Comcast announced today that it will continue to be the official cable television and communications partner of U.S. Ski & Snowboard through 2023. As part of the renewed, multi-year commitment, Comcast will support America’s Olympic skiers and snowboarders through a robust domestic events program, enabling U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes stay at the top of their game with opportunities to compete on home snow at world-class venues.

The partnership will feature the Xfinity brand as the title sponsor of the formidable Xfinity Birds of Prey men’s alpine ski racing events at Beaver Creek, Colo. The Birds of Prey track has been a favorite stop on the FIS World Cup tour for two decades and features downhill, super G and giant slalom races during the first week of December. Comcast will be heavily involved with the Visa Big Air series, of which it was a founding member, the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix series and the Homelight Killington Cup. Through these events, Comcast will have a direct impact on athletes’ Olympic qualification process during the 2021-22 season.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes will don the Xfinity brand on their uniforms, representing the partnership in global broadcast coverage. In addition, fans at home across the country will be able to watch their favorite athletes from the comfort of their own home through extensive programming in coordination with NBC Sports television and streaming platforms.

Comcast is also renewing their commitment to athletes with ancillary sponsorship opportunities around the Beijing Olympic Winter Games with some of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s most prominent figures and rising stars.

"Our continued partnership with Comcast reflects the reputation our athletes and events held domestically and in markets across the world with global broadcast coverage,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Revenue Officer Michael O’Conor. “Communication is more important now than it has ever been and we are thrilled to be working with such a prominent partner in that space. Comcast’s strategic approach in supporting our athletes and the events in which they compete demonstrates a comprehensive, continued commitment to our organization and our athletes. We are proud to keep Comcast in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard family.”

“We are proud to extend this partnership and continue to support Team USA and the incredible U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes,” said Matt Lederer, Vice President, Branded Partnerships at Comcast. “U.S Ski & Snowboard plays an integral role in growing the sport and helping athletes of all levels realize their dreams, and we feel privileged to continue to be part of that journey.”

The action begins for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes at the upcoming 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International FIS Ski World Cup at Deer Valley Resort. The Feb. 6 Aerials event marks the first domestic Olympic qualifier for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes. Fans can catch all of the high-flying excitement on NBC, NBCSN, The Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA and Peacock Premium.

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Media Contacts
Lara Carlton
Corporate Communications Manager, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
lara.carlton@usskiandsnowboard.org

Kate Finn
Executive Director, Corporate Communications, Comcast
Kate_Finn@comcast.com

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with three primary businesses: Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal, and Sky. Comcast Cable is one of the United States’ largest high-speed internet, video, and phone providers to residential customers under the Xfinity brand, and also provides these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and security and automation services to residential customers under the Xfinity brand. NBCUniversal is global and operates news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures, and Universal Parks and Resorts. Sky is one of Europe's leading media and entertainment companies, connecting customers to a broad range of video content through its pay television services. It also provides communications services, including residential high-speed internet, phone, and wireless services. Sky operates the Sky News broadcast network and sports and entertainment networks, produces original content, and has exclusive content rights. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
 

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
 

The National Committee is sad to report that there will be no 2021 Masters National Championships. The event has been officially canceled after Sun Valley made the final decision that they are unable to host the event this year. Considerable effort was made to put together a plan that would allow our championships event to be held following all applicable COVID guidelines, but unfortunately it is not to be this season. A big thank you to Meri Stratton for her significant effort over the last several month to work with Sun Valley through the planning process. With COVID restrictions still impacting resorts across the country and limiting event size, the National Committee agreed that the best course of action is to cancel.

We look forward to gathering as a National group in 2022. 

All divisions have training and racing planned over the next few months and we encourage you to enjoy those opportunities:

• Division Training Links
• 2020-2021 Masters Schedules for All Division
• Regional/National Series still on the schedule

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Morgan Schild has never completed a FIS World Cup tour from start to finish. Though trauma has kept her stats low, what Schild has overcome and accomplished during her professional skiing career is unfathomable to most: sustaining and recovering from not one, not two, but three season-ending injuries.

Schild grew up skiing in Rochester, New York, at Bristol Mountain and credits coach Johnny Kroetz for her passion for skiing bumps. She skied with the Bristol Mountain Freestyle team until she was 16, when she moved out west to take her place on the U.S. Ski Team. “As a little 9, 10 year old, I was this little spitfire chasing after the boys. Johnny took all of that and translated it into something positive.” 

