We are excited to announce the planned return of validated SkillsQuest Fitness Testing this fall! This event will be somewhat Covid-dependent and we’ll be actively monitoring that situation, but our current plan is to do one day of validated testing on October 3 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. Registration and logistical details will be coming very soon!

This event is targeted toward aspiring FIS and U16 athletes, but we will bring in as many people as we can accommodate, and with the size of the facility in Hanover we should be able to see a lot of athletes in one day! Remember that a validated SkillsQuest Fitness score is required for selection to any US Ski Team or National Development Group programming. And while we don’t strictly require it for regional programming yet, that is on the horizon and we do take fitness testing scores into account when making discretionary selections. Most importantly, this is a great chance to put your fitness to the test alongside other athletes from the East! 

For those that can’t make it on October 3, we are also planning to offer backup dates of October 29 at Stratton Mountain School and October 30 at Green Mountain Valley School. 

We look forward to seeing you this fall. Save the date!

In the International Ski Federation's (FIS) recent Behind the Scenes feature with Bryce Bennett, the downhiller shares his relationship with ski racing. Bennett grew up in a ski racing family in Squaw Valley, Calif., spending a lot of time on the mountain and "slowly fell in love" with ski racing. 

Bennett acknowledges that ski racing is a tough sport, it can feel like a constant struggle. In the video, he shares some tactics he has used to keep improving, like working with veteran teammate Steven Nyman, with whom he shares a serviceman, the legendary Leo Mussi. Bennett added that the need for consistency across multiple tracks throughout the season is a challenge that draws him to the sport further, and says he'll “Just keep chipping away and chipping away and hopefully the day lines up and everything works out.” 

Folks from around the region have been working on nailing down race calendars for the 2022 season. The regional FIS calendar is pretty well solidified, and the Divisional FIS calendars are coming together. We have a number of U16 and U14 events scheduled as well, with just a few outliers left to pin down. You can always refer to the calendar page of the Eastern website for the most up-to-date drafts. We’re looking forward to getting out there again!

Big news from the Eastern Region staff: we’re hiring! Kathy Okoniewski is transitioning over to a role in Sport Education, so we are currently looking for a Youth Development Coach to help our young athletes advance. Kathy has made a big impression over the last 5 years helping our clubs and kids be their very best. Her role has been mostly focused on U16 and U14 athletes where she’s worked with so many kids through our training projects, the U14 Eastern Champs, Can-Ams, and U16 Nationals. But she’s also organized U12 projects, done many club visits, and taken the lead in coordinating much of our in-region coaches education including last year’s virtual Language Locker sessions that so many of you participated in through your clubs. She’s made a lasting mark and set the bar high!

I’m happy to tell you that Kathy will continue to be here in the East, embedded with us as a liason to the Sport Education department. This means that she’ll continue to be here to facilitate access to the best development and education for our clubs and coaches, as well as chipping in nationally as the Sport Education staff continues to develop content and opportunities. We are super excited to support Kathy in this role, and we are so grateful for her years of hard work and service!

If you’re interested in the Youth Development Coach position, you can find the job description and application online: Click here to access it!

Members of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Team continue their summer prep for the upcoming FIS World Cup and Olympic season with a mix of gym time, trail running, mountain biking, and roller skiing. Toss in a few victories and a course record along the way, and so far the summer has been very rewarding.

Scott Patterson has been dominating trail running events in Alaska this summer, posting victories in both the Crow Pass Crossing - setting a new course record for the 22.5-mile backcountry footrace from Girdwood to Eagle River - and winning the Cirque Series event at Alyeska Resort.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Scott Patterson (@scottgpatterson)

“My summer training has been going quite well,” said Patterson, who has been training with the Alaska Pacific University club program. “I’ve spent the whole spring and summer in Anchorage in order to keep things simple and focused. This approach has paid off in solid progress in training sessions as well as setting several course records at trail running races. After 8 years racing Crow Pass, including seven victories, I finally got the record. This has been a big summer goal for several years.”

At the Cirque Series race in Alyeska, Alaska, Patterson led a host of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Team’s Anchorage-based athletes, including teammate Sophia Laukli, who won the women’s pro division. Ben Ogden also made the trip to Alaska from his home base in Vermont for a few weeks of training, finishing eighth in the pro division. Kendall Kramer and Sydney-Palmer Leger also participated in the women’s Expert division. Laukli also won the Cirque Series race at Snowbird, Utah, on Saturday, Aug. 21.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by SL (@sophialaukli)

With almost half of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Team living and training in Anchorage, World Cup Cross Country Coach Matt Whitcomb, and Development Team Coach Kate Johnson made a visit to Anchorage to check in on the summer training progress. “The purpose of the trip was not to organize the camp so much as to check in with every athlete,” Whitcomb said. “Everybody's working hard, enjoying each other's company and there is just great synergy going on, I can't wait to see what comes from it.”

