In response to the recent discussion put forth by Ski Racing Media about collegiate ski racing and the relationship between NCAA skiing and the U.S. Ski Team, many members of the community wanted to weigh in with their perspective and have asked that we publish their pieces, so their voices are heard. 

One of these individuals is current U.S. Ski Team B Team athlete and 2019 NCAA slalom champion, who currently attends the University of Denver (DU), Jett Seymour. Jett wrote this piece in response to a Ski Racing Media article, USST, NCAA butt heads over NorAm schedule. 

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The United States Ski Team and their view on college skiing has been a very controversial topic for years. From my perspective it is a very interesting conversation that is more complex than coaches and administrators make it seem. First, I would like to say that I agree with both sides of this article and both have valid points. However, as in most controversial issues; both make points that I disagree with and have a different view based on my experience.

Let’s first talk about the NorAm schedule, the premise of this article. NorAms are designed to create a platform for the best athletes in North America to make it onto the World Cup and hopefully become successful at the highest level of competition. That being said, the NorAms must cater towards the schedule of the World Cup skiers. This past season, watching some of the top skiers in North America such as Simon Fournier, River Radamus, and Brian Mclaughlin race world cups was an absolute treat. However, competing on the World Cup is difficult; everything must go right on your one run down the course in order for you to make it into the top 30 and be able to compete in the second run. Rarely do we see someone like Lucas Braathen break into the top 30 world cup start list their first-year racing World Cup. There will always be athletes that will make it look easy, but, there are also athletes that have shown so much speed but just need one little thing to go right for them to make a huge break through and that might take a year or two of racing World Cup. But athletes must race NorAms in addition to World Cups in order to keep FIS points low and ensure a second year on the World Cup circuit. When the NorAms are scheduled over top of the World Cup races, North American skiing as a whole is making it harder on the athletes to succeed at the highest level in the sport. “The NorAms serve multiple roles, but that one is absolutely critical because without serving that role, our athletes have no pathway to the top in the world,” said Shaw. “And that’s our job, as the people who run the national team” (Ski Racing Media). I completely agree with this quote and I think that Tiger Shaw has a very good point. Europa Cups do not overlap with World Cups for the most part, so why should NorAms?

Can college skiing be a part of the “pipeline”?

This is a difficult question. In my experience after going through this process of using the college circuit as a viable option to make it to the World Cup there really isn’t a right answer to this question. Multiple athletes have proven that it is possible, but I don’t think there are a lot of people that really understand exactly how hard it will be. First, there is the challenge of making it onto a college team fresh out of high school, which is hard; the level of skiers on the college circuit is high. Second, being able to improve your skiing in college is more difficult than it would be with the USST. I was lucky enough to be able to train and travel with the USST the whole time I was in college and without that access to World Cup level training, I would not have had the success that I have had. However, I think that if I were to skip college and go straight to the USST I would be in a different place in my career.

College provided me with the opportunity to really find who I was as a human. I left high school with very little knowledge about skiing, tuning, ski set ups, and ultimately the real world. I was able to learn so much about skiing that I do not think I would have learned if I didn’t have to take full ownership of my skiing career. However, I had two pretty bad seasons in a row and I really struggled mentally and physically. I was so programmed from my younger years to take as many runs as possible and to just keep skiing that I ended up hurting myself more than helping myself, mainly during early season. It takes a unique person to be able to thrive in college and embrace the struggle, learn from all the mistakes, take the lessons you have learned and apply them to your career. Going the college route is not for everyone. Going straight to the USST I think is for sure the easier route and if there are the right coaches and athletes, for your career in my opinion, I think it would be more beneficial. In my case, the first year on the team, there were still team fees and the financial strain of skiing was still falling on my shoulders. I was able to alleviate that while getting an education, which was a no brainer. I was a little boy when I went to college; I weighed 145 pounds at most and was immature. In my specific scenario attending college was the best option at the time and I wouldn’t change the way I did it at all. The amount of effort you put into the route you choose to go determines how much you are going to get out of it. At the end of the day, the effort I put into workouts is the same at the University of Denver as it would be with the USST, the turns I make training with the University of Denver are still the same ones I would make with the USST, and the dedication I have to the sport remains the same no matter where I am skiing.

One point in the article that I thought was a little unfair is about the “frantic athlete”: an athlete willing to sacrifice it all in order to be top 10 in the world. According to the article by Ski Racing Tiger Shaw said an athlete with other goals or aspirations is probably an athlete that should not be involved with the U.S. Ski Team. [See Ski Racing notation below] I had the opportunity to talk with Tiger Shaw about these quotes and he defined a “Frantic Athlete” a little differently: someone that has always had their eyes set on making the next step at each level of the sport. As in, moving from winning NorAms to winning Europa Cups and World Cups. Still, in the world we live in you must be one of the best racers in the world to make any sort of money from ski racing. When I was stressed out and unsure of the path I chose, that inherent ambition to be the best in the world was crucial in reminding me why I do what I do. However, often we are only training four hours a day—with recovery or a lift, five, maybe six hours. The other hours can be used for anything that you want, so having other goals and aspirations should be encouraged. Obviously having a full class load is a stressful way to fill those hours and racing in Europe is hard to manage, but having something to give your mind a break from ski racing is important.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunities to race on the NCAA circuit along with representing our country. I think us athletes need to remember how lucky we are to have ski racing be part of lives. Ultimately, there is no right answer on what the best options for athletes is because it is very specific to each athlete and I think that all parties should support skiers that show potential. At the end of the day good skiing is good skiing and good skiing can be made into fast skiing.

— Jett Seymour
U.S. Ski Team

Starting with the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team in early June, U.S. Ski & Snowboard worked closely with several domestic ski areas, including Mt. Bachelor, to coordinate unique summer on-snow training camp opportunities for its national teams. 

Members of the men’s World Cup technical team—led by Forest Carey, including two-time Olympic champion Ted Ligety, Olympians Tommy Ford and Ryan Cochran-Siegle, and World Junior medalists/up-and-comers Ben Ritchie and Luke Winters—hit the snow at Mt Bachelor, in Bend, Ore. for a 10-day giant slalom and slalom camp. 

All sanctioned U.S. Ski & Snowboard training camps are subject to a rigorous set of criteria adhering to local, state, and federal public health orders as well as the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) return to training guidelines to ensure the safety of its athletes and staff.

Working closely together with Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation (MBSEF), Forest and assistant coaches Ian Garner, Ryan Wilson and Will Courtney conducted a successful 10-day camp, with early morning training and World Cup-like conditions. MBSEF Executive Director John Schiemer and his team, including Alpine Director Nils Eriksson, were psyched the guys were there and helped Forest and the team immensely. Each afternoon, athletes received physical therapy at Rebound’s West Clinic. Rebound is an official medical provider for the U.S Ski & Snowboard Team. 

