The 2020-21 FIS Snowboardcross World Cup season is ready to start up in Chiesea in Valmalenco, Italy, with two races Jan. 23-24 after a delay due to challenges with the ongoing pandemic. This minor setback has only fueled the fire among U.S. Snowboardcross Team Athletes. 

“We are so excited to finally be headed to the first World Cup of the season,” said U.S. Snowboardcross Team Head Coach Peter Foley. “Despite all the craziness of operating in a COVID world, we have managed to maintain a high level of training and I’m really proud of the commitment these athletes have exhibited throughout all the uncertainty. We feel incredibly lucky to be doing this and now it’s time to let it rip on the racecourse.”

Eighteen riders will represent the U.S. including the 2019 individual FIS World Champion Mick Dierdorff and six-time World Champion Lindsey Jacobellis. Pro team member Faye Gulini is also set to compete following a solid 2019-20 season. Gulini led the way for the U.S., finishing fifth overall in the FIS World Cup Standings as well as earning a top-10 result in every race she entered. 

Senna Leith, who claimed his first World Cup podium last season in Calgary, Alberta, reflected on being able to return to competition while navigating the current state of the world.

“I’m super excited to finally get back to some competitions,” Said Leith. “Because of the pandemic, it’s been 10 months since the last time I was in a World Cup setting, which is crazy to even think about. We’ve been training so hard throughout all of this craziness and making the best of our situations. I am definitely excited to get back into the World Cup start gate. I am feeling strong and confident in my riding after these last few training camps, and now it’s time for the real thing. The last time I was in Valmalenco was for my first ever Junior World Championships seven years ago. It’s such a beautiful place with a great course, and I am really looking forward to being back there.”

Also representing the U.S. is a group of riders who have been excelling on the Europa and NorAm Cup circuits. U.S. Development Group rider Meghan Tierney topped the Europa Cup Standings last season with a first and second-place finish at Isola 2000 in France, as well as a third-place finish in the last race of the year in Grasgehren, Germany. Meanwhile, In the 2019-20 NorAm Cup standings, U.S. women swept the top three spots with development riders Anna Miller in first, and Livia Molodyh and Stacey Gaskill in second and third respectively. For the men, Mikey LaCroix dominated the Nor-Am circuit earning podiums at all four races he entered. 

The first snowboardcross World Cup of the season is sure to be a thrilling one. Tune in on NBC’s broadcast and streaming platforms to catch all the action. 

HOW TO WATCH
All times in EST 
Delayed Broadcast*

Saturday, Jan. 23
7:30 a.m. - FIS Snowboardcross World Cup Finals - LIVE -Chiesea in Valmalenco, Italy, Streaming Peacock

Sunday, Jan. 24
8:00 a.m. - FIS Snowboardcross World Cup Finals - LIVE - Chiesea in Valmalenco, Italy, Streaming Peacock
12:00 p.m. -  FIS Snowboardcross World Cup Finals - Chiesea in Valmalenco, Italy, Olympic Channel-TV*
10:00 p.m. - FIS Snowboardcross World Cup Finals - Chiesea in Valmalenco, Italy, NBCSN*
 

ATHLETES
Women
Meghan Tierney
Lindsey Jacobellis
Faye Gulini
Stacy Gaskill
Livia Molodyh
Anna Miller
Rosie Mancari
Madeline Lochte-Bono

Men
Jake Vedder
Senna Leith
Mike Lacroix
Jonathan Cheever
Hagen Kearney
Mick Dierdorff
Alex Deibold
Nick Baumgartner
Mckinzie Edwards
Paul Kimisky

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The U.S. Snowboard Team is primed to make their 2020-21 slopestyle and halfpipe FIS World Cup season debut Jan. 19-23 in Laax, Switzerland, led by none other than Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim. 

After spending the entire 2019-20 competition season studying at the prestigious Princeton University, Kim is ready to drop back into the pipe with a positive attitude. 

“I’m excited to finally be able to compete again,” said Kim “I feel a little nervous, but at the same time, I am feeling really confident. I want to do my best and have fun. Laax always has a perfect pipe for me to put runs together and learn new tricks. That’s all I am thinking about!”

Laax will mark Kim’s first competition since March of 2019. Due to cancellations and postponements associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, Kim is not the only one who will need to get the competitive juices flowing again. The last time the U.S. Snowboard Halfpipe Team competed in a World Cup competition was just under a year ago at the final World Cup of the season in Calgary, Alberta, Feb. 13-16.

