.” Remembered by all who knew him as the man with the Scottish tam, Robbins died suddenly in 2008. The Paul Robbins Award for ski journalism is presented annually by the Vermont Ski Museum, as well as the Paul Robbins Outstanding Athlete Award by the North American Snowsport Journalists Association.

"Paul Robbins left a lasting impact on ski racing," said Marolt. "His wit, charm and beret were Paul's trademark. But his vast knowledge and tireless work ethic were instrumental in telling our U.S. Ski Team story for three decades."

Sepp Kober (Hot Springs, VA) is known as the "Father of Southern Skiing." After immigrating to the United States and instructing at Stowe, he was the first ski instructor at the first southern ski area to open a rope tow, Weiss Knob, in 1958. From then he worked to prove that skiing could exist south of the Mason Dixon Line. Today the Southeastern Ski Areas Association, which he founded, consists of 20 ski areas serving four to five million skiers annually and is considered the largest feeder of skiers to the mountain resorts in the west. He led the Southeast in as a charter member of the National Ski Areas Association.

Ansten Samuelstuen (Louisville, CO) first arrived in the United States in 1951 and set a hill record for distance of 316 feet at Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs that stood for 12 years. After immigrating to the U.S. in 1954 he successfully won three national titles in ski jumping, (1957, 1961 and 1962) and held four North American titles (1954, 1955,1957 and 1964). He competed for the United States on two Olympic teams and was the top U.S. jumper with a seventh place finish at the 1960 Olympic Games in Squaw Valley.

The induction of the Class of 2009 will take place in Colorado on April 9, 2010. They will also be honored in September by ceremonies in Ishpeming, the home of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

Nominations for Honored Membership in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame are received throughout the year from across the country. A Selection Committee under the chairmanship of Paul Bousquet (Woodstock, VT) reviews all nominations. Successful nominations are placed on a ballot that in 2009 was voted on by a panel of 100 electors. This year’s class brings the number of Honored Members to 368.

Since 1956, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame has provided highly respected, national and perpetual recognition of athletes competing in skiing and snowboarding and of the builders of those sports who have made the highest level of national and/or international achievement and contribution to those sports.

How to Make the Olympic Team

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 6) – The eyes of the world will be on Vancouver this February for the Olympic Winter Games. But ski and snowboarding athletes who hope to be Vancouver Bound already began scrapping and fighting their way to Olympic Team spots beginning in September. The final Olympic ski and snowboarding teams will be named in January, as close as possible to the Olympics.

Olympic selection events kicked off with the Sept. 12 FIS Snowboard World Cup snowboardcross opener in Chapelco, Argentina where Seth Wescott (Sugarloaf, ME) was second and Graham Watanabe (Sun Valley, ID) was third. Major U.S. selection events will include alpine World Cups in Aspen and Beaver Creek, CO, freestyle World Cups at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT and Lake Placid, NY, snowboarding World Cup in Telluride, CO, plus the U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix in Copper Mountain, CO, Mammoth Mountain, CA and Park City. Freestyle and nordic combined will also pick a single team member with the winner of an Olympic Trials event in Steamboat Springs, CO Dec. 23-24.

In general, qualifying for Olympic ski and snowboarding teams is based on existing international competitions that take place throughout the entire season. According to USSA Vice President, Athletics Luke Bodensteiner, nominating the best athletes from a series of events provides the most accurate opportunity to select the athletes who are at the top of their sport and have the greatest chance of winning medals.

"Our goal as an organization is to win medals in Vancouver," said Bodensteiner. "The selection criteria speaks to that. We have some great opportunities and we want to be sure that we have the best athletes on our Teams who have proven they can be contenders through their international performance against the best in the world."

The competition for Olympic spots on some Teams will be especially intense. For example, the USA has a half-dozen men's snowboardcross athletes who have been on World Cup podiums but only four can be named to the Team. Similar situations exist in men's and women's moguls.

Athletes in all sports are also competing internationally to earn quota spots for the USA. Each nation is allocated a maximum start quota by gender based on international rankings over a two-season period leading up to the Games. Optimizing that quota is an important part of the selection process. Athletes in each sport must also have achieved a specified ranking or point standing in order to compete.

A complete summary of the Olympic selection process, including details of eligibility, pre-qualification, selection events and process, tiebreaking procedures and grievance process is available on the USSA Web site at:
http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/special/olympic-criteria.html

ALPINE SKIING
Olympic alpine athletes will be selected primarily from individual race finishes on the 2009-10 Audi FIS Alpine World Cup. The top two athletes, by selection criteria, have a guaranteed start right in that respective event. Athletes must be ranked in the top 500 in the world on the FIS Points List to be eligible. In addition, athletes in speed events must have a maximum of 120 FIS points.

Selection Period: Oct. 23, 2009 – Jan. 25, 2010
Team Size: Maximum of 22 (max. 14 per gender)
Team Nomination: January 25, 2010
Event Quota: Up to four U.S. athletes per event
Top Criteria:
1. One or more top three World Cup finishes
2. One or more top 10 World Cup finishes
3. Total Audi FIS Alpine World Cup points in an event

Click here for complete details of alpine selection criteria.
http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/documents/2008-09/10-OWG-SKI-ATH-Alpine-FINAL/10%20OWG%20SKI%20ATH%20Alpine%20FINAL.PDF

CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
Olympic cross country athletes will be selected first from current season standings on the 2009-10 FIS Cross Country World Cup. Additional athletes will next be named by discretion of the head cross country coach. Any additional spots will be filled through use of the USSA National Ranking List, which includes a variety of domestic and international events during a period from Jan. 12, 2009-Jan. 8, 2010. Athletes must also have a maximum of 100 FIS points (120 for sprint) to be eligible.

Selection Period: Jan. 12, 2009 – Jan. 8, 2010
Team Size: Maximum 12 per gender
Team Nomination: January 19, 2010
Event Quota: Up to four U.S. athletes per event
Top Criteria:
1. Top 50 in World Cup overall, top 30 in distance or sprint as of Dec. 22, 2009
2. If spots remain, discretion of head cross country coach
3. If spots remain, standings of USSA National Ranking List on including events that run to Jan. 8, 2010

Click here for complete details of cross country selection criteria.
http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/athletics/alpine/docs/Cross-Country-criteria-6-29-09/Cross%20Country%20criteria%206-29-09.pdf

FREESTYLE SKIING
Olympic freestyle athletes will be selected primarily from finishes on the 2009-10 FIS Freestyle World Cup plus winner of Olympic Trials events in moguls and aerials in Steamboat Springs, CO Dec. 23-24. Athletes must have placed in the top 30 in a World Cup or World Championships and have a minimum of 100 FIS points.

Selection Period: July 1, 2009-Jan. 25, 2010
Team Size: Maximum of 18
Team Nomination: Jan. 26, 2010
Event Quota: Up to four U.S. athletes per event
Top Criteria:
1. Winner of moguls and aerials events at Olympic Trials
2. One top three World Cup finish
3. Two top five World Cup finishes

Click here for complete details of freestyle selection criteria.
http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/athletics/alpine/docs/10-OWG-SKI-ATH-Freestyle-FINAL/10%20OWG%20SKI%20ATH%20Freestyle%20FINAL.PDF

NORDIC COMBINED
Olympic nordic combined athletes will be selected primarily from ranking in the top 30 of the FIS World Ranking List which includes finishes on the 2009-10 FIS Nordic Combined World Cup and Continental Cup, along with a single wild card selection from an Olympic Trials event Steamboat Springs, CO Dec. 23. Athletes must have scored World Cup or Continental Cup points between Dec. 1, 2008 and Jan. 18, 2010 to be eligible.

Selection Period: Nov. 1, 2009-Jan. 18, 2010
Team Size: Up to five
Team Nomination: Jan. 19, 2010
Event Quota: Up to four U.S. athletes per event
Top Criteria:
1. Winner of Olympic Trials event
2. Ranking in top 30 in FIS World Ranking List on Jan. 18
3. If spots remain, then discretionary selection of coach

Click here for complete details of nordic combined selection criteria.
http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/athletics/alpine/docs/10-OWG-SKI-ATH-Nordic-Combined-FINAL/10%20OWG%20SKI%20ATH%20Nordic%20Combined%20FINAL.PDF

SKI JUMPING
Athletes will be selected first from current season standings on the 2009-10 season FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. Additional athletes will next be named by discretion of the USSA nordic director. Any additional spots will be filled through use of the FIS Continental Cup. Athletes must have achieved at least one FIS point in World Cup, Grand Prix or Continental Cup between July 1, 2008 and Jan. 25, 2010 to be eligible.