Schild made the U.S. Ski Team in 2014 and had her first World Cup start at the end of that season in Dual Moguls in La Plagne, France. She came dead last. She joined the international World Cup tour in 2015 and started to find success. Schild won her first event, Dual Moguls, in Japan in 2015. However, just two and a half weeks later, during training in Italy for Junior World Championships, she blew her left knee for the first time. “I had just won Rookie of the Year on the World Cup. I was having my big break moment. And then all of those things came to a halt. I remember it was the first time I thought that I wasn't necessarily invincible from skiing.”

About a month a half later, Schild underwent her first surgery and moved out to Park City, Utah, full time to rehab. It took her 22 months to get back into competition from that first injury, including a second surgery. She made her triumphant return on home snow at the Lake Placid World Cup in 2017 and earned her second-career World Cup podium with a third place finish. Carrying the momentum from such a stellar start, Schild went on to win the Deer Valley World Cup.

The 2016-17 season set Schild up well for the 2017-18 Olympic season. “[That] season came around, and it was going to be the first World Cup tour I did in good health.” In January at Deer Valley, Schild solidified her spot on Team USA with a pair of third places on the Champion course. “The Olympics were a lot of ups and downs. I definitely have some unfinished business. I went from qualifying in third to a 15th place finish.”

 

 

 

 

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Schild’s world came to another halt when she tore her left ACL for the second time during training in Tazawako, Japan in March 2018.

“I knew right away. Even though I had torn it before, I didn’t think it would ever happen again. It’s one of those things, you think you’re done with your [injury] chapter, writing the end... then all of a sudden - plot twist - and you have to start all over again. I had heard of people coming back from two ACLs, but I was so nervous that my knee wasn’t going to work ever again or that I wasn’t going to be able to come back.”

About a month post-injury, Schild went under the knife to repair her left knee again. The rehab process for her second injury was smoother and shorter. Schild blew through her rehab milestones, a stark contrast to her previous experience. 

In January 2019, Schild made her second comeback on the Lake Placid course. She placed fifth. “I had been training for about two to three months. I felt healthy. I hit all of my rehab milestones and strength tests. I felt ready to go.” However, somewhere between training and competition, Schild no longer had a left ACL, again.

“I remember pushing into the gate and being pretty nervous. It was my first competition back, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I competed through qualies, and thought ‘okay made it through, did well.’ I qualified well enough for super finals, I didn’t see that coming. I think in my super finals run I competed without an ACL. I think I blew it before then because I knew something was off in that run. I skied it all on my right leg. I didn’t understand what or why I was skiing weird. I got fifth that day, I don't even know how I did that.” 

The Lachman’s test confirmed Schild’s worst thoughts. “I would say that day was possibly the worst day of my life.”

“You start to go down this woe is me path. I needed something to kick me in the butt. Looking up at my teammates and friends crushing it on Champion it was like, ‘If that’s what you want to do, go do it. Go fix yourself and do it.’”

“What’s another ACL recovery?” she added sarcastically.

Schild decided to do a two-part surgery to fix her knee for the third time. The first part of the process was to fill the holes in her bone the previous surgeries created, take bone grafts, and let everything heal for about three to five months, which actually turned into seven. She also had her meniscus repaired. “I was not really prepared for not having an ACL for seven months. That really got me as an athlete. I didn’t have control over whether I was getting better or healing. Time was a huge part of my recovery, and I felt like I was just watching it go by at a very slow pace.”

On October 8, 2019, Schild underwent the second part of her third surgery process. “I was so nervous, I didn't know if i was ever going to feel like a ‘normal’ athlete again. Being able to compete was such a crucial part of my identity. As much as you do outside of sport, for example, I tried school (I’m almost done with a psych major and angled to go pre-med), but it wasn't as satisfying. The one thing I really wanted to do was ski.”

 

 

 

 

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With her third ACL injury repaired Schild could focus on the task at hand and build herself back up to World Cup level skiing. “That final surgery made everything settle. I was back at the beginning again. It was such a relief to know I could start working towards skiing again."

In between her final two surgeries, Schild admits she was not in a great place and credits her wide support system for keeping her going. “I was really in my head. I was not in a good place as an athlete or a person. I had tremendous help from my sports psychologist, and without my physical therapists and doctors telling me I could do it, I certainly would not have had the confidence to keep rehabbing.”