U.S. Snowboard Pro Team member Taylor Gold has fond memories of the 2020 Laax Open after taking third place and landing the first-ever double Michalchuk 1080 in snowboard halfpipe competition. U.S. Snowboard Halfpipe Team Head Coach Rick Bower commented on the impact of his performance following the competition, “It has been an epic five-year battle returning from a shattered knee cap, but now the world knows Taylor Gold is back.” This season Taylor is confident, healthy, and ready to get another strong performance under his belt.

"I'm stoked that we're getting the opportunity to compete during these strange times," said Gold. "If I could pick one international event to attend this season, it would be the Laax Open without question. Laax always feels like a special trip because the pipe is the best in the world and we usually get at least one epic pow day at some point in the trip. Last year's Laax Open was my favorite event of the season, and doing well was very cathartic after years of rehabbing my knee. I'm hoping the stars align for a great event and some great turns again this year."

U.S. Slopestyle riders will have high expectations coming into the event after walking away with three podiums in 2020. The Laax slopestyle course is always unique and creative allowing each rider to paint their own canvas for the judges and fans. Historically, the competitors in Laax have always displayed a unique approach to the course. It will likely take much more than a “spin to win” mentality to walk away on the podium this week.

U.S. Snowboard Pro Team members, Brock Crouch, Hailey Langland, and double Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson are ready to compete and set the tone for the Americans. Langland will be searching for her first podium at the Laax Open. 

“I’m super excited to be back in the competition scene," she said. "It was daunting to travel across the sea for the first time since exactly one year ago, but it humbles me to be able to see familiar faces back in Laax. I missed competing, especially with all of my friends.”

Haled as the premiere snowboard contest in all of Europe, the Laax Open never disappoints. Tune in on NBC’s broadcast and streaming platforms to catch the action live. 

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Delayed Broadcast*

Friday, Jan. 22
7:15 a.m. - FIS Snowboard World Cup Slopestyle Finals - LIVE - Laax, Switzerland, Streaming Peacock, Olympic Channel-TV

Saturday, Jan. 23
11:45 a.m. - FIS Snowboard World Cup Halfpipe Finals - LIVE - Laax, Switzerland, Streaming Peacock, Olympic Channel-TV
7:00 p.m. - FIS Snowboard World Cup Slopestyle Finals - Laax, Switzerland, NBCSN*

Sunday, Jan. 24
1:00 a.m. - FIS Snowboard World Cup Halfpipe Finals - Laax, Switzerland, NBCSN*

ATHLETES
Women’s Halfpipe
Chloe Kim
Maddie Mastro
Tessa Maud
Alexandria Simsovits
Taylor Obregon
Kinsley White
Zoe Kalapos

Men’s Halfpipe
Taylor Gold
Chase Josey
Chase Blackwell
Joey Okesson
Jack Coyne
Lucas Foster
Jason Wolle
Ryan Wachendorfer

Women’s Slopestyle
Jamie Anderson
Hailey Langland
Isabella Gomez

Men’s Slopestyle
Brock Crouch
Fynn Bullock-Womble
Jake Canter
Dave Retzlaff

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It might have been negative 10 degrees Fahrenheit out on the Yaroslavl aerials site, but that didn’t stop the Americans from bringing the heat. The U.S. Aerials Freestyle Ski Team competed in two events Sunday with an individual World Cup before the Mixed Team event. 

Megan Nick stomped it out in the individual event with a high-scoring full double full to land her on top of the podium. This marks Nick’s first World Cup win (and was the first time she performed the trick in competition), and the first win for a female American aerials skier since Kiley McKinnon did so in Moscow in January of 2018. Kaila Kuhn joined Nick on the podium in third place, earning her first career top-three finish after performing a beautiful full full. Belarus’ Alla Tsuper took second. 

“My goal this season was to bring the double-out to snow and compete it,” said Nick. “Vlad and I have been working on getting higher quality DD (degree of difficulty) jumps and that’s what I have been working on since the beginning of the season and summer. It was nice to put down that jump today.”

On being the woman to break the U.S. women’s win drought Nick said, “It’s definitely meaningful. I was just really excited. I had never competed with the jump I did today, so I just focused on putting it to my feet and doing it how I’ve been training it.”

