New England based luxury Alpine Sportswear label Alps & Meters has joined in partnership with the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team. This new collaborative relationship, forged to support the tradition of American alpine excellence, will develop a licensed collection of elevated sportswear garments which will include select apparel pieces and suiting separates. Alps & Meters will return a portion of all sales proceeds generated by this specific collection to the athletes of U.S. Ski & Snowboard to help foster the next generation of American alpine athletes and enthusiasts.

Founded with a mission to uphold the classic traditions of alpine sport, Alps & Meters is known worldwide for its luxury garments that are designed by tradition. Alps & Meters Forged Performance Product Creation Philosophy combines the world’s best natural materials, classic construction techniques, and contemporary technologies to craft high performance sportswear that is tailored, technical, and timeless.  A story telling brand regaling the narratives of people, places, memories, and moments connected to life in the mountains, Alps & Meters may be found at luxury sportswear retailers in North America and within its flagship boutiques at the St. Regis Resort Deer Valley, Utah, and in Boston, Massachusetts.

“As an American brand built upon skiing tradition, Alps & Meters holds the deepest respect for the Land Rover U.S. Ski Team, an organization which has been at the forefront of alpine sport development and competitiveness for more than 100 years, “ said Alps & Meters Founder/CEO, Louis Joseph, former Global Director of Strategy & Innovation at PUMA/Kering.  “To join in partnership with the U.S. Ski Team is an honor.  At Alps & Meters we look forward to collaborating with all U.S. Ski Team stakeholders in Park City, Utah, and around the world to further champion the great tradition of American skiing while co-creating a series of luxury sportswear assortments that will allow athletes, supporters, trustees, retail partners, and passionate skiers to join us in further fostering the tradition of American alpine excellence.”

“The Alps & Meters brand is passionate about ski tradition, a notion shared by the U.S. Ski Team,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Revenue Officer Michael O’Conor. “Without recognizing and learning from our storied history, we cannot innovate into the future as we prepare our athletes to be the best in the world year after year. Creating this menswear collection with Alps & Meters will provide a way for our fans and supporters to share in our traditions, as well impact the future of the U.S. Ski Team with a portion of all sales directed back to the Team. We are excited to welcome Alps & Meters into the U.S. Ski Team family.”

###

About Alps & Meters:
Alps & Meters is a luxury sportswear brand headquartered in New England, USA.  Founded upon a mission to uphold the classic traditions of alpine sport, Alps & Meters’ products combine the world’s best natural materials, classic construction techniques, and contemporary technologies which craft high performance garments that are tailored, technical and timeless. 

#DesignedByTradition

To learn more about Alps & Meters visit www.alpsandmeters.com

Follow Alps & Meters on Instagram @alpsandmeters

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

Unfortunately, Olympian Ryan Cochran-Siegle crashed in Friday's downhill at Kitzbuehel, Austria, sustaining a minor cervical spine (neck) fracture. He is otherwise OK, thankfully. That said, he will sit out the remainder of the weekend and his return to competition is TBD.

Cochran Siegle—who had won the first training run and has been the top American downhiller all season long with multiple podiums in super-Gs and downhills (and was ranked third in the downhill standings heading into the weekend)—ended up on his tails below the Hausbergkante jump, went down on his hip on the traverse, and went through the netting. He was up and walking around after the crash, but airlifted by helicopter (per protocol, as there is no other way to get back on the track) and was taken to the hospital for further evaluation. He had fast splits up top and was in the lead for a good portion of the race prior to his fall.

It may not seem possible, but 2021 was only Cochran-Siegle’s second year on the Streif. Last year, he DNFed (but was OK). He has yet to make it to the finish line at the Streif and will have to be reunited next year, as he will sit out the remainder of the weekend.

At the team meeting on Friday night, Ryan told his teammates, "Skiing is skiing...just go out there and have fun with it. Push yourselves. I definitely want to see you guys sending it tomorrow."

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Ryan Cochran-Siegle (@rc.s)

Double-Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson earned her fifth Laax Open title in Switzerland on Thursday at the FIS Snowboard World Cup slopestyle season opener.

“Today was really fun,” said Anderson. “I absolutely love to compete and it’s good to be back. I just wanted to go big, pop, grab and smile. I'm proud of myself for being able to stay mellow, keep it together, and put down the run I wanted to.”

Anderson’s performance came as no surprise, but overcast skies, wind, and snow added an element of uncertainty to the competition. The day called for low light lenses and plenty of blue dye on the landing to create perspective for the athletes. Anderson’s experience and ability to carry speed through the entire course served her well. 

U.S. Freeski & Snowboard Team Head Coach Mike Jankowski was elated about Anderson’s performance. 

“I’m happy to see Jamie get back into the contest swing with another win,” he said. ”She’s such a clutch competitor and a true legend. Her runs today were clean, technical, and going big was the name of the game for Jamie.”

After qualifying first in the semi-finals, Anderson had the luxury of dropping last. It became clear that many riders were struggling to clear the jumps, so she decided to put down a conservative but stylish first run to lock down second-place.

On the second and final run, Anderson had her sights set on the top of the podium and she successfully surpassed New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synott to take the lead. Not only did Anderson improve on her rails, but she increased her degree of difficulty by adding a perfectly stomped a cab double 900 Weddle into the mix. Anderson’s victory marks her seventh World Cup slopestyle win in 11 starts, as well as the ninth slopestyle win for a U.S. rider at the Laax Open since 2002. At 30-years-old and as the veteran in the field, this snowboarding icon shows no signs of slowing down.

Sadowski Synnott finished second and Australia's Tess Coady finished third. 

For the men, U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team member and 17-year-old Jake Canter stepped up for the Americans making his first World Cup final in only his third slopestyle start. He was no slouch in finals either, finishing in a respectable sixth place. Canter’s performance was highlighted by a very technical switch boardslide underflip 630 in the rails section, one of the heavier rail tricks of the day. 

Canter shared his excitement about being able to compete at the legendary event. 

"I've always wanted to compete at the Laax Open, so this past week was a dream for me," said Canter.  "Also, being able to land runs and compete against people I look up to really made every moment count. It was definitely a learning experience." 

Niklas Mattsson of Sweden won the event, Leon Vockensprger of Germany finished second and Norway’s Marcus Keveland rounded out the podium in third. 

Up next, Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim and the U.S. Snowboard Halfpipe Team will take to the superpipe Saturday, Jan. 23, to close out the 2021 Laax Open. Be sure to action all the action on NBC’s broadcast and streaming platforms. 

RESULTS
Women’s slopestyle finals
Men’s slopestyle finals

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Delayed Broadcast*

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*
 

FOLLOW
Instagram - @ussnowboardteam
Facebook - @usskiandsnowboard
 

Interested in organization, athlete, and event related news?
Sign up for our Daily or Weekly Update

Learn more about how to support the U.S. Freeski & Snowboard Teams.
 

Travis Ganong was the top American at the first downhill in Kitzbuehel, finishing just out of the top 10 in 11th place. Jared Goldberg and Bryce Bennett also finished within the points, taking 19th and 24th, respectively.

It was a strangely quiet day at the usually boisterous Hahnenkamm. The race has been dubbed the Super Bowl of skiing over its 81 years of existence, full of 80,000 rowdy Austrian partiers and is the highlight of the FIS World Cup Tour. However this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, there are no grandstands and fans are banned from the finish. But while it was calmer, the men still found the fire—putting it all on the line for the chance to win the most renowned race on the circuit. After finishing second in the Streif downhill five times over the years, Beat Feuz of Switzerland finally took his first big win on the track. Austrian Matthias Mayer was just behind him in second and Dominik Paris of Italy was third.

This was Ganong's 10th year racing the Kitzbuehel downhill and his second-best result on the track. He had shown speed in training, finishing seventh and second, and knew where to find it on race day. “Ski racing is one of the most challenging sports there is,” said Ganong on his Instagram. “Not only do you have to be in peak physical shape, have the best equipment and know how to ski, but then you have to push the boundaries or limits of what can be done on downhill skis, and take risk in gnarly situations like today to be competitive…Kitzbuhel Hannenkammrennan lived up to its name today, glad to finish in one piece in 11th. Time to refocus for tomorrow’s dh race #2."