Being open about injury and the toll it takes on the body both physically and mentally does not always gel with being an elite athlete. There is a contradiction in showing vulnerability when being held to a certain standard of performance. Schild reflects, “It hasn’t been easy to share all of the moments that aren’t so great. For example, social media is a place where you try to promote yourself in a positive light. That can feel like such a big weight when you’re just trying to keep yourself together day to day. But I realized in the last year and a half I was holding all of this in and not allowing myself to feel everything, and it was just hurting me. I also came to the realization that so many more people, athletes and girls especially, are going through really hard emotional times in sport that we aren’t even aware of.”

Through an almost inevitable conversation - driving for hours will do that - with a fellow athlete, Schild realized that they were both going through the same thing. Having that camaraderie in that moment was everything. “I could only imagine if I could have had that conversation with my younger self, what a game-changer that would have been.”

“That conversation opened my eyes to things I felt I needed to ignore as a competitive athlete. I realized I wasn’t the only female athlete to be depressed.”

Though difficult for her to say publicly, Schild knows this is an important part of her story. “I was diagnosed as depressed and despite my efforts I could not fix myself, and I needed help from a professional. Luckily I had resources through the USOPC that helped me address my mental health. It’s important to me that the social stigma that clouds mental health within my sport community can be broken. It’s the reason I was so hesitant to seek help. None of my role models were depressed, so how could I possibly be?”

Even through the darkness, the pain and struggle, Schild still believes everything happens for a reason and chooses to see the light at the end of her injury tunnel. Injury, although devastating, provides an opportunity for self-reflection through the healing process.

“Only when the dust settles and everything stops moving, can you look around and see. That moment is very revealing. I don’t know if any athlete is really ready for it. Despite how many times I’ve been injured, that moment is always the hardest thing to deal with.”

“That’s one reason why I feel like I need to talk about it. When I was 16, 17, going through injury, I just came up with my own coping mechanisms trying to figure it out. It wasn’t the healthiest way to do things. I wish I had had someone to look up to, someone to tell me it’s okay to be bummed about being injured. If I could have told myself that then I think I would have been much better equipped to deal with the trauma and hardships now at 23.”

Countless hours in the gym, relentless mental gymnastics and 661 days after blowing her “lucky left” for the third time, Schild put boots in bindings and skis to snow in November 2020. She is taking things slowly and day by day, and will focus on building a strong foundation to get her feet underneath her once again.

She credits her PT crew, including Jen Kimball, Chuck Williams, Dave Quammen, and Gillian Bower, for “literally picking me up and piecing me back together.” Schild is grateful to Dr. Robert LaPrade for solving the puzzle of her knee for the third time and Dr. Alex Cohen for keeping her mentally strong. She knows she owes a huge thank you to her Olympian boyfriend, Emerson, who “put up with my ups and many downs during these injuries.” And last but not least, Schild points to friend Greek Olympian Alexi Pappas for being a source of inspiration and strength.

 

 

 

 

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In the next few months you can catch Schild working her way through the mogul course. She plans to listen to her body and let it guide her training back to full speed and tricks. Her eyes are on competing at a second Olympic Winter Games and that puts everything else into perspective. 

“My hopes are that I can return to the 2022 season with confidence and a healthy body and mind. As long as I stay on track with that, I feel like I should hit that Olympic qualification process with nothing but wind under my sails.”

Follow Morgan’s road to Beijing 2022 on her Instagram @morganschild

Learn more about how to support the athletes of the U.S. Freestyle Moguls Ski Team

Freestyle’s favorite week kicked off Feb. 2 for the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International FIS Ski World Cup at Deer Valley Resort. Just as Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter (we’re here for it!) the world’s best mogul skiers began booting up for their first day of on-snow training. 

The 2021 iteration of the Deer Valley Freestyle International marks 23 years of elite freestyle ski competition in Park City, Utah and will feature Moguls Feb. 4, Dual Moguls Feb. 5 and Aerials Feb. 6. Feb. 4 is officially One Year Out from the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing and to mark the occasion, mogul skiers will compete on the legendary Champion course, site of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The Feb. 6 aerials World Cup is the first Olympic tryout event for any U.S. Ski Team athlete across any discipline. The road to Beijing starts now!

This year will look different due to COVID-19 mitigation policies with competitions running during the day and no spectator access.