Selection Period: Jan. 12, 2009 – Jan. 7, 2010
Team Size: Maximum of five
Team Nomination: January 19, 2010
Event Quota: Up to four U.S. athletes per event
Top Criteria:
1. FIS World Cup standings as of Jan. 11, 2010
2. If spots remain, discretion of USSA nordic director
3. If spots remain, ranking on FIS Continental Cup as of Jan. 11, 2010

Click here for complete details of ski jumping selection criteria.
http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/documents/2008-09/10-OWG-SKI-ATH-Jumping-Amendment-11-25-08/10%20OWG%20SKI%20ATH%20Jumping%20Amendment%2011-25-08.pdf

SNOWBOARDING
Snowboarding has specific criteria for each of its three events, halfpipe, parallel giant slalom (PGS) and snowboardcross (SBX). Snowboarding's nation's quota (how many can be entered in an event) must be earned so team size will vary based on results of U.S. athletes on the FIS Snowboard World Cup. Athletes must also achieve a minimum FIS qualifying criteria of at least one top 30 finish in a FIS World Cup or World Championship between July, 2008 and Jan. 25, 2010, and have at least 100 FIS points at the time of nomination in the respective event. Athletes must be pre-qualified to enter selection events. The snowboading selection process contains many additional important details and dates that can be found in the official criteria document.
http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/documents/2008-09/Snowboard-Criteria/Snowboard%20Criteria.pdf

Overall
Selection Period: Sept. 1, 2009-Jan. 25, 2010 (see each event for list of tryouts)
Team Size: Maximum of 18 (max. 10 per gender); actual team size determined through nation's results on FIS Snowboard World Cup from Jan. 18, 2009-Jan. 18, 2010.
Team Nomination: Jan. 25, 2010
Event Quota: Up to four U.S. athletes per event

Halfpipe
Up to three men and three women will be selected from individual results in five selection events as part of the 2009-20 U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix. Athletes must be pre-qualified to enter (see selection criteria document for details). Additional athletes will be named based on medal potential if overall Team quota spots are available. Scheduled dates are as follow:

Dec. 12, 2009 – Copper Mountain, CO (1 event)
Jan. 6, 9, 2010 – Mammoth Mountain, CA (2 events)
Jan. 22-23, 2010 – Park City, UT (2 events)

Top Criteria:
1. Up to three athletes per gender who have had a top-four finish against the full competition field (including non-USSA athletes) in selection events.
2. If no athletes selected by criteria point 1, one athlete per gender will be selected using the average of top two results in selection events (FIS 1,000 point system applied to only eligible USSA athletes)
3. If spots remain, discretion of head snowboarding coach

Parallel Giant Slalom
Up to two men and two women will be selected from individual results in four selection events as part of the 2009-20 FIS Snowboard World Cup. Athletes must be pre-qualified to enter (see selection criteria document for details). Additional athletes will be named based on medal potential if overall Team quota spots are available. Scheduled dates are as follow:

Dec. 6, 2009 – Limone Piemonte, Italy
Dec. 17, 2009 – Telluride, CO
Jan. 6, 2010 – Kreischberg, Austria
Jan. 17, 2010 – Nendaz, Switzerland
Jan. 24, 2010 – Stoneham, QUE

Top Criteria:
1. Up to two athletes per gender who have had a top-four finish against the full competition field (including non-USSA athletes) in selection events.
2. If no athletes selected by criteria point 1, one athlete per gender will be selected using the average of top two results in selection events (FIS 1,000 point system applied to only eligible USSA athletes)
3. If spots remain, discretion of head snowboarding coach

Snowboardcross
Up to two men and two women will be selected from individual results in five selection events as part of the 2009-20 FIS Snowboard World Cup. Additional athletes will be named based on medal potential if overall Team quota spots are available. Athletes must be pre-qualified to enter (see selection criteria document for details). Scheduled dates are as follow:

Sept. 12, 2009 – Chapelco, Argentina
Dec. 19, 2009 – Telluride, Colorado
Jan. 10, 2010 – Bad Gastein, Austria
Jan. 15, 2010 – Nandaz, Switzerland
Jan. 21, 2010 – Stoneham, Quebec

Top Criteria:
1. Up to two athletes per gender who have had a top-four finish against the full competition field (including non-USSA athletes) in selection events.
2. If no athletes selected by criteria point 1, one athlete per gender will be selected using the average of top two results in selection events (FIS 1,000 point system applied to only eligible USSA athletes)
3. If spots remain, discretion of head snowboarding coach

SPECIAL NOTES
Maximum event quotas must be earned by teams in each sport during selection period. Maximum team size within a sport with multiple events may impact use of maximum quote in some events. All athletes must also be U.S. citizens, members in good standing of the USSA and holding a valid FIS license at the time of nomination. The USSA presents its list of nominees to the USOC, which will announce the official Olympic Team.

The information presented here is designed only as a summary of criteria. A complete legal outline of the full selection criteria, including details on the process and athlete rights and responsibilities, is available on the USSA's Web site at www.ussa.org, with a listing under each respective sport's Advancement Section. A complete listing of all pertinent selection process information is also available at:
http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/special/olympic-criteria.html

New York Strikes Gold

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 00:00:00 MST

NEW YORK, NY (Nov. 2) – The stars shined gold, silver and bronze in New York Thursday (Oct. 29) as the New York Ski and Snowboard Ball brought champions and fans together for a gala evening to support Vancouver Bound U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding athletes. The biggest single fundraising event of any Winter Olympic sport played to a sold-out crowd of over 500 at Gotham Hall in Herald Square with more than a dozen top athletes and Olympic champions at the 42nd annual gala.

All night long, fans and athletes mingled and talked shop about the upcoming season. Bode Miller – just off the airplane from an on-snow training camp in Austria and Switzerland – signed autographs for kids and held court with fans. Adaptive skier Ralph Green, a Brooklyn native, told tales at his table, while World Championship moguls medalist Michelle Roark and downhiller Marco Sullivan helped pitch auction items.

Some of the greatest champions in the history of the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding packed the stage in an emotional moment early in the evening. Olympic champions Tommy Moe (1994 gold, silver), Donna Weinbrecht (1992 gold) and Seth Wescott (2006 gold) were flanked on stage by Bode Miller (2002 double silver) and Billy Kidd (1964 silver). It was a look back in history as Moe and Weinbrecht recounted the lifetime commitment it took from their friends and family to make their golden moment a reality.

With such a gold mine of athletic success in the room, it was an evening that left a lasting impression on athletes, young and old.

"Every time I think about what it will feel like to step out onto an Olympic course I get goose bumps," said cross country skier Liz Stephen. "The support that I felt and saw at the New York Ball gave them to me, too. What is cool for me to see is how much support we have from fans, parents, friends and communities around the country.

"As skiers, we compete, for the most part, individually. But without a team to support every step we take, we would not even begin to be capable of achieving what we do."

Recounting the story of his own historic silver in 1964 (with teammate Jimmie Heuga winning bronze), Kidd also talked about the importance of Team. "We weren't the favorites," said Kidd, who garnered one of the loudest rounds of applause of the evening. "We were just two young kids who did the unexpected. If either one of us had won a medal, you could say it was luck. But for the two of us to win together, it was a Team."

The gala evening kicked off with an on-stage introduction of a dozen Vancouver Bound athletes. Nordic combined World Champion Billy Demong talked about how sport science is making a difference for athletes. Wescott, who is seeking to defend his snowboardcross gold, told the crowd about the depth of the team with 8-10 athletes vying for just four spots. Miller tipped off the fans that he hopes to start in the Audi FIS World Cup in Levi, Finland in two weeks but expected to be fully ready to go for the Audi Birds of Prey in Beaver Creek in early November.

One of the most active live auctions in recent years saw some incredible opportunities get grabbed up for the cause. One of the highlights was a chance to train with the men's alpine team next August in New Zealand. One lucky bidder also won an experience to drive an Audi R8 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, plus a wine weekend courtesy of Parallel Wines. One fan paid top dollar for an opportunity to ski with Roark at Winter Park Resort, plus some of her exclusive line of Phi-nomenal perfume (yes, she's also a chemical engineer). And Billy Kidd helped sell a fabulous week at Steamboat's new One Steamboat Place – of course, with a day skiing with the Olympic silver medalist and World Champion.

