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.)

From Champaign to sparkles, to puking on the course, Davis U.S. Cross Country Team athlete Julia Kern takes us behind the scenes of the 15th Tour de Ski.

For more on Julia, follow her @JuliaKernSki

The U.S. Aerials Freestyle Ski Team is back on tour with three weeks of back-to-back FIS World Cup competition slated for January. This weekend is a double feature in Yaroslavl, Russia, with Aerials Jan. 16 and Mixed Team Aerials Jan. 17. Mixed Team Aerials will make its Olympic debut in Beijing 2022 and it is the first team World Cup of the season. Jan. 23 the crew will compete in the classic Moscow city Aerials World Cup and Jan. 30 sees the team in Raubichi, Minsk, a venue the team has seen success at before. 

Following their World Cup Opener in Ruka, the team spent several productive weeks at Official Training Site Utah Olympic Park (UOP) and rang in the New Year with three competitions to cap off the training block. 

“After returning home from Ruka, we identified the weaknesses we needed to work on at the UOP before this next leg of competition,” said Head Aerials Coach Vladimir (Vlad) Lebedev. “The goal for us is to compete as much as possible, and we did that with the January NorAms and National Championships. We’re prepared well for these next few weeks.”

Consistent access to a world-class site such as the UOP is invaluable when training to compete on the world’s highest stage, especially this season with COVID-19 affecting schedules. “We had a really awesome training camp at the UOP, it’s been some of the most quality jumping I’ve done in my career,” said Chris Lillis ahead of departing for Russia. “We were on a nice site, had great weather, it was just awesome training at home before we headed out. I’m trying to use it as a stepping stone onto bigger things [this season].”

“We’ve done so much to get our team ready for these events, dealing with all of the COVID protocols and staying healthy,” added Ashley Caldell. “I think we’re definitely ready to take on the challenge that is traveling the world doing aerials.”

Four aerials events in three weeks is not a light undertaking when taking into consideration jump count and impact, managing mental health and travel stress, and trying to fuel properly. Compound that with a monster travel day including 13 hours in the air, four hours spent in Russian immigration and a five hour bus ride to the actual venue. Add COVID-19 protocols to top it all off and one can only imagine the mental gymnastics required to be successful in the air these next few weeks. “It will be a challenge for us,” said Vlad. “We will obviously continue to manage our COVID protocols and bubbles. Staying healthy and safe is our top priority. As long as the team performs at the same level they have been training we will be set up well for competition.” 

U.S. Starters
Women
Ashley Caldwell
Kaila Kuhn
Dani Loeb
Megan Nick
Megan Smallhouse
Winter Vinecki

Men
Chris Lillis
Eric Loughran
Justin Schoenefeld
Quinn Dehlinger

ASPEN SNOWMASS, Colo. – Jan. 13, 2021 – Aspen Snowmass, in collaboration with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club (AVSC), will host the 2021 NorAm Finals April 5-16 at Aspen Highlands. The event will include men’s and women’s downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, and a parallel event. The event will take place after Highlands has closed for public skiing this season and restrictions will be in place to ensure compliance with COVID health and safety protocols.

“The Aspen Snowmass community has been a strong supporter of alpine ski racing for over 60 years hosting events at all levels,” says Eric Webster, Director of Events, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team. “We are excited to partner with Aspen Snowmass and AVSC this spring to host a series of extremely important NorAm level events. Thank you to Aspen Skiing Company, AVSC, and the Aspen community for making these races possible.”

“Ski racing is deeply engrained in Aspen’s heritage and our mountains have seen incredible triumphs from many of the greats”, says John Rigney, senior vice president, Aspen Snowmass. “We are honored to continue celebrating athletic achievement in this most unique year, and look forward to providing a great venue and the best possible races for the U.S. Ski Team athletes.”

The last time Aspen Snowmass hosted NorAm Finals was five years ago in 2016 in preparation for the 2017 World Cup Finals. AVSC racer and Aspen local, Wiley Maple, won the NorAm downhill and season-long title at that event earning coveted World Cup starts the following season. Ski racing runs deep in the Roaring Fork Valley, as the resort not only hosted the first World Championships outside of Europe in 1950 but has been a continuous stop on the World Cup circuit for both the men and women. Aspen is scheduled to host the U.S. Alpine Tech Championships in 2022.

