See what’s on tap this week as the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team competes around the globe.

Xfinity Killington Cup - Killington, Vt.
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.) headlines a field of talented U.S. and international skiers at the first domestic women’s FIS Ski World Cup of the season. Athletes will race giant slalom on Saturday, Nov. 25 and slalom on Sunday, Nov. 26.

FIS Ski World Cup - Lake Louise, CAN
World Championship medalist and World Cup winner Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, Calif.) will headline the U.S. field in Saturday’s downhill. Olympic champion Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah) is expected to compete in Sunday’s super-G.

FIS Cross Country World Cup - Ruka, FIN
The U.S. Ski Team cross country team kicks off its World Cup season in Ruka with events Nov. 24-26. The U.S. is fielding more than a dozen athletes, including World Champions Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) and Kikkan Randall (Anchorage).

FIS Freeski World Cup - Stubai, AUT
U.S. Freeski Team rookie athletes, including Caroline Claire (Manchester Center, Vt.) and World Cup winner Colby Stevenson (Park City, Utah), will take center stage at the FIS Freestyle World Cup in Stubai. Competition kicks off on Friday, Nov. 24 with women’s qualifications followed by men’s qualifications on Saturday. Finals take place Sunday.

FIS Nordic Combined World Cup - Ruka, FIN
The town of Steamboat Springs, Colorado will be well-represented at this week’s World Cup opener in Ruka with USA Nordic’s Bryan Fletcher, Taylor Fletcher and Ben Berend representing the U.S.


FIS Ski Jumping World Cup - Ruka, FIN
USA Nordic’s men’s ski jumping team will compete in their first World Cup of the season Nov. 24-26 in Ruka, Finland. Kevin Bickner (Wauconda, Ill.), Will Rhoads (Park City, Utah) and 2017 U.S. Champion Michael Glasder (Cary, Ill.) will be jumping for the stars and stripes.

FIS Snowboard World Cup - Beijing, CHN
Big air master Ryan Stassel (Anchorage) is the lone U.S. athlete competing at this weekend’s World Cup in Beijing. Qualifications take place Nov. 24 with finals on Nov. 25.

U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD BROADCAST AND STREAMING SCHEDULE
*schedules subject to change

ALPINE:
Nov. 25
10 a.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
12:30 p.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, run 2 – nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
2:15 p.m. ET – Men’s downhill – nbcsports.com / olympicchannel.com
3 p.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, runs 1 & 2 – NBC (same day delay)
5 p.m. ET – Men’s downhill – Olympic Channel TV (same day delay)

Nov. 26
10 a.m. ET – Women’s slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
1 p.m. ET – Women’s slalom, run 2 – NBC / nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
2 p.m. ET – Men’s super-G – nbcsports.com / olympicchannel.com
4:30 p.m. – Men’s super-G – Olympic Channel TV (same day delay)

NORDIC COMBINED:
Nov. 24
8:30 a.m. ET– Men’s gundersen LH HS142 – olympicchannel.com
11:15 a.m. ET – Men’s gundersen 5k – olympicchannel.com

Nov. 25
3:45 a.m. ET – Men’s gundersen LH HS142 – olympicchannel.com
8:30 a.m. ET – Men’s gundersen 10k – olympicchannel.com

Nov. 26
4:45 a.m. ET – Men’s gundersen LH HS142 – olympicchannel.com
7:30 a.m. ET – men’s gundersen 10k – olympicchannel.com

SKI JUMPING:
Nov. 24
11:55 a.m. ET – Men’s HS142 qualifications – olympicchannel.com

Nov. 25
10:15 a.m. ET – Men’s Team HS142 – olympicchannel.com
3:30 p.m. ET – Men’s Team HS142 – Olympic Channel TV (same day delay)

Nov. 26
9 a.m. ET – Men’s HS142 finals – olympicchannel.com
6 p.m. ET – Men’s HS142 finals – Olympic Channel TV (same day delay)    

CROSS COUNTRY:
Nov. 24
6:30 a.m. ET – Men’s and women’s sprint – Olympic Channel TV (live)

Nov. 25
4:30 a.m. ET – Women’s 10k – Olympic Channel TV (live)
6:30 a.m. ET – Men’s 15k C Indivudual – olympicchannel.com