Kidd is a regular attendee at the Team's annual gala. In fact, he was among a group of athletes including Heuga, the late Spider Sabich, Suzie Chaffee and more who attended the very first New York Ball in October, 1967 at New York's famous Tavern on the Green.

The New York Ski and Snowboard Ball has a long legacy of raising money to support U.S. athletes. The first event in 1967 was a collaborative effort between Coach Bob Beattie and early U.S. Ski Team supporters in New York including J. Negley Cook and Ralph "Doc" DesRoches who led pioneering efforts to help raise money to support the fledgling Team. Over the years a host of supporters have headed efforts to make the New York Ski and Snowboard Ball the biggest fundraiser in Olympic sport. This year's efforts were headed up by Team trustees Steve Hankin of Sentient Jet and Chris Heinz of Rosemont Capital.

"As a Jersey Girl, I have a special place in my heart for the New York Ball," said Olympic champion Donna Weinbrecht. "It truly is a wonderful evening for me - seeing friends, fellow athletes and meeting equally avid lovers of our sport, who have supported athletes like me
over the years and who continue to help ensure the future of skiing and snowboarding in our country."

"New York has such a big population of skiers and snowboarders that there's great excitement in the group of people that are here," said Wescott, who also attended the Team's New England event a month earlier. "It's especially true in the Olympic year because they really do feel like their support goes to help that team and the athletes."

"The combination of New Yorkers' natural enthusiasm and the excitement for the upcoming Olympics created this atmosphere that was just incredible," said U.S. Ski Team downhiller Stacey Cook from Mammoth Mountain. "Gotham Hall was so cool! The committee really did an amazing job organizing this year's New York Ball and I am so proud to have been a part of it and to have helped rally such a great crowd to support us on our run up to Vancouver! I am so fired up for the season now!"

A common takeaway for the athletes was the passion of the crowd which came to a fevered pitch with the traditional Flying Ace All Stars trampoline show. Headlining the 15-minute action-packed show was none other than World Champion Ryan St. Onge. The evening wrapped with Unforgettable Fire, a U2 tribute band.

"The New York Ball is an amazing event," said Stephen. "There are 500 plus people who attend - all who have gathered just to support us, as athletes of the US Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding."

Fans who couldn't make the sold out New York event can show their support for Vancouver Bound athletes by joining the U.S. Ski Team Fan Club at fanclub.usskiteam.com.

Next up: the Chicago Ski and Snowboard Ball on Friday, Nov. 13.

Steamboat Springs To Host U.S. Olympic Team Trials

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 MST

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO (Oct. 12) - U.S freestyle and nordic combined athletes will get a one shot, winner-takes-all chance at making the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team as the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) host the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Steamboat Springs Dec. 23-24. A total of five U.S. Olympic Team spots in moguls, aerials and nordic combined will be up for grabs on those two days in Steamboat-Ski Town, U.S.A. ®.

Scheduled to air on NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 26, the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials event, which complements the season-long selection process for the remainder of the Team, offers athletes a direct ticket to the Games should they be skilled enough to win against a field of the nation's best. The format dates back to 1998 with a similar event held just prior to the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games, and a freestyle only event in Steamboat prior to the 2006 Olympic Winter Games. Nordic combined is being added for the first time this season.

"The Steamboat community takes great pride in its hometown winter Olympians and has been a hotbed of athletic development in nordic combined and freestyle skiing over the years," said USSA Vice President, Events, Calum Clark. "It will be great to bring the best athletes in the country to Ski Town USA to compete in front of an enthusiastic and supportive crowd."

"Freestyle and nordic combined skiing always has been, and remain at the heart of Steamboat’s claim to Ski Town USA," said Andy Wirth, senior vice president of sales & marketing for Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation and president of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC). "The Winter Sports Club, Ski Area and entire community are excited to be hosting the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials."

"The USOC welcomes the opportunity to partner with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and the the city of Steamboat Springs to offer this unique winner-take-all event,” said USOC Chief of Sport Performance Mike English. “These Trials will capture all the thrill and excitement that comes with making Team USA and should prove to be a great holiday present for all ski enthusiasts."

The likes of World Champions and hometown heroes Todd Lodwick and Johnny Spillane (both Steamboat Springs, CO) as well as World Champion and former Steamboat resident Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY) will each look for a wildcard spot on the U.S. Olympic Team prior to the official team selection. The combined events will be held at Steamboat's historic Howelsen Hill in the heart of the city and home to the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

"It will be great to have a high quality competition that will showcase nordic combined in Steamboat again, because it's been absent from here for a long time. Any opportunity to have a televised Nordic combined competition in Steamboat is great," Lodwick said.

After the nordic combined competition, the Trials moves to the moguls event on the afternoon of Dec. 23 at nearby Steamboat Resort. World Cup moguls champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), Olympic silver medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) and moguls World Champion Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA), local favorite Emiko Torito (Denver, CO) and their teammates will all be going after their shot at being named to the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team.

"As a graduate of Whiteman and a member of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, I feel so much affection for Steamboat," Torito said. "It is the place where I believe I blossomed as a skier. Timmy Maher makes the best courses, and I can't wait to see some of my old friends, coaches, and teachers. There is no better place to have the Olympic Trials than Steamboat Springs."

The party continues after the awards are made on Dec. 23 with a night of live music and celebration in the heart of the mountain village.

The event wraps up on Christmas Eve morning as Colorado native, SSWSC athlete and aerials World Champion Ryan St. Onge (Winter Park, CO), Olympian and executor of the highest scored trick on the World Cup aerials circuit Jeret "Speedy" Peterson (Boise, ID) and World Cup winner and U.S. Ski Team veteran Emily Cook (Belmont, MA) fly, flip and stick their chance at landing a place on the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team.

"Going home to compete in Colorado is always my favorite," St. Onge said. "We don't get to compete there very often, so it's a unique experience for me. I'm going back there to win. The last time I competed in Colorado I won, so hopefully I can do it again."

The full 2010 U.S. Olympic Teams for freestyle and nordic combined will be determined primarily from season-long World Cups and will be named in January.

2010 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS - FREESTYLE SKIING/NORDIC COMBINED EVENTS
(actual start times TBD)

Dec. 23, 2009
Morning - Nordic Combined, Howelsen Hill
Afternoon - Men's and Women's Moguls, Steamboat Resort
Evening - Concert and Celebration

Dec. 24, 2009
Morning - Men's and Women's Aerials, Steamboat Resort

Vancouver Bound: Ball Season Begins

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 MST

BOSTON (Sept. 28) – It's a rite of passage every autumn, as snowflakes begin to fall on the mountains. With the 2010 Olympic Winter Games just over four months away, there's a heightened excitement in the air as athletes who have committed a lifetime are now Vancouver Bound. For over 40 winters, fans of the nation's top skiers and snowboarders have gathered across America for gala events celebrating their heroes and helping raise funds to support them on the globe's biggest stage. It's ball season for the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding, kicking off this week in Boston.

Ball season brings the Team's top athletes together with some of its most passionate fans for events ranging from black tie galas to backyard picnics for kids, honoring and supporting athletes who are Vancouver Bound.

"The Balls are a great chance for the U.S. Ski Team and U.S Snowboarding families to spend time with the people who have supported us throughout the years," said two-time World Champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), who will be among the headliners at the kickoff New England Ski and Snowboard Ball in Boston Wednesday (Sept. 30). "We can celebrate the things we have all accomplished and work together for a great future."

Joining Vonn for Wednesday's New England event will be freestyle moguls World Champion Hannah Kearney, Olympic gold medalist Ross Powers, and Paralympic champion Alison Jones, plus a host of others including past Olympic medalists Billy Kidd and Travis Mayer.

The Team's unique events date back to the 1960s when innovative New York businessmen J. Negley "Cookie" Cooke, Ralph "Doc" DesRoches and others began the New York Ski Ball. Today, the New York Ski and Snowboard Ball remains the granddaddy of them all and one of the highlights of Ball season.

Today, the Team's galas in Boston, California's Bay Area, New York and Chicago, along with private fundraising events in Dallas, Los Angeles and other markets, help raise millions of dollars to support athletes in their quest to achieve lifetime dreams and goals in Vancouver.