“The Stapleton Training Center at Aspen Highlands continues to be an incredible resource for our Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club athletes,” says Mark Godomsky, Executive Director AVSC. “In a season where many clubs have struggled to secure consistent and quality training space, we feel incredibly lucky to work with Aspen Snowmass to provide safe, productive training on this world-class venue. We are excited to welcome others to Aspen Highlands and the Stapleton Training Center this spring for NorAm Finals and are grateful for the opportunity to host races, especially a series of this caliber, this season.”

2021 NorAm Finals Event Schedule
Monday, April 5, NorAm Downhill Training, Men/Women
Tuesday, April 6, NorAm Downhill Training, Men/Women
Wednesday, April 7, NorAm Downhill #1, Men/Women
Thursday, April 8, NorAm Downhill #2, Men/Women
Friday, April 9, NorAm Super-G, Men/Women
Saturday, April 10, NorAm Super-G/Alpine Combined Women
Sunday, April 11, NorAm Super-G/Alpine Combined Men
Monday, April 12, NorAm Slalom Women, Giant Slalom Men
Tuesday, April 13, NorAm Slalom Women, Giant Slalom Men
Wednesday, April 14, NorAm Giant Slalom Women, Slalom Men
Thursday, April 15, NorAm Giant Slalom Women, Slalom Men
Friday, April 16, NorAm Parallel Event, Men/Women

Media Note
For a selection of ski racing images at Aspen Snowmass, click here: https://aspensnowmass.imagerelay.com/sb/1378dc55-52e6-40d2-8e86-4d24ed047fbd/ski-racing-at-aspen-snowmass

Photo credit goes to the photographer listed.

Media Contacts:

Aspen Snowmass
Tucker Vest Burton, (970) 300-7020, tvestburton@aspensnowmass.com  

U.S. Ski & Snowboard
Megan Harrod, (435) 714-9393, mharrod@usskiandsnowboard.org

About Aspen Snowmass
Aspen Snowmass, based in Aspen, Colo., operates the four mountains in the Aspen Snowmass area - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk. In addition, Aspen Snowmass owns and operates the award-winning Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen Snowmass, a collection of rental and retail shops titled Four Mountain Sports and a hospitality division that includes the five-star, five-diamond property, The Little Nell and three contemporary Limelight Hotels, one based in the core of Aspen, one at the base of Snowmass Mountain, and the other in Ketchum, Idaho. In its current form, Aspen Snowmass is a values-driven company that is grounded within the core values of: Live Passionately, Awaken the Spirit, Elevate Community and Honor Place. Aspen Snowmass is accessible by one of the most convenient airports in the mountains – Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) (3 miles from Aspen). For more information about Aspen Snowmass, visit www.aspensnowmass.com or call (800) 525-6200. Follow Aspen Snowmass @aspensnowmass on Twitter and Instagram or at www.facebook.com/aspensnowmass.

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, 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

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Release courtesy of Aspen Snowmass. 

Mikaela Shiffrin shattered records on Tuesday, taking her first FIS World Cup slalom victory in more than a year in the Flachau, Austria, night slalom. Paula Moltzan had her career-best slalom finish, taking ninth place.

Shiffrin led the race after the first run by just .08 seconds, but after a remarkable second run by the Austrian hometown favorite Katharina Liensberger, there were thoughts that Mikaela would just be racing for second place. Instead, Shiffrin found the classic Shiffrin extra gear to hammer into the finish—and when she looked up to see that she won by .19 seconds, she let out an uncharacteristic celebratory scream.

“I felt inspired; I just felt alive,” said Mikaela. “I just was pushing. I wish I could explain. The second run, that was maybe the top slalom skiing I’ve been able to do in a race.”

Wendy Holdener of Switzerland was third and Petra Vlhova of Slovakia—current overall and slalom leader—was fourth.

While Shiffrin is never one to speak to records, she broke a number of them with her win in Flachau. It was her 44th career slalom victory—giving her the most wins for a female in a single discipline—and her 68th career World Cup win, which propels her into third place on the all-time victory list, surpassing Austrian Marcel Hirscher and putting her only behind Ingemar Stenmark (86) and retired teammate Lindsey Vonn (82). It was also her 100th career podium. Oh, and Shiffrin is still only 25 years old.