Moguls kicks things off Thursday on Champion: one of the longest and most challenging courses in the world. Already known as a beast, this year the slope angle clocked in around 29 degrees - a bit steeper than usual - which should make for two days of thrilling competition. 

Deer Valley athlete Brad Wilson will lead the men’s side for the Americans. “It should be known by now that Champion at Deer Valley is the most legendary course on tour,” he said. “It’s the steepest, longest and best showcased. When I drive up and see the course for the first time on Deer Valley Drive, it gets me so amped up and reminds me of my first ever World Cup podium back in 2013.” 

Park City local Nick Page grew up skiing Champion with Wasatch Freestyle and this week will be his third and fourth World Cup starts on the course. Deer Valley is where Jesse Andringa had his career-best singles finish in 11th place. Andringa’s high-flying airs, coupled with his natural athleticism, have the potential to really make a statement this week. Alex Lewis will bring a cork 10 to his bottom air, upping his degree of difficulty and his chances of breaking into that final round. Dylan Walczyk kicked his season off strong in Ruka, Finland, with a fourth place finish and will look to carry that momentum on the course where he has had some of his best results. 

Returning from injury to World Cup competition is Joel Hedrick. “My goals are to ski my best and have fun, happy to be back!” he said. Wasatch Freestyle’s Ian Beauregard makes his return to World Cup competition, earning his start from U.S. Selections. Beauregard competed in Lake Placid in 2019. Steamboat Winter Sports Club's Wyatt “Bubba” Antkiewicz makes his World Cup debut.

Jaelin Kauf will lead the #PowHERhouse, which boasts a roster nine deep this week. Kauf sustained a back injury over the holiday break but is excited to return to the course that showcases her fastest-woman-in-the-world speeds. 

Hannah Soar started 2020-21 off strong with her first singles World Cup podium in Idre Fjäll. Tess Johnson is skiing at a very high level and if history is any indication, fans should expect a show from the 20-year-old. In 2020 Johnson broke France’s Perrine Laffont’s win streak, enabling three Americans to ski in the final rounds of duals. 

Young up and comer Kai Owens will bring her typical high-flying jumps to really make a statement on the bottom air. Olivia Giaccio returned to competition in Idre Fjäll, Sweden, after being sidelined for a year due to injury. “Olivia has had a ton of training under her belt now during this break,” said Head Moguls Coach Matt Gnoza. “She’s coming into Deer Valley with a high level of confidence, look out.” Madison Hogg, who had her World Cup debut on the Champion course in 2020, feeds off steep courses with her tall skiing position. Sabrina Cass will make her Deer Valley debut.

Avital Carroll will be returning to World Cup competition from injury, her first World Cup start since March 2018. Kenzie Radway will also make her return to World Cup competition from injury, and her World Cup debut as a U.S. Freestyle Ski Team athlete. 

Aerials finishes off the week on Feb. 6 with the first domestic Olympic tryout event for any U.S. Ski Team athlete. The team is coming off a 10 podium three-week World Cup tour, including triple win weekends for the women, the first time in history for the program. Athletes are happy to be back in the U.S. and compete on White Owl, one of the finest aerial sites in the world.

Chris Lillis has his sights set on competing the quintuple he brought to snow in December. This would make him the first American to compete a quint in over a decade, since the late Jeret “Speedy” Peterson. “He has the talent and the ability to perform the best,” said Head Coach Vladimir (Vlad) Lebedev. “Victory is his for the taking.” 

Justin Schoenefeld and Eric Loughran, both part of the mixed team third place podium in Yaroslavl, will seek to make their mark. Quinn Dehlinger will compete off of White Owl’s triple for the first time in competition, having just started competing on the triple this year.

Park City Ski & Snowboard’s Derek Kreuger also joins the lineup. Kreuger made his World Cup debut last year on the White Owl course. Park City Ski & Snowboard’s Nick Novak rounds out the men’s roster.

The women of the U.S. Aerials Freestyle Ski Team have been on a tear since landing in Russia over three weeks ago. Megan Nick broke the women’s three-year aerial victory drought in Yaroslavl and added another win to her collection last weekend in Minsk. Winter Vinecki finally earned her first World Cup podium, and win, in Moscow, and followed up with a third-place in Minsk. 

Veteran and aerials-force Ashley Caldwell will look to build off of her success in Yaroslavl, where she earned her first podium of the season in second place. She followed that up with a third-place finish as part of the mixed team event the same weekend. 

