U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the National Governing Body (NGB) of Olympic ski and snowboard sports in the USA, and Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard resort in Eastern North America and part of POWDR, have solidified a two-year agreement for Vermont’s Killington Resort to host the FIS Ski World Cup. Killington’s place on the 2019 World Cup calendar has been confirmed by the International Ski Federation (FIS). HomeLight will be the title sponsor for the next World Cup at Killington, which will take place November 30-December 1, 2019, Thanksgiving weekend.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is eager to "Bring it home," as this year marks the first year that HomeLight, the San Francisco-based real estate technology company, will be the title sponsor for the World Cup at Killington, the Homelight Killington Cup. This event will be the only domestic stop on the World Cup tour for the women of the U.S. Ski Team, including two-time Olympic gold medalist and global superstar Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.). The highly anticipated event signals the beginning of the ski season for many fans.

As with the past three years of the FIS Ski World Cup, the proposed 2019 and 2020 races at Killington will be broadcast worldwide to more than 60 nations, along with national broadcast coverage across the U.S. The event has drawn an increasing number of spectators who converge in Killington each year to cheer on racers from around the world. Peaking at 40,000 spectators last year, the event is anticipated to bring millions of dollars in economic impact to the Killington Region and the state of Vermont.

“Establishing another multi-year World Cup schedule here at Killington is an incredible opportunity for the resort and the surrounding community. I continue to be blown away by the sheer size of the crowds, and their enthusiasm leads me to believe that we’ll continue to see large numbers of spectators to watch the fastest female ski racers in the world take on the Superstar trail,” says Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort.

“We use every cold period in October and November to build a world-class race venue on Superstar, and getting the job done early in the season showcases Killington’s state-of-the-art snowmaking system as an industry-leading powerhouse while also setting us up to offer the longest season in the East. In fact, we skied into June this season for the second time in three years.”

The World Cup includes women’s giant slalom and slalom races, attracting athletes such as Shiffrin, who has emerged victorious in slalom each of the last three years at Killington, for the hat trick. "The Killington World Cup has been a highlight of mine on the World Cup tour the last three seasons,” said Shiffrin. “In 2018 we – all of us together – set a new precedent for ski racing internationally, boasting the largest World Cup crowd for women on the entire circuit. To get that hat trick slalom victory in front of thousands of screaming fans at home is something I will never, ever forget. I'm looking forward to once again competing on home soil."

Tickets for the 2019 HomeLight Killington Cup will go on sale in August. Stay tuned to Killington and U.S. Ski & Snowboard channels for more information.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has had a long relationship with POWDR producing World Cup and Grand Prix events at other POWDR resorts including Copper Mountain, and the collaboration for Killington’s World Cup the past three years solidified “The Beast of the East” as a strong venue for World Cup alpine ski racing to continue on the East coast.

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About HomeLight
HomeLight empowers people to make smarter decisions when buying or selling a home. Since launching in 2010, HomeLight has connected thousands of clients with top local real estate agents, investors and online resources. With offices in San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix, HomeLight conducts business nationwide. HomeLight is backed by Zeev Ventures, Menlo Ventures, SGVC, Citi Ventures, Bullpen Capital, Crosslink Capital, Montage Ventures, GV, Innovation Endeavors and more. For more information, visit www.homelight.com.

About Killington Resort
Killington Resort is a four-season destination sitting on 3,000 acres in the heart of Central Vermont’s Green Mountains. Killington boasts 92 miles of diverse snow sports terrain spread across six peaks including Pico Mountain, and served by the most expansive lift network and snowmaking system in Eastern North America. After the snow melts, Killington features an 18-hole championship golf course, the family-friendly Snowshed Adventure Center, 35 miles of mountain biking trails and 15 miles of hiking trails. The seemingly infinite après, dining, and lodging options have made Killington a world-class destination for East Coast skiers and riders for over 55 years. Killington is part of the POWDR adventure lifestyle portfolio. Visit www.killington.com for more information and discover more of what The Beast offers with and #beast365.

Following the conclusion of the International Ski Federation (FIS) Council Meetings, the 2019-20 competition calendar for all ski and snowboard sports that fall under the jurisdiction of FIS has been announced. For U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in America, this means that the following event dates are now confirmed:

ALPINE
First up is the HomeLight Killington Cup, taking place November 30-December 1, 2019, Thanksgiving weekend in Killington, Vt., and once again bringing the best women’s technical alpine skiers in the world together with entertaining concerts, movie screenings and more. This will mark the fourth year Killington has hosted the World Cup, and with spectator numbers peaking at 40,000 last year, “The Beast of the East” has been solidified as the perfect venue for World Cup alpine ski racing to continue on the East coast.