Though Shiffrin had won in Flachau three times in her career before Tuesday night, her last slalom victory was December 29, 2019, and she said she’s still finding the right mindset on the World Cup circuit again. “It takes a different mentality—and I’ve been learning that again this whole season,” she said. “There’s a couple of steps. A lot of things have happened, including getting more time in training, getting more time thinking about my mindset, and thinking about all the pieces that go into race day that we don’t have to experience in training. All those things came together tonight. It’s amazing, but it doesn’t mean it’s fixed yet. But tonight was really really good.”

Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Paula Moltzan also had a banner day, snagging ninth place to take home her best World Cup slalom finish. She loves the venue, having previously scored her best slalom finish in Flachau in 2019 with 12th place. “I’ve always just loved racing here—mostly because it feels like home,” said Moltzan. “I grew up in the Midwest. I trained at night under the lights every day—I thought it was weird to ski in the daylight. This just feels like coming back home and it’s really special to have my best result in slalom here again!”

AJ Hurt also got a second run, skiing intelligently to take 29th place and score her first slalom points. In her first full World Cup season, she has now scored in four events—giant slalom, super-G, parallel, and slalom. And the young 20-year-old Squaw Valley racer is hungry for more this season. 

Lila Lapanja just missed the second run, finishing in 32nd in the first run. Nina O’Brien and Resi Stiegler also did not qualify. In her first World Cup, Zoe Zimmermann skied out and did not finish. Katie Hensien also did not finish.

This was the last World Cup slalom prior to World Championships. The women’s tech team heads next to Kranjska Gora, Slovenia for two giant slaloms on January 16 and 17, replacing the Maribor races that were canceled due to lack of snow.

RESULTS
Women’s slalom

The world was watching as U.S. Freeski Pro Team member Colby Stevenson stormed out of nowhere in 2020 to win two gold medals at X Games Aspen, plus the coveted Best In Snow award as a rookie in X Games competition. What many don't know is that Stevenson suffered a traumatic brain injury following a car accident in 2016. Doctors didn’t know if he would walk again, let alone ski. However, Stevenson’s recovery was mighty, with the contest results to prove it. Today, Stevenson is a household name in elite-level freeski competition, but there’s more to Colby Stevenson than just gold medals and a comeback story. 
 

OGIO Inc., a leading innovator of sports and travel bags, backpacks, and golf bags, announced today their partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, becoming the exclusive travel gear partner for some of the world’s most elite winter athletes. As an official partner, OGIO will work closely with the organization’s athletes, coaches, and equipment managers to produce travel and equipment bags built to the specifications that teams, skiers, and snowboarders demand throughout the global competition season and beyond. This includes wheeled ski and snowboard bags, on-mountain backpacks, and special travel gear that incorporates the key characteristics OGIO is known for – durability, protection, thoughtful organization, and comfort.

"OGIO has worked hard to earn its reputation as the most durable and functional travel gear for athletes and professionals of all types,” said Gregg Hemphill, OGIO’s General Manager. “We are thrilled to have earned the trust of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams’ athletes, coaches, team managers, and staff to carry all of their essential equipment and gear as they compete around the world. It has been very exciting to work hand-in-hand with such a passionate organization in creating our new winter sports gear bags, and we can’t wait for skiers and snowboarders around the world to get their hands on these bags as well.”

“Our athletes are innovators of their sports and we are excited to partner with an innovative company like OGIO for such an important need for our teams,” said Michael O’Conor, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Chief Revenue Officer. “U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and teams crisscross the globe chasing snow and competitions, and OGIO will provide peace of mind when it comes to transporting required gear and equipment. We are thrilled to bring the U.S. Ski & Snowboard OGIO line to life and know skiers and snowboarders of all abilities will appreciate the features and details this collection has to offer. Whether you’re an amateur weekend warrior or seasoned powder hound, you can count on OGIO to get you where you need to go, just as our elite teams do.”

Throughout the partnership, OGIO will unveil a variety of winter sports gear bags and backpacks, including U.S. Ski & Snowboard team-issue wheeled ski and snowboard bags, rolling duffels, backpacks, and a RIG 9800 wheeled gear bag specifically designed for winter sports. This collection will launch at the beginning of the ’21 winter season.