“The athletes were engaged, excited, motivated—it was a really nice environment. The local community was welcoming and really helpful,” Forest emphasized. “Brett Gingold, the doctor who was on the ground, made everything happen and provided a lot of local knowledge, and helped us feel safe.” Forest also mentioned how helpful the MBSEF crew helped, including driving snowmobiles while the athletes were lapping. “We were fortunate the mountain was closed, so we were training with snowmobiles,” said Forest. “There was very little demand for accommodation so we had spacious accommodations...it was a good way to kick off having camps. It worked out pretty smoothly.”

In total, the men skied for 10 days, with eight days of giant slalom training and two days of slalom training when the weather was less than perfect. “It’s a really nice trail—it’s like a 55-second GS, with really nice terrain,” Forest added. “They got about 60 runs in the camp. We also did two days of slalom when the weather wasn’t as good. Working on the normal stuff. It was nice to get out there this time of year for a little experimenting and try to get the pressure above the fall-line, and powerful turns. Each guy was able to try that out with their feelings and with input from each other. We salted pretty much every day, getting up there very early, so the snow was fine.” 

With the salted snow, Oregon local (Gresham) Luke Winters, mentioned the conditions were much like many of the World Cups this past season. “The training and conditions at Bachelor were a bit northwest-wet and variable, but the salt worked and we were able to get some quality training on a great hill. As far as I'm concerned, the conditions were similar to most GS World Cups this year.” World Cups like Yuzawa-Naeba, Japan, Alta Badia, Italy, Garmisch, Germany, and Hinterstoder, Austria, all had that springlike, salted surface. 

Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who just came off of the best season of his career on the World Cup, was relieved to get back on snow in some capacity with their small group. “The last time any of us was on snow in a serious training environment was back at the beginning of March when we were at the time preparing for Kranjska Gora [Slovenia],” Ryan said. “All of a sudden, our season ended like the flip of a switch and for a short moment, skiing was put on the back burner to return home safely and learn how to be a part of a new social-distancing world. To be back on snow again after everything we have all been through was a refreshing feeling. At the same time, it also felt a little like tiptoeing through your house in the middle of the night. It’s all familiar territory to be skiing again, but not everything is experienced in the same light right now. COVID precautions added to the detail we put in place with our training and housing environments, but eventually, it became close to normal over the course of a few days of getting used to.”

Bend, Ore. hometown boy Tommy was stoked to get back on snow at his home hill when it reopened at the end of May, saying that “Returning to snow to gates for the first time since early March was lovely. Didn't skip much of a beat. Skiing at Bachelor when it reopened at the end of May really helped get my ski feet back on.”

“Mt. Bachelor let us train on Thunderbird, the main run, that has a nice gradual break over with a consistent pitch that breaks over again just before a compression and trail turn that leads into an off-kilter false flat then gradually turns,” Tommy said. “It was a dream come true to train on that hill with my team! We had some early mornings and some salty days. I feel like we were all able to learn and improve our skills.”

Ryan was quick to mention they knew the privilege it was to be at Mt. Bachelor and they all took it seriously in order to get the most out of the opportunity. “We also had a great daily dialogue and communication among athletes and staff that helped offer different perspectives between us from which we learned extensively. Fortunately, we had close to perfect terrain for our needs thanks to Mt. Bachelor who gave us full reign of Thunderbird while there. Easily the best trail I’ve ever skied at Mt. Bachelor, as it’s still the only trail I’ve ever skied at Mt. Bachelor,” he added.

Though Luke admits the break in the spring due to COVID-19 didn’t feel as long as it was, he says it was good to get back on snow and is thankful for the solid training in his home state of Oregon. “Being an Oregonian, it was nice for Bachelor to open up and keep me as local as possible,” said Luke. “Training on the same hill I spent a lot of time on as a kid brought back some fun memories and it was good to do it with fellow U.S. Team athletes this time around. Hopefully, we can make it an annual trip. Thanks to Mt. Bachelor and MBSEF for all the help.”

Luke’s focus during the camp was on giant slalom. “This next season I want to ski as much GS as I can and work on being a two event tech skier in the coming years,” he commented. “Taking my slalom fundamentals I have been focusing on in the last year and transferring what I can to GS.” Tommy’s focus was “on activating and utilizing my inside ski while also doing all the other stuff well too. The other stuff being, staying out over the ski and rotated out with my shoulders as the forces build. Strong move down the hill at the top of the turn. In slalom, working to use the skis like a trampoline rather than skis. That was interesting.”

As for Ryan, his focus for the camp was on discovering the right cues to get him back where he was at the beginning of March. “For me, this included driving over the front of the ski at the top of the turn, disciplined level upper body through the apex with strong lateral outside half core engagement, and sticking with my bottom half to finish the turn, upper body following my lower body,” he said. 

All of the athletes shared similar sentiments of gratitude for the training opportunity, and Tommy commented, “A big thank you to Mt. Bachelor, MBSEF, our dedicated snowmobile drivers, Rebound PT, Boss Sports Performance, my parents, and the U.S. Ski Team. It really takes a village.” Ryan added, “Thank you to all of the supporters, volunteers, staff, medical team, teammates, Rebound Therapy, Mt. Bachelor, city of Bend, and U.S. Ski and Snowboard for making such a great first camp possible! There was a crazy amount of hard work and jumping over hurdles that went into making it happen and we are all just so incredibly thankful and appreciative that it did!”

 

 

 

 

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Recognizing the challenges people are facing each day during such uncertain and sensitive times. It seems progress is being made thanks to the many individuals doing what is necessary to overcome these battles. This includes many sacrifices I cannot ever fully know nor understand, but I will continue doing the best I can to be supportive and empathize during such difficult conflicts. . . Our team took our own step in the right direction today with our first successful training camp @mtbachelor in the books after a long hiatus off snow. Looking forward to our next opportunity to continue working on this progression. Thank you to the many many people who helped make this camp possible (groomers, sled drivers, medical staff, slipper volunteers, coaches, technicians, @rebound_pt, teammates, @usskiteam), you made it well worth our while. Needless to say, it felt good to be back on snow and to rediscover that type of focus again. #oneteam

A post shared by Ryan Cochran-Siegle (@rc.s) on Jun 12, 2020 at 3:29pm PDT

Finally, the time together in Mt. Bachelor in what has been a tumultuous time in the world, as protests against social injustice abounded across the country, gave the team time to have thoughtful and serious discussions about what was going on in the world. “As a final note,” added Tommy, “although we were back on snow and stoked for some sense of normalcy, we recognized, as a group, that ‘normal’ is changing and we were having daily discussions about Black Lives Matter, policing, and legislation. I've talked about continuity and consistency in my skiing for a while and the same applies to social change. Let's put the work in. Vote.”  

Though much remains unknown with regards to future training opportunities in the COVID-19 landscape, the men’s tech team plans to travel to Mt. Hood, Ore. in July for a camp at U.S. Ski & Snowboard's official training site Timberline Lodge and Ski Area. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard sanctioned training camp attendance is optional. U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and staff should not feel pressure to travel to train. All sanctioned training camp policies and protocols are subject to change based on local, state, and federal public health orders, updated guidance from the USOPC, or updated U.S. Ski & Snowboard policies.