The following weekend, the event ranked as the number one overall stop on the World Cup tour by the athletes and coaches, the Xfinity Birds of Prey FIS Ski World Cup at Beaver Creek, Colo., where super-G, downhill, and giant slalom races are scheduled for December 6-8, 2019. The festivities of the week celebrate “Where Winter Begins” in North America and include live music, beer tastings, ski films, parties, sponsor activation and much more in the heart of Beaver Creek Village on what is dubbed “Birds of Prey Way.”

CROSS COUNTRY
A major highlight of the FIS Cross Country World Cup season on American soil will be the Fastenal Parallel 45 Winter Festival, taking place over four days in March 2020 in Minneapolis, Minn., including a music festival, extreme spectator events, panel discussions, and culminating with the first FIS Cross Country World Cup event held in the U.S. in 19 years. The event, a freestyle sprint on Tuesday, March 17 will also be included in a mini-sprint tour combined with Quebec City the previous weekend, and is expected to attract tens of thousands of fans to support the U.S. Cross Country Team whose reputation continues to grow since Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall’s historic first Olympic cross country gold medal in South Korea in February 2018.

FREESKI & SNOWBOARD
Freeski and snowboard athletes from around the world will unite to kick off the FIS World Cup halfpipe season at Copper Mountain, Colo., December 11-14. The 2019 U.S. Grand Prix at Copper will mark eleven years of collaboration hosting events between U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Copper Mountain. In addition, skiers and riders will head to Mammoth Mountain, Calif., an official training site of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, from January 29-February 1 to compete in slopestyle and halfpipe World Cup competition in Mammoth’s acclaimed Unbound Terrain Park. Additionally, a major freeski and snowboard World Cup event will be added to the U.S. calendar in the coming weeks as details are solidified.

FREESTYLE
The Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International at Deer Valley Resort in Utah will take place February 6-8, 2020, marking 20 years of elite freestyle competition for the lauded freestyle skiing World Cup stop, a favorite among athletes and spectators. Three nights of competition, including moguls, aerials and dual moguls, will take place under the lights at night as thousands of fans gather beneath the competition venues.

“Fans of ski and snowboard sports have a lot to look forward to in the coming season, especially here in the US,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “We have the Cross Country World Cup coming back to America for the first time in nearly 20 years with the event in Minneapolis in March. That is going to be an awesome event, giving Jessie Diggins, Sophie Caldwell, Sadie Bjornsen and their teammates the opportunity to race at World Cup level on home soil for the first time in their careers, in front of thousands of people.

"The calendar also confirms the dates of the Killington World Cup alpine event, Mikaela Shiffrin’s home race and the best-attended race on the women’s World Cup calendar, and the mighty Beaver Creek Birds of Prey World Cup, one of the greatest tests for the men in their alpine season," Shaw added. "Also, the freestyle night events at Deer Valley will be taking place in what is now firmly established as the showcase for moguls and aerials competition worldwide. Finally, we have more news to come about a very exciting event our team is working on for freeski and snowboard athletes. Stay tuned for more details on that. Overall, we have so much to look forward to - bring on the winter!"

FIS Ski Junior World Ski Championships slalom silver medalist Ben Ritchie (Waitsfield, Vt.) and 2019 World Junior Ski Championships teammate Claire Thomas (Salt Lake City, Utah) have been chosen as the 2019 recipients of the Eastern Ski Writers Golden Ski Award.

Each season the most promising male and female junior alpine racers in the Eastern U.S. have been recognized by the North American Snowsports Journalist Association—East (NASJA-E) with the Golden Ski Award. For the first time this year, the award will be presented by the New England Ski Museum at a reception at the Museum in Franconia Notch on Friday, June 21, from 5 to 7 pm.

This will be Ritchie's second Golden Ski Award. Ritchie has been a top performer in the Eastern Region for many seasons, highlighted by his last two seasons with the U.S. Ski Team where he progressed from the D team to the B team. He has raced his way to being ranked 67th in the world overall for slalom and first worldwide for his age. Ritchie went on to achieve a silver medal at the Junior World Ski Championships and was third overall in the NorAm slalom standings. Ritchie is an exciting skier to watch attack a course and his coaches are looking forward to seeing him take his skill and hard work to the next level.

Thomas had an amazing season for the Dartmouth College Ski Team that was highlighted with her trip to the Junior World Ski Championships in Pozza Di Fassa, Italy. Her collegiate season resulted in top six standings in both slalom and giant slalom on the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) circuit; that speed translated to the NORAM circuit where she finished 11th in the giant slalom standings. Her success on the collegiate and NORAM circuit led to her being ranked in the top 100 in the world for giant slalom and 9th for her age. Thomas' career is on an exciting trajectory and she will be a fun skier to watch in seasons to come.