"As an athlete, you commit to a lifetime dedicated to training and preparation for that one day in Vancouver," said Trace Worthington, Vice President, Foundation. "And it's not just dedication by athletes – it's a lifetime commitment from family, friends and fans to helping these athletes achieve excellence at the Olympics.

"The need to support America's athletes is greater than ever before," said Worthington. "And as our supporters meet these men and women at our Balls, they get to see firsthand that dedication, passion and commitment – and how much their support is valued."

In addition to financing expenses for coaches and athlete travel to camps and competitions, Worthington cited three areas of specific importance to each of the Team's six sport programs.

One of the most critical is sport science – developing scientific training programs for individual athletes in each sport and use of technology to help athletes ski and snowboard faster and soar higher and longer. In sports like skiing and snowboarding where injuries are prevalent, sports medicine is vital – both for prevention of injury and proper rehab to facilitate return to competition. Finally, sport education is critical to future success – working closely with the USSA's more than 400 local clubs nationwide.

"The Balls are a great time for us, as athletes, to connect with the people who support our Team and who help contribute to our efforts," said nordic combined World Champion Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY). "It's always a lot of fun to get together and help share the evening with some people who are excited about what we do."

"It's a good way to meet existing U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding supporters face-to-face and try to generate new supporters as well," said snowboardcross great Nate Holland (Squaw Valley, CA).

"The Balls are a great opportunity to enjoy ourselves and mingle with ski enthusiasts," said freestyle aerials World Champion Ryan St. Onge. "It's also an opportunity for us to support the Team's fundraising in order to get us what we need to be our best."

St. Onge often does double duty at balls, shaking hands and greeting fans, but also flipping and flying in the Flying Ace All Stars trampoline show. Each year the All Stars find new and exciting tricks in the multiple-trampoline show which is one of the most action-packed 15 minutes of fun you will ever see.

"The next four months are pivotal for these athletes," said Worthington. "Each athlete and their family has committed a lifetime to representing their sport and country at the Olympics. They're Vancouver Bound, but only if the support of our nation is behind them."

Fans who want to get involved can checkout details at donate.ussa.org or by calling 435.647.2074.

MAJOR 2009 SKI AND SNOWBOARD BALLS

New England Ski and Snowboard Ball
Wednesday, Sept. 30
The New England Ball features one of the biggest lineups of athletes at a cocktail reception event at the prestigious Langham Hotel in the heart of Boston's financial district. A live auction features opportunities to ski with top athletes and more, with a return engagement by the Flying Ace All Stars trampoline show. This year's New England event will feature a daylong "Coaches Track" forum for USSA club leaders where the leaders of future stars will hear the Team's plans for development, the latest sport science insights, plus an opportunity to visit with USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt, plus top athletes.

Bay Area Ski and Snowboard Benefit
Saturday, Oct. 17
The Team's Bay Area event, held near Palo Alto each year, features a focus on kids. Current stars team up with the youngsters for a head-to-head obstacle course race. Parents, meanwhile, get an opportunity to hear about the Team's latest developments in sport science in a backyard picnic that has become one of the most popular stops.

New York Ski and Snowboard Ball
Thursday, Oct. 29
The Team's New York Ski and Snowboard Ball is the original gala, attracting hundreds of corporate sponsors, private supporters, television executives and media each year. In a nearly 50 year run, it has raised literally tens of millions of dollars for U.S. ski and snowboarding athletes and has become a popular event on the Wall Street social scene. This year's Ball moves to a new venue, Gotham Hall for an evening featuring athletes, live entertainment plus the Flying Ace All Stars. The live auction is a highlight of the evening where you may go home with a day skiing with a gold medalist, a trip by Sentient Jet to your favorite resort, or a date with a helicopter in the Canadian Rockies.

Chicago Ski and Snowboard Ball
Friday, Nov. 13
The Standard Club on the south side of Chicago's Loop offers one of the most spectacular and intimate settings for 500 of the Team's most ardent fans to show their support. Chicago historically features one of the most robust silent auctions plus a new cocktail format this year to bring athletes and fans even closer together.

Olympians Gather in the Windy City

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 MST

CHICAGO (Sept. 10) - Hundreds of the nation's top media outlets are hunkered down in the heart of the windy city to conduct pre-Games interviews with America's top Vancouver Bound Olympic hopefuls as the USOC Media Summit opened up for business in Chicago Thursday.

Among the athletes making the rounds throughout the weekend are Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), Olympic silver medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA), World Champions Ryan St. Onge (Winter Park, CO), Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO), Pat Deneen (Cle Elum, WA), Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY), Grand Prix overall champions Steve Fisher (Breckenridge, CO) and Louie Vito (Sandy, UT) and numerous other accomplished skiers and snowboarders.

"We're meeting a lot of reporters and getting a lot of photo shoots done and we're having fun," Deneen said. "The season is approaching. This time of year gets me excited and the media summit gets me thinking about the Olympics a lot more."

Deneen spent time in numerous photo shoots with organizations like the Associated Press, Getty Images and Reuters where he posed for candid photos in uniforms, with his skis and wearing the red white and blue for his team.

Deneen also sat in the hot seat for a while as the athlete round table discussions got underway. The nation's press filled the room, moving from table to table in order to get in interviews with the multiple athletes seated at various stations.

Like Deneen, athletes spend about a day in Chicago where they hit the ground running through countless photo sessions, TV interviews, press conferences and roundtable discussions in order to provide material and information that will serve the national press for the lead up to and duration of the Olympics.

"It's a pretty crazy day. I started at seven o'clock this morning and it's not going to be done till 11. It's a pretty hectic day for sure. Hopefully I can talk by the end," Ligety reported as he ran from photo shoot to photo shoot.

Ligety's schedule is fit for a gold medalist, complete with sit down interviews with NBC the Olympic network, and CNN, as well as a photo shoot with Men's Journal magazine and Ralph Lauren.

The Summit continues through Saturday. Check back on usskiteam.com, Facebook and Twitter for more info, photos and videos from Chicago.

Worthington Named USSA Foundation VP

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (Aug. 31) - One of skiing's most accomplished athletes, Trace Worthington (Park City, UT), has been named to head fundraising for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation. In a move that brings a closer athletic tie into the sports' fundraising, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt tapped the world champion as the organization's new Vice President, Foundation.

"Trace has always been one of our most passionate and forward thinking athletes," said Marolt. "It's a great opportunity to bring a world-class athlete onto our management team. As an Olympian and world champion, he knows our sports from the perspective of those we are serving. As a business leader, he understands how to manage a successful company and the importance of developing advocacy through personal relationships."

Worthington, who was recently named to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, forged a stellar career as a freestyle champion in the 1990s winning 37 World Cups and two World Championship titles (aerials, combined). The two-time Olympian (1992, '94) was known for his pioneering - first athlete to land a quadruple-twisting triple flip in competition - and his promotion of the sport.

In 1997 he joined teammate Kris "Fuzz" Feddersen in starting Flying Ace Productions. The action sports company has produced hundreds of trampoline and aerial shows for major corporations around the world, promoting skiing and snowboarding to new audiences. The company's Ski SuperStars division matched famous ski champions with individuals and corporations.

Worthington also worked as one of network televisions premier commentators for winter sports on NBC, CBS, ESPN, and Versus. For the past decade he covered freestyle skiing, ski cross, snowboardcross, ski and snowboarding halfpipe, and celebrity events. Most notably, he covered three Winter Olympics for NBC.

"I'm deeply honored to join the Team at such an exciting time in its history. I have great respect for the leadership and vision of the Team," said Worthington. "Anyone who has known me as an athlete or TV commentator knows my passion for athletes and sport. I've been privileged to get to know many of the Team's supporters and have seen the enthusiasm they have for helping to make dreams become reality for our athletes."

Worthington will be responsible for the Team's private fundraising, which is a vital element in supporting athletic programs. The Foundation raises millions each year in an annual fund and endowments to directly support the most expansive and diverse programs of any Olympic sport from youth development to World and Olympic Champions.

"We have a strong Foundation staff team and great programs in place as we head into the Olympics in five months," said Worthington. "But I also see some unique progression as we look to the future. Our programs are evolving with new action sports joining the traditional events, and to me that means more opportunities to attract more supporters as we head to the 2014 Olympics in Sochi."

Austrian Great Toni Sailer Dies

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (Aug. 26) – U.S. Ski Team officials mourned the passing of one of ski racing's greatest stars. Toni Sailer, an Austrian who swept all three gold medals at the 1956 Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy died Monday, Aug. 24 at the age of 73.

"As an athlete, Toni Sailer brought global recognition to alpine ski racing with his Olympic gold medal sweep in Cortina along with wins at the classic races in Wengen and Kitzbuehel," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt. "As a leader, Toni devoted a lifetime to his sport and his impact is still being felt 50 years later."

Toni Sailer competes at the 1956 Olympics in Cortina (Getty Images).

Sailer was the first great international hero in alpine ski racing. At the age of 20, he swept every gold medal in Cortina, as well as the four International Ski Federation (FIS) World Championships titles. At the peak of his career, he dominated classic races including the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland and the fabled Hahnenkamm in his hometown of Kitzbuehel.

His success in Cortina was timely, marking the first time the Games were broadcast live on television. Tens of millions of viewers around the world watched as "Black Lightning" won the downhill, giant slalom and slalom and became a global sport hero, putting tiny Austria on the map as the heart of alpine ski racing. In 1999, he was recognized as Austria's Sportsman of the Century. He also presented the Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee in 1985.

The Austrian star retired in 1959, building a career as a singer, actor and businessman. He remained close to his sport serving key roles within the Kitzbuehel Ski Club and the Hahnenkamm races. In 1993 he took on leadership of the FIS Alpine Committee, steering the sport through a great period of growth, serving as chairman until his passing.

Information on services was pending.

Ski Team Athletes Inducted Tonight

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST

CHICAGO, IL (Aug. 12) - Wednesday evening, U.S. Ski Team great Picabo Street, skiing veteran Andrea Mead Lawrence and Paralympian Sarah Will all will inducted as members of the Class of 2009 to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

"Something like this is a really nice reminder that I accomplished something great and that it still affects people in a positive way. It's really a huge, huge honor - one of those kind of honors that's hard to put words to," said three-time Olympian Picabo Street.

This year’s U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame class is comprised of five Olympians, one Paralympian, one team, as well as three additional individuals: a coach, veteran and a special contributor.

Andrea Mead Lawrence skied at three Olympic Winter Games, including the 1952 Oslo Games where she won gold medals in slalom and giant slalom. The only U.S. woman to win two skiing gold medals at one Olympic Winter Games, Mead Lawrence succumbed to cancer on March 30, 2009 at age 76. She is survived by her five children and four grandchildren.

Street first joined the U.S. Ski Team in 1989 and earned a silver medal at the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in - the downhill. The Sun Valley native left her mark in Olympic history in 1998, taking gold in the Nagano super G by a mere hundredth of a second.

When a serious skiing accident that paralyzed her from the waist down, Will took up mono skiing and was back on the slopes just one year later. Four years after her start in the monoski, she competed in her first Paralympic Games, winning gold in downhill and super G in 1992 in Albertville, France. It was the first of 12 Paralympic gold medals she won.

The star-studded inductee list also includes Michael Johnson (athletics), Teresa Edwards (basketball), Willye White (athletics), Mary T. Meagher (swimming) the 1992 Men’s Basketball Team, longtime Men’s Gymnastics Team coach Abie Grossfeld, and special contributor Peter Ueberroth. Amazingly, members of this talented group of athletes, teams and coaches have been a part of a combined 19 Olympic and Paralympic Games and brought home 38 medals.

The ceremony is to be held at McCormick Place in Chicago and will air in a nationally-televised broadcast on NBC on September 5 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Six Months To Vancouver

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST

VANCOUVER, BC (Aug. 12) - Exactly six months from today, U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding athletes will be among the nation's best competitors as they march together, united under the American flag, into Vancouver's BC Place for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

But, though they have to wait half a year for the Olympic torch to be lit in downtown Vancouver, the spirit of Olympic competition already burns bright in the hearts of athletes as they near the end of their summer training and move forward in the pursuit of their dreams.

From a glacier in Alaska, World Championship silver medalist summed up exactly what being six months away from the world's stage means to her.

"Olympic years are so special. You have the culmination of competing at the Olympics, and then you have all the preparation that leads up to it. I'm just trying to savor this time," Randall said. "From the year mark to this point it has been a goal with a lot of preparation. But as we get into this six month window it's all about putting on the final touches."

Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and a majority of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team find themselves putting on the final touches south of the equator in New Zealand on the six month out mark, spending time on snow in preparation for the 2010 season and the Games.

"Because of my crash in 2006 and because of the success I've had during the last two World Cup seasons, a lot of people will be watching and I'm going to work as hard as I can to make sure I'm ready to win in 2010," Vonn said.

While a majority of their teammates have spent the summer training at the Center of Excellence, freestyle aerials World Champion Ryan St. Onge (Winter Park, CO) and World Cup moguls champion Hannah Kearney are on the east coast frequenting the Lake Placid water ramps and Kearney says she is feeling the excitement.

"Six months, two weeks, a day - it's all the same in that I am really excited for it. On the USOC Web site they have a countdown that goes to the second and when you see it you think 'oh my gosh,'" Kearney said. "When I think back, the last six months have gone so quickly. I'm enjoying this preparation period and the break means I am going to be that much more excited when December rolls around."

On the other hand, St. Onge was momentarily taken aback by the significance of the date.

"Well, I better hurry up," St. Onge said, quickly adding, "Just kidding. Time is everything in sports. There are no shortcuts and there's no rush to finish. I have what I have and I'll be there when I get there."

Just back from France where they spent time training and playing spectators to the world's largest bike race - the Tour de France - U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team's World Champions Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY) and Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) are both eager to get to Vancouver.

"I love to compete and that's the point: The closer we are the better," Demong said. "We are getting the hard work done now and hopefully we'll use our experience and our knowledge to put us where we need to be going in to the Games."

"That it's six months away, we're coming up on a very important time within my career along with my teammates and everyone associated with the Games," Lodwick added. "This is a big lead up to what we strive for and hopefully we can have the performance that has us come out and conquer the Games."

From Switzerland, where he is preparing his equipment specifically for the Games and training, reigning Olympic SBX gold medalist Seth Wescott (Sugarloaf, ME) is feeling the excitement already.

"I'm fired up. The last month has been super productive as far as training. We're designing my boards for the Games and on this day I'm going up to build the boards that will hopefully win it for me for the second time," Wescott said. "We're getting into those final stages and it's so much fun to be back at that point."

Continue to follow the athletes progress as they make their way to the Olympic stage on usskiteam.com and ussnowboarding.com and through Facebook and Twitter.

Dallas Financial Leader Named To Foundation Board

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (Aug. 4) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation has named noted Dallas skier and financial leader Julie Silcock to its Board of Trustees. Silcock, who has 25 years of investment banking experience in the Southwest, is presently co-head of Southwest investment banking for Houlihan Lokey.

Silcock will join a board of approximately 70 leaders of American business on the Foundation which supports the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding.

New Board of Trustees member Julie Silcock. (USSA)

"Julie is an avid skier who has singlehandedly energized the Dallas ski community to help support our athletes," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt. "We are proud to have her join our Board of Trustees both for the business background she brings and her enthusiasm for athletes."

Prior to joining Houlihan Lokey this spring, Silcock was founder, managing director and head of Citigroup Global Market's Dallas Investment Banking Franchise, which she established in 2000. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Princeton University and a Masters of Business Administration from the Stanford Business School, she started her career with Credit Suisse in New York and was later a senior managing director at Bear Stearns and a managing director at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette in Dallas.

”I am thrilled to be joining this Board of Trustees that is so passionate about skiing and things we can do to support the Olympic athletes,” said Silcock. “Over the past several years I have developed a strong interest in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and am now eager to be even more integrally involved.”

Silcock has been very active in the Dallas community, leading fundraising efforts for a variety of charitable causes including the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding, Princeton and the Stanford Business School. She is an avid skier, spending as much time as possible in Vail, CO. Her son, James, is a student at Princeton. She will host a fundraising event at their Dallas home, featuring top Team athletes in September.

Everton Players Wowed by Training Center

Tue, 4 Aug 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (Aug 4) – Members of the Everton Football Club of England got a glimpse of the ski and snowboard world as they trained at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's Center of Excellence the morning after their game against the MLS All-Stars.

The Everton team came to Park City to train in the lead up to their game with the MLS All-Star team last week in Sandy, Utah.

In the match, Everton took the lead after a quick 12 minutes, with a goal by Louis Saha. The MLS All-Stars equalized in the first half, just 13 minutes later, as Brad Davis executed on a loose pass in the penalty box, tapping in a goal near the back post. It remained head-to-head for the rest of the game, ending with a 1-1 tie and, unfortunately for Utahans and avid fans of MLS Soccer, the game ended in a penalty shootout that started off promising, but culminated in an Everton victory of 4-3.

Matching in blue training uniforms the day following the game, the starting players worked out in the facility with three of their coaches. Focusing on their recovery after the All-Star game, the players split into two groups. One worked on upper body strength while the other had a full-body stretching session.

Originally from New Jersey, Tim Howard, Everton goalie and the game's MVP, proved that his preseason training was already starting to pay off as he wowed the crowd with one impressive save after another. A former MLS player, Howard was amazed by the facility.

"It is awesome for us to be here; the equipment is amazing and it is cool to see what all goes into the sport," said Howard. "It's a great atmosphere here in Park City."

Head Coach and Manager of the Everton team David Moyes only had good things to say about the Center as well.

"The facility is fantastic. I have to say this is one of the finest facilities I've seen. It's something you should all be very proud of. It's great to have a base like this, somewhere where you can all come together, and I'm sure it will benefit everybody," said Moyes.

U.S. Ski Team moguls skier Nate Roberts (Park City, UT), who was shooting hoops in the gym while the team was training, realized how lucky he is to be training in such a state-of-the-art facility.

"It was cool to have an international team training in the Center. Just to hear these European soccer stars talk about how amazing the facility is reminds you what an awesome place it really is," said Roberts. "They're a good group of guys, and Tim Howard is a stud."

In high spirits after their victory, the athletes finished up their workout with a little basketball in the gym. They even tested out the trampolines, albeit in a much less coordinated fashion compared to what is usually seen in the ramps and tramps area.

Phil Neville, midfielder and captain of the Everton Football team, enjoyed watching his teammates struggle to climb out of the foam pit as he reflected on their game from the previous night.

"It was a tough game, great atmosphere, and a nice new stadium. It was a good night for us, we really enjoyed it," Neville said.

Even after their short training session at the Center, it was clear that the players were thoroughly impressed with the new facility, and on the whole, enjoyed their visit to Park City.

Their preseason wrapping up, the Everton team will begin their regular season in two weeks, after a few more games in early August.

Wintersteiger supports USSA and Center

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (July 29) – Wintersteiger has announced its sponsorship as a supplier to The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's Center of Excellence equipment tuning room, and was on hand for the grand opening dedication.

It was a celebration of pride Friday, as the athletes of the U.S. Ski Team celebrated the formal opening of the new Center of Excellence. The dedication ceremony was followed by a public open house, allowing fans in the community to get a firsthand look at the state of the art facility including the equipment tuning room.

Wintersteiger was on hand to discuss how the technicians prepare the athletes equipment. Wintersteiger supplied the equipment tuning room with complete work benches for each discipline, portable wax benches for visiting technicians and mobile racks for skis and snowboards.

The featured item in the equipment tuning room during the public tours was the Wintersteiger RS350, ski and snowboard race service stone grinder. Used by many manufacturers and national race teams, the RS350 grinder offers a wide range of standard and racing structures including center specific Arrow, Chevron and Sine waves.

The equipment tuning room at the Center of Excellence is designed to support the U.S. Ski Team's technicians for preparing the athlete's equipment. The Center of Excellence is equipped with video technology, which will be used in the tuning room to record and post clinics online for all USSA members to keep up with the latest tuning and waxing philosophies.

"We're extremely happy that Wintersteiger has expanded their longstanding support of the U.S. Ski Team by outfitting the tuning room in our Center of Excellence." stated Luke Bodensteiner, the VP of athletics for USSA. "The Center is designed to support all aspects of athlete performance, which include equipment preparation. The tools, workbenches and stone grinders that Wintersteiger has provided give essential support for our athletes, coaches and technicians, and have created an effective workspace to serve our teams."

In addition to becoming a supplier to the Center of Excellence equipment tuning room, Wintersteiger also renewed their pool sponsorship with the U.S. Ski Team, allowing the technicians access to the most advanced tools and equipment for years to come.

"It is with years of working with the top race technicians in the world that Wintersteiger has been able to develop the most technologically advanced tuning machines and tools." says Fritz Hoeckner, President of Wintersteiger USA. "Wintersteiger is very excited to continue our cooperation with USSA and to be a part of the Center of Excellence."

Wintersteiger has supplied the ski and snowboard industry with machines, racks and tuning supplies since its inception in 1953. The U.S. headquarters are located in Salt Lake City.

Ligety, Athletes Dedicate New Center

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (July 17) – It was a dedication of pride Friday, as the athletes of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association celebrated the formal opening of the new USSA Center of Excellence. Olympic champion Ted Ligety wielded the scissors, joining sport and community leaders in cutting a golden ribbon as around 500 fans got their first glimpse of the new athletes' home.

"For me, as an athlete, it's an unbelievable facility," said Ligety. The 2008 FIS World Cup giant slalom champion knows firsthand its importance. Ligety will leave for on-snow camp in New Zealand this month, just four months after a knee injury – and after taking advantage of the Center's rehab facility for the last few months.

"We're here to dedicate the Center of Excellence," said USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt to hundreds gathered for the dedication, including a large group of national team athletes. "But it's not about the building – it's about what goes on inside. It's about providing the possibility for athletes to be the best they can be – to be the best in the world!"

USSA Chairman Dexter Paine expressed the resounding support of its board. "We are very proud to have supported this Center for the athletes and congratulate Bill Marolt and his staff for the great work they have done in making this possible."

A formal dedication ceremony was followed by a public open house, allowing fans in the community to visit athletes and learn more about how they train. A huge crowd of youngsters embraced Ligety as he led the crowd into the Center as the champion signed autographs. National team athletes joined USSA staff at seen educational stations, demonstrating how sport science and sports medicine play a key role, picking up healthy recipes in the nutrition center and watching athletes bounce and skate in the ramps and tramps area.

One of Ligety's biggest fans, Park City Mayor Dana Williams, talked about what an amazing ride it has been as the City crafted a private-public partnership that resulted in a critical land donation to make the Center of Excellence possible. "There is nothing that tugs at your heartstrings more than to see a local win gold," said Williams. "Ted, I still get teary thinking about that day!"

Among the sport dignitaries on hand was International Ski Federation Secretary General Sarah Lewis, who flew from the FIS office in Switzerland to honor the U.S. athletes. "The USA plays an important role in the international arena," said Lewis, recognizing the USSA as one of the original 16 founding members of the international association in 1924 and recognizing the rich heritage of the sport in America. "It's befitting that the great past champions whose pictures are in the Center of Excellence will be an inspiration to the athletes of tomorrow. It will inspire their vision and drive them to achieve their goals."

Utah's Lt. Governor Gary Herbert, who is soon to assume the top post in the state, got his first tour of the new Center and saw clearly how important it will be to the sport. "Sports are about team effort – even individual sports," said Lt. Governor Herbert. "This clearly has been a team effort. It represents a great opportunity for world class athletes here in Utah."

"Whenever we market sporting events in the state, the USSA is an important arrow in our quiver," said Utah Sports Commission President and CEO Jeff Robbins. "This is another great aspect of our Olympic legacy."

While the Center of Excellence is physically in Utah, the research developed there will be shared through sport education programs nationwide. Among the technology unveiled to the public was a new partnership between the USSA and Dartfish TV to provide education to athletes, coaches, clubs and parents in the USSA's 425 local clubs nationwide.

"While the Center will provide opportunities for elite teams, it's also a benefit for our 425 local clubs," said Marolt. "It will provide educational opportunities through our clubs to athletes, coaches, officials and parents to help them to be the best they can be."

Community members excitedly moved from station to station learning about both the technology and the personal work ethic world class athletes adhere to while training to be best in the world. Youngsters had fun trying to pick up weights, jumping into the foam pit or waiting anxiously for their favorite athlete to come by the autograph table in the gym.

As the hundreds of fans began leaving the Center of Excellence by mid-afternoon, it was back to work for the athletes as they hit the weight machines and bikes, focusing on their training for the upcoming 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and beyond.

Ligety to Headline July 17 Center Dedication

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (July 10) - Fans will get a chance to meet Olympic athletes including 2006 gold medalist Ted Ligety as the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association opens its doors to the public with the dedication of its new national training and education facility, the Center of Excellence, on Friday, July 17. The public is welcomed to the noon dedication, followed by public tours of the world class athletic training center.

Ligety, who won gold in alpine combined at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, will be among a host of athletes on hand to greet fans, show them around the new Center and sign autographs. He has been training regularly in the Center, rehabbing a knee injury from last season and getting ready to be back on snow in New Zealand later this month.

The Center of Excellence opened in May, ushering in a new era for the century-old sports organization whose roots in Utah go back over 35 years. The 85,000 sq. ft. center will be showcase American skiing and snowboarding, providing elite-level training and serving as an educational resource for the USSA's members and 400 clubs nationwide.

Ligety will be among a host of dignitaries on hand for the ceremony including International Ski Federation Secretary General Sarah Lewis and Utah Sports Commission President Jeff Robbins, as well as Park City Mayor Dana Williams. They will join USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt and USSA Chairman Dexter Paine in formally dedicating the Center of Excellence.

Fans will have the opportunity to see the unique athletic center firsthand, including the athlete training area, sport science lab and sports medicine rehab facility. One of the most popular areas of the center is the unique ramps and tramps facility, where snowboarding and freestyle athletes train in an indoor acrobatic area featuring trampolines, a skateboard bowl, jumps and rollers.

As an education facility, the Center of Excellence provides opportunities for athletes at all levels. Recently, a team of chefs from the U.S. Olympic Committee used the center's commercial kitchen to give a class on cooking and nutrition. Research and education developed in the center will be pushed out to clubs nationwide through the USSA's new partnership with Dartfish TV, which will debut this month. And student athletes attending the USSA's partnering Westminster College or other educational facilities have a place to study in the Center of Excellence.

The center is the home for the USSA's top athletes, a headquarters for the Olympic sports organization, and an educational resource for athletes, coaches, judges and officials and parents. It is part of a long-term vision developed by the USSA over a decade ago, adding to the legacy of athlete training facilities spawned by the Salt Lake City Olympics. Those Games vitalized the culture of athletics in Utah with the opening of the Utah Olympic Park in the early '90s, along with the development of Soldier Hollow cross country skiing facilities and world-class venues like Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort that remain active in competitive skiing and snowboarding.

The Center of Excellence is part of a bustling athletic and medical complex featuring athletic fields, an indoor ice rink, the National Ability Center and a new Intermountain Healthcare hospital. It was built on five acres just east of Park City in Quinn's Junction at the intersection of U.S. 40 and Utah 248.

The dedication ceremony will take place outside the Center of Excellence from 12:00-12:30 p.m. on Friday, July 17. Public tours of the Center will follow from 12:30-3:00 p.m. Car pooling is encouraged. Detailed information is available at www.ussa.org/special/dedication.html.

Athletes Cook Up A Storm at Center

Wed, 8 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (July 8) - With the 2010 Olympics right around the corner, U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding athletes are getting an important lesson from the U.S. Olympic Committee on how to eat for athletic success.

USOC sport dieticians will be in the kitchen at the Center of Excellence for a USSA developed and funded six-workshop series that runs through October in which athletes will learn the ingredients to meals that provide energy and promote health and recovery.

"We're having a cooking education series throughout the summer and the fall where we will run classes for teams on cooking education as well as for individual athletes who are here training over the summer," said USOC Sport Nutritionist Susie Parker-Simmons, who was formerly a USSA sport dietician. "What we're trying to do is optimize their nutritional status, optimize their performance and their recovery so they are ready for the Olympic Games."

The project was brought to fruition thanks to a joint collaboration between USSA Sport Science Director Troy Flanagan and Parker-Simmons, who saw the potential benefit of athletes develop excellent skills in preparing 'performance food' while at home and on the road. The idea to instruct the athletes was the brainchild of former USSA Sport Science director Andy Walshe.

"Already the athletes are completely engaged in the workshops. There is no doubt that this facility will directly enhance the quality of training," Flanagan said. "If athletes are appropriately fueled, the quality of training goes up, the long term fitness benefits are improved and ultimately performances are enhanced."

The Center's kitchen is equipped with three cooking stations which will enable Parker-Simmons and her team to teach up to 20 athletes at a time.

A member of the USOC team who will be helping athletes become better cooks is Adam Korzun, a USOC sport dietician who totes a culinary background that allows him to teach athletes how to make meals healthy and tasty.

"We show them we can do performance based meals that are also tasty," Korzun explained. "Some chefs can only do one or the other. We bring those two things together and that is what we want to do with the chef program is combine those two worlds and concentrate on what the athletes want and need."

According to Korzun, the focus will be to give athletes the tools of ingredient use, as opposed to a series of recipes, so that they can use healthy foods in a variety of their cooking, rather than being limited to a series of meals.

"We wanted to focus on teaching them ingredients and combinations that they can use. How to use brown rice rather than white rice when making a burrito, look for the whole wheat tortilla, lean chicken, mixing high fat and low fat cheeses," Korzun said.

For Korzun, the workshops are also a preview of what the chefs will be able to provide the athletes during their Olympic experience.

"We are giving them the right foods to fuel their performance and the right foods to recover. We can get them food on the hill so when they're out there for long training days we fuel them," Korzun said. "It's something that takes their mind off it so they can focus on training and competition and we'll make sure they always have a meal."

One lucky group of athletes got a preview of what the USOC will be offering at the Center.

"I never had any information on nutrition before. Having these chefs cook for us has taught me a lot about what to eat. I can do the same foods, but just make it so it's better for you," said the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team's Shane Cordeau.

Cordeau got first hand interaction with the nutrition program when he attended USSA's Rookie Camp - a three day orientation to the organization for new athletes.

In the midst of learning about their new teams, engaging in team building exercises and sharing group meals, the rookies were able to take in a lesson on how to cook for a long and healthy athletic career - a lesson Cordeau plans on using all the time.

"I'm going to take the lessons I learned from them and put them into my everyday life," Cordeau added.

Athletes begin learning to cook for their sports immediately as the cooking workshops begin this week at the Center of Excellence.

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U.S. Ski Team Athletes Inducted to Hall of Fame

Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (July 1) The fans have weighed in. U.S. Ski Team great Picabo Street, skiing veteran Andrea Mead Lawrence and Paralympian Sarah Will all will be members of the Class of 2009 to be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame presented by Allstate, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) announced Tuesday.

The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame is the only national sports hall of fame that uses fan voting as part of its selection process. This year’s U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame class is comprised of five Olympians, one Paralympian, one team, as well as three additional individuals: a coach, veteran and a special contributor.

"Andrea, Picabo and Sarah are three of the greatest ski racers of all time," said USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt. "Their accomplishments as athletes have inspired generations of aspiring Olympians. It is a great honor for them, as well as for our sport, to be recognized in the Olympic Hall of Fame."

“The USOC is very excited to honor this year’s U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame legends who have inspired many generations in this country with their courage and thrilling Olympic performances,” said USOC Acting Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Streeter. “Each of these Olympians is a worthy addition to the Hall of Fame and an overall symbol of the U.S. Olympic Movement."

Andrea Mead Lawrence skied at three Olympic Winter Games, including the 1952 Oslo Games where she won gold medals in slalom and giant slalom. Before America became the skiing force it is today, she helped build the U.S. ski program from the ground up to compete with the traditional European powers.

Mead Lawrence became the youngest athlete to be chosen for the U.S. Women’s Olympic Alpine Ski Team when, at age 14, she made the 1948 squad. In her Olympic debut, she finished eighth in the slalom at St. Moritz. Four years later, her double gold performance was lauded by Hall of Fame Olympic film producer Bud Greenspan, who called her his No. 1 Winter Olympian. She concluded her Olympic career in three races at the Cortina 1956 Olympic Winter Games, finishing fourth in the giant slalom.

Mead Lawrence, the only U.S. woman to win two skiing gold medals at one Olympic Winter Games succumbed to cancer on March 30, 2009 at age 76. She is survived by her five children and four grandchildren.

A three-time Olympian, Picabo Street first joined the U.S. Ski Team in 1989 and earned a silver medal at the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in - the downhill. The Sun Valley native left her mark in Olympic history in 1998, taking gold in the Nagano super G by a mere hundredth of a second.

"I am very stoked about it. It's such validation that the time I spent, the sacrifices I made and the success I had really meant something and they're lasting. The Hall of Fame makes it lasting," Street said. "In your heart you know no one can ever take it away from you. Then you move on and you get busy with your life and you have kids and something like this is a really nice reminder that I accomplished something great and that it still affects people in a positive way. It's really a huge, huge honor - one of those kind of honors that's hard to put words to."

Street medaled in three World Championships, earning combined silver in 1993, and super G bronze and downhill gold in 1996. Winning six of nine World Cup competitions in 1995, Street became the first American to win a World Cup season title in a speed event. After a leg injury and two years of rehabilitation, Street returned to compete in 2002 in Salt Lake City before retiring. With nine career victories, she was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2005.

Sarah Will had her first run of the mountain at the age of four. From that moment on she was hooked on the sport. In 1988, the Olympic skiing hopeful was in a serious skiing accident that paralyzed her from the waist down. Rather than give up the sport she loved, she took up mono skiing and was back on the slopes just one year later. Four years after her start in the monoski, she competed in her first Paralympic Games, winning gold in downhill and super G in 1992 in Albertville, France.

"It's one of those experiences where you feel not only proud of your accomplishments, but also proud to be among so many athletes who really dedicated their lives to their sport," Will said of her nomination. "It's an honor to be in there with people who have been pioneers and who have made sports what they are today. I congratulate all the other athletes who were nominated."

Will won a total of 12 Paralympic gold medals and one silver medal throughout her four Paralympic experiences, making her the most decorated female mono skier in U.S. Ski Team history. In 2002, Will took the Paralympic alpine skiing gold medal sweep, winning all four races, along with the U.S. Paralympic Spirit Award.

The star-studded inductee list also includes Michael Johnson (athletics), Teresa Edwards (basketball), Willye White (athletics), Mary T. Meagher (swimming) the 1992 Men’s Basketball Team, longtime Men’s Gymnastics Team coach Abie Grossfeld, and special contributor Peter Ueberroth. Amazingly, members of this talented group of athletes, teams and coaches have been a part of a combined 19 Olympic and Paralympic Games and brought home 38 medals.

Nominees for the Class of 2009 were selected by a seven-person nominating committee consisting of Olympians, members of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, an NGB executive director, and a USOC representative. Fan votes submitted at www.teamusa.org also played an important role in the selection process, with more than 112,000 votes cast during the voting period.

The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2009 will be formally introduced and honored August 12 at a banquet-style induction ceremony at McCormick Place in Chicago. The induction ceremony will air in a nationally-televised broadcast on NBC on September 5 at 2:00 p.m. ET.

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Public Invited to Center of Excellence

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (June 26) – Fans of the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding will have a chance to get behind the scenes at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's new national training and education facility, the Center of Excellence, at a July 17 dedication ceremony. The public is welcomed for the dedication beginning at noon Friday, July 17, followed by public tours.

The tours will provide fans with the opportunity to see the unique athletic center firsthand, including the athlete training area, sport science lab and sports medicine rehab facility. National team athletes will be on hand to speak with the public and to sign autographs.

The Center of Excellence opened its doors to the nation's top ski and snowboarding athletes in May, signaling a new era for the century-old sports organization whose roots in Utah go back over 35 years. The 85,000 sq. ft. center will be a showcase for the sports, providing elite-level training and serving as an educational resource for the USSA's members and 400 clubs nationwide.

The Center of Excellence is the home for the USSA's top athletes, a headquarters for the Olympic sports organization, and an educational resource for athletes, coaches, judges and officials and parents. It is part of a long-term vision developed by the USSA over a decade ago, adding to the legacy of athlete training facilities spawned by the Salt Lake City Olympics. Those Games vitalized the culture of athletics in Utah with the opening of the Utah Olympic Park in the early '90s, along with the development of Soldier Hollow cross country skiing facilities and world-class venues like Park City Mountain Resort and Deer Valley Resort that remain active in competitive skiing and snowboarding.

The Center of Excellence was built on five acres just east of Park City in Quinn's Junction at the intersection of U.S. 40 and Utah 248. It is part of a bustling athletic and medical complex featuring athletic fields, an indoor ice rink, the National Ability Center and a new Intermountain Healthcare hospital.

The dedication ceremony will take place outside the Center of Excellence from 12:00-12:30 p.m. Public tours of the Center will follow from 12:30-3:00 p.m. Car pooling is encouraged. Detailed information is available here.

Team Partners with Little Hotties, Yaktrax

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

RESEARCH PARK TRIANGLE, NC (June 18) - Implus Footcare knows extreme conditions require top performance equipment. As the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding begins its training for next season, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) has named Implus Footcare family brands Little Hotties and Yaktrax as official supplier partners.

Little Hotties, a leading provider of hand, body and toe warmers, will provide the athletes, volunteers, media and support staff with products as the exclusive supplier of hand and foot warmer products. In addition, Yaktrax, a unique winter traction device, will serve as the exclusive ice traction supplier, providing traction and stability on snow and ice to all athletes and support staff. Both companies will benefit from a strong marketing presence at USSA events.

“Winter athletes and spectators are forced to compete in extremely cold and icy conditions,” said Todd Vore, president of Implus Footcare. “Little Hotties and Yaktrax are necessary winter accessories that return the focus to the sport and not the cold environment. We are proud to do our part in helping them bring home the gold!”

"Little Hotties and Yaktrax are a welcome addition to the Team", said Ted Morris, vice president of sales and marketing for the Team. "We are excited to partner with Little Hotties and Yaktrax as we launch into the Olympic season and beyond."

Little Hotties are 100% natural warming products providing 8-10 hours of immediate, on-demand heat. The product is activated by air and is shaped for use on toes, feet, hands and torso. The company became a part of the Implus Footcare brand family in January 2009.

YAKTRAX® ice traction devices stretch over everything from casual walking shoes to winter boots. Once in place, a grid of skidlock steel coils gives users traction similar to bare ground on hard-pack snow and ice. When walking, hundreds of edges bite into snow and ice, providing stability and grip in all directions.

For more information on Little Hotties Warmers, Yaktrax or Implus Footcare’s other brand families, visit www.implus.com or call 800.446.7587.

About Implus Footcare LLC
Headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, Implus is an innovative leader in the “below the ankle” categories of insoles, performance socks, shoe laces and shoe care. Implus’ brands include Sof Sole®, Yaktrax®, apara®, Airplus®, Sneaker Balls® and Sof Comfort®, and are distributed in over 50,000 retail outlets across North America and in 65 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.implus.com or call 800.446.7587.

About the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding
The U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding are governed by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, the national Olympic organization for skiing and snowboarding. The century old organization manages year-round nationwide development and elite programs, including the national teams, in six distinctly different Olympic sports: alpine, cross country, freestyle, nordic combined, ski jumping and snowboarding, as well as two Paralympic sports - disabled alpine and disabled cross country. The USSA is based in Park City, Utah. For more information about the Teams, visit www.usskiteam.com or www.ussnowboarding.com.

Last Chance to Vote For U.S. Hall of Fame

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 MST

PARK CITY, UT (June 16) – The public has its final chance to vote for Olympic champion Picabo Street (Park City, UT), and Paralympic champions Greg Mannino (Eagle, CO) and Sarah Will (Vail, CO) on Tuesday as voting for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, presented by Allstate closes online at www.teamusa.org/halloffame.

The public has a say in the hopeful selection of the U.S. Ski Team athletes for the 2009 class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. The inductees will be revealed in early July and will be honored at a black-tie induction ceremony on August 12 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame is the only national sports Hall of Fame that includes fan voting.

Street, a three-time Olympian, left her mark in Olympic history in 1998, taking gold in the Nagano super G by a mere hundredth of a second. In 1992 Will won the first of 12 Paralympic golds of her career. A five-time Paralympian, Mannino was a legend in adaptive skiing winning six gold, four silver and two bronze Paralympic medals in his career.

Voting concludes June 16.

To vote for Picabo Street go to http://www.usoc.org/halloffame/1/hof_answers/38 click on "Picabo Street" and click on "select individuals."

To vote for Greg Mannino or Sarah Will click go to http://www.usoc.org/halloffame/3/hof_answers select either athlete and click on "submit individual."