Each and every one of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s more than 170 athletes has a unique story, and that story has only gotten more unique since their 2019-20 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After returning back home to Portland, Oregon, Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete and Olympian Jackie Wiles settled in for the longest stint she’s been home in a long time. Her quarantine binge of choice? Watching all 23 Marvel movies, from Captain Marvel to Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Alpine Communications Manager Megan Harrod spent some time catching up with Jackie (a.k.a. “Janky lil J”) , a speed specialist who had just returned to the FIS Ski World Cup tour after suffering a knee injury prior to the 2018 Olympics that had her sidelined for the entire 2018-19 season. Join us for this athlete touch base, as we talk about what she’s been up to since returning home from Europe early, what her quarantine life looks like, and the recent adventure she embarked on prior to returning to snow for the first camp of the 2020-21 season at Copper Mountain, Colo.—an Official Training Site for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. 

Megan Harrod: First of all, what have you been up to in quarantine? Have you picked up any new skills or refined any existing skills?
Jackie Wiles: Quarantine has been quite the new experience, but I am honestly loving this time at home to slow down a bit. I have really enjoyed lots of time to cook, spring clean, bake lots of banana bread, and also watched all 23 Marvel movies (total of 40 hrs. 48min) in order with my roommate. Besides that, I’ve been in full training mode, and I feel lucky that I have over the years slowly built up a home gym that is now coming in handy.

MH: How long have you wanted to summit Mt. Hood? Can you share a bit about the planning process?
JW: I’d say the last five years or so I have thought about climbing Mt. Hood. Growing up skiing in Oregon, I never considered myself a mountaineer and thought only experts summited the mountain. If you know what you are doing the risk isn’t very high, but there are still situations that people struggle with and need to be rescued every year, and fatalities do occur. Since I have picked up ski touring more in the last couple of years, I realized one day I wanted to summit. The ski racing community is a small tight-knit family here, and I reached out to my friend Aaron Zarosinski, asking if I could join one of his treks. We had a total of nine in our group, and leading the way were the John and Lisa Rust. They are big-time climbers and Lisa has even climbed Mt. Everest, so you could say I felt safe in good company!

MH: What was your route? Did you take the Magic Mile and Palmer lift and then hike from there, or did you start from the bottom?
JW: We started at the base of Timberline Lodge and ski toured most the way up until we had to take skis off the last bit. We then used ice axes, harnesses, ropes, and crampons. We took multiple breaks for water and snacks so it ended up being around six hrs. Starting around 5:30 am, we took the South Side Palmer Glacier Route, at the top we used the left chute through The Pearly Gates, reaching the top around 11:30 am. Sadly the clouds came in at the top so visibility was bad. I didn’t mind too much though, because the experience was still so rad. Now it gives me an incentive to do it again and look out from the highest point in Oregon! 

MH: It’s been such a weird time, and you had more time at home than you’ve probably ever had (barring injury/recovery times)…what are you most excited about? Are you anxious to return to snow?
JW: I haven’t been home this long for quite some time so I’m appreciating the moment for what it’s worth. I wouldn’t say I am too anxious just because I skied a bit this spring at home before resorts shut down and still been out ski touring so I’ve felt connected to the snow. However, it will definitely be nice to get on snow training again soon!

Two-time Olympic champion and Land Rover ambassador Mikaela Shiffrin announced her involvement with ALL IN, accepting the young phenom Coco Gauff’s (fellow Barilla athlete) nomination. ALL IN provides an online auction experience that directly benefits organizations providing food to kids, elderly and frontline heroes in need. One hundred percent of the proceeds will directly benefit Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, World Central Kitchen, and No Kid Hungry.

In getting involved with ALL IN, Mikaela not only joins fellow U.S. Ski & Snowboard stars Chloe Kim and Shaun White—whose one-of-a-kind experiences include hitting the slopes at one of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s official training sites, Mammoth Mountain, in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.—but also big names in the entertainment industry like Tiger Woods, Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Gisele Bündchen, Tom Brady, and more. 

The ALL IN Challenge, which has raised over $44 million, aims to be the world’s largest digital fundraiser in history by raising tens of millions of dollars to feed those in need. Food insecurity is a mounting issue but never more important than during COVID-19 and the unprecedented shortage of food resources our nation is facing. 

Among those most in need: students who rely on currently closed schools for several of their meals each week; the newly unemployed who are facing uncertain circumstances; and a vulnerable elderly population sequestered in their homes without access to food. The ALL IN Challenge was created and built by Fanatics founder and executive chairman Michael Rubin, along with Alan Tisch, Gary Vaynerchuk, with support from the entire Fanatics team, all on behalf of the All In Challenge Foundation. 

 

 

 

 

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I am FINALLY able to announce that I’m accepting the #ALLINCHALLENGE (thanks to @cocogauff for nominating me!!)! It may not be @prattprattpratt’s get “Eaten By A Dinosaur” challenge (which I’m tempted to bid on myself), but I’m super excited about this package! I’m offering a VIP, once-in-a-lifetime experience to the World Cup at @killingtonmtn, behind-the-scenes access to my @atomicski race and service team, a full Atomic gear set-up, a full access @ikonpass, my signature @oakley goggles, @usskiteam gear and more!! 🤯 Let’s come together to help the most vulnerable during this difficult time and provide food to those in need—kids, elderly and frontline heroes. I challenge @adaripp, @kttunstall, @michaelfranti, and @joelmchale to go ALL IN! Hit the link in my bio to bid/learn more. @allinchallenge

A post shared by Mikaela Shiffrin ⛷💨 (@mikaelashiffrin) on May 19, 2020 at 10:01am PDT

Meet Mikaela Shiffrin At Killington Women's Ski World Cup + Full Ski Gear Setup
Hit the slopes in style, thanks to two-time Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin! She's going All In and giving you and a friend VIP tickets to the women’s FIS Ski World Cup—aka the HomeLight Killington Cup—in Killington, Vermont. You'll enjoy behind-the-scenes access to the bib draw and press conference, and you'll have an exclusive meeting and photo op with Mikaela. Of course, the three-time Overall World Cup champion isn't sending you home empty-handed. You and your guest will take home a U.S. Ski and Snowboard kit for two, complete with jackets and a gift bag. As the winner, you'll receive a Killington race bib signed by Mikaela, a pair of Oakley Flight Deck XM Mikaela Shiffrin goggles and an Atomic boot-fitting experience, including skis, boots and bindings and a behind-the-scenes tour with Mikaela's race and service team. To top it off, the winner will receive a full-access IKON pass with no blackout dates, so you can try out all of your new gear at 43 destinations around the globe. 100% of the money raised through this Game/Auction will go directly to Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, World Central Kitchen, and No Kid Hungry.