“It feels pretty unreal [to have landed on the podium],” said Kuhn. “I came into this competition knowing that all of the women were going to put down their best and so I knew I had to do the best I could to get on the podium. This definitely motivates me to do better in every future competition but I don’t plan to determine my future from my past successes. I want to do my best at each one and just take it from there.”

The American women had a strong showing, with five in the top 10. Ashley Caldwell, coming off of a second-place from the night before, placed fifth; Megan Smallhouse came in sixth, a career-best result; and Dani Loeb finished with her first career top 10, finishing 10th. Winter Vinecki was 18th. 

“I’m really excited about my top ten today because I’ve been training hard, and it’s starting to pay off,” said Loeb. “It’s exciting to compete at the World Cup level with all of these amazing athletes, and being around them has pushed me even more to do my best. This top ten has given me some confidence, and I’m looking forward to these next competitions.”

Russia’s Maxim Burov won his second event in as many days and teammate Stanislav Nikitin took second. Canada’s Lewis Irving took third. Three men represented the U.S. with Eric Loughran finishing 12th, Quinn Dehlinger in 13th and Justin Schoenefeld in 14th. 

Although having competed in one World Cup already, the Aerials Team’s evening continued with the first Mixed Team World Cup of the season. Mixed Team Aerials requires at least one athlete per gender per team of three. Each athlete performs one jump in the first round of finals and scores are added to determine the four teams to compete in the second round of finals. 

“This team event is high pressure,” said Loughran. “It puts a ridiculous amount of pressure on you because you’re jumping for two other people. If you thought aerials was a lot of pressure having only 8 or 10 seconds to do your trick, this makes it a whole lot trickier. You don't want to let your team down.”

Caldwell, Loughran and Schoenefeld represented the United States. Schoenfeld clinched the first finals round with a high-scoring double full full full and the U.S. qualified to the second final round with Switzerland, Russia 1 and Russia 2. Caldwell bested herself in the second finals, improving her full double full by almost two points to give the Americans an immediate edge. Loughran pulled out the stops with his final full double full full. Combined, the American’s scored enough points to edge out Russia 2 for third, less than four points from the second-place spot. Russia 1 won the event and Switzerland came in second. 

Sharing the podium together in a traditionally individual sport creates a deeper sense of team for the aerials skiers. Loughran and Caldwell have a long history together as members of the U.S. Ski Team, this season marks their eighth together. And Caldwell and Schoenefeld are the first U.S. Ski & Snowboard couple to podium at a World Cup together. 

“Ashley is one of the last on the team I  originally grew up jumping with,” said Loughran. “She gives me a sense of home up there. But it also puts a lot of pressure on me. I watched her stomp three Millers, she was on fire. It definitely felt good knowing what she could do and vice versa.”

“Justin and I jump really well together too. We usually try to see each other between each jump and ask each other if we’re having fun, because that's why we do it. Justin pulled it in for us on the last jump in the first round. Second round, we all landed and all skied it away for that third-place finish.”

"The team event is considerably different than the individual," added Caldwell. "The vibe of the entire site is more fun and filled with camaraderie and playful competition between nations. Your teammates are depending on you and that heightens the stress and the motivation. I’ve know Eric since I started this sport. And I have been dating Justin for a few years now. Being on their team was extremely fun."

"Today was my first time being a part of the team competition and I’m extremely happy to be a part of the first U.S team event podium!" said Schoenefeld. "It is extremely fun competing with your own teammates. Counting on each other and being able to make up for each other when it counts is what makes this competition different than the others."

It’s another two weeks on the road for this crew and team is doing its best to manage the stress of travel during a global pandemic on top of competing at an elite level. 

“We’re taking it day by day, focusing on the jumping and what we can control is the best way to manage the challenges,” said Nick. On being far from home and the familiar, “I could really go for a big salad,” she added. 

“We have two days off before the next event in Moscow,” said Kuhn. “I plan to get A LOT of sleep and stay super hydrated. Hopefully we have an easy travel day to Moscow tomorrow and we can rest up for the rest of the week.”

The U.S. Aerials Freestyle Team will look to get some much needed rest (and leafy greens) after three competitions over two days before competing in the Moscow city event Jan. 23. 

RESULTS
Women’s Aerials
Men’s Aerials
Mixed Team Aerials

Mikaela Shiffrin and Nina O’Brien had another solid day in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, matching Saturday’s results to finish sixth and 13th, respectively.

