Ritchie to Race in Longines Future Ski Champions

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (March 1, 2016) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) announced today that National Training Group (NTG) U16 athlete Ben Ritchie (Waitsfield, VT; Green Mountain Valley School) has been selected to represent the United States in this year’s Longines Future Ski Champions.

The Longines event, which alternates between men’s and women’s races each year, brings together the future talents of alpine ski racing to compete against each other on the scene of a major professional circuit competition. This year’s event will take place in conjunction with the 2016 Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals in St. Moritz.

Ritchie has participated in several projects with the USSA’s U16 NTG this season. He most recently competed in the Hahnenkamm Juniors event, finishing fourth in giant slalom, and the Seven Nations Cup where he finished seventh in the slalom. He’s also performed well at domestic events in the U.S., including winning five of six runs of the NTG time trials at Copper Mountain, CO back in November.

“From the beginning of the season, Ben has shown that he is the guy to beat at the U16 level,” said U16 NTG Head Coach John Cashman. “He is on pace with other top U16 athletes in international competitions and works very hard on and off the hill to better himself. We are looking forward to having him represent us at this event.”

Athletes will compete in two runs of giant slalom on March 15. The winning skier’s federation will be awarded $20,000 to be invested in to the federation’s junior programs. After racing on the 15th, athletes will stay in St. Moritz to watch the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ben Ritchie has been selected to represent the U.S. at this year’s Longines Future Ski Champions.
• The Longines event includes some of the best U16 racers from around the world.
• Keely Cashman and River Radamus have also represented the U.S. at the Longines event.
• Ritchie has participated in multiple international events this season, including the Hahnenkamm Juniors and Seven Nations Cup.
• Ritchie won five of six runs of the NTG time trials, held at Copper Mountain, CO in November.

QUOTES

John Cashman, USSA U16 NTG Head Coach
From the beginning of the season, Ben has shown that he is the guy to beat at the U16 level. He is on pace with other top U16 athletes in international competitions and works very hard on and off the hill to better himself. We are looking forward to having him represent us at this event.