2014 Women's Alpine Staff Announced
PARK CITY, UT (June 24) – The successful athletic leadership that helped guide one of the most successful seasons in women's alpine history will continue to direct the 2014 U.S. Alpine Ski Team with the philosophy that idleness is not an option. Head Coach Alex Hoedlmoser and speed Head Coach Chip White return for their 17th seasons with the U.S. Ski Team, while Roland Pfeifer will continue at the helm of the technical program. During the 2013 Audi FIS Alpine World Cup season White led all six of his athletes - four of them for the first time - to the World Cup podium and saw Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) hoist a record fifth straight downhill title. Pfeifer, who begins his third year with the technical group, helped boost Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) to the slalom World Championship and the World Cup slalom title in only her sophomore season on tour.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Alex Hoedlmoser will continue to lead the women's U.S. Alpine Ski Team for his 17th season with the U.S. Ski Team, his fourth as the Head Coach. During his tenure as Head Coach, the women's team has produced nine World Cup titles and four World Championship medals.
- Speed Head Coach Chip White, who was honored June 21 as finalist for the U.S. Olympic Committee National Coach of Year – the organizations most prestigious coaching honor – also returns for his 17th year with the U.S. Ski Team.
- White led all six of his athletes to the 2013 World Cup podium, four of them for the first time in their career. The Team also captured the nations standings for downhill by a massive 457 point margin. Additionally Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) captured a record sixth straight downhill title and Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) and Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA) were in the hunt for titles through the final race of the season.
- Roland Pfeifer will guide the technical program for the third consecutive year. During his tenure, Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY) returned to the World Cup slalom podium and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) won World Championship slalom gold and the World Cup slalom title in only her sophomore year on the World Cup tour.
- Chris Knight and Jeff Fergus will continue on as multi coaches for overall skiers Vonn and Mancuso. Fergus works directly with Vonn, while Knight is focused on Mancuso.
- The only noted changes to the women's staff are the addition of Pascal Hasler, who will join the speed coaching staff and Ryan Cornish, who returns to the team as a ski technician for the women's technical team. Hasler formerly led top speed contender Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein.
- Veteran coach Trevor Wagner remains at the helm of the Europa Cup program and Seth McCadam will continue to guide the Development Team.
- The Team will utilize training in New Zealand and Chile along with on snow at official U.S. Ski Team training partners the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain, Mammoth Mountain and Soelden in addition to conditioning camps at the Center of Excellence in the lead up to the 2014 Olympic season.
- The Audi FIS Alpine World Cup season opens Oct. 26 in Soelden and swings through the United States on Thanksgiving weekend with a downhill, super G and a giant slalom at Beaver Creek, CO - home of the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
QUOTES
Alex Hoedlmoser, Head Coach
Our philosophy is that we cannot stand still. This staff has worked incredibly hard to become a best in the world athletic program and we intend to keep on raising our level. But to do that, we need to continually challenge ourselves and our athletes. We cannot get complacent or comfortable, especially in an Olympic year.
I'm proud not to have to make any major changes to my staff. Chip is a great leader. It's incredibly impressive to place all of your athletes on the World Cup podium in a single season, but I know he's already looking ahead to more and we're excited to have Pascal bring his experience to this group.
With Mikaela's World Championship and World Cup slalom title, Roland has proven his ability to lead at big events and he has great support from Pete Anderson, who continues to grow in his position.
Ferg [Jeff Fergus] and Chris have built programs that work for Lindsey and Julia and they'll continue to push them to further success. Julia was in the hunt for the super G title until the last race of the season and has proven she can be in there for the overall too. And Jeff has created what we feel will be a successful return to snow program for Lindsey that will prepare her to compete as strong or stronger than ever.
2013-2014 WOMEN'S U.S. ALPINE SKI TEAM COACHING STAFF
Program Director: Patrick Riml
Head Coach: Alex Hoedlmoser
Team Manager: Chelsea Steinbach
Head Physiotherapist: Lindsay Winninger
World Cup Multi
Head Coach: Chris Knight
Assistant Coach: Jeff Fergus
Head Ski Service Lindsey Vonn: Heinz Heammerle
Head Ski Service Julia Mancuso: Michael Gmeiner
World Cup Speed
Head Coach: Chip White
Assistant Coach: Wade Bishop
Assistant Coach: Pascal Hasler
Ski Service: Ales Sopotnik
Ski Service: Miha Dolinar
World Cup Technical
Head Coach: Roland Pfeifer
Assistant Coach: Pete Anderson
Ski Service: Ryan Cornish
Atomic Ski Service Mikaela Shiffrin: Kim Erlandsson
Europa Cup
Head Coach: Trevor Wagner
Assistant Coach: Jeff Pickering
Ski Service: Jonathan Weyant
Development
Head Coach: Seth McCadam