The Golden Ski Award was first presented to the top junior male and female skiers in the East in 1969, the year after the modern World Cup circuit started. The award was conceived by the Eastern Ski Writers’ Association that year and was exhibited in the offices of the U.S. Eastern Amateur Ski Association, then in Littleton, New Hampshire. After the presentation in 1975, the Golden Ski was somehow misplaced, likely as a result of a relocation of the USEASA headquarters. In 2007, a New England Ski Museum member came across the original Golden Ski trophy in a Lake Placid office and donated it to the Museum. The Eastern Ski Writers

Association, later renamed NASJA-East, revitalized the honor and presented it for a decade beginning in 2008 at the Museum’s spring exhibit opening reception. When NASJA-East voted to disband in 2018, the New England Ski Museum’s board of directors elected to continue awarding the Golden Ski rather than let it lapse a second time. The origin of the award will be remembered in the title ‘Eastern Ski Writers Golden Ski Award.’

“The Golden Ski Award is the oldest honor given to junior alpine ski racers that exist today,” says Jim Gregory, Chair of the New England Ski Museum’s Golden Ski Award Committee. “We are proud this year to honor two extraordinary athletes, Claire Thomas, and two-time winner Ben Ritchie, and we look forward to watching them pursue their goals and set the bar even higher in the sport we all love so much.”

Winners of the Golden Ski Award have gone on to World Cup podiums and even to Olympic gold, and now many of the names on the award, perhaps obscure when they were originally announced as juniors, are well-known in ski racing circles. 

GOLDEN SKI AWARD RECIPIENTS:
1969: Tyler Palmer, Karen Middleton
1970: Charles Bent, Karen Middleton
1971: Rod Taylor, Judy McNealus
1972: Laurent Gaudin, Jody Palmer 
1973: Jerry McNealus, No female winner
1974: No award
1975: Scott Light, Holly Flanders
1976-2007: Award lost
2008: Bump Heldman, Julia Ford
2009: Nolan Kasper, Julia Ford
2010: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Julia Ford
2011: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Mikaela Shiffrin
2012: Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Mikaela Shiffrin
2013: Kieffer Christianson, Mikaela Shiffrin
2014: Sam Morse, Alice Merryweather
2015: Drew Duffy, Nina O’Brien
2016: Ben Ritchie, Cecily Decker
2017: George Steffey, Patricia Mangan
2018: Jimmy Krupka, Abigail Jewett
2019: Ben Ritchie, Claire Thomas

Release courtesy of Jim Gregory, Chair: Eastern Ski Writers Golden Ski Award. 

Fitness, technique, and speed are key attributes to becoming a world-class cross country skier. But culture, laughter, and fun are what make a great team! Fortunately, all those attributes came together May 18-31, as the U.S. Cross Country Team hosted its first on-snow camp of the season in Bend, Ore., at the Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center.

“The camp had an increased level of excitement and humor with the addition of some new athletes,” noted U.S. Ski & Snowboard Head Cross Country Coach Chris Grover.

This year’s team features a number of new faces, especially on the development team, with six new athletes, and a new coach, Bernie Nelson, who joined U.S. Ski & Snowboard as the development team coach last month. “Bend camp was our first athletic project with Bernie Nelson officially part of our coaching team,” Grover said, “and she impressed her colleagues with her enthusiasm, knowledge, and work ethic; she is already an amazing addition to our staff.”

“It’s been so much fun getting to know our new development team and seeing how the team culture molds itself each year,” said 2018 Olympic Gold Medalist Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.), who posted a number of off-the-cuff interviews with her new teammates on Instagram. “The atmosphere and team spirit have been incredible and I think this will be a really fun year!”

 

 

 

 

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Meet the D-Team, part 2! Starring the fabulous @lukejageryo @noel.keeffe & @novie.mccabe 💪🏼

A post shared by Jessie Diggins (@jessiediggins) on May 24, 2019 at 1:01pm PDT

Zak Ketterson (Marquette, Mich.), a two-time NCAA All-American at Northern Michigan University, is one of the new faces on the team this year, and he came away from the Bend camp with a greater understanding of what it takes to achieve success at the next level of his career.

“This camp has been an amazing experience for me,” said Ketterson. “It is the first time that I have had the opportunity to train alongside veteran U.S. Ski Team athletes…and it has been very motivating to learn from the other skiers here. These types of camps will make me a better skier in the future.

“Last summer, I trained almost entirely alone,” Ketterson continued. “When you train by yourself, it is difficult to know your strengths and weaknesses because you only have yourself as a benchmark. Now that I have been able to train with so many top athletes, I realize that there are areas that I need to improve. This is super exciting for me because it gives me ideas for what to work on in my future training.”

Much like Ketterson, eight-time U.S. Champion Caitlin Patterson (Craftsbury, Vt.), a new member on the B Team this season, also learned to pump up the intensity being around her new teammates.

“One thing I'll take away (from the camp) is the concept of really bringing the focus and intensity to key workouts, such as intervals and strength,” she said. “Most of my fellow U.S. Ski Team teammates do a great job of bringing the intensity to the hard sessions, and it's something I'd like to emulate more in the future.”