Package Details:

• 100% of the money raised through this Game/Auction will go directly to Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen, and No Kid Hungry.
• Behind-the-scenes access to bib draw, press conference and exclusive meeting and photo op with Mikaela
• Lodging for two (2) for Friday and Saturday evening in Killington, Vermont
• One (1) full-access, no blackout dates IKON Pass
• One (1) pair of Oakley Flight Deck XM Mikaela Shiffrin snow goggles
• One (1) signed Killington race bib
• One (1) ski, boot and binding package of winner's choice from Atomic and VIP boot-fitting service at a premier ski shop in Killington, Vermont, plus an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour with Mikaela's Atomic race and service team

As bidding closed on May 26, Mikaela raised $41,000 for charity. One hundred percent of the proceeds will directly benefit Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, World Central Kitchen, and No Kid Hungry.

Learn More

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Kindness Wins, a collaborative engine for kindness, announced today the addition of two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-time overall World Cup champion alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin to its lineup of Champions. With the addition of Shiffrin, Kindness Wins will greatly expand its platform of influence, furthering its mission to spread kindness to the masses.

Launched in early 2020 by Founding Champion Madison Keys, Kindness Wins is a nonprofit that acts as an umbrella organization for kindness initiatives, working with professional athletes as champions to demonstrate that even in the most competitive environment, deeds and actions of generosity and compassion are possible and the outcomes are highly impactful.

With special emphasis on kindness to self, kindness to youth, and kindness to others in times of struggle, the organization is proving its importance and its impact now more than ever. Most recently, the organization launched Kindness In Crisis: an online auction led by Keys, Shiffrin, and other athletes that gave professional athletes the opportunity to auction off signed memorabilia and raise funds for COVID-19 relief.

 

 

 

 

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🙏 THANK YOU to all of you who have donated or bid in the #KindnessInCrisis auction! Together, we (@madisonkeys, @jessiediggins and @kateplusfate) have raised over $50,000 for COVID-19 relief needs in our respective communities. 100% of the proceeds from my items will be donated to the Colorado Covid Relief Fund and @foodbankrockies. I still have a couple of items up for grabs (my training bib and a full access @ikonpass) until this evening, and you are still able to make a donation on the website until this Friday. Check out the link in my bio to bid and/or donate. 💛 @kindnesswinsfoundation

A post shared by Mikaela Shiffrin ⛷💨 (@mikaelashiffrin) on Apr 14, 2020 at 10:47am PDT

“Following our work together on the Kindness In Crisis auction, I am thrilled that Mikaela is joining the organization as a Champion,” said Madison Keys. “Kindness Wins focuses not just on those who talk about kindness, but those who take action and put kindness into practice, and Mikaela is the embodiment of this mission. I have truly enjoyed getting to know her better in recent weeks and cannot wait to see the great things she has in store for this organization, and for society, in her role as Champion.”

Kindness Wins has started a kindness movement, using its website, kindnesswins.org, and social channels (@KindnessWinsFoundation) as a hub of kindness activity where such deeds and gestures, big or small, are shared and celebrated, inspiring society to actively be more thoughtful, considerate and compassionate.

“I’m so excited to dive into Kindness Wins with Madison,” said Mikaela Shiffrin. “I am an introvert by nature, and it has taken a lot of work just to develop any level of comfort sharing myself and my life with the world, especially on social media. I actually feel like my sport and the media have been a tool that have helped me become more comfortable with myself, but I also have seen and felt how the media and the internet can have an incredibly negative impact on peoples’ confidence and self-worth. As social media platforms grow, cyberbullying continues to escalate— people often say incredibly hurtful things while hiding behind their screen—but I do believe that the online world has the potential to be a place of positivity and support rather than a hub for cyber-bullying and we have the ability to make that transformation happen starting with this message of spreading Kindness.”

In February of 2020, Shiffrin’s world came to a screeching halt, as she suffered the loss of her father Jeff. “One of the mottos my dad lived by was ‘Be nice, think first, and have fun’—and I will take that with me throughout my entire life. My parents both instilled in me that I should treat other people who I want to be treated and, even more importantly, to hold others accountable for the way they treat those around them. For this reason and more, the Kindness Wins’ message has resonated with me. I love that this organization is structured as a collaborative engine for kindness and will provide a platform for me and other athletes to pursue our own Kindness projects within its framework. Being kind will never go out of style, and I really believe that we can have a powerful impact on society in spreading this message.”

In addition to its own platform, Kindness Wins also supports the individual kindness-related endeavors of its Champions. Working together to rally behind kindness, Kindness Wins Champions will collaboratively support their fellow champions in the specific areas each Champion supports.

“I’m looking forward to exploring and announcing my own passion projects that I will pursue with Kindness Wins,” said Shiffrin. “Meanwhile, my first official act as one of the ‘Founding Champions’ will be participating in Kindness Wins Day on May 22—a day where we will recognize and celebrate acts of kindness that we find inspiring, and I encourage everyone to participate along with us.”

Kindness Wins Day, taking place on May 22 is a movement to help change the world: one day, one post and one individual at a time. Participants are challenged to tag and recognize deeds and actions of generosity and compassion, big or small, on social media, using the hashtag #KindnessWinsDay and tagging @KindnessWinsFoundation for a chance to be featured. More information can be found at kindnesswins.org.

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About Kindness Wins
Kindness Wins is a 501©3 nonprofit that acts as a collaborative engine for kindness, with special emphasis on kindness to self, kindness to youth, and kindness to others in times of struggle. We know that through identifying and supporting champions, spreading their efforts, and supporting and elevating the efforts of organizations and individuals who meet the nonprofit’s kindness criteria, Kindness Wins amplifies the powerful impact that kindness has on society. For more, visit ​https://www.kindnesswins.org/​ and follow Kindness Wins on Facebook (​facebook.com/KindnessWinsFoundation​) Twitter ​(@KindnessWinsFdn​) and Instagram (​@KindnessWinsFoundation​).

About Madison Keys
25-year-old Madison Keys is a Grand Slam finalist (2017 US Open), two-time Grand Slam semifinalist (2018 Roland Garros and 2015 Australian Open), and holds five WTA titles. She achieved a career-high ranking of No. 7 in the world in October 2016 and has been consistently ranked inside the top 25 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) since early 2015.

About Mikaela Shiffrin
Double-Olympic champion, five-time World Champion, and winningest slalom skier of all-time Mikaela Shiffrin has elevated women’s ski racing globally​—​both on and off the mountain. At a mere 25-years-old, Mikaela has 66 World Cup victories across six disciplines to her name and is the only athlete to win in all six disciplines. In Sochi in 2014, Mikaela won Olympic gold, becoming the youngest slalom champion in history. In 2016, she broke the record for the largest win margin in slalom for women (3.07 seconds). During the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Shiffrin reached the top of the podium in the giant slalom at the Olympics, with gold in giant slalom and silver in the alpine combined. As well as being the youngest skier, male or female, to win 50 World Cup race before the age of 24, she is also the first athlete to win four successive World Championship titles in a single discipline and holds the record for wins in one season with 17 victories (shattering the previous 30-year record of 14).