Nov. 26
3:30 a.m. ET – Women’s 10k pursuit – Olympic Channel TV (live)
6 a.m. ET – Men’s 15k pursuit F – olympicchannel.com

FREESKI:
Nov. 26
5:15 a.m. ET – Men’s and women’s slopestyle – olympicchannel.com
3:30 p.m. ET – Men’s and women’s slopestyle – Olympic Channel TV (same day delay)

SNOWBOARD:
Nov. 25
6:30 a.m. ET  – Men’s and women’s big air – olympicchannel.com
10:30 a.m. ET – Men’s and women’s big air  – Olympic Channel TV (same day delay)

The domestic FIS Ski World Cup races are underway this week, as the excitement builds for the tech women in Killington, Vermont and the American Downhillers in Lake Louise.

Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.), who attended Vermont's Burke Mountain Academy, looks for victory on home soil, where she’ll be competing in front of family and friends—including her best friend who will be in Killington to watch the action. Last year, the World Cup returned to the east for the first time in 25 years, and Killington played host to a record number of fans. With 30,000 spectators over two days viewing the best women skiers in the world on the steep and difficult Superstar trail, the crowds were among the biggest North American skiing has seen.

Shiffrin will aim to defend her reign as slalom “Superstar” gained last year, and she also seeks redemption, after finishing fifth in the World Cup opener in Soelden, Austria, and second behind Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova in Levi, Finland. This weekend will also mark the World Cup debut of two young U.S. Ski Team athletes, including AJ Hurt (Squaw Valley, Calif.) and Katie Hensien (Redmond, Wash.).

Up north in the picturesque Lake Louise, Canada, the American Downhillers prepare for their domestic speed series kickoff. The speed men will be led by Steven Nyman (Sundance, Utah), who has been rehabbing his knee since a gnarly crash last year in Garmisch, Germany and Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley. Calif.), who has podiumed twice in Lake Louise. It is still unknown whether Nyman will kick out of the start gate on race day, but he plans to ski the training runs and see how he feels.

Jared Goldberg (Holladay, Utah) and Tommy Biesemeyer (Keene, NY) both posted fast times in the recent FIS downhill races at Copper Mountain, Colorado, with Goldberg setting the pace in the first race, among a stacked field of Germans, Italians, Austrians and more.

Dan Hicks will call the action from Killington, Vermont, joined by analysts Bode Miller, the most decorated U.S. Olympic skier in history, and former U.S. Ski Team alumnus Steve Porino, and reporter Carolyn Manno.

Steve Schlanger and U.S. Ski Team alumnus Will Brandenburg will call the action in Lake Louise. See who to watch and where to catch all the action below.

WOMEN’S STARTERS – Killington
Giant Slalom
AJ Hurt*
Tricia Mangan
Megan McJames
Nina O’Brien
Mikaela Shiffrin
Resi Stiegler

Slalom
Katie Hensien*
Lila Lapanja
Megan McJames
Paula Moltzan
Mikaela Shiffrin
Resi Stiegler

MEN’S STARTERS – Lake Louise
Downhill
Bryce Bennett
Tommy Biesemeyer
Travis Ganong
Jared Goldberg
Wiley Maple
Steven Nyman**
Andrew Weibrecht

Super-G
Bryce Bennett
Tommy Biesemeyer
Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Travis Ganong
Jared Goldberg
Ted Ligety
Wiley Maple
Steven Nyman**
Andrew Weibrecht

*Denotes first World Cup start
**TBD on return to competition

HOW TO WATCH (times ET)

2017 XFINITY KILLINGTON CUP
Saturday, Nov. 25
10 a.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
12:30 p.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, run 2 – nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
3 p.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, runs 1 & 2 – NBC (same day delay)

Sunday, Nov. 26
10 a.m. ET – Women’s slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
1 p.m. ET – Women’s slalom, run 2 – NBC / nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App

LAKE LOUISE MEN’S SPEED KICKOFF         
Saturday, Nov. 25
2:15 p.m. ET – Men’s Downhill – streamed LIVE on the Olympic Channel app // olympicchannel.com
5 p.m. ET – Men’s Downhill – Olympic Channel (same day delay)

Sunday, Nov. 26
2:00 p.m. ET – Men’s Super-G – streamed LIVE on the Olympic Channel app // olympicchannel.com
4:30 p.m. ET – Men’s Super-G – Olympic Channel (same day delay)

Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin will hit the slopes this weekend for the first domestic FIS Alpine World Cup of the season at Killington Mountain in Vermont Nov. 25-26. NBC Sports Group will present comprehensive coverage of the event which includes women’s giant slalom and slalom.

Shiffrin won last year’s slalom event in Killington and took fifth in the giant slalom. She’s looking for her first win of the season in either discipline after finishing fifth at the giant slalom opener in Soelden, Austria and second at the slalom opener in Levi, Finland.

NBC’s coverage begins Saturday at 3 p.m. ET with runs 1 and 2 of the women’s giant slalom, followed by live coverage of the women’s slalom on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Dan Hicks will call the action from Killington, joined by analysts Bode Miller, the most decorated U.S. Olympic skier in history, former World Cup skier Steve Porino, and reporter Carolyn Manno.

NBC, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, and NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will combine to present coverage of this weekend’s event. For more information on the Xfinity Killington Cup, including a detailed event and TV schedule, visit usskiandsnowboard.org.

2017 XFINITY KILLINGTON CUP
Broadcast and Streaming Schedule (all times ET)

Saturday, Nov. 25
10 a.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
12:30 p.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, run 2 – nbcsports.com/ NBC Sports App
3 p.m. ET – Women’s giant slalom, runs 1 & 2 – NBC (same day delay)

Sunday, Nov. 26
10 a.m. ET – Women’s slalom, run 1 – nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App
1 p.m. ET – Women’s slalom, run 2 – NBC / nbcsports.com / NBC Sports App

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has launched a new merchandise shop with the latest team and athlete gear. The shop features top of the line product and all purchases go to support the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team athletes as they prepare for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in February.

The shop debuted in conjunction with the launch of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s new website at usskiandsnowboard.org. The new website and shop are seamlessly integrated and designed to reflect the organization’s new brand that was launched this past summer. Fans visiting the shop will find a variety of men’s, women’s and children’s styles to help them show their pride and cheer on U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes around the globe.

“U.S. Ski & Snowboard has some of the most dedicated fans in winter sport and, whether you’re out on the hill or cheering from your home, the new shop has the gear you need to show your pride and support for our athletes,” said Brooke McAffee, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Financial Officer. “We’ll also be rolling out official team gear and athlete-inspired designs. The U.S. Ski & Snowboard shop brings all of our team apparel together in one place and each purchase makes a difference for our athletes.”

To get the latest U.S. Ski & Snowboard product and apparel, visit shop.usskiandsnowboard.org.

Your member discounts await! New offers added regularly! Just sign into your My USSA Account and click the Member Discounts button to start shopping brands like Jacuzzi, Rollerblade and GoPro, and many more. Enjoy! You’ve earned it.

PARK CITY, Utah (Nov. 16, 2017) - Alpine ski racing has a long history of success in America. But how is it positioned for the future? U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding in America, is initiating evolutionary changes in how it will approach alpine ski racing with an eye on results at the 2022 and 2026 Olympics. The recommendations come after a nearly two-year analysis resulting in a program direction that will bring changes to team selection and development philosophy.

Beginning in the spring of 2016, U.S. Ski & Snowboard undertook a comprehensive, in-depth analysis to better understand and learn both from its own alpine development system and those of other major nations in the sport. The Project 26 study represented an evolutionary change in how U.S. Ski & Snowboard, along with its regional and club network, will approach national team selection and development programming in the future - specifically with an eye on results at the 2026 Olympics and beyond.

The result of these studies will be a new foundation of criteria for naming annual A-B-C Teams, as well as an innovative new methodology for inviting and managing athletes into the alpine development program. Key changes that will include:

• Refine U.S. Ski Team programming to focus on winning medals with selection criteria specifically focused on athletes who are on track to win medals.
• Shift from a national-managed D team to a shared elite development model between U.S. Ski & Snowboard and clubs.
• U.S. Ski & Snowboard will work more closely with regions and clubs to create a deeper pool of elite developing athletes from 12 to 20 years old.
• Direct resources towards high-level coaching expertise as well as club and coach education.