More information on U.S. Ski & Snowboard can be found at www.usskiandsnowboard.org. For more information on OGIO and to stay up to date on their latest product releases, please visit www.ogio.com.

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ABOUT OGIO
Founded in 1987, OGIO is an award-winning global leader in gear bag design and manufacturing, recognized for fusing performance, sports and lifestyle in every collection. Today, the company aims to make the world’s most ingeniously designed, expertly constructed and technologically unrivaled personal storage products.

The innovative brand produces gear-focused bags with durable materials, long shelf lives and a plethora of pockets for storage. In all production, OGIO operates on the pillars of organization, durability, protection, ergonomics, mobility and sustainability.

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 Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund has exceeded its $3M goal, raising more than $3,075,000 to support all athletes and teams during these uncertain and unprecedented times. 

Just over three months after launching the Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the fund has reached and exceeded its original goal of $3M, raising over $3,075,000. In creating the fund, the Shiffrin family, coupled with six families of generous donors, wanted to honor both Jeff’s legacy, as well as contribute to the ongoing pursuit of excellence for all athletes across all sports. Better days are still ahead, and the thrill and challenge of athletes’ Olympic dreams are worth fighting for. 

With challenges, come opportunities. 

The Shiffrin family believes that great goals can be achieved through hard work, discipline, and resiliency. The goal of the Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund is to keep athletes’ skis and boards on the snow, despite potential storms ahead. The Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund will sustain coaching, training camps, and competition expenses now, and hopefully, help bridge the gap through the end of the 2022 fiscal year.

“It is an honor to share that we have fully funded the Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund,” said Tiger Shaw, President, and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “We are incredibly grateful to Mikaela, her mother Eileen, and brother Taylor, as well as the six families who helped launch the Fund, for their hard work and energy in creating this crucial piece of funding for our athletes and teams. I can think of no better way of honoring Jeff than by ensuring athletes have access to the resources they need.” 

Shiffrin rallied a crew of alumni athletes and current athletes who embody the definition of “resiliency,” including Olympic champions Jonny Mosely, Kikkan Randall, Jessie Diggins as well as three-time World Champion Jeremy Bloom and three-time World Cup winner and Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team downhiller Steven Nyman, to share their unique stories of resilience. In addition, over 30 athletes across sports shared their stories of resilience in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s social media challenge to #KeepTheFlameAlive. Donations flooded in from around the world, including 19 different countries, and 39 states—with Colorado and New York amassing the most donations. From Latvia to Great Britain and even Luxembourg, U.S. Ski & Snowboard fans from around the world donated and shared their words of encouragement with Shiffrin and her teammates. 

“I am so full of gratitude, first, for my teammates for being open and courageous as they shared their stories of resilience...and, of course, to U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the donor families who worked tirelessly to make this Fund a reality,” said Shiffrin. “Finally, I’m thankful to all of those who donated, sent words of encouragement, and shared their own stories of resilience via social media. It was really heartwarming to see all of the feedback, and I know my dad would have been so proud of this project and so excited to see athletes across U.S. Ski & Snowboard off to such a strong start this season. Thank you.” 

A big thanks is in order to all of the generous donors and to all of the athletes, led by Shiffrin, for their outreach to their personal networks. The fund has allowed U.S. Ski & Snowboard to sustain our training and competition schedule as many funding sources were impacted due to COVID. This has translated into one of the most successful seasons in history, as we have amassed 27 podiums and eight victories this season across all sports—including a historic Tour de Ski win by Olympic Champion Jessie Diggins—which is a direct result of the consistent funding. On top of that, many athletes have reached the podium for the first time, the points for the first time, and have also enjoyed career-best results. 

“This past year has been a master class in resilience, for our organization and our athletes,” added Shaw. “Through this Fund, we will be able to bridge the gap caused by challenges relating to the global pandemic, and beyond. I am humbled by the continued generosity of our donors and supporters, we could not do what we do without the passionate team behind the team.’  

“We have had an incredible start to this competition season, and remain grateful to be able to train and compete. This is an important year for us in the run-up to the next Olympics. As medical advances are made and some sense of normalcy returns to the world, we look forward to a brighter 2021, and we cannot wait to celebrate with the world in Beijing in 2022.“

We are now shifting our focus to our annual alpine and freeski and snowboard sport fundraisers to further support the travel costs of each team. 

