Alpine Director Patrick Riml Leaving U.S. Ski Team

PARK CITY, Utah - U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Patrick Riml is leaving his post as alpine director after seven years. Riml, who served two terms with the U.S. Ski Team, played a key role in leading teams that produced some of the strongest elite results in history.

"Patrick's leadership was a key part the success of our alpine program over the past dozen years," said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport Luke Bodensteiner. “He led some of the most successful teams in our history, which included athletes like Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller, Julia Mancuso, Andrew Weibrecht and Ted Ligety, as well as being part of the team that has helped to re-shape our alpine development efforts."

Riml first joined the U.S. Ski Team as a coach in 2001, rising to head women's coach in 2003. He oversaw the program during the rise of Olympic champions Mancuso and Vonn before leaving in 2008 to become alpine director in Canada. He returned to the USA in 2011 take on the role of alpine director.

"I'm proud of the contribution I have made to the U.S. Ski Team," said Riml. "But I also recognized the need for continued evolution of the sport in America to ensure that same success for the future." Riml did not have any immediate plans.

Bodensteiner said a search would be conducted immediately for a new alpine director. "Patrick has led an incredibly successful and sustained effort at the elite team level," said Bodensteiner. "We now have an opportunity to build on that as we look to establish a program that can re-establish and sustain that level of success over time.”