Release courtesy of Kindness Wins.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team nominations for the 2020-21 competition season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season.

“In a world of uncertainty, we remain determined and excited to nominate one of the deepest teams we have fielded in years." 
- Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team Director Jesse Hunt

Double-Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin and 2019 Xfinity Birds of Prey victor Tommy Ford headline the list of both accomplished and emerging athletes heading into the 2020-21 season. The 2019-20 season was a step in the right direction for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team, with 15 FIS Ski World Cup podiums, one Junior World Championship medal, and seven NorAm titles. Mikaela led the way with 13 podiums and six victories in 19 World Cup starts, despite missing nine races. She’ll head into 2020-21 as the winningest slalom skier of all-time, with 43 slalom victories, and ranked fourth on the all-time win list behind Marcel Hirscher (67), U.S. Ski Team alumna and Land Rover ambassador Lindsey Vonn (82), and Ingemar Stenmark (86). 

The men’s team was highlighted by Tommy, with solid and consistent skiing, finishing his career-best season ranked fifth in the world in giant slalom with six top-15 results, four top-five results, two podiums and a massive victory by .80 seconds in Beaver Creek, Colo. He is joined by a men’s team with considerable depth, specifically the men’s speed team—which had four athletes finish in the top-20 in the world in downhill for the first time ever: Travis Ganong (13th), Ryan Cochran-Siegle (14th), Bryce Bennett (16th) and Steven Nyman (20th). 

The 2020-21 season will feature the much-anticipated FIS Ski World Championships in Cortina d’ Ampezzo, Italy, February 8-21, 2021. Following the premature end to the 2019-20 season with the cancellation of FIS Ski World Cup Finals in Cortina d’Ampezzo due to the coronavirus outbreak, the athletes are looking forward to competing in the Dolomites. Cortina d’Ampezzo is a favorite classic venue on the women’s World Cup circuit where the U.S. women’s speed team has enjoyed a lot of success.  

The 43 athletes nominated will be supported by a strong coaching staff, committed to “winning at every level,” which is Alpine Director Jesse Hunt’s mantra. “In a world of uncertainty, we remain determined and excited to nominate one of the deepest teams we have fielded in years,” noted Jesse. “We have a great mix of veteran athletes and bold young prospects, from World Cup winners Ted Ligety, Steven Nyman, Travis Ganong, Tommy Ford, Alice McKennis, and Mikaela Shiffrin to our recently named development team athletes. We are building a system to win at every level of the alpine pipeline.”

Athletes nominated to the team are scheduled to open the season with their first on-snow training camps this summer, pending COVID-19 considerations. 

Each athlete accepting the nomination to U.S. Ski Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including an elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, and high-performance staff, and education opportunities.

A 2020-21 staff announcement will be forthcoming, while an official Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team announcement will be made in the fall.

2020-21 Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team Nominations
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

A TEAM
Men
Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 7/14/1992)
Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, Vt.; Cochran’s/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club; 3/27/1992)
Tommy Ford (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation; 3/20/1989)
Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 7/14/1988)
Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 8/31/1984)
Steven Nyman (Sundance, Utah; Park City Ski and Snowboard/Sundance Ski Team; 2/12/1982)                     

Women
Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho; Rowmark Ski Academy; 1/19/1996)
Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore.; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; 8/17/1988)
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 3/13/1995)

B TEAM
Men
Sam DuPratt (Park City, UT; Park City Ski Education Foundation; 11/28/1993)   
Bridger Gile (Aspen, Colo., Aspen Valley Ski Club and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/15/1999)
Jared Goldberg (Holladay, Utah; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation; 6/15/1991)
Jimmy Krupka (Waitsfield, Vt.; Dartmouth College and Green Mountain Valley School (7/15/1998)*
Sam Morse (Carrabassett Valley, Maine; Carrabassett Valley Academy; 5/27/1996)
Kyle Negomir (Littleton, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/3/1998)
River Radamus (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 2/12/1998)
Ben Ritchie (Waitsfield, VT; Green Mountain Valley School; 9/5/2000)
Jett Seymour (Steamboat, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club/University of Denver Ski Team; 11/5/1998)
George Steffey (Lyme, N.H.; Stratton Mountain School; 8/8/1997)
Luke Winters (Gresham, Ore.; Sugar Bowl Academy; 4/2/1997)

Women
Keely Cashman (Strawberry, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 4/4/1999)
Alice McKennis (New Castle, Colo.; Sunlight Winter Sports Club/Rowmark Ski Academy; 8/18/1989)
Alice Merryweather (Hingham, Mass.; Attitash Race Team/Stratton Mountain School; 10/5/1996)
Paula Moltzan (Prior Lake, Minn.; Buck Hill Ski Team/Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; 4/7/1994)
Nina O’Brien (Edwards, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy/Squaw Valley Ski Team; 11/29/1997)
Jacqueline Wiles (Aurora, Ore.; White Pass Ski Club; 7/13/1992)

C TEAM
Men
Cooper Cornelius (Glenwood Springs, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski Club; 6/20/1999)
Isaiah Nelson (Wayzata, MN.; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club; 4/3/2001)

Women
Katie Hensien (Redmond, Wash.; Rowmark Ski Academy; 12/1/1999)
AJ Hurt (Carnelian Bay, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 12/5/2000)
Nicola Rountree-Williams (Edwards, Colo.; Loveland Ski Area; 7/7/2002)
Zoe Zimmermann (Gilford, N.H.; Burke Mountain Academy; 5/16/2002)

DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Men
Jacob Dilling (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, 10/19/1999)
Kellen Kinsella (Edwards, Colo.; Dartmouth College and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 8/7/2001)
Trent Pennington (Shalimar, Fla.; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; 5/8/2002)*
Jack Smith (Sun Valley, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 4/24/2001)
Bradshaw Underhill (Newbury, N.H.; Killington Mountain School; 3/10/2000)*

Women
Lauren Macuga (Park City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 7/4/2002)
Ainsley Proffit (St. Louis, MO; Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy; 3/21/2001)
Allie Resnick (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 9/1/2001)*
Emma Resnick (Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 7/23/2003)
Alix Wilkinson (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team; 8/2/2000)
Isabella Wright (Salt Lake City, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation; 2/10/1997)*

*Newly named to the U.S. Ski Team

FOLLOW THE LAND ROVER U.S. ALPINE SKI TEAM
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Twitter - @usskiteam

Every winter ushers in new athletes, challenges and triumphs, and the 2019-20 competition season was no exception. The men and women of the U.S. Freeski Team found success across World Cup, Youth Olympic, and elite-level competition, once again solidifying the U.S. as a serious contender at the highest level of slopestyle, halfpipe, and big air freeskiing. The U.S. Freeski Team earned 20 FIS World Cup podiums, 12 podiums at X Games and Dew Tour, as well as five Youth Olympic Games medals. 

Although 17 different athletes collected top-three finishes this season on the professional circuit, a few names rise to the top with consistently strong performances throughout the winter.