Italian Marta Bassino snagged her second win in two days of back-to-back giant slaloms on the same hill—her fourth FIS Ski World Cup GS win this season—while Michelle Gisin of Switzerland moved up to second place. Slovenian Meta Hrovat was third.

Shiffrin sat in the lead after first run by .30 seconds—a run she said was fun and fluid—but overskied the second run to drop back to sixth place. However, she left the venue feeling mentally strong and ready to keep working. “Today I just wanted to ski,” said Mikaela. “I changed my mindset and my attitude coming into today and just wanted the feeling of a few good turns again. I felt that first run today and that’s something positive to take away from the weekend.”

It was another great day for Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Nina O’Brien, who matched her personal best giant slalom result from Saturday with another 13th place on the icy Slovenian track. She had the 10th-fastest second run, showing that she’s right on the brink of breaking into the elusive World Cup top 10. “The first and last run of the weekend was great skiing,” said Magnus Andersson, the women’s tech team head coach. “It’s step by step—I know she can ski fast. It’s good.”

AJ Hurt was having a strong run first run, showing sixth-fastest splits at the top, but lost her outside ski and DNFed. “AJ is in the run,” said Magnus. “She’s going to get there. She’s fast—as fast as Nina for sure. It was tough snow this weekend and she will learn.”

The women’s speed team moves to Crans-Montana, Switzerland for two downhills and a super-G next weekend, while the tech team has a break until a giant slalom in Kronplatz, Italy at the end of January.

RESULTS
Women’s giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Jan. 16-18, 2021 

Monday, Jan. 18
11:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom - next-day broadcast, Kranjska Gora, SLO, Broadcast NBCSN

Ashley Caldwell led the Americans at the Jan. 16 FIS Aerials World Cup in Yaroslavl, Russia, with her first podium of the 2020-21 season, a second-place finish, marking her 16th career World Cup podium. Caldwell consistently stomped all of her jumps to her feet under the lights on the brand-new Yaroslavl course and fought through wind chills of up to negative 10 degrees Fahrenheit to perform a high flying and scoring full double full in the super final round. World Cup leader Australia’s Laura Peel claimed her second victory of the season and Russia’s Nikitina Liubov rounded out the women's podium in third.

"To be able to get on the podium is very gratifying," said Caldwell. "My body did well today. To get through a long day of training and put down some nice jumps is a testament to a lot of experience and our PT, Peter Toohey. I couldn't have done a better jump today."

The final rounds kicked off with a display of traditional Russian dance and fireworks to set the stage for an exciting night of competition. Three American women qualified to finals: Caldwell, Winter Vinecki and Kaila Kuhn. Kuhn performed a beautiful full full in the first finals round but was edged out of the super final by just one place and ended the night in seventh. Vinecki pulled out her new double full full for the super final round, and stomped it to her feet. Head Coach Vladimir (Vlad) Lebedev was celebrating from the knoll as Vinecki was all smiles in the finish area. She ended the night in fourth. Keep an eye out as Vinecki continues to improve that jump!

"It felt amazing to land my double-in in super finals!" said Vinecki. "I just missed the podium but am super excited to be right up there with the best in the world, including my teammate Ashley. I’m really looking forward to getting more chances to do this trick in the competitions to come to get on that podium!"

"I am extremely proud of Winter, she was just off the podium," said Caldwell of Vinecki's performance. "She's due for a podium. I look forward to that!"

Rounding out the U.S. women, Megan Nick was 13th, Megan Smallhouse 20th, and Dani Loeb 21st. 

Eric Loughran and Justin Schoenefeld represented the U.S. in the finals. Loughran looked good in the air during his full double full full but didn’t quite stick the landing and placed eighth overall. Schoenefeld was the sole American to appear in the super final round and his double full full full landed him in fourth place.

"This site is challenging," commented Vlad. "The weather was super crazy, very windy and snowy. And SO cold. The team handled all of those challenges and competed well. I'm proud of Winter for landing her double in and it was amazing to have Ashley on the podium again. We have a long day ahead tomorrow but the team is excited to get back out there."

Russia continued its dominance of men’s aerials with Maxim Burov and Pavel Krotov taking first and second, respectively, on home snow. Switzerland’s Noe Roth came in third. 

Quinn Dehlinger finished 14th. 