Kaila Kuhn made her Deer Valley debut during 2019 World Champs at just fifteen years old. She will seek to top last year’s Deer Valley result of fifth place. Dani Loeb makes her Deer Valley debut as a newly minted member of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team. Madison Varmette will compete in her first World Cup of the season. Park City Ski & Snowboard’s Tasia Tanner makes her World Cup debut and rounds out the women’s roster.

The 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International is contingent on local and state health department approvals based on existing and future COVID-19 rules and regulations. FIS, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the local organizing committee, and Deer Valley Resort are taking a unified approach consistent with guidance from federal, state, and local health authorities.  

Due to COVID-19 the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International is closed to spectators. Freestyle fans can catch all of the action live on the Olympic Channel and Peacock streaming services. Delayed broadcasts will be shown on NBCSN and NBC Sports. 

STARTERS

MOGULS
WOMEN

• Sabrina Cass
• Avital Carroll
• Olivia Giaccio
• Tess Johnson
• Madison Hogg
• Jaelin Kauf
• Kai Owens
• Kenzie Radway
• Hannah Soar

MEN

• Jesse Andringa
• Wyatt “Bubba” Antkiewicz
• Ian Buearegard
• Joel Hedrick
• Alex Lewis
• Nick Page
• Dylan Walczyk
• Brad Wilson

AERIALS
WOMEN

• Ashley Caldwell
• Kaila Kuhn
• Dani Loeb
• Megan Nick
• Megan Smallhouse
• Tasia Tanner
• Madison Varmette
• Winter Vinecki

MEN

• Quinn Dehlinger
• Derek Kreuger
• Chris Lillis
• Eric Loughran
• Nick Novak
• Justin Schoenefeld

HOW TO WATCH
*Subject to change
All times EST

Thursday, Feb, 4

4:00 p.m., Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Moguls World Cup - LIVE, Deer Valley, USA, Broadcast Olympic Channel, Streaming Olympic Channel and Peacock

Friday, Feb. 5

2:30 p.m., Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Dual Moguls World Cup - LIVE, Deer Valley, USA, Broadcast Olympic Channel, Streaming Olympic Channel and Peacock

5:30 p.m., Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Moguls World Cup - next-day broadcast, Deer Valley, USA, Broadcast NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 6

4:30 p.m., Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Aerials World Cup - LIVE, Deer Valley, USA, Broadcast Olympic Channel, Streaming Olympic Channel and Peacock

Sunday, Feb. 7

8:00 p.m., Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Dual Moguls World Cup - next-day broadcast, Deer Valley, USA, Broadcast NBCSN

9:30 p.m., Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Aerials World Cup - next-day broadcast, Deer Valley, USA, Broadcast NBCSN

Sunday, Feb 21

1:00 p.m., Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Moguls World Cup - Deer Valley, USA, NBC Sports

Sunday, March 14

12:00 p.m., Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International Aerials World Cup - Deer Valley, USA, NBC Sports

EDITORS NOTE: Three additional athletes have been named to the Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team that will compete at the 2021 FIS Cross Country World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, Feb. 22 - March 7 following the competition of the Junior/U23 Cross Country World Championships:

• Sophia Laukli
• Hunter Wonders
• Ben Ogden

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the first 14 athletes of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team that will compete at the 2021 FIS Cross Country World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, Feb. 22 - March 7.

“We will be nominating more athletes to this team,” said Davis U.S. Cross Country Program Director Chris Grover. “Many of our best domestic performances this season have come from some of our younger athletes, and because of this, we want to evaluate performances at the upcoming Junior and U23 World Championships (Feb. 8-14 in Vuokatti, Finland) and name additional athletes to this World Championships Team on Feb. 15.”

Additional athlete considerations will also be evaluated following this weekend’s FIS Cross Country World Cup in Ulricehamn, Sweden, as well as the FIS World Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, Feb. 20-21. Grover anticipates the total team size will be closer to 18 athletes. 

World Cup leader Jessie Diggins leads a team stacked with veteran and up-and-coming talent, including 2020 Junior World Champion Gus Schumacher, who has scored World Cup points in his past 10-consecutive starts while competing in his first World Cup season. Based on this season’s success, the team is highlighting a number of events in Oberstdorf, including the classic sprint on Feb. 25; the team sprint on Feb. 27; the women’s 10k freestyle on March 2; the women’s 4x5k team relay on March 4; and the men’s 4x10k relay March 5.

