*This story was updated on September 22.*

This season was supposed to be Olympian Alice Merryweather's comeback season, after sitting out the 2020-21 season to take the time needed to focus on health and happiness as she pursued intensive treatment for an eating disorder. All signs were pointing towards brighter days, as Merryweather tackled a successful strength and conditioning period as well as return-to-snow camps in Official Training Site Mammoth Mountain, Calif., and then Saas-Fee, Switzerland with many bright moments both on and off the mountain with her teammates. She was skiing strong, showing her teammates, coaches, competitors—and most importantly, herself—how far she had come the last 12 months...and just how much joy she had found in skiing again. 
 

 

 

 

 

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And then, it happened. A crash while going 80mph during a downhill training day this past Wednesday at Saas-Fee towards the bottom of the course, resulted in a broken tibia and fibula, and a scraped-up and swollen face. However, her big heart and brave soul was intact. As the helicopter was approaching, Merryweather remained calm despite the situation and the immense pain. Her serviceman (Dušan) commented that he had never seen an athlete in that situation with such bravery and courage. Merryweather was airlifted to a nearby hospital and has already had a successful surgery. 

 

 

 

 

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Merryweather has been through so much in the last year...but she remains confident that she can overcome the upcoming obstacles. "The recovery to come looks a lot different than my last," she commented, "...but if I can rewire my brain I think I can heal some bone and ligaments too," while she thanked everyone for their ongoing support. She was visited by teammates (bearing gifts M&M cookies, a Saas-Fee cow mug with her name on it, stuffed animals, rose quartz crystals, and lots of tears and hugs) coaches, and her physio Torey Anderson...and was well-taken care of the last few days. 

Merryweather will return home to the United States for further evaluation on her knee and join her family and teammate/boyfriend Sam DuPratt (who is himself recovering from a double leg break sustained at Val Gardena, Italy last December) in the coming days. All of our love and healing energy is with her as she enters this next period of recovery. 

Injury Update: September 22

 

 

 

 

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Jump on in and support the aerial skiers of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team on Friday, September 17 at 9:30 a.m. MDT for a live, virtual fundraiser on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Facebook page!

Hosted by freestyle legends Trace Worthington and Emily Cook, this virtual event will seek to help raise $50,000 to ensure the U.S. Aerials Ski Team is fully funded for the 2021-22 season. Go behind the scenes of training at Official Training Site Utah Olympic Park, meet the athletes and gain insight into how they’re preparing for the upcoming season. 

The 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing are less than six months away and will provide these athletes with two medal opportunities, including individual and the Olympic debut of the team event. Now is the time to get behind our aerial skiers and support them on this journey.  

“Knowing that people are willing to support me and my team's training is very inspiring. Not everyone who skis is financially stable and to have the support of donors is indescribable. I didn't come from a wealthy family, so I am extremely grateful for everyone who has supported me financially throughout my career. I would not still be doing freestyle aerial skiing if it wasn't for scholarships and donors." Karenna Elliott

To support the U.S. Aerials Ski Team, click here for more information.

The USASA is proud to host the 2nd Annual USASA Golf Classic Sept 17th at McHenry Country Club! The golf fundraiser has two different ways to participate and support the grassroots development of U.S. snowboard and freeski athletes. This fun charity golf event helps support kids in sport, the development of future athletes on the world stage, and the education of coaches, judges, and officials. Participation in sports has been shown to be a critical component in the development of today’s youth. USASA events create a positive environment to help develop self-esteem, encourage problem-solving, teach teamwork and good sportsmanship, and build confidence in young people. 

There are TWO ways to participate! 

• September 17th event at McHenry Country Club in the Chicagoland area. 
• Virtually at any course of your choosing across the country through Sept. 17th.

REGISTER, DONATE, LEARN MORE!
 

While August and September typically mean travel to the Southern Hemisphere—including locations like New Zealand, Chile, and Argentina—for the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, the Team had to relocate and get creative for the second consecutive year due to COVID-19. Ski Racing recently caught up with Alpine Director Jesse Hunt, Head Men's Speed Coach Randy Pelkey, and two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin to see how training is going on the glaciers of Switzerland this summer. 

Ski Racing wrote, 

“This summer’s training plan is very similar to last season’s preparation in terms of volume and training sites,” said Hunt. “We skied a lot in April, May, and June at Squaw Valley, Mammoth and Mount Hood. Now we are training in Europe unless the option to train in Chile becomes available.”