For more information about the Jeff Shiffrin Athlete Resiliency Fund visit keeptheflamealive.org. 

Learn more about the upcoming Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team fundraiser. 
Learn more about the upcoming freeski/snowboard fundraiser. 
Learn more about how to support the U.S. Freestyle Moguls Ski Team.

With 10 podiums from five athletes, the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team is off to its strongest start in years. Strong skiing equals strong interest, so we thought we’d spend a little time demystifying the television broadcast and streaming opportunities for you to experience the FIS Alpine World Cup this season, to the  World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and beyond! 

The TV rights situation is a complex one. 
Former women’s World Cup beat writer Gabbi Hall took the time a few years back to give fans a look at the complexity of the TV rights in alpine ski racing. Since she did such a stellar job explaining it, and much of the information still holds true today, we thought it would be a good idea to resurrect her article, 5 Things You Never Knew About World Cup TV Rights. Grab your coffee, and head over to that piece for a few to get acquainted if your attention span is up for the task. 

Where can I find the full alpine TV schedule?
Not only can you expect for us to share the viewing information prior to each World Cup race on our social mediums, but you can also find it 24/7 on our website here. It’s a pretty sweet resource that includes both TV broadcast and streaming information. 

Why are Austrian World Cup venue races exclusive to NBC’s Peacock TV?
To lay it out very clearly:

All races outside of Austria = Available on Olympic Channel, NBCSN, and/or NBC + Peacock

All races in Austria = Available exclusively on Peacock. 

Now, let’s dive in. 
Currently, ski and snowboard World Cup events in Austria are not available for broadcast in the United States on Olympic Channel, NBCSN, and NBC. Broadcast and digital distribution rights are negotiated between the event’s rights holder (Austrian Ski Federation) and media companies. We do not control the media rights to Austria races. Are there other options? Yep! 

Peacock Premium offers live coverage of the entire event schedule, as well as the option to watch on-demand. Don’t want to wake up at 4 a.m. to watch the Mikaela Shiffrin crush the first run, but want to watch it later? Easy. Check it out. 

Note: Peacock Premium does not have commentators, it provides only the live video feel with natural sounds (which is cool in and of itself...you can hear the sound of athletes skiing 80+mph with two planks that have razor-sharp edges) and graphics, however Olympic Channel, NBCSN, and NBC will once again be broadcasting all events outside of Austria, and will include commentary. As far as costs go for Peacock Premium, it’s actually less expensive than NBC Sports Gold’s Snow Pass...at $4.99/month it is about $10 less than the annual cost of $69 for Snow Pass. Also, you can pay by the month, only for the winter, so five months would be under $25. Lots of Austrian venue races coming up in January...why not snag Peacock Premium for a month? You can do that. Five bucks. How much did you spend on coffee this week? Just sayin’.

We've heard many individuals say they don't want to pay more for a streaming service, on top of your cable package. Think of it this way: paying for Peacock Premium (even for one month) is good for the sport for the athletes, as it states a case for more and wider coverage in the future. 

All streams will be available via desktop as well as mobile, tablet, and connected television platforms. The NBC Sports, Peacock TV, and Olympic Channel app are available on the Apple App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire. Comcast’s eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers, as well as eligible Cox Contour customers, enjoy Peacock Premium included with their service at no additional cost.

How can I get in contact with Peacock? 
https://www.peacocktv.com/help/

Thank you, as always, for your support. Also—just for good measure, we'll share the broadcast/streaming schedule again, in really big, bold font. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at megan.harrod@usskiandsnowboard.org. 

ALPINE TV/STREAMING SCHEDULE

It was another stunning day in St. Anton, Austria, where Isabella “Bella” Wright led the way for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team, grabbing a personal best 24th place and her first super-G points—just one day after scoring her career-first FIS Ski World Cup points. Young (20-year-old) up-and-comer AJ Hurt landed in 26th in her debut World Cup super-G start. 

In what was an extremely technical set with not much flow or rhythm, Switzerland’s Lara Gut slayed in Sunday’s super-G, earning her first super-G win since January 21, 2018, and her 27th career World Cup victory. Italy’s smooth-as-can-be Marta Bassino landed in second, 16 hundredths back, with Swiss Corinne Suter rounding out the podium in third, a mere two tenths off Gut’s pace. 