Following an impressive 2018-19 season, pro team member Alex Hall picked up right where he left off, immediately stringing together three-consecutive wins in big air at X Games Norway 2019; the Modena, Italy World Cup; and perhaps his pinnacle win of the season at the Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover in Atlanta, Ga. Alex executed a walk-off switch left double 1800 Buick to win the event and leave his legacy at SunTrust Park. He finished second overall in the FIS Big Air Cup Standings. 
 

Alex was able to top three big air podiums before the New Year, prior to setting his sights on the slopestyle course. He went on to earn three more podiums at the debut of Dew Tour at Copper Mountain Colo. (slopestyle) as well as X Games Norway 2020 (knuckle huck and slopestyle) at Hafjell Resort. In addition, Alex also found the spotlight as the focal point of multiple film projects including Magma (filmed with teammate Hunter Hess) and Faction’s feature-length film The Collective. His well-rounded approach to freeskiing earned him the prestigious title of the 2020 Newschoolers Skier of the Year. Alex capitalized on every element of his craft including big air, slopestyle, rail-jams, film, and even the new X Games knuckle huck event. 

Also excelling from the U.S. Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air Team was Colby Stevenson, who gained a new level of confidence in 2020, which materialized into numerous podiums. Colby collected top-three finishes across three different World Cup slopestyle events including Seiser Alm, Italy; Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain, Calif. With the final World Cup slopestyle of the season in Silvaplana, Switzerland canceled due to Covid-19 precautions, Colby ended his season in second-place overall, but the top American, in the FIS Slopestyle Cup Standings. Teammates Deven Fagan, Cody LaPlante, and Nick Goepper all joined Colby in the top-10 finishing second, seventh, ninth, and 10th respectively. 
 

Outside of World Cup competition, Colby made history at X Games Aspen 2020 by becoming the first X Games rookie to win gold in freeski slopestyle. Not only did Colby earn gold as his first X Games medal, but he doubled up by winning the inaugural ski knuckle huck event to complete his rock star X Games debut. 

Other notable performances from the men of the U.S. Freeski Slopestyle and Big Air Team included rookie team athletes Deven Fagan and Cody LaPlante, each earning their first-ever World Cup podiums. Deven took third-place on home soil at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain, Calif. stomping a 1440 with authority on the last jump. Cody thrived in Europe rounding out the podium in third-place in Font Romeu, France, where he beat out a slew of Olympians and World Champions. Not only did Cody hold his own against an incredibly strong field, but he also did it in his first slopestyle competition back from ACL and meniscus surgery.

Speaking of comebacks, Cody wasn’t the only one to work his way back from rehab. No one did it better than Whitefish, Mont. local Maggie Voisin. Maggie decided to make her comeback from ACL surgery at the biggest event of the year: X Games Aspen. As Maggie’s fan’s and teammates watched her drop into the slopestyle course at Buttermilk Mountain, any lingering doubt that she had fully recovered quickly dissipated and her streak began. She gradually improved in every X Games competition for the remainder of the season earning bronze in Aspen slopestyle, silver in Norway’s big air, and gold in Norway’s slopestyle. However, Maggie’s post-recovery accomplishments were not limited to X Games. She also collected podiums at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix and Dew Tour. Her success was a direct result of her work ethic and drive to be back at the top of the sport. To close out the season in Norway, Maggie stomped a beautiful double cork 1260 safety as the perfect cherry on top of an amazing comeback contest season.
 

Also representing the women of the U.S. Freeski Slopestyle Team was Caroline Claire, who won the Seiser Alm, Italy, World Cup slopestyle. She stomped a switch double cork 900 and took home her third podium in three years at Seiser Alm. Caroline also earned the Newschoolers Breakthrough Award. The all-female segment in The Collective was named the "Ladies Choice Best Female Edit," in which Caroline had a significant part. In addition, although she did not reach the World Cup podium, rookie team member Marin Hamill finished second overall in the FIS Cup Standings, a remarkable accomplishment for the 18-year-old. 

U.S. Freeski athletes continued to display their grit in the halfpipe with multiple athletes rebounding from injury. Both Olympic medalists David Wise and Brita Sigourney wasted no time finding their way back to the podium, each earning second-place at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain, Colo. David was returning from a broken femur and Brita from a tibia and fibula spiral fracture. Although on a different recovery timeline, Lyman Currier found the podium again for the first time following an ACL injury in 2014. He earned two third-place finishes at the Secret Garden, China, and Mammoth Grand Prix World Cups. 

However, throughout the entire season, it was veteran Aaron Blunck who took the reins. Aaron finished in the top-three at five of the seven events he entered, displaying pure dominance and poise. Although his season was full of highlights, none compared to his winning performance at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain, Calif., where all three of his runs would have won the event. Head freeski judge Steele Spence described Aaron's runs as, “three of the best pipe runs of all time. They were the hardest runs and he executed them perfectly.” Aaron’s consistency would earn him the FIS Halfpipe Crystal Globe and his second X Games Aspen medal. 

Alex Ferreira would earn X Games Aspen gold and became the first Aspen local to ever win back-to-back gold medals in any X Games discipline. In addition, fellow Colorado local Birk Irving also continued to prove himself as a contender, claiming podiums at the first and last halfpipe World Cups of the season. To kick off the season, Birk won the Winter Games NZ landing a never-been-done double-cork-720 that defied gravity. Birk closed out the season at the Calgary Rodeo World Cup in Canada with a third-place. 
 

Although the 2019-20 season was cut short, fans around the world had the chance to experience the Winter Youth Olympic Games Lausanne 2020 in Switzerland, where young American freeskiers thrived and made their presence known. Combined, U.S. Freeski athletes earned five medals (two bronze, two silver, one gold). U.S. Rookie Team members Hunter Carey and Hanna Faulhaber earned second and third respectively in the halfpipe. Teammate Hunter Henderson took third in slopestyle, while pro team member Kiernan took home a gold in slopestyle and a silver in big air. 

After strong performances by the rookies at the Youth Olympic Games, it’s no surprise that they also topped the NorAm Cup Standings. Hunter Henderson and Rell Harwood claimed the NorAm slopestyle and big air titles, while Hanna took home the halfpipe title. 

The 2019-20 professional freeski competition season resulted in success at every level across all disciplines for U.S. athletes. There is no question as to the depth and breadth of the U.S. Freeski Team moving into the first of two Olympic selection years. The U.S. Freeski Team is primed and on track to set the tone as we take one step closer to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic season.

Relive all the top moments of the year with the videos below!
 

The final day of the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix did not disappoint with U.S. skiers and riders claiming five podiums throughout snowboard slopestyle and freeski halfpipe World Cup competition. 

Despite a 4.4 magnitude earthquake in the midst of the event, U.S. Snowboard Team riders Jamie Anderson and rookie Dusty Henricksen took the top spots in slopestyle. Dusty, a Mammoth Lakes, Calif. local, earned his first-ever World Cup win in only his second World Cup final of his career.

“I’m ecstatic to pull up to Mammoth where I grew up riding and walk away with my first win,” Dusty said in disbelief. “I honestly couldn’t ask for more. It could not have been a better day or a better course. It’s super flowy, fun, and fast. It meant the world to have all my boys and supporters out here watching.”

After Dusty stomped the final run of the day to take the top spot with a beautiful backside triple cork 1440, you heard a loud, “We all knew” come from Dusty’s fan base in the finish area. Coming off of Youth Olympic Games gold and then qualifying first at the Laax Open World Cup, Dusty’s trajectory was clear to anyone who has been watching his progress. Dusty currently leads the FIS Snowboard World Cup slopestyle standings, followed by Judd Henkes in second.

Judd, who also calls Mammouth Mountain home, grabbed third. This is Judd’s second podium in two years at the Mammoth Grand Prix and his second-consecutive podium in World Cup slopestyle competition this season after a third-place finish at the 2020 Laax Open. 

“I think being at home in familiar territory played a part in my success these last two Grand Prixs at Mammoth,” said Judd. “I’m headed to Dew Tour next week and hope to improve on my performance here.”

After earning his third World cup podium of his career, it’s clear Judd’s still hungry for the remainder of the 2019-20 competition season including pinnacle events like Dew Tour and the U.S. Open. 

For the women, Jamie Anderson earned her second win in two weeks following a gold medal performance at X Games Aspen. In her first World Cup slopestyle of the year, she came out firing with smooth style and consistency in classic Jamie fashion. 

“Coming to Mammoth after X Games is really nice because its really positive energy in California,” said Jamie. “It’s warm, our whole teams here, and I love competing in the Grand Prix. To be able to put down my first run and stay in first and have the chance to take a victory lap feels amazing. What made today even more special was my dad, my doctor, my first ever coach, and a lot of good people were able to come out to support today.”

Competition continued on Saturday with arguably the best freeski halfpipe contest of the season where Aaron Blunck took the victory. Aaron has reached the podium in every contest he has competed in this season (five events) including an X Games silver medal performance last week. 

“After the first run today I was feeling it,” said Aaron. “I just thought to myself, why not give it everything I got. I am feeling really good right now and I don’t ever back down. That’s just not the type of person I want to be. I thought my dad would be extremely proud of me if I continued to give it my all and that’s what I did. Also, to share the podium with Noah Bowman and Lyman Currier is amazing, I look up to them both.”

Head freeski judge Steele Spence described Aaron's runs as, “three of the best pipe runs of all time. They were the hardest runs and he executed them perfectly.”

Aaron came out of the gate on a mission immediately putting down an incredible run, but that was just the beginning. Aaron improved each time he dropped into the pipe. His second and third runs were entirely made up of double-cork variations. Aaron owned the three highest scores of the day.

Teammate Lyman Currier stepped up on his last run to earn third place and his second World Cup podium of the season. 

“I’m feeling awesome to make the podium today,” said Lyman. “It was such a heavy competition today and a beautiful day in Mammoth. It seemed to be a competition for second place today. Blunck was on one and it was insane.”

The competition undoubtedly had some amazing moments including U.S. Freeski Team member Hunter Hess landing a 1620 on his run. Kiwi Nico Porteous landed a 1620 rotation at X Games last week for the first time in halfpipe competition. 

Led by Aaron, there are currently seven U.S. Freeski Team athletes in the top-10 of the FIS Freeski Halfpipe Cup Standings including Birk Irving, Lyman Currier, Taylor Seaton, Jaxin Hoerter, David Wise, and Hunter Hess. 

For the women, U.S. Freeski Team member Brita Sigourney finished in a respectable fourth place landing back to back 900’s in her second and third run. U.S. Rookie Team member Hanna Faulhaber finished in seventh in her first-ever World Cup final. 

The U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Slopestyle and Halfpipe Team continue competition next week at the Dew Tour in  Copper Mountain, Colo. In addition, U.S. athletes are also heading to the Calgary World Cup for freeski halfpipe competition. 

CUP STANDINGS
Women’s snowboard slopestyle 
Men’s snowboard slopestyle 
Women’s freeski halfpipe
Men’s freeski halfpipe 

RESULTS
Women’s snowboard slopestyle 
Men’s snowboard slopestyle 
Women’s freeski halfpipe
Men’s freeski halfpipe 
 

Five Americans podiumed in freeski slopestyle and snowboard halfpipe today at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix FIS World Cup on a beautiful day at Mammoth Mountain, Calif. Colby Stevenson led the U.S. Freeski Team with a second-place finish. This is Colby’s second consecutive World Cup slopestyle podium and fourth consecutive podium in three events. 

“I came out feeling healthy today and that is probably the biggest factor playing into my recent success,” said Colby. “I tried to come into finals today with the right mindset trying to have fun. The weather cooperated which made for a great day of skiing and it definitely boosted my confidence having a sunny day with hardly any wind. I’m just trying to keep the ball rolling.”

U.S. Freeski Rookie Team member Deven Fagan finished in third place right behind Colby. This is Deven’s first-ever World Cup podium. 

“This is crazy,” said Deven. “My brother (Kiernan Fagan) and I pretty much swapped positions from last year at this contest. My goal was to podium today and I’m really happy with the run I put down. I definitely improved from qualifiers by doing a 1440 on my last jump. I also changed up my rails a little bit.”

Colby and Deven plan to head to Southern California to get some surfing in ahead of their next competition to unwind and regroup. Andri Ragettli, the winningest freeskier in World Cup history, topped the podium for his sixth World Cup win. 

For the women, U.S. Freeski Team member Maggie Voisin earned her second consecutive third-place finish following her return from ACL surgery. 

“I’m super happy to get back on the podium here in Mammoth,” said Maggie. ‘I’m also really grateful that Mammoth and mother nature brought us sunshine and no wind for finals today. I can’t believe I went back-to-back with podiums at X Games and the Grand Prix.”

U.S. Rookie Team members Marin Hamill finished fifth and Rell Harwood finished seventh, each landing solid runs from top to bottom. Swiss freeskier Sarah Hoefflin topped the podium following a double X Games medal performance last week. Isabel Atkin of Great Britain finished second. 

Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix competition continued with men’s and women’s snowboard halfpipe where U.S. Snowboard Team members Taylor Gold and Maddie Mastro each earned second place. Maddie landed her double crippler for the first time in competition since her win at the 2019 U.S. Open. Coming off of a challenging X Games, Maddie was elated to put it down.

“I couldn’t be more stoked,” said Maddie. “I have been working so hard this season and I have tried the double crippler in multiple different contests this year. It’s nice to show everyone what I already know, which is I can stomp that trick when I want to. I am as happy as I could be right now.” 

Taylor also landed his signature trick with a double Michalchuck 1080 on his third run. However, it was his first run which held down second-place throughout the entirety of the competition and resulted in his second consecutive World Cup podium.

“I feel really good,” said Taylor. “To be honest, I didn’t expect my first run to hold up in podium position all the way through the competition, but I felt really good to put it down. I was really excited to land my new trick on my third run, but just couldn’t make it all the way down the pipe. It was a super fun event and amazing to have nice weather here.”

At X Games, teammate Chase Josey coined Taylor’s double Michaelchuck 1080 the “Chuck Taylor” and it seems to be sticking. 

“You know, I’m not going to fight it,” he said jokingly. “I really like it to be honest. I think it has a nice ring to it.”

Competition continues on Saturday at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix with snowboard slopestyle and freeski halfpipe finals at Mammoth Mountain, Calif. Tune in on the Olympic Channel and NBC Sports to catch all of the action live. 

RESULTS
Women’s freeski slopestyle
Men’s freeski slopestyle 
Men’s snowboard halfpipe
Women’s snowboard halfpipe

START LISTS
Women’s snowboard slopestyle
Men’s snowboard slopestyle
Women’s freeski halfpipe
Men’s freeski halfpipe

HOW TO WATCH
Subject to change
All times EST
*Same-day delayed broadcast
** Next-day broadcast

FREESKI
Friday, Jan. 31
12:30 p.m. - Men and women’s slopestyle, Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix, Mammoth, Calif. - NBCSN, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports Gold.

Saturday, Feb. 1
6:35 a.m. - Men and women’s skicross, Megeve, FRA - Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
4:00 p.m. - Men and women’s halfpipe, Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix, Mammoth, Calif. - Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold

SNOWBOARD
Friday, Jan. 31
4:00 p.m. - Men and women’s halfpipe, Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix, Mammoth, Calif. - NBCSN, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports Gold

Saturday, Feb. 1
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s slopestyle, Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix, Mammoth, Calif. - NBCSN, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports Gold
5:00 p.m. - Men and women’s halfpipe, Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix, Mammoth, Calif. - NBC**
11:30 p.m. - Men and women’s halfpipe, Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix, Mammoth, Calif. - NBCSN**

Sunday, Feb. 2
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s slopestyle, Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix, Mammoth, Calif. - NBC**

Note: All televised events to stream across NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, OlympicChannel.com, and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA app, Exclusive commercial-free coverage will be available for subscribers of the NBC Sports Gold Pass, available here: https://www.nbcsports.com/gold/snow.
 

The FIS Ski World Cup men’s tour will take on the mighty and deceiving Kandahar track in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, while the women attempt to get races off in 2014 Olympic venue in Rosa Khutor, Sochi, Russia. 

The Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team downhillers and giant slalom skiers head to Garmisch to take on a downhill and giant slalom on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Though warm weather has plagued the World Cup classic downhill and erased the first downhill training run on Thursday, the organizers salted the track and the downhillers were able to get in a training run⁠—albeit with soft snow and less-than-ideal conditions⁠—on Friday. In Friday’s first and only downhill training run, Ryan Cochran-Siegle led the way with the fifth-fastest time, .48 seconds off France’s Johan Clarey’s time, while 2017 Garmisch winner Travis Ganong was just a tenth back, tied for seventh. 

It's a dark, bumpy ride down the Kandahar in Garmisch, and after the noise of Wengen's Lauberhorn and Kitzbuehel's Hahnenkamm, it can be quite deceiving. The downhillers have talked about how many have let their guard down in Garmisch, and how it has come back to bite them. The classic track is challenging and has claimed its fair share of victims in the past—including, and especially, in 2017 when 11 athletes DNFed and two (including Steven Nyman) were airlifted from the track with season-ending injuries. 

The giant slalom crew will return to action on Sunday, led by Olympic champion Ted Ligety and this year’s Beaver Creek victor, Tommy Ford. Though the giant slalom crew has had a break since Adelboden, they’ve gotten a solid training block at the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team’s European official training base in Alpe Cimbra ski area – Folgaria, Lavarone in Italy. Keep an eye on both Ted and Tommy, and remember—Ted’s last podium was in 2018 in Garmisch on this track, prior to the PyeongChang Olympics. 

Steven, Travis, Ryan, Bryce Bennett, Sam Morse, Sam Dupratt and Jared Goldberg enjoyed their annual visit to the U.S. Army base in Garmisch on Wednesday evening, signing autographs for families of servicemen and servicewomen in Garmisch. This is a tradition the Team has enjoyed for the last 20+ years, and it’s a hearty American welcome that makes the athletes feel at home in Garmisch. 

The women’s speed team traveled to Rosa Khutor, in Sochi, Russia for a downhill on Saturday and a super-G on Sunday, but heavy snowfall has severely affected the schedule, with cancelled downhill training runs on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Snow continues to fall at Rosa Khutor, though organizers are optimistic they’ll be able to nail down an aggressive schedule on Saturday that includes a downhill training run at 8:00 a.m. CET followed by a race at 10:30 a.m. CET. The speed series in 2019 was cancelled entirely due to heavy snowfall. 

Current overall, super-G and slalom World Cup standings leader Mikaela Shiffrin, who is competing in all six disciplines, has wisely opted to sit out Rosa Khutor and instead rest and recover prior to the next block of races. Mikaela also is currently sitting in second in the downhill and giant slalom standings. If the weather subsides and the races happen, keep an eye on Breezy Johnson—who scored a pair of top-10 results in her second and third World Cup races back from injury last weekend in Bansko, Bulgaria. 

WATCH: Take a pause and watch our second edition of Cellar Talks, with the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team downhillers.

Check out how and who to watch below. 

MEN’S STARTERS
Bryce Bennett
Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Sam Dupratt
Tommy Ford
Travis Ganong
Jared Goldberg
Ted Ligety
Brian McLaughlin
Steven Nyman
River Radamus 

WOMEN’S STARTERS
Breezy Johnson
Alice McKennis
Alice Merryweather
Jackie Wiles

RESULTS
Men’s Downhill Training Run 1

START LISTS
Women’s Downhill Training Run
Men’s Downhill

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Official event hashtags: #worldcupgap, #worldcupsochi

HOW TO WATCH 
All times EST

Saturday, Feb. 1
3:30 a.m. - Women’s downhill, Rosa Khutor, RUS - Olympic Channel, Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
5:30 a.m. - Men’s downhill, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GER - Olympic Channel, Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold

Saturday, Feb. 2
12:30 a.m. - Men’s downhill, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GER - NBCSN*
2:30 a.m. - Women’s super-G, Rosa Khutor, RUS - Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
4:00 a.m. - Men’s giant slalom run 1, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GER - Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
6:30 a.m. - Women’s super-G, Rosa Khutor, RUS - Olympic Channel*
7:30 a.m. - Men’s giant slalom run 2, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GER - Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
4:00 p.m. - Men’s giant slalom, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, GER - NBCSN*

*Same-day broadcast

Note: All televised events to stream across NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, OlympicChannel.com, and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA app. 

Exclusive commercial-free coverage will be available for subscribers of the NBC Sports Gold Pass, available here: https://www.nbcsports.com/gold/snow.