Unfortunately, a summer skiing camp on the Eagle Glacier had to be cancelled due to the rebuilding of the on-site lodge. But, that didn’t deter the athletes from getting together and trying something new.

“Something different this summer was that a big group of guys, both on the U.S. Ski Team, and from other teams, lived and trained together in Anchorage,” said Gus Schumacher. “We had a house that we all stayed in and it ended up being super awesome. It really helped a lot to push each other, and establish a strong frame of teamwork to bring into our next camps and winter racing.”

Following last summer’s Covid-19 travel restrictions, many athletes enjoyed training with their home club programs throughout the prep period. And that has also carried over to this summer as well with many athletes enjoying the comforts of home, and the opportunity to focus on the little things that will make a difference once the season starts. 

“Most of my training this summer has been very similar to last year with a few small alterations,” Patterson said. “I felt last year’s training cycle was quite productive so I wanted to replicate that with a few improvements.”

“Nothing different for me - just a continued emphasis on recovery and training smart while training hard,” added Jessie Diggins, who is training in Vermont with her Stratton Mountain School Elite Team program, alongside teammates Julia Kern and Katherine Ogden, all of whom have been pushing each other this summer. 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jessie Diggins (@jessiediggins)

“I really value having a group to work with all summer, pushing and learning from one another,” said Kern, who has also mixed mountain biking and gravel riding into her summer training program. “I have mostly been focused on having high quality and smart training, making the most of each session and also prioritizing recovery, listening to what my body needs.”

“I think what people want out of summer training varies based on age,” Whitcomb said. “The older we all get the more home feels just right, and the younger we are the more stimulus we need from our peers. And sometimes that means going to a camp or something, So it’s about finding the right balance.”

That balance also includes getting athletes on snow, which has been a challenge with the Eagle Glacier Camp cancelled. However, many of the athletes have participated in competitive events this summer, including mountain bike and gravel races for both Kern and Katharine Ogden in Vermont. 

“That is where we find our edge,” Whitcomb said of the head-to-head competition. “We can get 95, 96, 97, 98% there, no problem (through hard summer training), but to get 99 and 100% there, that takes going head-to-head and feeling some fight, some discomfort, and some vulnerability.”

Kevin Bolger has also been jumping into some racing this summer. Bolger is training in Sweden alongside his girlfriend Maja Dahlqvist and the Swedish National Team this summer, going head-to-head in roller ski races. 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kevin Bolger (@kevinbolger)

As for a mid-summer snow session, Diggins, Kern, Ogden, and their Stratton Mountain School teammates are heading over to Germany in late August for some snow time at the Oberhof Ski Tunnel. The final camp of the prep period is a high-altitude camp scheduled for October 4-18 in Park City, then it’s off to Scandinavia for the opening World Cup events in Ruka, Finland Thanksgiving Weekend. 

Moguls skier on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team Jesse Andringa returned to snow last month after rehabbing through an ankle injury he sustained at the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International. Andringa tore three ligaments in his ankle and dislocated his peroneal tendons in a crash that sent him over the bottom air on one foot. 

Following a successful surgery, Andringa quickly focused his attention on his recovery. His first priority was getting his range of motion back, keeping things pretty mellow, and lifting once he was able to do so. “Lifting is so stable,” he explained, “it doesn’t require a lot of foot movement. So I was able to lift heavy weights before I was able to walk normally.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jesse Andringa (@jesse_bare)

Four months in, Andringa was cleared to train on the water ramp, and got 23 ramping days in before taking his ankle to snow at Timberline Lodge & Ski Area last month during moguls’ last domestic on-snow prep camp. 

“I was cleared to do everything at Timberline,” he said. “I still didn’t have the mobility that I would have liked to have had. I started off just skiing flats, but that made my ankle really sore, and was very discouraging.”

Not one to be discouraged, Andringa pressed on, finding jumping felt better. “Jumping on snow felt good, I got used to jumping in water so that motion was becoming easier for me.” By the end of camp, Andringa was training his full trick package. 

Even more surprising to Andringa was how many moguls he skied. “I really did not think I would be able to ski moguls. I tried it, and the first runs every day would really hurt. I would only ski about four to begin with. But by run two or three I was up to 10 or 15 in a row. I was up to a full mogul section usually by run four.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Jesse Andringa (@jesse_bare)

“It was really awesome [to be back on snow]. As I got back to it more and more, it became easier and easier. It was really encouraging to see all of my work and rehab pay off.”

The camp also marked the first time both Andringa brothers were back on snow training as part of the U.S. Ski Team together since 2019. After almost two full years sidelined by surgeries, injuries and rehabs, Casey Andringa returned to snow just before Jesse in June. “It was very fun to be back on snow with Casey. Both of us are going through emotional times. We have highs, like doing tricks on snow, and lows, like having to take afternoons or days off because of our pain levels. But being together was helpful and encouraging.”

This was just the boost Andringa needed heading into the later half of the summer prep season. He’ll be working towards skiing 100% the next time the team finds snow and plans to keep pushing to dial in his full range of motion. 

Reflecting back on his injury, Andringa says he learned he needed to better believe in himself. “I pushed myself at Deer Valley because I was lacking confidence. Confidence and knowing that I’m good enough, that’s what I’m taking out of this.”

Andringa would like to thank all of his physical therapists, Doctor Thomas Haytmanek, Hans Gardner, U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff and everyone else who has helped him through this injury. 

Follow Jesse Andringa’s story on his Instagram @jesse_bare 

A U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership is required for athletes, coaches, officials, and club volunteers who want to compete or participate in events sanctioned by U.S. Ski & Snowboard for the 2021-22 season.

Click HERE to renew your U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership for the 2021-22 season!

As the summer athletes of Team USA finally got their chance to compete at the highly-anticipated postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the mogul skiers of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team wrapped their second and final on-snow domestic training camp at Official Training Site Timberline Lodge and Ski Area last month. 

Each evening following training the team would convene for dinner and watch their fellow Americans compete on the world’s biggest sport stage.

“Seeing the Olympics on TV was extremely motivating,” said Landon Wender. “Watching every athlete push themselves to the limit to represent their country was very inspiring. Having opportunities to train on snow in the times we live in means a lot. I am very thankful that we have had training environments where my teammates and I can push ourselves and each other to achieve our goals.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Landon Wendler (@_landonwendler)

“We really enjoyed watching, and found we could really relate to the gymnastics events,” said Head Moguls Coach Matt Gnoza. “The athletes see [Team USA athletes] going out and landing these tricks and seeing how the smallest hop can make a difference. We brought that mentality to training.” Moguls is a judged discipline and so the smallest bobble may mean the difference between the podium or not. “We trained on the things that can make the littlest difference. Feet tight, square to the hill, making sure we’re prepared to make the first turn out of a jump. These are things we can do on snow, not on water.”

In the run-up to the Olympic season, time on snow is precious and a commodity not to be taken for granted, especially when COVID-19 continues to impact the availability of training options. Unfortunately due to an unseasonably early heat wave, the last few days of camp became a ski focus. “Timberline did a good job at giving us a quality venue with what Mother Nature allowed,” explained Gnoza. “It’s been an exceptionally hot summer and the snow field took a beating. But we made the most of it while we could.” 

“The Timberline camp went very well for me with the tricks I’m working to perfect,” added Wendler. “I was mainly working on my cork 10 and everything started to click a lot more this last camp. I am very happy with the progress I have made with that trick this summer. I’m also working on my cork 7 truck driver grab and back full. I felt that I also made lots of progress with my skiing, being able to take a step back and slow it down.”

Gnoza reports that overall the entire team was very focused, locking in on what they need to do in order to be prepared. “In mogul competition format, whether World Cup or Olympic, it’s never good enough to just have the trick once, you have to make it repeatable,” he said. “We’re looking for consistency and repeated high-execution rates. That gives the athlete the best chance to climb the results sheet and get on the podium.” As such, athletes and coaches are working through deliberate and calculated training plans. “We’re training with a ton of intentionality.”

“This past camp in Hood was one of the best camps I’ve attended in my career,” said 2018 Olympian Tess Johnson. “I’ve been working really hard on getting my cork 7 competition ready and perfecting my back venom. Training is paying off, and words can’t describe how much it means to be able to train on snow in a pandemic ridden, climate changing world.”

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tess (@_tessjohnson)

“Our team spent a lot of quality time together off the hill juggling the soccer ball, playing games, and watching the Summer Olympics which had me feeling extra motivated, nervous, and inspired all at the same time. Things are ramping up with every passing day, and I’m really happy with where I’m at right now.”