NBC’s streaming platform, Peacock Premium, will live stream all the events of the 2020-21 FIS Cross Country tour this season. NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA will broadcast select World Championships events. Cross Country broadcast and streaming listings will be available throughout the season at USSkiandSnowboard.org.

2020-21 Davis U.S. Cross Country World Championships Team
Oberstdorf, Germany, Feb. 22 - March 7
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

Women

• Sadie Maubet Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wash.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 11/21/89)
• Rosie Brennan (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 12/21/98
• Sophie Caldwell Hamilton (Peru, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 3/22/90)
• Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 8/26/91)
• Sophia Laukli (Yarmouth, Maine; Middlebury/Bridger Ski Foundation; 6/8/00)
• Julia Kern (Waltham, Mass.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 9/12/97)
• Katharine Ogden (Landgrove, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School/Dartmouth College; 11/17/97)
• Hailey Swirbul (Aspen, Colo.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 7/10/98)

Men

• Kevin Bolger (Minocqua, Wisc.; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 4/11/93)
• Simi Hamilton (Aspen, Colo.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 5/14/87)
• Logan Hanneman (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 6/2/93)
• David Norris (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 12/12/90)
• Ben Ogden (Landgrove, Vt. (Stratton Mountain School Elite Team/University of Vermont; 2/13/00)
• Scott Patterson (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 1/28/92)
• Gus Schumacher (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Winter Stars; 7/25/00)
• JC Schoonmaker (Tahoe City, Calif; Auburn Ski Club; 8/12/00)
• Hunter Wonders (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 8/7/98)

The 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International World Cup is scheduled to return to Deer Valley Resort Feb. 2 – 6 and marks the 23rd year that Deer Valley will host elite-level freestyle competition. This event will be the first domestic World Cup level competition on U.S. snow for the 2020-21 season and will feature the first domestic Olympic Winter Games qualifier for any of our athletes with Aerials on Feb. 6. We are thrilled to be back home at Deer Valley!

Due to COVID-19 event and resort operations protocols and taking into consideration the health and safety of resort staff, event staff and the athletes, this year’s event will look different from year’s past. Events will be held during the day and venue access is limited to essential personnel only. There will be no spectator access and all media coverage must be conducted remotely. 

We are working through the logistics of shifting our media operations to a virtual experience with access to photography and video assets each day of training and competition, as well as remote access to athletes. More details will be provided in the coming weeks. Those interested in having virtual access to the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International should register here: https://www.deervalley.com/media-center/media/press-accreditation-form. 

Find updates throughout the week at our online media center here: https://usskiandsnowboard.org/media-center/2021-intermountain-healthcare-freestyle-international-media-center

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding. Please reach out with any questions, we want to ensure you have what you need to cover the event. Without valuable media partners such as yourself, we would not be able to tell the stories of our athletes as successfully. 

The 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International is contingent on local and state health department approvals based on existing and future COVID-19 rules and regulations. FIS, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the local organizing committee, and Deer Valley Resort are taking a unified approach consistent with guidance from federal, state, and local health authorities.  We appreciate everyone’s cooperation. 

Virtual media accreditation for the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International: https://www.deervalley.com/media-center/media/press-accreditation-form

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lara Carlton
Freestyle Communications Manager, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
lara.carlton@usskiandsnowboard.org

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, together with all stakeholders, have come to a joint decision to cancel the 2021 U16 Alpine National Championships due existing domestic calendar conflicts. The reconfiguration of divisional racing calendars across the country has created challenges within the potential qualification period, compressing it into a very short window. In Lieu of the U 16 National Championship event, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is planning to host development projects in the spring in each region, shifting focus from competition to skill progression. Thank you for your understanding and please visit usskiandnowboard.org for the latest information on upcoming alpine development opportunities.

Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Breezy Johnson grabbed her first FIS Ski World Cup super-G points of the season, landing in 20th, to lead three into the points in the second of two super-G races on Monday in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Bella Wright was 27th, and the young up-and-comer, AJ Hurt, was 30th. 

Switzerland’s Lara Gut won her fourth-straight super-G victory of the season, showing she’s in top form heading into the upcoming FIS Ski World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova, who is leading in the overall standings but has been inconsistent of late, was a surprising second, just .28 seconds off of Gut, to grab her first World Cup super-G podium. This was Vlhova’s first podium since she won the Zagreb, Croatia slalom, early in January. Austria’s Tamara Tippler rounded out the podium in third, .74 off the pace.

Johnson has struggled to find the points in super-G so far this season but has grabbed five top-five results in downhill, including four successive podiums (third-place finishes). With warm temperatures and rain/snow in the forecast in Garmisch, organizers were forced to cancel the originally scheduled downhill and replace it with another super-G. Johnson was bummed about that, seeing as though she was a favorite for the downhill heading into the weekend. Not only did Johnson score her first World Cup points at the German venue, but she also scored her first top-five there. After just missing the points in Saturday’s super-G, Johnson showed on Monday she can hang with the best in super-G too. 

“I feel very relieved,” she reflected in the finish. “Super-G has been a bit of an enigma to me this season, but it's good to be back in the 30 and feel like I had some good skiing again. I am definitely looking forward to the Cortina super-G. That track is really fun and I've only ever raced it once because of a number of things including the race getting cancelled three people from me. So, both excited to go back for that super-G and a little bit of a bone to pick with that super-G, too.” she laughed.

Wright continues to show consistency, finding her home in the points for a seventh straight time on Sunday. The young 20-year-old AJ Hurt also was in the points for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team, grabbing 30th. Hurt has scored in an impressive four events this season, including parallel, slalom, giant slalom, and super-G. 

Unfortunately, on Sunday, Italy’s Sofia Goggia fell while skiing on the slope next to the Garmisch-Partenkirchen race slope and the FISI medical committee confirmed that she suffered a compound fracture of the lateral tibial plateau in her right knee. The International Ski Federation (FIS) said in a post on Instagram that the injury was season-ending. Having won four-straight downhill races this season, Goggia was a clear favorite for the downhill title on home turf in Cortina d’Ampezzo. Johnson is currently sitting second in the downhill standings behind Goggia with three opportunities left on the calendar. 

Also starting for the Americans on Monday were Jackie Wiles in 33rd, just missing the points, and Laurenne Ross in 36th. 

The women will now shift their focus to the much-anticipated World Championships at Cortina d’Ampezzo—a favorite track of the Americans. 

RESULTS
Women’s super-G

STANDINGS
Overall
Super-G

Fidelity Investments®, Official Sponsor of U.S. Ski & Snowboard since 2019, has extended its sponsorship through the creation of two new programs as athletes embark on their qualifying process for Beijing 2022. 

Beginning this 2020-21 season, athletes from across all U.S. Ski & Snowboard disciplines will shift their focus to the Fidelity Path to Qualify during select domestic elite-level events. Each team has their own specific process for qualifying for the largest sporting event in the world, and the Fidelity Path to Qualify will guide fans and viewers through the milestones. In addition, stay up to date with the latest rankings by following updates on U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s website and social channels for the Fidelity U.S. Ski & Snowboard Qualifying Rankings. The Qualifying Rankings will reference existing points lists relevant to each sport and highlight the latest and most critical results to the qualification process.

The two new Fidelity programs will debut at the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International FIS Ski World Cup at Deer Valley Resort. The Feb. 6 Aerials World Cup marks the first domestic Olympic qualifying event for American ski athletes. U.S. aerial skiers who perform well will be one step closer to representing their nation in Beijing in 2022. 

“We are thrilled to work with Fidelity Investments on these new programs,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Revenue Officer Michael O’Conor. “Fidelity has been a key sponsor for us since 2019 and we are grateful for their continued commitment to our athletes as they push the boundaries of their sports. Through these programs we will be able to bring the excitement of the qualifying process to our fans and supporters as we ramp up to Beijing 2022 despite not being able to celebrate at domestic events together this season.”

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About Fidelity Investments
Fidelity’s mission is to inspire better futures and deliver better outcomes for the customers and businesses we serve. With assets under administration of $9.8 trillion, including discretionary assets of $3.8 trillion as of December 31, 2020, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a diverse set of customers: helping more than 35 million people invest their own life savings, 22,000 businesses manage employee benefit programs, as well as providing more than 13,500 institutions with investment and technology solutions to invest their own clients’ money. Privately held for more than 70 years, Fidelity employs more than 47,000 associates who are focused on the long-term success of our customers. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit https://www.fidelity.com/aboutfidelity/our-company.

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

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has named the U.S. Teams for the 2021 FIS Cross World Championships, taking place in Idre Fjäll, Sweden Feb. 11-13.

Following the cancellation of the original Zhangjiakou, China World Championships due to regulations implemented by the Chinese health authorities and government, the Swedish Ski Federation, the organizing committee of Idre Fjäll, and FIS agreed to reschedule the event. According to FIS (International Ski Federation), all stakeholders involved feel extremely confident that the World Cup organizer will be able to hold a successful World Championships. 

“We feel very fortunate that U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes will have the chance to compete in world championship cross competition this season amidst a challenging event landscape,” said U.S. Snowboard & Freeski Director Jeremy Forster. “U.S. skicross and snowboardcross athletes have been off to a strong start and will surely be accompanied by some momentum when they arrive in Idre Fjäll.

The resort is not new to the cross community, and has served as a regular stop on the FIS Skicross World Cup tour since the 2015-16 season. California native and U.S. skicross athlete Tyler Wallasch will be returning to the world championship venue just three weeks after earning the best World Cup result of his career with a fifth place finish in Idre Fjäll.

“I think I can carry momentum from the World Cup into World Champs,” said Wallasch. “Obviously, I think there will be some changes to the course, but Idre Fjäll definitely has a consistent style that I feel very confident on. I’ve been based out of Sweden since June of last year, so this almost feels like coming home.” 

The U.S. Snowboardcross Team is coming into the event ready to defend multiple titles. Mick Dierdorff is the defending individual 2019 World Champion as well as represents one half of the inaugural mixed snowboardcross Championship Team alongside teammate and six-time World Champion Lindsey Jacobellis. 

However, it’s been three-time Olympian Faye Gulini that’s on fire this season earning back-to-back podiums at the first stop of the snowboardcross World Cup circuit at Chiesa in Valmalenco, Italy.

“After being couched for the last World Championships in 2019 due to injury, I couldn’t be more excited to race in Sweden,” said Gulini. “The skicross tour has made a few stops in Idre over the years, and the mountain has always produced a great course. I think the course will favor my style of riding with big jumps and technical start features. I can’t wait to see what Team USA can accomplish!”

With a rock-solid venue and U.S. athletes coming in with confidence, the 2021 FIS Cross World Championships are setting up to be a spectacle. 

The individual snowboardcross competition is set for Feb. 11, snowboardcross team competition on Feb. 12, and the skicross competition will close out the program on Feb. 13. Tune in on the Olympic Channel to catch all the action live!

2021 U.S. Cross World Championship Teams
(Name, Hometown, Club, USASA Series, Birthdate, World Champs Teams)

Snowboardcross
Men

• Hagen Kearney - (Norwood, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/06/91; 2013, 2017)
• Alex Deibold - (Manchester, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 5/8/86; 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017)
• Jake Vedder - (Pinckney, Mich.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/16/98; 2019)
• Senna Leith - (Vail, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/8/1997)
• Mick Dierdorff - (Steamboat Springs Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/30/91; 2019)

Women

• Faye Gulini - (Salt Lake City, Utah; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/24/92; 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017)
• Lindsey Jacobellis - (Stratton Mountain, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/19/85; 2005, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2019)
• Meghan Tierney - (Eagle, Colo.; Board Stars Race Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/15/97; 2019)
• Stacy Gaskill - (Golden, Colo.; Winter Park Snowboard Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 5/21/00; 2019)
   

Skicross
Men

• Tyler Wallasch - (Los Angeles, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard Club; The Unbound Series; 6/8/94; 2015, 2017, 2019)

HOW TO WATCH
All times in EST
Delayed Broadcast*

Thursday, Feb. 11
8:30 a.m. FIS Snowboarding World Championships Snowboard Cross - LIVE, Idre Fjall, SWE, Streaming Peacock
10:30 a.m. FIS Snowboarding World Championships Snowboard Cross - same-day broadcast, Idre Fjall, SWE, Broadcast Olympic Channel

Friday, Feb. 12
6:30 a.m. FIS Snowboarding World Championships Snowboard Cross - LIVE, Idre Fjall, SWE, Broadcast Olympic Channel, Streaming Peacock

Saturday, Feb. 13
6:30 a.m. FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships Ski Cross - LIVE, Idre Fjall, SWE, Streaming Peacock
11:30 a.m. FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships Ski Cross - same-day broadcast, Idre Fjall, SWE, Broadcast Olympic Channel

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