Jared Goldberg added another top-20 finish to his solid 2020-21 season, taking 19th place. Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team teammate Bryce Bennett was just behind him in 24th. All three athletes who scored points on Friday were "iced" (long holds) in the start gate, unfortunately. Getting iced in downhill is never great, but getting iced in Kitzbuehel and having it happen to all three athletes after Cochran-Siegle crashed is even more unfortunate. Even so, the guys kept their cool as best as they could, and are looking forward to another chance on Saturday. 

Unfortunately, Ryan Cochran-Siegle—who had won one of the training runs and has been the top American downhiller all season long with multiple podiums in super-Gs and downhills (and was ranked third in the downhill standings heading into the weekend)—ended up on his tails below the Hausbergkante jump, went down on his hip on the traverse, and went through the netting. He was up and walking around after the crash and was taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Cochran-Siegle sustained a minor cervical spine (neck) fracture, and is otherwise OK, thankfully. That said, he will sit out the remainder of the weekend and his return is TBD. He had fast splits up top and was in the lead for a good portion of the race prior to his fall.

The race was called after the first 30 racers due to wind, so Sam Morse was unable to start.

The men get another go on the Streif on Saturday, racing the downhill again as a replacement for the canceled Wengen downhill. They then have a super-G on Sunday to finish out the weekend in Kitzbuehel.

RESULTS
Men’s downhill

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST

Saturday, Jan. 23
4 a.m. – Women's Downhill – LIVE – Streaming Peacock + Broadcast Olympic Channel
5:30 a.m. – Men's Downhill – LIVE – Streaming Peacock
4:30 p.m. – Women's Downhill – Same Day Delayed Broadcast NBCSN
6 p.m. – Men's Downhill – Same Day Delayed Broadcast NBCSN

Sunday, Jan. 24
4:30 a.m. – Men's Super-G – LIVE – Streaming Peacock
6:00 a.m. – Women's Super-G – LIVE – Streaming Peacock
6:30 p.m. – Women's Super-G – Same Day Delayed Broadcast NBCSN

It’s the most wonderful time of the year...that is, Hahnenkamm time at Kitzbuehel, Austria. It’s like Christmas Eve...but better. While the women are about to throw down in Crans Montana, Switzerland, the men are about to step into the start gate on the Streif. And there are visions of podiums dancing in our heads. It’s going to be a big weekend. Follow along. 

The 81st edition of the Hahnenkamm will be an experience like no other. Gone are the days where there are 80,000+ screaming fans, beer and gluhwein in hand, stumbling around the finish corral hoping for a peek at their ski racing heroes. It’s 2021, folks. We’re masked up, socially distant and there are no grandstands here at Kitzbuehel this year. Sure, it’s a bummer. A little bit eerie. But, also, it’s kind of special. In the 81 years of this race, it’s never been like this. The Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team is happy to be here, and thankful the organizers and the International Ski Federation (FIS) were able to pull it off. 

On the first day of downhill training on the Streif, Ryan Cochran-Siegle set the pace by .35 seconds, with teammate Travis Ganong on his heels in second, and Jared Goldberg in fifth, .57 seconds back. Cochran-Siegle grabbed his career-first podium in Val Gardena, Italy, with a second-place finish in the downhill and followed that up the following weekend with his career-first victory in the super-G at Bormio, Italy. He was the favorite for the win the very next day in the downhill, but made two incredible saves and ended up in seventh. With two opportunities to throw down on the Streif in downhill and one in super-G, this is one fans are not going to want to miss. What’s more, the start house got quite the makeover this year, so that in and of itself is worth the watch. 

In the second and final downhill training run on Thursday, Cochran-Siegle got low above the Steilhang (which, btw, means “steep slope”) section, and straddled the outside gate, going through the panel. He still had the 22nd fastest training run time. Ganong had the seventh-fastest time on Thursday, while Goldberg was in ninth. Folks: if you haven’t already gotten the point...you’re going to want to tune in this weekend. “It just takes good skiing from top to bottom, executing every turn, as well as I can. Today was a little all over the place up top, but I still had sections that were OK...definitely not race quality,” Cochran-Siegle reflected after the second downhill training run. 

It may not seem possible, but it is only Cochran-Siegle’s second year on the Streif. Last year, he DNFed (but was OK), and on Friday he’ll be looking to make it through the finish line. For the first time. With three opportunities this weekend, he and his teammates will have to be smart and conserve their energy. “You go into it knowing there are going to be three days, so pacing yourself on these days and trying to ramp up the intensity by Friday and into the weekend is important,” Cochran-Siegle added. ‘The key to this track is skiing tactically in places, and then you have to execute really well Steilhang on that flat down to that road...and down here, too, it’s about skiing with power in the apex and carrying speed through the terrain. I’m fine with it...I’m still enjoying it. I’m always just focusing on the skiing, and the slope is still very similar to every other year. That’s where I find joy. I’m sure other guys get energy from the crowd, but I just try to get energy from the slope.” 

The messages of good luck are flowing in from veteran teammate Steven Nyman, who is currently sidelined as he recovers from an Achilles injury, as well as American Downhillers Daron Rahlves and A.J. Kitt, who hosted the very successful Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team virtual fundraiser early this week. Rahlves, who won the downhill here in 2003, and the super-G in 2004 sent a text earlier, “Tell all the boys to definitely respect the Streif, but kick out of the gate to own it. Every time I got into that start I was thinking this could be the greatest day of my life as a racer. So critical to have that mindset approach, then execute!” 

On the women’s side, Breezy Johnson led the way in both training runs, with a notably fast second place in Thursday’s second and final training run. Her response? “That’s Fool’s Silver,” she wrote in a text. Of course, we all know tomorrow is the big day, and Johnson is mentally ready to throw down. Again, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS THIS WEEKEND. Grab your popcorn, Pacifico, and get ready for an action-packed weekend that’ll also feature the winningest female alpine ski racer of all-time—Lindsey Vonn’s—debut on the Olympic Channel, as she calls the women’s downhill and super-G on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, alongside NBC’s Dan Hicks. 

Sad you can't be at Kitzbuehel? We feel ya. Don't stress, you can participate from home with the Virtual cheers with the A1 5Gigameter. 

STARTERS
Women
Breezy Johnson
Tricia Mangan (super-G)
Laurenne Ross
Jackie Wiles
Bella Wright

Men
Bryce Bennett
Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Travis Ganong
Jared Goldberg
Sam Morse

RESULTS
Men’s Downhill Training Run 1
Men’s Downhill Training Run 2
Women’s Downhill Training Run 1
Women’s Downhill Training Run 2

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST

Friday, Jan. 22
4:00 a.m. – Women's Downhill – LIVE – Streaming Peacock + Broadcast Olympic Channel
5:30 a.m. – Men's Downhill – LIVE – Streaming Peacock + Broadcast Olympic Channel

Saturday, Jan. 23
4 a.m. – Women's Downhill – LIVE – Streaming Peacock + Broadcast Olympic Channel
5:30 a.m. – Men's Downhill – LIVE – Streaming Peacock
4:30 p.m. – Women's Downhill – Same Day Delayed Broadcast NBCSN
6 p.m. – Men's Downhill – Same Day Delayed Broadcast NBCSN

Sunday, Jan. 24
4:30 a.m. – Men's Super-G – LIVE – Streaming Peacock
6:00 a.m. – Women's Super-G – LIVE – Streaming Peacock
6:30 p.m. – Women's Super-G – Same Day Delayed Broadcast NBCSN
 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today a partnership with award-winning non-profit health education innovator TeachAids to provide members cutting-edge concussion education resources as part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to athlete health and wellness. 

More than 2.5 million young people suffer concussions in the United States each year. With proper care, most concussions can heal within 10 days, but the overwhelming majority suffering from concussion symptoms are unaware of the latest science around prevention and treatment. TeachAids’ Crash Course Education initiative sets out to solve this problem with an innovative platform.

CrashCourse is a video-based interactive learning experience developed alongside a world-class team of academics, researchers, doctors, and athletes. CrashCourse utilizes virtual reality and other interactive online technologies, taking an individual through real-life scenarios, a Brain Fly-Through, a Concussion Story Wall, as well as a series of short films with respected athletes who raise awareness and thereby reduce stigma. 

“CrashCourse will not only enhance our ability as an organization to educate athletes and coaches, but thanks to TeachAids’ extensive network, it will also allow U.S. Ski & Snowboard to collaborate with some of the country’s top sports organizations,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Sport Education Gar Trayner.“ Between the groundbreaking technology and extensive network of teams, athletes, and medical professionals that TeachAids brings to the table, we look forward to improving our internal health education processes as well as creating greater concussion awareness within the ski and snowboard community.”

"It's been incredibly inspiring to work with the leadership at U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” said Dr. Piya Sorcar, founder and CEO of TeachAids. “They care deeply about identifying research-based and highly impactful methods to make sport safer. "

For more information on CrashCourse by TeachAids, its partners, and to view their free curricula, visit www.CrashCourse.TeachAids.org.

###

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.

About CrashCourse by TeachAids
TeachAids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social venture that creates breakthrough software addressing numerous persistent problems in health education around the world, including HIV/AIDS, concussion, and COVID-19 education. CrashCourse is the second free health education program launched by TeachAids in collaboration with Stanford University, following the global success of its award-winning HIV/AIDS interactive software, which is used in 82 countries around the world. For more information on TeachAids visit TeachAids.org or follow us on Twitter @TeachAids, Facebook @TeachAids, YouTube at TeachAids, and Instagram at @teachaids.

The U.S. Revolution Tour will once again support the freeski and snowboard development pipeline with back-to-back weeks of FIS NorAm competition. The 17th edition of the Rev Tour kicks off at Buttermilk in Aspen, Colo., and marks a new collaboration with the esteemed Aspen Snowmass Open.

“We want to thank the freeski and snowboard community for their support and patience as we navigate the challenging landscape for hosting competitions this season,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Events Manager Sarah Emery. “We owe a huge shout out to our amazing resort partners for their continued support and dedication to delivering safe and progressive competitions. We are excited about our new partnership with the Aspen Snowmass Open and look forward to adding snowboard back to this legacy event.”

The Rev Tour at the Aspen Snowmass Open is set to kick things off with halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air competitions Feb. 21-26. Competitions will take place on the X Games Aspen courses, providing a taste of what it takes to compete at the pinnacle of freeski and snowboard competition. 

The Rev Tour is focused on athletes 13-19 years of age and awards top athletes an invite to compete in the U.S. Grand Prix, Junior Worlds, and participate in Project Gold camps. Events are open to prequalified athletes, but additional opportunities also are available to earn a chance to compete. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s continued partnership with USASA and The Futures Tour provides an avenue for athletes to qualify for the Rev Tour as a “last chance qualifier” into the current season, as well as solidify their prequalified spot for 2021-22 season. Athletes can also register an alternate, in which case FIS and World Snowboard Points List rankings will determine the athletes selected to complete the field. 

All events are contingent on local and state health department approvals based on existing and future COVID-19 rules and regulations. FIS, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, local organizing committees, and host venues are taking a unified approach consistent with guidance from federal, state, and local health authorities.

For More Information Contact:
Lyndsay Gang
Events Administrative Coordinator 
lyndsay.gang@usskiandsnowboard.org
 

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

FOLLOW
Instagram - @ussnowboardteam
Facebook - @usskiandsnowboard

Interested in organization, athlete, and event related news?
Sign up for our Daily or Weekly Update

Learn more about how to support the U.S. Freeski & Snowboard Teams.
 

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

FOLLOW
Instagram - @ussnowboardteam
Facebook - @usskiandsnowboard
 

Interested in organization, athlete, and event related news?
Sign up for our Daily or Weekly Update

Learn more about how to support the U.S. Freeski & Snowboard Teams.

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