Not surprising, given the technical set with tighter-than-usual distances between gates, there were 14 DNFs and four disqualifications in Sunday’s super-G. The surface was, again, buff and beautiful. Utahn and Snowbird Sports Education Foundation’s Wright, who is in her first season officially named to the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team and her first full World Cup schedule, loved the technical course set. 

“Today in the super-G I felt really calm and happy in the start, and ready. I skied exactly how I wanted on the top part of the course and was very mellow in my head, but attacking at the same time...and just skiing and enjoying more turns. I loved how technical it was...that’s my favorite kind of super-G,” reflected Wright. “When I got towards the bottom I hooked my shoulder on a gate and didn’t think I was going to make it for a quick second, but I am grateful I crossed the finish line and I was happy with a lot of my skiing out there today.”

Teammate AJ Hurt, hailing from Squaw Valley, Calif., started in her first career super-G race and landed in 26th, grabbing her first World Cup points in the discipline—her third time in the points this season, across three disciplines (parallel, giant slalom, and now super-G). She was psyched with her run and knows she has more in her. Hurt’s teammate and best friend, Keely Cashman, who was 10th in her career-first super-G in Val d’Isere, France, crashed in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany during training and had to sit out the race series in St. Anton to rest and recover.  

 

 

 

 

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Olympian and veteran Laurenne Ross got low, missed a gate, and DNFed, but she is OK. Breezy Johnson, who podiumed in her third-straight downhill on Saturday, caught an edge and almost had a bad day, but pulled off a great recovery and finished just outside of the points, in 32nd. 

Following her first World Cup points on Saturday, Wright was full of emotions, hugging teammates and crying in the finish area with immense joy. “I’m extremely happy with this weekend. I feel like it was a big step for me, mentally, with my confidence more than anything,” she noted. “I have been training really well, and it’s just been about putting that into race day on these tracks that are all brand-new to me. So, it was a really big step, and the downhill day was really emotional for me...I wasn’t sure when I came through the finish if I had done it, and all I saw was 27th and I just was overwhelmed with joy—I don’t think I’ve ever felt that much joy.”

Teammate and veteran Alice McKennis, who was the defending downhill champion on this track (2013), was missed by her teammates, but especially Wright. “Alice McKennis was in my head and my heart all day, thinking about her...she was the last person to win here and I really wanted her to be there today with us, but I know she was there in spirit. It meant a lot to finally get in the points, and put down a solid run even with some conservative skiing at the bottom, and know that I can be in there and I have a lot more in me...I’m happy I have a lot more in me, and I know that it’s just a process of building that confidence more and more. It was a super emotional day.”

The group cohesion of the women’s speed team has always been notable, and the addition of Wright to the Team has elevated that cohesion even more so. Her positive energy and genuine spirit have been a great addition to the squad. “I think that it was more relief than anything, and I felt so much gratitude for everyone who has gotten me to this point and this Team—I’m so proud to be a part of it. They push me every single day. 

The Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team continues to show its depth and success across all levels, male and female. There are so many exciting things that have happened this year...including the fact that five different athletes have podiumed a total of 10 times so far this season. In fact, coming into Sunday’s race, every named female Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete who has started multiple World Cups this season has scored World Cup points.

Following Sunday’s race, Wright and Hurt went “soul-shredding” in St. Anton, grabbing some freeski turns on the perfectly prepared groomers, under the sunshine. What’s next for Wright? “Just going to try to continue this momentum and carry it into the next races, and hopefully put down a run top-to-bottom that I know I’m capable of,” she said. “I’m super happy with the weekend, and happy to have shared it with all of my teammates and friends here. It means a lot and I am so grateful for that.”

Up next, a large and deep women’s tech crew will head to Flachau, Austria for the classic night slalom on Tuesday. 

RESULTS
Women’s super-G

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST

Sunday, Jan. 10
2:00 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom - same-day broadcast, Adelboden, SUI, Broadcast NBCSN

Tuesday, Jan. 12
12:00 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Flachau, AUT, Streaming Peacock
2:45 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Flachau, AUT, Streaming Peacock

All streams will be available via desktop as well as mobile, tablet, and connected television platforms. The NBC Sports, Peacock TV, and Olympic Channel app are available on the Apple App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire.