ALAMEDA, Calif. (Oct. 30, 2017) – The North Face, official U.S. Ski and Snowboard partner, and the founding partner and official uniform supplier of the U.S. Freeski Team, today unveiled the official competition uniforms to be worn by the U.S. Freeski Team at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

It will mark the second straight time The North Face has designed and manufactured the U.S. freeskiing competition uniforms for the Olympic Winter Games. The 2018 U.S.Freeski collection again provides athletes with the pinnacle of performance to help them compete at the highest level – and reflects the unique, personal style that is endemic to the culture of freeskiing. With more than 63 pieces, each athlete can customize their “look” based on their personal style and preferences.

“We have worked alongside the freeskiing community since the beginning, and we embrace both the sport-specific needs and artful expression of athletes,” said Tom Herbst, VP of Marketing for The North Face. “Our mantra is Never Stop Exploring, which is the essence of the freeskiing movement. We are proud to continue our commitment to the sport – and its athletes – by outfitting the U.S. Freeski Team.”

“The North Face has been a strong partner of our organization and the sport of freeskiing for many years,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “It developed world-class uniforms that helped our team make an extremely successful debut at the Olympics in Sochi. The 2018 uniforms possess a level of innovation and individuality that will allow our athletes to perform their best come February.”

Olympic gold medalist and four-time X Games gold medalist Maddie Bowman, Olympic silver medalist and two-time X Games medalist Devin Logan, and Winter X Games halfpipe gold medalist Aaron Blunck, all part of The North Face’s roster of elite athletes, played a key role in the design. Their input helped influence aspects of the overall design – and ensured the new U.S. Freeski competition uniforms meet the needs of today’s elite freeskiing athlete.

In freeskiing, your personal style – from tricks during a run, to the apparel you are wearing – is such a huge part of the sport,” said Maddie Bowman. “No one knows this better than The North Face. They have been a part of the sport since the beginning, and a part of my own Olympic journey to gold in Sochi. The new collection celebrates both the team aspect of the sport and the individuality of the rider, and I am proud to wear it as I work to defend my gold.”

Inspired by the athletes and the cultural heritage of freeskiing, the collection includes outwear, base layers, accessories and footwear, that is both technically advanced and style-aware. The colors, style and design celebrate the sport’s humble beginnings, expression of individuality and spirit of exploration. This notion comes to life in the brand’s “Legacy Starts Here” creative campaign, which is live on TheNorthFace.com.

Key technical elements include The North Face’s Ventrix and FuseFormTM technologies; Ventrix helps regulate body temperatures through dynamic venting technology and Fuseform reduces weight via an innovative weaving process. The seminal piece of the collection is the Outerwear Hoodie – an iconic piece of apparel that epitomizes the spirit and style of the freeskiing community both on and off the mountain. The most innovative hoodie on the slopes, the 2018 version is waterproof and transforms the streetwear pieces many athletes wear on the mountain into a technical performance piece.

In addition to these technical upgrades, the uniform collection also has a unique and personal design aspect – a collage that is transferred onto the print in the interior of the jackets. It incorporates personal photos and artwork of the places and people important to each athlete, shared by the team’s families and friends. These images pay homage to the sport’s small-town roots and remind the athletes that home is never too far away.

The competition uniforms were designed stateside with the athlete outerwear assembled in the United States of imported components; The North Face has a local development center near its headquarters in Alameda, Calif., to keep technical prototyping and assembly close and to celebrate the United States in the athlete uniform manufacturing process.

“There is nothing like the pride an athlete feels when they represent their country on the world’s biggest sporting stage,” said Ruth Beatty, Design Director, Snowsports at The North Face. “We feel a similar pride in assembling the uniforms in our backyard. The uniforms are also inspired by the humble beginnings of these American athletes and the patriotic red, white and blue of the American Flag – this year in more natural, organic tones that embody embodies Freeskiing culture and gives each athlete the opportunity to wear their style of America.”    

SOELDEN, Austria (Oct. 29, 2017) - A fruitful two weeks of solid training on the Rettenbach Glacier ended in disappointment Sunday, as wind and snow swept through Soelden forcing International Ski Federation officials to cancel the men's giant slalom. The cancellation delayed Olympic champion Ted Ligety's return to action.

Teams had been aware of the potential storm from weather forecasts that had been predicting high winds and snow. The race jury was on the glacier in the pre-dawn hours, making the final decision just prior to 7:00 a.m. local time - three hours before the scheduled start. Athletes were in their hotels down in the valley, preparing to head up to the race, when they received the news - frustrated at losing to mother nature.

"We feel sorry for the organizers in Soelden who put so much energy into producing the race today," said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Director Patrick Riml. "It was the only decision to protect the safety of both athletes and the spectators. We had two weeks of excellent training on the glacier and a great yesterday for the women (Mikaela Shiffrin was fifth). We appreciate the opportunity to come here to Soelden."

American Ted Ligety was prepared and ready for his first start since having back surgery last January. He had been training on the glacier since last week. Ligety is expected to compete in the super G at Lake Louise, Alberta in a month and will be showcased in the giant slalom at Beaver Creek, Colo. when the World Cup tour rolls into Colorado in early December.

SOELDEN, Austria (Oct. 28, 2017) – Kicking off the Olympic season and 2017-18 FIS World Cup, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.) took fifth place at the annual giant slalom in Soelden, Austria.

Steep and relentless, the GS track was set tight and turny on the Rettenbach Glacier. Shiffrin sat in second place after first run and put it all on the line for second run. But a bobble on the pitch set her back and she couldn’t make up the time—dropping to fifth place.

"The biggest competition I have right now is with myself," said Shiffrin after the race. "I feel really good with where my GS is right now. I’m disappointed because I didn’t make turns today like I know I can. I’m now looking forward to the next GS in Killington—that’s really a cool hill and it will be great to be racing again in the USA."

Shiffrin skis to fifth place. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alexis Boichard)

Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany took the win in Soelden, with last year’s giant slalom crystal globe winner Tessa Worley of France just .14 seconds behind her in second. Manuela Moelgg of Italy was third.

Also skiing the Soelden giant slalom was Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.), racing in Soelden for the first time since 2012. A speed skier by trade—it had been 637 days since her last giant slalom race—she was happy to have her first start of the season. “It was nice to get a start in," said Vonn, who did not qualify for second run. "I’m always really nervous in the first race. It was good to get that out of the way and now I’m ready for Lake Louise."

Foreste Peterson (Squaw Valley, Calif.)—who was racing her first World Cup—and Megan McJames (Park City, Utah) also did not qualify for the second run.

The World Cup weekend will finish Sunday with Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah) making his comeback after back surgery in January. He’s won in Soelden four times and has podiumed seven times. See how to watch the race here.

RESULTS
Women’s giant slalom

U.S. Ski & Snowboard today launches its new website: usskiandsnowboard.org, uniting athletes, members, and fans as one team and under one website.

The new website offers a streamlined user experience for fans by highlighting the latest U.S. Ski & Snowboard information, including photos, video and social media content on athletes, teams, events and TV schedules. While providing members, officials, coaches and parents with the information and resources needed to guide athletes through their U.S. Ski & Snowboard careers.

Built with the latest mobile-friendly technology, usskiandsnowboard.org provides users an amazing digital experience on any device and features a powerful search engine, allowing users to easily find the content they desire. From officials and clubs searching for development information to athlete’s criteria for competing in all levels of elite competition to parents understanding the U.S. Ski & Snowboard pipeline and training systems.

My.ussa.org will remain live through the winter as components are migrated over to the new usskiandsnowboard.org.

In launching the new site, we welcome your feedback on the new usskiandsnowboard.org to gauge your user experience.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding, today issued an official statement of sustainability, pledging the organization’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint, promoting sustainability and preserving its sports for generations to come.

“The winter season and everything it encompasses, from snowfall to cold temperatures, is essential to our organization’s success on the Olympic stage and to the growth of skiing and snowboarding in America and across the globe,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “As a national and international leader in our sports, it is important for us to vocalize our position on climate change and join our athletes, members and partners in inspiring change.”

In addition to publishing a sustainability statement, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has also formed an internal sustainability committee to help establish best practices for the organization at events and global team activities. The organization has aligned itself with the City of Park City, National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) and Protect Our Winters (POW) in these efforts. Each entity plays a role in supporting U.S. Ski & Snowboard and its athletes.

"Protect Our Winters is proud to partner with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and we're happy to see them not only speak out about the reality of climate change and its impacts on our industry, communities, and the sports we love, but to also take action,” said Barbara Weber, Senior Brand Manager at POW. “We look forward to working together to further find solutions to the climate crisis, while engaging many of the athletes who represent our respective organizations."

“Park City Municipal supports U.S. Ski & Snowboard in their industry leading efforts to address climate change,” said Mayor of Park City Jack Thomas. “It will take all of us to ensure that our ski slopes stay snowy in the winter, so that great skiing and snowboarding conditions last for future generations.”

The sustainability statement reads as follows:

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, a national and global leader in snow sports, is committed to addressing climate change and stewarding sustainability of winter sports. Millions globally are inspired by winter sports and enjoy healthy, active lifestyles in winter environments. Climate change threatens our winter environments with receding glaciers, rising sea levels, volatile weather cycles and less snowfall.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s vision is to make the United States of America the best in the world in Olympic skiing and snowboarding. Our mission is to lead, encourage, and support athletes in achieving excellence by empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans. We will achieve this excellence in our environmental practices by acting to sustain the sports that inspire us daily. We will tackle climate change by reducing our environmental footprint and promoting environmental responsibility. We intend to achieve our goals while minimizing our organization’s impact on the environment and helping to preserve the ability of future generations to safely live and play in our shared natural environment. Our commitment to environmental stewardship is long-term. A healthy environment benefits everyone – employees, fans, athletes, sponsors and the community at large.
 

To reach this vision, we adopt the following three guiding principles:

• U.S. Ski & Snowboard will utilize and promote sustainable business practices within our organization, with our business partners, suppliers, sponsors and in our hundreds of events and competitions we organize, manage and sanction.
• U.S. Ski & Snowboard will educate our stakeholders, including athletes, coaches, parents, staff, clubs and fans, about the effects of climate change on the future sustainability of our sports.
• U.S. Ski & Snowboard will collaborate with resort partners, environmental groups, other sports federations and industry organizations to collectively promote and support environmentally sustainable practices in every aspect of the snow sports industry.

By formulating specific action plans based on these guiding principles, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will strive to lead nationally and globally in all aspects of sustainable practices in the snow sports world.

PARK CITY, Utah (June 19, 2017) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association today unveiled its official rebrand as U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Along with the name change, a new brand mark will unite athletes, members and fans as one team with a vision to be Best in the World in Olympic skiing and snowboarding.

The brands of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Teams have become among the most recognized commercial marks in winter Olympic sport, capturing the spirit of the organization’s on-the-edge action sports. A variety of marks have been used over the institution’s 112-year history, including most recently logos for the three national teams – the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing – and a master association logo. With the advent of the new mark, all elements of U.S. Ski & Snowboard are now tied together under the strength of one brand.

“With the continuous evolution of our sports, it was important for us to have a common brand that truly represented who we are as an organization and what we aim to achieve across all of our different sport programs and teams together,” said Tiger Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard president and CEO. “The U.S. Ski & Snowboard brand embodies our core values and unites our entire organization, fueling a passion for our sports at every level. The single, iconic mark will propel us forward as we continue to grow our sports and strive for athletic excellence.”

Throughout the two-year rebranding project, U.S. Ski & Snowboard called on a variety of experts to provide insight. Nike Senior Strategic Advisor Jeanne Jackson led the branding task force efforts, working alongside industry leaders including United States Olympic Committee Chief Marketing Officer Lisa Baird and many others. U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and stakeholders also provided input via large surveys and many interviews. Harrigan Design Group in Boston, I.d.e.a, a San Diego-based consulting firm, and many other firms developed various iterations before landing on the aspirational, unifying mark.

"Uniting the U.S. Ski & Snowboard brands will bring increased strength and marketability to the organization,” said Jackson. “As a mom with two kids who participated in U.S. Ski & Snowboard programs, it’s an honor to play a role in shaping a brand that represents the passion we all share for skiing and snowboarding – from our Olympians to our members and young athletes alike."

“U.S. Ski & Snowboard is a model of consistency on and off the snow, and this move to elevate and unify its brand ahead of the PyeongChang Games will only enhance their position as a leading organization in winter sport worldwide,” said Baird. “Together, as part of the Team USA family, we not only support America’s current and future elite athletes, we work to grow and strengthen the Olympic Movement in the United States – and this type of forward thinking will help us in that endeavor.”
 

The crest has a contemporary, clean and confident design, empowering all athletes to pursue personal greatness:

• Best in the World Vision: Each element of the mark embodies the most critical elements of the organization’s vision and mission, and its core values of excellence, passion, community and team.
• One Team: For the first time, all teams and athletes of U.S. Ski & Snowboard will be united under one brand and one brand mark.
• Patriotism: The mark is emblematic of a patriotic team including stars and stripes, elements of the American flag, as a symbol of national pride.
• Mountain Trails: Mountain trails are symbolic places that hold a special place in the hearts of skiers and snowboarders.
• Athletic Excellence: The three stars signify a podium - the three Olympic medals - representing the primary focus of athletes as they strive to be the Best in the World.

“We focused our efforts on bringing to life two of the critical core values of U.S. Ski & Snowboard: team and excellence,” said Ryan Berman, co-founder of i.d.e.a. “Stakeholders from all sports had a say in the creative process and we hope this is just one more reason everyone will constellate together behind the new mark. This project has been one of the more joyful contributions-to-country assignments for our team and we’re very thankful for the opportunity.”

The new crest was first introduced by U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s world-recognized athletes in February 2017 at World Championships, key World Cups and on the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix tour. The June 19 public roll out, including rebranded social media channels, engages the entire U.S. Ski & Snowboard community ahead of the organization’s pre-Olympic Partner Summit. A limited amount of branded apparel is available in conjunction with the launch and can be purchased at donations.usskiandsnowboard.org.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is one of the most successful U.S. Olympic sports organizations, having won 38 medals, including 14 gold, in the last two Winter Games. Its athletes will be among favorites across all ski and snowboard events at the upcoming 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.