Hunt and the alpine teams are targeting the glaciers that offer the best conditions for this time of year. For World Cup teams, that means Saas Fee and Zermatt, which offer both speed lanes and tech lanes, along with additional venues, such as Stelvio, Hintertux, Soelden, and the indoor facility at Snow Valley. With updated Covid protocols, including vaccinations, regular testing, masking, and social distancing when required, all national teams have traveled to the European glaciers for training alongside the Norwegian, Swedish, and Swiss national teams, to name a few. 

There is a big plus with European training in that most of the athletes across the U.S. Alpine Ski Team are in the same location, which rarely happens for the men and women. Team dinners, hikes, excursions to the Kneipp ice baths, picnics, and more have provided for some solid cross-team bonding experiences. 

Shiffrin shared her camp focus with Ski Racing as well, saying, 

As for her own preparation heading into the all-important Olympic season, Shiffrin said, “I feel like I have some really great skiing and some not-so-consistent skiing, and one of my goals for this camp is to reel in that consistency and mindset that I need not only for training but more importantly for races as well. So aside from simply skiing, that’s a big part of this camp as well for me.”

Read the full article at SkiRacing.com.

BEAVER CREEK, COLO. (Aug. 27, 2021) — If ski racing fans are feeling the need for speed, they will get a triple-dose of it when the Xfinity Birds of Prey FIS Ski World Cup returns to Beaver Creek Resort Dec. 3-5, 2021.

The nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation, which hosts the Xfinity Birds of Prey races each year, confirmed the men’s Beaver Creek World Cup schedule as follows:

Friday, Dec. 3: Super-G
Saturday, Dec. 4: Downhill
Sunday, Dec. 5: Super-G

*The men’s World Cup calendar has not yet been fully confirmed. FIS will confirm in September. Beaver Creek race times TBD.

All events will be streamed and broadcast live on the networks of NBC Sports.

The races are part of a return of the North American leg of the FIS Ski World Cup tour, including:

Nov. 27-28: HomeLight Killington Cup, USA, Women’s Slalom and Giant Slalom
Nov. 27-28: Lake Louise, Canada, Men’s Downhill and Super-G
Dec. 3-5: Lake Louise, Canada, Women’s Downhill and Super-G

‘Back at one of the best courses in the world’
Ryan Cochran-Siegle is one of many racers excited to return to the Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek Resort, which is known worldwide for its steep pitch, high speeds, and demanding turns.

“We can’t wait to be back at one of the best courses in the world, here on home soil,” said Cochran-Siegle, who was ranked third overall in the world in downhill before he was sidelined by an injury sustained at the Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuehel, Austria, in January for the remainder of the 2020-21 season. “I have this date circled on my calendar. We all love Birds of Prey. It’s everything from the track to the people to the volunteers to the general environment and history of U.S. Ski Team success at Beaver Creek that make this return to home soil something all of us are highly anticipating.”

The weekend of racing marks a major milestone on the way to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games Feb. 4-20, 2022 in Beijing, and serves as a qualifying event for athletes to earn points and placements toward their nomination to the 2022 U.S. Olympic Ski Team.

“We could not be more thrilled to once again welcome the world back to the iconic Birds of Prey course here in Beaver Creek,” said Mike Imhof, President of the Vail Valley Foundation.

Athletes to watch
Among the racers to beat on Saturday’s Downhill will likely be Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR), who was the 2020 World Cup overall downhill champ and was leading in the downhill standings and second in the overall standings this past season before he was injured. He will have to fend off Beat Feuz (SUI), who edged out Matthias Mayer (AUT) and Dominik Paris (ITA) to take the overall World Cup Downhill title in the amended 2020 season.

Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT) won the overall Super-G crystal globe and placed fourth overall in Downhill Cup standings and is anticipated to lead the charge on Friday and Sunday’s Super-G. He will likely have to fend off top American racers Cochran-Siegle and Travis Ganong, as well as a host of challengers including Kilde,

“Beaver Creek Resort is proud to host Birds of Prey, and we’re excited to showcase our world-class steep terrain and unrivaled hospitality,” Beaver Creek Resort COO Nadia Guerriero said. “This is an extraordinary opportunity for our resort and community to welcome some of the world’s best athletes on their journey to the 2022 Winter Olympics.”

The Xfinity Birds of Prey – and the entire North American leg of the FIS Ski World Cup tour – was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In years past, the weekend in Beaver Creek has typically featured a giant slalom race on Sunday, but this year’s World Cup calendar is designed to minimize potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus by reducing the participants on site. Therefore, speed and tech event groups are being mixed as little as possible.

“In the nearly two years since the first appearance of the virus, we’ve had time to develop sound procedures and protocols,” Imhof said. “We are working closely with the FIS, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Vail Resorts, Beaver Creek Resort, Eagle County Public Health, and all our other wonderful partners to ensure that we can host these beloved races and that athletics, fans, partners, media, and volunteers can all enjoy and attend the event in as safe and comfortable a manner as possible.”

‘Beers of Prey’ on tap
The Vail Valley Foundation said it is planning music, giveaways, sponsor activations, “Birds of Prey Way” in Beaver Creek Village, and a wide array of celebratory ancillary events, including the highly-popular “Beers of Prey” tasting event, throughout race weekend. Details will be announced this autumn.

Health and safety policies will be in place
With some international travel restrictions still in effect, Beaver Creek and The Vail Valley Foundation continue to work with all appropriate parties ahead of the FIS Ski World Cup. The health and safety of guests, staff, and athletes is a top priority, organizers said, and as the ski racing community returns to hosting international events, heightened health and safety protocols will be in place, as needed, during the Xfinity Birds of Prey FIS Ski World Cup. Event protocols will comply with local health and safety measures, as well as those mandated by FIS, and may be modified based on evolving standards, public health, and governmental directives.

Learn more at bcworldcup.com.

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About the Xfinity Birds of Prey FIS Ski World Cup
Ranked as the number one overall stop by the athletes and coaches who participate, the Xfinity Birds of Prey FIS Ski World Cup at Beaver Creek Resort has become legendary in the ski world.

Beaver Creek Mountain is home to the formidable Birds of Prey racecourse, challenging an international roster of top athletes for one weekend of racing that typically features Men’s Alpine super-G, downhill, and giant slalom competitions. The event is organized by the nonprofit Vail Valley Foundation, in close partnership with the FIS, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Vail Resorts, the Beaver Creek Resort Company, Beaver Creek Resort, Xfinity, and TIAA Bank.

Learn more at www.bcworldcup.com.

About the Vail Valley Foundation
The Vail Valley Foundation is a 501c3 Colorado nonprofit corporation with a mission to enhance the quality of life in the Vail Valley and showcase our community to a global audience through arts, athletics, and education.

The organization’s work in education is through YouthPower365, a 501c3 Colorado nonprofit corporation with a mission to provide year-round extended learning opportunities that empower and educate the youth and families of Eagle County from cradle-to-career readiness. The Vail Valley Foundation also provides the Vail Valley with several of its most treasured annual events, such as the GoPro Mountain Games, the Xfinity Birds of Prey FIS Ski World Cup races, the Vail Dance Festival, and the Hot Summer Nights and ShowDown Town free concert series’. The Vail Valley Foundation also manages and operates two performing arts centers, the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek Village and the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, providing more than 100 Broadway, dance, comedy, classical, rock, pop, jazz, community and family events per year.

Vail Valley Foundation activities and events are in part made possible by cornerstone partners: the Town of Vail, Vail Resorts, Beaver Creek Resort Company, GMC, and TIAA Bank.

To learn more about the Vail Valley Foundation visit www.vvf.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.

Learn more at usskiandsnowboard.org.

About Beaver Creek Resort
Renowned for legendary attention to detail, World-Cup mountain pedigree, intimate alpine village, and reputation as one the world’s best luxury family resorts, Beaver Creek Resort represents incomparable elegance and Rocky Mountain leisure which spoils guests for anywhere else with an unparalleled level of world-class service. Just 30 minutes east of Eagle Airport (EGE) and 2.5 hours west of Denver International Airport (DIA), Beaver Creek offers luxury accommodations throughout three villages and ski-in, ski-out luxury lodges and hotels. More than 40 in-resort and slope-side restaurants, elegant village boutiques, cherished daily traditions and activities such as world-class downhill skiing and snowboarding spanning 2082 acres with 3340 vertical feet of descent, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, and ice skating in the Beaver Creek village.

Visit BeaverCreek.com for additional information and vacation planning. 

Release courtesy of the Vail Valley Foundation.

In the International Ski Federation's (FIS) recent Behind the Scenes feature with Bryce Bennett, the downhiller shares his relationship with ski racing. Bennett grew up in a ski racing family in Squaw Valley, Calif., spending a lot of time on the mountain and "slowly fell in love" with ski racing. 

Bennett acknowledges that ski racing is a tough sport, it can feel like a constant struggle. In the video, he shares some tactics he has used to keep improving, like working with veteran teammate Steven Nyman, with whom he shares a serviceman, the legendary Leo Mussi. Bennett added that the need for consistency across multiple tracks throughout the season is a challenge that draws him to the sport further, and says he'll “Just keep chipping away and chipping away and hopefully the day lines up and everything works out.” 

Big news from the Eastern Region staff: we’re hiring! Kathy Okoniewski is transitioning over to a role in Sport Education, so we are currently looking for a Youth Development Coach to help our young athletes advance. Kathy has made a big impression over the last 5 years helping our clubs and kids be their very best. Her role has been mostly focused on U16 and U14 athletes where she’s worked with so many kids through our training projects, the U14 Eastern Champs, Can-Ams, and U16 Nationals. But she’s also organized U12 projects, done many club visits, and taken the lead in coordinating much of our in-region coaches education including last year’s virtual Language Locker sessions that so many of you participated in through your clubs. She’s made a lasting mark and set the bar high!

I’m happy to tell you that Kathy will continue to be here in the East, embedded with us as a liason to the Sport Education department. This means that she’ll continue to be here to facilitate access to the best development and education for our clubs and coaches, as well as chipping in nationally as the Sport Education staff continues to develop content and opportunities. We are super excited to support Kathy in this role, and we are so grateful for her years of hard work and service!

If you’re interested in the Youth Development Coach position, you can find the job description and application online: Click here to access it!

Members of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Team continue their summer prep for the upcoming FIS World Cup and Olympic season with a mix of gym time, trail running, mountain biking, and roller skiing. Toss in a few victories and a course record along the way, and so far the summer has been very rewarding.

Scott Patterson has been dominating trail running events in Alaska this summer, posting victories in both the Crow Pass Crossing - setting a new course record for the 22.5-mile backcountry footrace from Girdwood to Eagle River - and winning the Cirque Series event at Alyeska Resort.

 

 

 

 

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“My summer training has been going quite well,” said Patterson, who has been training with the Alaska Pacific University club program. “I’ve spent the whole spring and summer in Anchorage in order to keep things simple and focused. This approach has paid off in solid progress in training sessions as well as setting several course records at trail running races. After 8 years racing Crow Pass, including seven victories, I finally got the record. This has been a big summer goal for several years.”

At the Cirque Series race in Alyeska, Alaska, Patterson led a host of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Team’s Anchorage-based athletes, including teammate Sophia Laukli, who won the women’s pro division. Ben Ogden also made the trip to Alaska from his home base in Vermont for a few weeks of training, finishing eighth in the pro division. Kendall Kramer and Sydney-Palmer Leger also participated in the women’s Expert division. Laukli also won the Cirque Series race at Snowbird, Utah, on Saturday, Aug. 21.

 

 

 

 

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With almost half of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Team living and training in Anchorage, World Cup Cross Country Coach Matt Whitcomb, and Development Team Coach Kate Johnson made a visit to Anchorage to check in on the summer training progress. “The purpose of the trip was not to organize the camp so much as to check in with every athlete,” Whitcomb said. “Everybody's working hard, enjoying each other's company and there is just great synergy going on, I can't wait to see what comes from it.”

Unfortunately, a summer skiing camp on the Eagle Glacier had to be cancelled due to the rebuilding of the on-site lodge. But, that didn’t deter the athletes from getting together and trying something new.

“Something different this summer was that a big group of guys, both on the U.S. Ski Team, and from other teams, lived and trained together in Anchorage,” said Gus Schumacher. “We had a house that we all stayed in and it ended up being super awesome. It really helped a lot to push each other, and establish a strong frame of teamwork to bring into our next camps and winter racing.”

Following last summer’s Covid-19 travel restrictions, many athletes enjoyed training with their home club programs throughout the prep period. And that has also carried over to this summer as well with many athletes enjoying the comforts of home, and the opportunity to focus on the little things that will make a difference once the season starts. 

“Most of my training this summer has been very similar to last year with a few small alterations,” Patterson said. “I felt last year’s training cycle was quite productive so I wanted to replicate that with a few improvements.”

“Nothing different for me - just a continued emphasis on recovery and training smart while training hard,” added Jessie Diggins, who is training in Vermont with her Stratton Mountain School Elite Team program, alongside teammates Julia Kern and Katherine Ogden, all of whom have been pushing each other this summer. 

 

 

 

 

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“I really value having a group to work with all summer, pushing and learning from one another,” said Kern, who has also mixed mountain biking and gravel riding into her summer training program. “I have mostly been focused on having high quality and smart training, making the most of each session and also prioritizing recovery, listening to what my body needs.”

“I think what people want out of summer training varies based on age,” Whitcomb said. “The older we all get the more home feels just right, and the younger we are the more stimulus we need from our peers. And sometimes that means going to a camp or something, So it’s about finding the right balance.”

That balance also includes getting athletes on snow, which has been a challenge with the Eagle Glacier Camp cancelled. However, many of the athletes have participated in competitive events this summer, including mountain bike and gravel races for both Kern and Katharine Ogden in Vermont. 

“That is where we find our edge,” Whitcomb said of the head-to-head competition. “We can get 95, 96, 97, 98% there, no problem (through hard summer training), but to get 99 and 100% there, that takes going head-to-head and feeling some fight, some discomfort, and some vulnerability.”

Kevin Bolger has also been jumping into some racing this summer. Bolger is training in Sweden alongside his girlfriend Maja Dahlqvist and the Swedish National Team this summer, going head-to-head in roller ski races. 

 

 

 

 

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As for a mid-summer snow session, Diggins, Kern, Ogden, and their Stratton Mountain School teammates are heading over to Germany in late August for some snow time at the Oberhof Ski Tunnel. The final camp of the prep period is a high-altitude camp scheduled for October 4-18 in Park City, then it’s off to Scandinavia for the opening World Cup events in Ruka, Finland Thanksgiving Weekend. 

Moguls skier on the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team Jesse Andringa returned to snow last month after rehabbing through an ankle injury he sustained at the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare Freestyle International. Andringa tore three ligaments in his ankle and dislocated his peroneal tendons in a crash that sent him over the bottom air on one foot. 

Following a successful surgery, Andringa quickly focused his attention on his recovery. His first priority was getting his range of motion back, keeping things pretty mellow, and lifting once he was able to do so. “Lifting is so stable,” he explained, “it doesn’t require a lot of foot movement. So I was able to lift heavy weights before I was able to walk normally.”

 

 

 

 

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Four months in, Andringa was cleared to train on the water ramp, and got 23 ramping days in before taking his ankle to snow at Timberline Lodge & Ski Area last month during moguls’ last domestic on-snow prep camp. 

“I was cleared to do everything at Timberline,” he said. “I still didn’t have the mobility that I would have liked to have had. I started off just skiing flats, but that made my ankle really sore, and was very discouraging.”

Not one to be discouraged, Andringa pressed on, finding jumping felt better. “Jumping on snow felt good, I got used to jumping in water so that motion was becoming easier for me.” By the end of camp, Andringa was training his full trick package. 

Even more surprising to Andringa was how many moguls he skied. “I really did not think I would be able to ski moguls. I tried it, and the first runs every day would really hurt. I would only ski about four to begin with. But by run two or three I was up to 10 or 15 in a row. I was up to a full mogul section usually by run four.”

 

 

 

 

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“It was really awesome [to be back on snow]. As I got back to it more and more, it became easier and easier. It was really encouraging to see all of my work and rehab pay off.”

The camp also marked the first time both Andringa brothers were back on snow training as part of the U.S. Ski Team together since 2019. After almost two full years sidelined by surgeries, injuries and rehabs, Casey Andringa returned to snow just before Jesse in June. “It was very fun to be back on snow with Casey. Both of us are going through emotional times. We have highs, like doing tricks on snow, and lows, like having to take afternoons or days off because of our pain levels. But being together was helpful and encouraging.”

This was just the boost Andringa needed heading into the later half of the summer prep season. He’ll be working towards skiing 100% the next time the team finds snow and plans to keep pushing to dial in his full range of motion. 

Reflecting back on his injury, Andringa says he learned he needed to better believe in himself. “I pushed myself at Deer Valley because I was lacking confidence. Confidence and knowing that I’m good enough, that’s what I’m taking out of this.”

Andringa would like to thank all of his physical therapists, Doctor Thomas Haytmanek, Hans Gardner, U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff and everyone else who has helped him through this injury. 

Follow Jesse Andringa’s story on his Instagram @jesse_bare 

A U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership is required for athletes, coaches, officials, and club volunteers who want to compete or participate in events sanctioned by U.S. Ski & Snowboard for the 2021-22 season.

Click HERE to renew your U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership for the 2021-22 season!