While the athletes brought the intensity, Mt. Bachelor served up excellent snow and trail conditions, thanks to 350 inches of snowfall this season. “Mt. Bachelor provided great grooming of nearly 40 km of trails daily and we had excellent snow coverage,” Grover said. “We feel like we accomplished almost all of our athletic, technical and team culture goals for the camp. Each athlete brought a lot of professionalism, focus, and enthusiasm to the daily training.”

Following the first camp of the season, a number of athletes return to their home base for the month of June to continue preparations for the 19-20 season. “I’ll head back east to Stratton (Vermont) for a solid block of training with my SMST2 teammates,” Diggins said. “Then at the end of June, I’ll join the women of the Norwegian National Team for one of their team camps.”

For Novie McCabe (Winthrop, Wash.), Kendall Kramer (Fairbanks, Alaska), Johnny Hagenbuch (Ketchum, Idaho) and Noel Keefe (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), they are off to Park City, Utah, June 16-19, for U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s annual #OneTeam Rookie Camp. The U.S. Cross Country Team will also host additional camps throughout the summer, including Norway, New Zealand, Park City and Lake Placid, N.Y. In addition, many club camps will also include U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athletes over the summer, offering additional opportunities for athletes to prep for the 2019-20 season, but most importantly, the opportunity to push and learn from each other.

“The one thing I will take away from (Bend) camp is that it is important for the best skiers in the country to get together once in a while to share ideas and learn from one another,” Ketterson said. “I have been very pleased with the openness and friendliness of both the coaches and athletes at this camp. Every skier has his strengths and weaknesses, but between every skier on the U.S. Ski Team we all have things we can learn from one another.”  
 

Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) is used to going fast on the mountain - like 80+ mph fast. However, this week she spent some time with a group of men and women who are used to going a little bit faster: the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilots. And by "a little bit" we're talking about 450-700 mph fast.

Shiffrin was invited by the U.S. Air Force Academy to represent the Class of 2019 and join the Thunderbirds - the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron - for a ride-along on Tuesday, May 27th. When Shiffrin received the invite she "Couldn't pass that opportunity up...it's been a lifelong dream of mine to experience that kind of speed and feel how next level nine g-forces feel." At most, alpine ski racing athletes experience somewhere in the realm of 3.5 Gs - more than space shuttle astronauts endure during launch. 

Shiffrin has won two Olympic gold medals, Olympic silver, she's the reigning three-time overall FIS Ski World Cup champion, has won 60 World Cup victories at just 24-years-old, and her accolades go on and on. But, what happened on Tuesday for Shiffrin? “The most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced,” the two-time Olympic champion said, nearly breathless, after her flight. 

Shiffrin joined the Thunderbirds, riding in and even flying an F-16D twin-seat trainer aircraft out of Peterson Air Force Base in her native Colorado. She said that the trained pilots perform a series of about eight maneuvers at 450 to 500 mph that make up their show "profile." Shiffrin was invited by the U.S. Air Force Academy as part of their efforts to create a strong, long-lasting relationship with Team USA/the United States Olympic Committee to connect elite athletes with U.S. military because of their obvious parallels in discipline, determination, excellence, grit, and beyond.

Laurie Wilson, the primary public affairs contact for U.S. Air Force Academy spearheaded this initiative, noting that it made sense, being that the location was Colorado Springs, Colorado - known as "Olympic City, USA." She also had mentioned that Shiffrin was the first Olympic champion in recent history to receive an invite. 

Shiffrin's excitement level was at an all-time high prior to the flight, as she was getting fitted for her flight suit, G-suit, helmet, mask, and learning about the safety protocol, oxygen, breathing techniques, and - of course - the courtesy barf bags provided. Flying for about 45 minutes, and making it through an entire show profile, said co-pilot Major Jason "Flack" Markzon (a.k.a. Thunderbird #8) - who was quite impressed - Shiffrin had the experience of a lifetime. She even was able to fly the plane herself, and coined a new maneuver known as "Wiggles" - slalom in the sky.

As a result, the other Thunderbirds pilots agreed that her "Call Sign" - nicknames given to each pilot - would be just that: Wiggles. Actually, Markzon's reply to the suggestion - made by U.S. Ski & Snowboard - was "I love it. Let's make it official when we all go skiing together. Deal?" And then, of course we invited them all to the HomeLight Killington Cup World Cup tech series in November. 

Following the landing when Shiffrin finally hit solid ground, she was surprised at how out of sorts her body felt, feeling dizzy and light-headed. Fellow Thunderbirds pilots told her it was normal as your body goes "What the heck just happened to me?" when you're out of nine Gs, landing safely on the ground. 

“You can’t breathe at that much force,” Shiffrin said after pulling nine Gs herself. “So you have to do the tiniest little breaths. During flight it felt like my shoulders kind of fell out of the sockets with such high g-forces. It's crazy. When we first took off and were flying through the clouds, it's the most beautiful thing. It's indescribable. You realize when you're flying through clouds just how fast you're going. I’m so dizzy. My knees are shaking.”