With the Summer Games serving as a backdrop to training for what many athletes will hope to be their opportunity in Beijing in 2022, the relationship between the grind and the glory is ever more apparent. “There’s all of this work behind the scenes people only glimpse at every four years,” noted Gnoza. “The time in between, when you’re struggling to stay focused, when the world is very much not watching, that’s what all of these athletes can relate to.” 

Moguls returns to their summer home at Utah Olympic Park for another water ramp session this August before hopefully finding snow again in September. 

To support the U.S. Freestyle Mogul Ski Team, please click here for more information.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard today announced its partnership with R-Zero, the first biosafety technology company dedicated to reducing the spread of infectious diseases. 

Ahead of a critical Olympic season, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has incorporated R-Zero’s IoT-enabled, whole-room UV disinfection system, Arc, into its daily health and safety protocols at its Park City, Utah training facility, the USANA Center of Excellence. Arc’s hospital-grade, sustainable UV disinfection allows U.S. Ski & Snowboard to safely eliminate pathogenic risk on surfaces and air without the use of harmful chemicals. The addition of R-Zero’s biosafety technology is part of the organization’s innovative approach to ensuring U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team athletes are able to continue performing at their highest while training for and competing in Beijing in 2022. 

“Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve been taking a multifaceted approach to ensure our athletes are protected from health risks across the board, and R-Zero’s partnership is a big added step in the right direction,” said Gillian Bower, Director of High Performance at U.S. Ski & Snowboard and a 15-year veteran of the organization. “Health and performance are a priority—not just for our athletes but for our staff. R-Zero’s Arc adds a safe, highly effective and sustainable way we can ensure we’re reducing risks in all spaces and for all parts of the organization.”

Currently, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is using four Arc units in the USANA Center of Excellence to disinfect spaces such as the weight room, physical therapy facilities, performance lab and their aerial practice area, which includes ramps, trampolines and foam landing pits. To optimize athlete health and performance, the team runs R-Zero’s UV-C systems daily in these high-traffic training locations. Later this month, the team will also ship two Arc units to Beijing for use in the upcoming Games. 

“COVID-19 illuminated the need for increased health and performance conditions for professional athletes across the world,” said Grant Morgan, co-founder and CEO of R-Zero. “As the Delta variant continues to surge globally, ensuring the health security of team staff and athletes will continue to remain critical. We are proud to support the entire U.S. Ski & Snowboard organization in creating safer indoor athletic training environments, both here in Utah and internationally.”
 

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About R-Zero
R-Zero is the first biosafety technology company dedicated to making the indoor spaces we share, safer and clinically clean. Founded to help organizations protect the health of people they serve, R-Zero is dedicated to developing the most effective and innovative disinfection technologies, to reduce the spread of all infectious diseases. R-Zero’s first product, Arc [an IoT-enabled, whole-room UV disinfection device] is currently enabling a higher level of health safety for hundreds of thousands of people, across both public and private sector organizations, without the use of chemicals. Today, R-Zero is pioneering the first continuous, automated disinfection ecosystem, enabling every organization to measure and manage indoor health risk with the same level of sophistication and technology that’s become standard across virtually every other industry. Informed by data science, built with AI, ML, and IoT connected hardware, R-Zero’s intelligent disinfection platform provides greater visibility, automation and even smarter risk reduction within the indoor spaces where humans spend their time. R-Zero is backed by leading venture capital firms, as well as thought-leaders from the health, hospitality, sports, commercial real estate, impact, and other industries. For more information, visit www.rzero.com. 
 

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard 
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2021, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers, and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success, and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org

Creative Assets:
Photo assets of the R-Zero Arc system installed in the USANA Center of Excellence are linked here for use. 
 

Davis U.S. Cross Country Team athlete Logan Hanneman and U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Luke Winters just finished up a hard training block as they prepare for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, so they made the annual aviation pilgrimage to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the EAA AirVenture Show as guests of Textron Aviation.

Hanneman and Winters learned to fly in a Cessna 172 and each was excited to share their love of aviation, and their respective sports, on Day 3 Live With Textron Aviation, hosted by Mindy Lindheim. In addition to meeting dozens of pilots and aviation enthusiasts from across the U.S., they also enjoyed a ride on the Goodyear Blimp!

This was the first trip to Oshkosh, which hosts the annual show - the largest aviation gathering in the world - but certainly will not be their last as they both continue to pursue additional pilot ratings with a goal of flying into Wittman Field and landing on the famed red, green, orange, white, pink or yellow dots!