"Our success as a nation in alpine ski racing is predicated on our club and regional programs to work in concert with U.S. Ski & Snowboard with an eye on our Best in the World vision," said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. "The development phase of Project 26 took a deep look into what has worked for both the USA and top foreign nations in our sport. Its implementation will help us to be competitive as we head into the next two Olympic cycles  and beyond."

U.S. Ski & Snowboard will begin implementation of Project 26 immediately. With the onset of the 2017-18 competition season this month, selection criteria for the 2018-19 U.S. Ski Team have now been announced and are reflective of the recommended direction.

The Project 26 working group was comprised of leaders from U.S. Ski & Snowboard's board and the alpine racing community. Their work in surveying domestic and international program leaders was reviewed extensively by our alpine staff to come to a final direction.

PHILADELPHIA (November 13, 2017) – Comcast today announced it will be the official cable television and communications partner of U.S Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic sports organization based in Park City, Utah. America's top Olympic skiers will showcase Comcast on their racing suits when the FIS Ski World Cup tour comes to America later this month, with stops in Killington and Beaver Creek.

The new multi-year partnership will feature the Xfinity brand on U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete uniforms at a range of high-profile events worldwide, increasing awareness of the partnership in markets globally with around-the-world broadcast coverage. Xfinity will also be the title sponsor of the women's FIS Ski World Cup weekend at Killington Resort in Vermont Nov. 25-26, which will be carried on NBC and NBCSN. In addition, the brand will be an associated sponsor of the men's FIS Ski World Cup Birds of Prey Race Week Dec. 1-3 in Beaver Creek, Colorado.

American Mikaela Shiffrin, a winner at Killington a year ago, will be out to defend her season long world cup title. At Beaver Creek, two-time U.S. Olympic champion Ted Ligety will be favored in the giant slalom. Both events are important competitions leading up to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

 “We are excited to support Team USA and all of the incredible athletes empowered by U.S Ski & Snowboard,” said Matt Lederer, Executive Director of Partnership Marketing at Comcast. “U.S Ski & Snowboard provides elite level, world class athletes and young skiers and snowboarders alike with the support they need throughout the year to achieve their full potential, and we are proud to partner with them and help athletes, teams, coaches, parents and volunteers in communities across the country to progress skiing and snowboarding and achieve success.”

The deal provides Comcast with global sponsorship rights in the cable television and telecommunications category, use of U.S Ski & Snowboard’s logo and athletes, and a strong brand signage presence at Toyota U.S. Grand Prix events, which serve as the Olympic qualifying series for freestyle skiing and snowboard.

"This global partnership with Comcast reflects the stature of our athletes and events and the impact they have in both the U.S. and international sports market," said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Commercial Officer Dan Barnett. "It's a comprehensive approach to supporting both the athletes who compete and the events in which they participate, which is a great endorsement both here in America and around the world."

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has a strong stable of athletes who will vie for Olympic medals in South Korea. "Comcast is also showing its commitment to athletes through ancillary deals with a number of our stars," said Barnett. "On behalf of our athletes, we're proud to welcome Comcast to our family."

As part of the arrangement with the United States Olympic Committee, Comcast will be an official partner through Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 which includes the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2018.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is an Olympic sports organization providing leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders and elite athletes competing at the highest level worldwide, encouraging and supporting all its athletes in achieving excellence wherever they train and compete. 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. Established in 1905, U.S. Ski & Snowboard receives no direct government support, operating solely through private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to fund athletic programs that directly assist athletes in reaching their dreams. The organization is based in Park City, UT.

About Comcast
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal.  Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand, and also provides these services to businesses.  It also provides wireless security and automation services to residential customers under the XFINITY brand.  NBCUniversal 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. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

LEVI, Finland (Nov. 11, 2017) – Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.) grabbed her 33rd FIS Ski World Cup slalom podium, and moved into the overall World Cup lead after finishing second by just 0.10, in the season-opening slalom Saturday in Levi.