Following the flight, Shiffrin visited the U.S. Air Force Academy campus and was invited to the Superintendent's - Lt. General Jay B. Silveria - office. Silveria is a fan of skiing himself, and had invited current and former U.S. Air Force Academy ski team athletes to meet and visit with Shiffrin. 

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds' job is publicity and awareness for the U.S. Air Force. Shiffrin joined the Thunderbirds during a routine practice for Thursday's U.S. Air Force Academy commencement fly-over demonstration. 

Stay tuned for an edit of Shiffrin's flight experience. 

CAVTAT, Croatia – The International Ski Federation (FIS) has honored longtime U.S. Ski & Snowboard communications professional Tom Kelly with its FIS Journalist Award. Kelly was recognized for his longstanding role in the sport as a spokesperson for U.S. athletes and leadership with the FIS Public Relations and Mass Media Committee.

Kelly, who retired from his role as FIS PR and Mass Media chairman a year ago, was recognized during the annual meeting of the federation in Croatia. Kelly was nominated for the award by the FIS committee directly and wins the FIS Journalist Award not only for his enthusiasm in promoting ski sport and 32 years of service within U.S. Ski & Snowboard but also for 14 years of strong and visionary leadership within the Committee. Kelly stepped down from his committee role and was named an honorary member by the FIS Council.

Last month Kelly was inducted into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame. In his role with FIS, Kelly had long been an advocate for the award to recognize journalists and broadcasters for their work in telling the story of the sport. He is the 19th American recipient of the award, which dates back to 1996.

“This was quite an unexpected recognition and very much appreciated,” said Kelly. “I take great pride in the role I have been able to play with FIS through the PR and Mass Media Committee.”

The award is presented each year by FIS to journalists and broadcasters around the world. The American recipients are a who’s who of writers, photographers, producers and broadcasters who have worked to bring stories of the sport to the public.

While retired from his role at U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Kelly remains active in Olympic sport as a communications consultant and public speaker.

FIS JOURNALIST AWARD
U.S. Recipients

2018 – Tom Kelly, U.S. Ski & Snowboard (presented in May 2019)
2017 – Christin Cooper, NBC (presented in Mar. 2018)
2016 – Peter Graves, Sports broadcaster and announcer
2015 – Steve Porino, NBC
2014 – John Dakin, Vail Valley Foundation (presented in Feb. 2015)
2013 – John Meyer, Denver Post
2012 – Jonathan Selkowitz, Photographer
2011 – Tim Ryan, NBC
2010 – Hank McKee, Ski Racing
2010 – Paul Robbins, Freelance Journalist
2008 – Mike Clark, Associated Press
2007 – Gary Black, Ski Racing
2002 – Peter Diamond, NBC
2002 – Joe Jay Jalbert, Jalbert Productions
2001 – Anita Verschoth, Sports Illustrated
1999 – Charlie Meyers, Denver Post
1998 – John Fry, Ski Magazine
1997 – Bob Beattie, ABC/ESPN
1996 – William Oscar Johnson, Sports Illustrated

U.S. Ski & Snowboard went behind the scenes of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard spring training camp in Mammoth Mountain, California to see what coaching strategy and goal setting is all about. Now, we turn the page and look through the lens of our U.S. Rookie Team athletes.

U.S. Freeski Rookie Team athletes Hunter Carey (Winter Park, Colo.) and Hanna Faulhaber (Carbondale, Colo.) as well as U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team Athletes Tessa Maud (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Addie Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.) were kind enough to share their thoughts on Mammoth Spring Camp amidst a busy training schedule. As new members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, there are new emotions and expectations that each athlete must manage while on snow at camp.

However, before athletes headed to Mammoth, an official training site for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, they discovered they made the U.S. Freeski & Snowboard Team and their reactions were priceless.

“I was super excited when I first got the call,” said Faulhaber. “I immediately started to think about all the cool and different opportunities that this nomination opens up for me.”

For Gardner, it was a special moment for the whole family.

“I was beyond excited,” she said. “I think my parents were initially more excited than me! I worked very hard this past season and it was amazing to see it pay off through my team nomination.”

Making the team is just the beginning of what will be a very exciting ride for these new U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes. Almost immediately following the nomination announcement, U.S. Rookie Team athletes were invited to Mammoth Spring Training Camp where they are introduced to coaches and teammates, many of which are revered by the new young skiers and riders.  

“Bobby Brown (Denver, Colo.) was someone I always looked up to,” said Carey. “He used to make Youtube videos of his normal ski days and it just looked so fun. Bobby was a major influence that made me to ski the rest of my life.”

Brown, an alumnus, and legend of the U.S. Freeski Team, recently stepped back from competition, but his influence lives on through the new young athletes of the U.S. Freeski Rookie Team. Carey was not the only one influenced by U.S. Ski & Snowboard Pro Athletes.