"I'm going to continue to be safe, I always have big goals of big tricks and triples," said Caldwell on her mindset for the next competition and beyond. "Sometimes you have to assess the situation with your body and the site and make the best choices. I plan to continue to make the best choices. I really want to make the team event, it would be really fun to represent the USA. I would like to do well tomorrow for that first jump and hopefully compete with some of our men."

Up next athletes will take on the Mixed Team event on Sunday, Jan. 17. Mixed Team Aerials will make its Olympic debut in Beijing in 2022 and Sunday’s event is the first of this FIS World Cup season. 

RESULTS
Women’s Aerials
Men’s Aerials

HOW TO WATCH
10:00 a.m. FIS Freestyle World Cup Men and Women's Aerials - LIVE, Yaroslavl, RUS, Streaming Peacock
 

Battling a brutally icy giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, Mikaela Shiffrin was the top Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete, finishing in sixth place. Nina O’Brien snagged a career-best giant slalom finish in 13th.

In the race that was originally scheduled for Maribor, Slovenia but moved due to a lack of snow, Marta Bassino of Italy took the win by .80 seconds and storied Golden Fox Trophy. Tessa Worley of France was second and Michelle Gisin of Switzerland stood on her first FIS World Cup giant slalom podium in third.

After a stellar first run for both Shiffrin and O'Brien, who sat in fourth and seventh respectively, both struggled a bit on the boilerplate track in second run. But the Burke Mountain Academy graduates held on—linking recoveries and hammering down the hill to score solid results.

“It was definitely very challenging—the surface especially. It was super icy,” said O'Brien. “First run, I felt super happy with my run because I felt like I didn’t do anything special. It wasn’t some skiing I’ve never done before—it was just how I skied in training. To see that the speed was good enough and stacked up well in a race was cool. Second run was a total rodeo mess, but I’m glad I hung on and made it. Not so bad if it’s another personal best.”

Prior to Kranjska Gora, Nina’s best giant slalom result was 15th, which she notched in Soelden in October, and she’s been consistently in the hunt in tech events throughout the 2020-21 season—finishing 19th in the Courchevel GS and ninth in the Semmering slalom. The 23 year old knows that more top 10s are in her future and even a podium isn’t out of the question.

Though Shiffrin was bummed, she said she's "super happy for Nina...her first run was especially motivational." 

AJ Hurt was having a fast first run, but went down on her hip and just missed the flip.

O'Brien and Hurt's coach, Magnus Andersson was happy with the day, despite the fact that Hurt just missed the flip. "Good day!" he said. "Step-by-step...and nice to experience the heat of starting next to some of the world's best GS skiers second run!"

Next up, the women race giant slalom in Kranjska Gora again on Sunday. “I’m excited to do it again,” said Nina. “I know a little bit of what to expect, so it should be fun.”

RESULTS
Women’s giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Jan. 16-18, 2021 

Saturday, Jan. 16
3:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Flachau, AUT, Streaming Peacock
5:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Kranjska Gora, SLO, Streaming Peacock
6:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Flachau, AUT, Broadcast Olympic Channel
6:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Flachau, AUT, Streaming Peacock
8:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Kranjska Gora, SLO, Broadcast Olympic Channel
8:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Kranjska Gora, SLO, Streaming Peacock

Sunday, Jan. 17
3:15 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Kranjska Gora, SLO, Streaming Peacock
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Flachau, AUT, Streaming Peacock
6:15 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Kranjska Gora, SLO, Broadcast Olympic Channel
6:15 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Kranjska Gora, SLO, Streaming Peacock
7:45 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Flachau, AUT, Broadcast Olympic Channel
7:45 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Flachau, AUT, Streaming Peacock

Monday, Jan. 18
11:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom - next-day broadcast, Kranjska Gora, SLO, Broadcast NBCSN
 

No U.S. men qualified for a second run in the first Flachau slalom on Saturday.

On a snowy day in Austria, Austrian Manuel Feller took his first FIS World Cup win on home turf ahead of Frenchman Clement Noel. Marco Schwarz made it an Austrian sandwich in third place.

Jett Seymour led the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team men, just missing the flip by three-hundredths of a second. Alex Leever—in his first World Cup start—and Ben Ritchie also did not qualify. Luke Winters did not finish first run.

Normally a women’s stop on the tour, this was the first time Flachau had hosted a men’s slalom in nine years. Originally scheduled for Wengen, the Lauberhorn races were canceled after an outbreak of COVID-19 cases. The slalom was then rescheduled for Kitzbuehel, prior to next weekend's Hahnenkamm downhill, super-G and slalom, but the Wengen slalom and Kitzbuehel slalom were moved again to Flachau to allow for more time for testing in Kitzbuehel.

The men race another slalom in Flachau on Sunday with the U.S. men excited for another go on the track.

RESULTS
Men’s slalom

At just 20 years of age, U.S. Snowboard Pro Team member Hailey Langland has accomplished more than most snowboarders in a lifetime. Sponsored at age six, followed by competition wins at age 14, Langland is what you might call “an old soul” on the slopes. With a classic rock upbringing and an appreciation for the snowboarding that came before her, Langland became a multi-discipline threat by age 16 and has no shortage of impressive competition finishes to her name. But all of that pales in comparison to Langland’s style, which she puts first and foremost. 
 

With no NorAm racing on the horizon until spring, the Women’s and Men’s NorAm Teams have packed up and flown to Europe for the next month.  A select few National Development Group athletes have been invited to join the group, with the goal of gaining critical international competitive exposure before the World Junior Championships in Bansko, BUL in March.  Given the ongoing pandemic, the scope of this development project is relatively small and U.S. Ski Team COVID policies are being strictly followed to keep the athletes and staff as safe as possible during their travels.

Early highlights include Isaiah Nelson (BHSC) winning a SL in Jenner/Goetschen, GER, Cooper Cornelius (AVSC), and Isaiah Nelson finishing 1-2 in a GS race in St. Lambrecht, AUT, and Zoe Zimmermann (BMA) earning her first World Cup start in Flachau, AUT, where Mikaela Shiffrin (BMA/SSCV) won her first SL in almost a year and Paula Moltzan (BHSC/UVM) earned her first SL top-10!

Women’s USST Athletes:

• Ainsley Proffit ‘01 - SBSTA
• Allie Resnick ‘01 - SSCV
• Lauren Macuga ‘02 - PCSS
• Nicola Rountree-Williams ‘02 - LSC
• Zoe Zimmermann ‘02 - BMA
• Emma Resnick ‘03 - SSCV

Women’s NDG Athletes:

• Ava Jemison ‘02 - BMA
• Mary Bocock ‘03 - RMK
• Sophia Tozzi ‘03 - JHSC
• Tatum Grosdidier ‘04 - SSWSC
• Kjersti Moritz ‘04 - SSCV
• Liv Moritz ‘04 - SSCV

Men’s USST Athletes:

• Cooper Cornelius ‘99 - AVSC
• Jacob Dilling ‘99 - SSCV
• Bradshaw Underhill ‘00 - KMS
• Kellen Kinsella ‘01 - SSCV
• Isaiah Nelson ’01 - BHSC
• Jack Smith ‘01 - SVSEF
• Trent Pennington ‘02 - SSCV

Men’s NDG Athletes:

• Jeremy Mathers ‘01 - SBSEF
• Luke Kearing ‘02 - HOLD
• Oliver Parazette ‘02 - JHSC
• Ryder Sarchett ‘03 - SVSEF

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has named deep and experienced teams to represent the United States at the 2021 U23 and Junior FIS Cross Country World Championships Feb. 8-14 in Vuokatti, Finland.

Gus Schumacher, Hailey Swirbul, and Hannah Halvorsen lead the way for the Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and the 22 named athletes, and eight alternates, for the upcoming U23 and Junior World Championships. Swirbul earned her first FIS Cross Country World Cup podium in Davos, Switzerland, in the 10k freestyle on Dec. 13, and recently finished 18th overall in her first FIS Tour de Ski. Halvorsen returned to racing this season and scored her first career World Cup points, finishing 23rd in the sprint in Dresden, Germany.

Schumacher, a 2020 Junior World Champion who is racing his first season on the World Cup tour, posted the best-ever American men’s result at the FIS Tour de Ski, finishing 18th overall. In addition, he posted a career-best World Cup result in Stage 6, a 15k classic, finishing eighth, just 11 seconds back of race winner Alexander Bolshunov of Russia.

Last year U.S. athletes earned 10 World Championships medals, including the Junior men who successfully defended their team relay gold medal, while the Junior women won the team relay silver medal. Three members of the men’s team move up to the U23 ranks, including Schumacher, Ben Ogden, and Luke Jager. The fourth member, Johnny Hagenbuch, will compete as a junior for the final time this season. Sophia Laukli, a member of the junior women’s relay team moves up the U23 ranks this year, while Kendall Kramer, Sydney Palmer-Leger, and Novie McCabe will all compete as juniors this season - all of whom are considered medal contenders.

“The current strength and depth of our ski nation are represented in this team of athletes,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Development Coach Kate Barton. “I am most excited to see an experienced group of U23 athletes leading this team into a championship event, supported by an equally strong, determined, and capable group of junior athletes.”

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has presented some challenges in selecting this year’s teams. In September, the cross country community decided to cancel all national-level competitions in favor of a more regionally focused competition calendar. This decision allowed athletes the individual choice to travel, or not, based on individual circumstances. Thus, U.S. Ski & Snowboard maintained the written objective selection criteria such as top 30 World Cup, and sub-50 FIS performances for men and sub-60 FIS performances for women. For the remaining nominations, U.S. Ski & Snowboard committed to a discretion-based system where both historical and current seasonal performances through January 3, 2021, would be included in the selection evaluation.  

"Programs and coaches across the nation are doing a great job continuing to support and progress their developing athletes in this unique year. And despite all of the adversity, I'm inspired by the dedication the athletes have put forth toward their own improvement,” Barton added. “I miss head-to-head racing and national-level events, but I am more grateful than ever for the opportunity to come together as one team to compete with this group of athletes and staff against the best competition in the world.”

"Thank you to our member clubs that continue to elevate our athletes as well as the National Nordic Foundation for their ongoing support of Cross Country Development projects like the Junior and U23 World Ski Championships," noted U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Sport Coordinator Byran Fish. "Our goal continues to be to provide experience and critical opportunities for the future of our sport. Thanks to NNF's financial support to allow these projects to be well-staffed for international success and yet still be financially feasible for our athletes.”

The following athletes have been selected to represent the United State at the upcoming FIS U23 and Junior World Nordic Championships.

U23 World Championship Team

Women:

• Hailey Swirbul (APU Nordic Ski Center/El Jebel, Colo.)
• Sophia Laukli (Middlebury College/Yarmouth, Maine)
• Alex Lawson (Middlebury College/West Burke, Vt.)
• Hannah Halvorsen (APU/Anchorage, Alaska)
• Renae Anderson (Loppet Nordic Racing/Golden Valley, Minn.)
• Alternate 1: Leah Lange (University of Utah/Park City, Utah)
• Alternate 2 Annika Landis (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Hailey, Idaho)

Men:

• JC Schoonmaker (Auburn Ski Club/Tahoe City, Calif.)
• Gus Schumacher (Alaska Winter Stars/Anchorage, Alaska)
• Hunter Wonders (APU Nordic Ski Center/Anchorage, Alaska)
• Benjamin Ogden (University of Vermont/Landgrove, Vt.)
• Luke Jager (University of Utah/Anchorage, Alaska)
• Alternate 1: Peter Wolter (Middlebury College/Hailey, Idaho)
• Alternate 2: Kai Meyers APU Nordic Ski Center/Anchorage, Alaska)

Junior World Championship Team

Women:

• Novie McCabe (University of Utah/Winthrop, Wash.)
• Sydney Palmer-Leger (University of Utah/Park City, Utah)
• Kendall Kramer (University of Alaska Fairbanks/Fairbanks, Alaska)
• Ava Thurston (Mansfield Nordic/Waterbury, Vt.)
• Nina Seemann (Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club/Craftsbury, Vt.)
• Haley Brewster (Ski and Snowboard Club Vail/Avon, Colo.)
• Alternate 1: Waverly Gebhardt (University of Vermont/Steamboat Springs, Colo.)
• Alternate 2: Garvie Tobin (Dartmouth College/Anchorage, Alaska)

Men:

• Johnny Hagenbuch (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation/Ketchum, Idaho)
• Zanden McMullen (Montana State University/Anchorage, Alaska)
• Will Koch (University of Colorado/Peru, Vt.)
• Wally Magill (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club/Steamboat Springs, Colo.)
• Finn Sweet (Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club/Waterbury, Vt.)
• Michael Earnhart (APU Nordic Ski Center/Eagle River, Alaska)
• Alternate 1: Brian Bushey (Green Mountain Valley School/Waitsfield, Vt.)
• Alternate 2: Walker Hall (Methow Valley Nordic Ski Educations Foundation/Winthrop, Wash.)