Petra Vlhova (Slovakia) skied an aggressive second run to win her third World Cup slalom and her second-straight victory over Shiffrin dating back to last season’s World Cup Finals slalom in Aspen, Colo. Wendy Holdener (Switzerland) rounded out the podium in third.

Shiffrin took a narrow first-run lead over Vlhova on the tricky Levi Black course, which featured numerous break-overs and long flat sections that forced skiers to carry their speed. In the second run, Holdener put the pressure on both Shiffrin and Vlhova as she took the lead with three racers remaining, and held that lead as Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter slipped to second.

However, Vlhova skied an aggressive second run to best Holdener by 1.35 and squarely put the pressure on Shiffrin. Out of the gate, Shiffrin displayed her aggressive style, but failed to match Vlhova’s pace off the first break over and slipped into second.

“The timing was a little bit off on some of the turns, especially on some of the essential turns on the upper flat,” said Shiffrin, who despite her trademark strong finish, could not make up time on the 22-year-old Slovakian.

 “I’m really happy because it was a tough day,” Vlhova said. “Mikaela, she’s always fast, but now I am fast.”

“I’ve been training with Petra the past few days and I knew that she has been fast,” Shiffrin added. “So I expected that she would be strong and fast today. She’s also really mentally tough … so I expect it’s going to be a really cool fight with us this year, and that's exciting.”

Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, Wyo.), was the only other U.S. skier to qualify for the second run and finished 21st.

Next up, the women head to Vermont’s Killington Resort for the Xfinity Killington Cup Nov. 25-26 for giant slalom and slalom events. Shiffrin, skiing in front of the home crowd last season, won the slalom in Killington following her fifth-place finish in the giant slalom.

RESULTS
Women’s Slalom

This weekend marks the 2017-18 FIS World Cup slalom kickoff in Levi, Finland for both the men and the women. Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.) will go for her third win on Lapland soil—and therefore her third reindeer to join the herd along with Rudolph (2013) and Sven (2016). Listen to Shiffrin's thoughts ahead of Saturday's race.

The Northern Lights have been bright up in northern Finland, giving World Cup athletes quite the show as they head into what will, no doubt, be an action-packed weekend. Though the temps have been a bit on the warmer side, the piste is hard and the word on the street is the snow is "perfect." On the men's side, David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, Colo.) will look to make moves in an incredibly deep men's slalom field. Chodounsky snagged one of his best finishes on the World Cup in Levi in 2014, with a fifth place.

U.S. Ski Team alumni Steve Porino and Will Brandenburg will call the race for this weekend's broadcasts. See who to watch and where to catch all of the action.

WOMEN’S STARTERS
Megan McJames
Mikaela Shiffrin
Resi Stiegler 

MEN’S STARTERS
Michael Ankeny
Dave Chodounsky
Mark Engel
AJ Ginnis
Robby Kelley
Hig Roberts

HOW TO WATCH (times ET)
Saturday, Nov. 11
4:00am – women’s first run – streamed LIVE on the Olympic Channel app // olympicchannel.com
7:00am – women’s second run – LIVE on NBCSN // NBC Sports app // nbcsports.com

9:00am – women's slalom (encore) – Olympic Channel

Sunday, Nov. 12
4:00am – men’s first run – streamed LIVE on the Olympic Channel app // olympicchannel.com
7:00am – men’s second run – LIVE on the Olympic Channel // Olympic Channel app // olympicchannel.com

Learning to master a freestyle jump is hard - unless two-time Olympian Ashley Caldwell is your coach!

Caldwell teamed up with Men's Health to teach Clint Carter, The Adventurist, how to nail a backflip off the water ramps at the Utah Olympic Park in five days. 

"When the rep at Utah Olympic Park told me I wouldn’t be allowed beyond the 10.5-foot single ramp, I was a little burned. I came here to learn and execute a backflip in five days, and even though I’m a rank amateur who’s never caught air before (at least not intentionally), I had my eyes on the Mongo, the 22-foot triple ramp that can launch a skier 50 feet into the sky. It sounded like fun. Besides, the UOP and U.S. Ski & Snowboard not only gave me access to their million-gallon training pool (where I’ll be landing) but also assigned me an aerials goddess for a coach: Ashley Caldwell, the current women’s freestyle world champion."

Did Clint succeed? Find out here.