“Growing up I would always watch the X Games and any other event that I could find that included the halfpipe,” said Faulhaber. “The two main skiers that I would watch during these events were Torin Yater-Wallace (Basalt, Colo.) and Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.). It is such a cool experience at Mammoth Spring Camp to not only have great coaches but also ski with people that you have looked up to for your whole life.”

Riders on the U.S. Snowboard Pro Team have also left a lasting impression with the Rookies.

“Jamie Anderson has dominated the sport for so long and I always look forward to watching her creative approach in contests,” said Gardner. “I never thought the day would come where I would be riding and training with her. It’s crazy! When I am riding with the pros it seems like no big deal at the moment, but once I stop and think, I can’t help but smile and think about how lucky I am to be here with the best in the world.”

Returning U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team member Maud is still in awe of the riders she gets to share the slopes with day in day out at Mammoth Spring Camp.

“I have always looked up to Maddie Mastro, Chase Blackwell, and Ryan Wachendorfer,” she said. “Maddie has been a huge inspiration and a great big sister to me. Chase and Ryan are super cool and I think they have great style as well. Kelly Clark is another person I look up to. She has had such a huge influence in women's snowboarding and she gives back to the sport by supporting up and coming athletes. Growing up, I looked up to all of the people that are now my teammates. It is very surreal.”

Carey, Faulhaber, Gardner, and Maud share a similar excitement for the new opportunities granted by earning their spot on the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Rookie Teams. Despite some challenging weather with over 30 inches of snow in May at Mammoth, the young skiers and riders continue to make the most of every opportunity.

“Mammoth has been pretty snowy, but we have had good days and it has been really fun,” said Carey.” I have been hitting the airbags a lot which is really helpful for learning new tricks. Also, participating in activities on and off the hill with the pros is a really crazy feeling.”

Faulhaber also has been making the most of her time at Mammoth camp.

“My experience with the team at Mammoth has been amazing,” she said. “There are many things that I loved about the trip to Mammoth. Everybody on the team is super supportive of each other and the camp was very well organized. I’m excited I was able to learn some new tricks while I was there.”

Gardner’s highlight of Camp thus far has been taking advantage of the world-class terrain at Mammoth’s Unbound Terrain Park.

“My favorite part of the camp has been the terrain parks,” she said. “Mammoth always has great features up. Not only do I get to ride, but I love watching my teammates throw down on the jumps.”

Maud claims Mammoth has her home mountain and has not wasted any time taking advantage of all the mountain has to offer. From riding terrain that fosters progression to ripping powder when the opportunity presents itself, Mammoth has continued to deliver for this hometown rider.

“Mammoth camp has been good so far,” she said. “I was glad to get a trick back that I had difficulty with this past season. Also, it has just been great to be back at my home mountain and even sneaking in a few powder runs in May!”

Its clear athletes are definitely enjoying U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Mammoth Spring Camp. However, the reality is there is work to be done. In the words of Head Freeski and Snowboard Coach Mike Jankowski, “camp is about a lot of relationship building, goal setting, and discovering how we are going to get there. It’s not just about the goal, but about the path.” The Rookies of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Rookie Team definitely are on the right path with clear goals and all the resources necessary to help them reach them.

Carey, Faulhaber, Gardner, and Maud all share similar goals of progressing, being a supportive teammate, locking in solid results throughout the season, and ultimately competing in their sports largest events such as X Games, Dew Tour, and the Olympics. However, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes are encouraged not just to be successful athletes, but also learn the tools to succeed in life. After only one year with the U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team, Maud has a strong grasp on the big picture.

“I have been doing online school for three years and I love it, she said. “Right now I am trying to complete my sophomore year. School has definitely taught me time management. I had to learn to travel and compete while being a full-time high school student. In addition to succeeding in competition, I also want to inspire others to become more involved with the sport of snowboarding. I want young girls to consider snowboarding as a sport, and not just something to do on a vacation. Eventually, I want to go to college and study business, and one day work in the snowboard industry creating gear that is not only stylish but functional and environmentally friendly.”

Maud alongside Carey, Gardner, and Faulhaber are great examples of what it means to be a U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete. It’s not just about being the best you can be on snow, but also as a teammate, a person, and a member of the freeski and snowboard community. The Rookie Team class of 2019-20 encompasses all these values and only will continue to grow. Keep an eye on these athletes alongside the rest of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Rookie Team this season and you will not be disappointed. This includes the remainder of Mammoth Spring Camp where every day has offered a list of new achievements and milestones.

Mammoth Spring Training Camp will continue through June 2 as members of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Teams cycle through for their fair share of training. Be sure to follow all the Mammoth Camp highlights at the accounts below.

FOLLOW MAMMOTH SPRING CAMP
Facebook
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USSkiandSnowboard

Instagram
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USFreeskiTeam
@USSnowboardTeam

Twitter
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USSkiTeam

Hashtag
#MammothCamp
 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard will host its 53rd annual New York Gold Medal Gala at the Ziegfield Ballroom in New York City on October 24, 2019. Prepare to be inspired by the Olympic and World Championship sports stars who will descend on New York City for this spectacular event.

The New York Gold Medal Gala is expected to raise nearly $2 million which will directly benefit benefit American ski and snowboard athletes’ journeys to Olympic and World Cup podiums. The Gala’s storied history began in 1967 as the Ski Ball, which sought to benefit alpine athletes on the U.S. Ski Team. Today the tradition continues as a celebration of all of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s ski and snowboard athletes, including some of the biggest names in sport. It has become a staple of the New York City social philanthropic scene and provides a grand send-off for athletes before the start of the winter competition season.

For more information about the New York Gold Medal Gala, please contact U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Tom Webb at tom.webb@usskiandsnowboard.org.

For ticket purchase and auction information, please click here.

To stay up to date on the New York Gold Medal Gala happenings, search #NYGoldMedalGala on social media.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the U.S., wrapped a highly successful 2019 iteration of its annual Congress with a Board of Directors meeting in which Kipp Nelson formally assumed the position of Chair of the Board of Directors, a position his predecessor, Dexter Paine, had held since 2006.

Nelson, a long-time supporter of U.S. Ski & Snowboard and a former University of Colorado ski racer himself, succeeded Paine after a six month transition period that helped facilitate the transfer of roles and responsibilities of the two Board members. Nelson has served nine years on the Board of Directors and has played an active role on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation Board of Trustees since 2005.

Paine now takes the title of Honorary Chairman of U.S. Ski & Snowboard and continues as a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board member, a role he has had for 17 years. In addition, he continues as an International Ski Federation (FIS) Council Member, a position he has held since 2014 and to which he was re-elected at the FIS Congress in May 2018.

“It’s such an honor to succeed Dexter Paine who has been a wonderful Chair for U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” said Nelson. “His are very big shoes to fill but I am excited about taking on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Our organization is stronger than it has ever been, we have some of the world’s best athletes on our roster, we have world-class events here in the U.S. and we have young talent coming through who truly stand on the shoulder of giants. Against that, there are challenges facing Olympic sport, but I am looking forward to working with the hugely talented team we have at U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

“I am excited to continue the focus on our teams and athletes," Nelson continued. "We gathered a lot of input over the last few months and especially at Congress. There is nothing more important than our athletes and supporting them, and I am proud of the increase in athlete travel funding that has been generated this year which does exactly that. With more than a $1 million increase in athlete travel support, we have moved the needle a lot and will keep striving to solve challenges and capitalize on the opportunities that lie ahead.”

“I have enjoyed every second of my time as Chair but the time has come to pass on this wonderful responsibility to Kipp,” commented Paine. “To sign off as Chair at Congress is the perfect way to bring my tenure in that position to an end. I will continue to serve our athletes, clubs, members, and supporters as a Board member, and I am looking forward to seeing how Kipp, Tiger [Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO] and the whole U.S. Ski & Snowboard team continue to build on our historical athletic success”

The Board of Directors has a variety of committees and subcommittees that serve the various needs of U.S. Ski & Snowboard which represents nearly 200 elite athletes competing across seven different winter sports, which stages over 35 domestic events each year, has nearly 500 member clubs and over 36,000 members and which is integrally involved in the development of future winter sports champions through grassroots programs across the USA.

While many of us are swapping skis and snowboards for bikes and beaches, the athletes of the U.S. Snowboard and Freeski Teams are firing on all cylinders at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California’s Eastern Sierra. As an official training site of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Mammoth Mountain has opened their doors to 57 U.S. Team athletes and 20 staff, including coaches, trainers, and videographers for Mammoth Spring Training Camp.

Members of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Pro and Rookie Teams are swarming to the acclaimed Unbound Terrain Park for three weeks of full-tilt training. With world-class terrain, amazing conditions following an 700+ inch snowfall season and consistent May snow to replenish, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and coaches have quite the formula for success.

However, it’s not all that simple. Coaches and athletes must work together in order to take full advantage of these critical weeks on snow. Athletes lapping the park and pipe is not the only thing going down over the course of camp. There are strategic plans in place that are unique to each athlete and coach and are being executed as we speak. The pathway to the top is riddled with challenges and having a well thought out process to get an athlete to reach their potential is imperative. We recently caught up with U.S. Snowboard and Freeski Head Coach Mike Jankowski in hopes he could lift the veil on his approach to coaching at Mammoth Spring Camp without giving away too many secrets to success. Jankowski has coached for 15 years with U.S. Ski & Snowboard in multiple capacities and his tacit knowledge is second to none.

One very interesting point that came from conversations with Jankowski was the idea of timing. Much like a business, sustainable growth is key, even with athletes of this caliber. If an athlete tries to progress too fast, or without a plan, results could reach diminishing returns. As Mammoth Spring Camp is the first camp of the 2019-20 season following U.S. Freeski and Snowboard team nominations, there are different goals than you might see at camps closer the heart of competition season.

“Everything is about periodization and making sure you are doing the right thing at the right time,” said Jankowski. “This Mammoth Spring Camp has a particular set of goals that would be much different than you would see at a camp in October. In Mammoth, we want to first wrap up the previous year of competition. We want to ensure everything that’s happened has been addressed and that we have learned from all our past experiences. We do answer the questions, what have we done well and what could we do better? To address this, we encourage a lot of coach to athlete meetings to make sure everyone is feeling good. Also, this first camp sets the foundation moving forward. What are the rules of the road with each individual athlete? It’s not a one size fits all, it’s a lot of relationship building, goal setting, and discovering how we are going to get there. It’s not just about the goal, but about the path.”

2018 Junior World Champion and Dew Tour bronze medalist Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) shared his insight on his personal experiences thus far at camp.

“Working with Rick Shimpeno, Ricky Bower, and JJ Thomas is incredible,” said Miller. “Before every camp, we sit down and discuss my short and long term off-season goals which will lead me into the competitive season. After discussing those goals we form a plan of attack on how we are going to turn those goals into reality. I would say the biggest and most important thing we all have is mutual trust. If they tell me it’s time to try a trick, I know I can trust their judgment. If I say I’m gonna try a new trick, they trust that I am ready. We understand each other well and it makes our relationship very productive. We all have such an amazing relationship which I believe is very important when it comes to coaches and athletes. I feel very fortunate to be able to travel around the world with such an amazing and talented group of coaches!”

Miller touched on the importance of setting both short and long term goals. According to Jankowski, understanding how goals can differ between athletes is critical for success. Therefore, how each coach tracks progress must be catered to the individual.

“Not everyone is going to be able to get new tricks on snow right away,” said Jankowski. “If some athletes don’t learn any new tricks at camp, it doesn’t mean they were unsuccessful. If they are developing trust with their coaches, fundamentals or foundation skills in order to bring new tricks to snow eventually, that’s success! Also, developing trust in their teammates and getting the culture dialed in is also a success at camp. These elements are huge to their long term development. It’s important to have a balanced view of the short and long term when evaluating an athlete's progress.”

If setting personal plans and timelines for each athlete of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Team wasn’t a big enough challenge, there are also other variables at play.. Coaches and athletes face a huge gap in experience and age within the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Teams. As an illustration, 27-year-old U.S. Freeski Pro Team member and Olympic Gold medalist Joss Christensen (Park City, Utah) will be skiing alongside 16-year-old U.S. Freeski Rookie Team member Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H.). 29-year-old U.S Snowboard Pro Team member and double Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.) will be sharing lift rides with 17-year old U.S. Freeski Rookie Team member Addie Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.).

“There are multiple dynamics to consider," said Jankowski. “There is the pro-to-rookie relationship. Not only do we strive for pros to offer feedback to younger athletes, but by the end of camp, we also hope rookies feel comfortable going to the pros for advice. Taking it one layer deeper, there are even veteran rookie athletes welcoming new rookies onto the team and bringing them under their wing a bit. Then there is the athlete to coach relationship which is key. It’s all of these interactions that make for a productive 360-degree relationship.”

Dialing in culture, building relationships, and setting specific plans for each athlete are all major critical success factors when evaluating a training camp. However, athletes and coaches can not execute these plans without proper resources. That is where Mammoth Mountain comes in and continuously delivers. There are numerous elements to what makes the U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Mammoth partnership critical to athlete success.

“The massive amount of snow is, of course, a huge help,” said Jankowski. “It’s one of the snowiest places in North America and the fact they are building what we want to progress safely and quickly is invaluable to our program. For example, having the airbags on the snow in multiple scenarios is crucial. There’s a landing airbag for the jump and there are two airbags for the landing of the halfpipe. All the on-snow venues are simply incredible. Off snow, Mammoth also provides a ton of value. We have a great set up in the lodges and we are able to all stay together as a team. We eat together,  conduct video review, and continue to build culture. This is very important to building momentum that will carry us through the season. It really is the whole Mammoth Package that makes it special. We don’t have to worry about all the nuts and bolts, It’s truly a plug and play.”

Mammoth Spring Training Camp will continue through June 2nd as members of the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Teams cycle through for their fair share of training. Be sure to follow all the Mammoth Camp highlights at the accounts below.

FOLLOW MAMMOTH SPRING CAMP
Facebook
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USSkiandSnowboard

Instagram
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USFreeskiTeam
@USSnowboardTeam

Twitter
@MammothMountain
@MammothUnbound
@USSkiTeam

Hashtag
#MammothCamp