Jessie Diggins skied the fastest freestyle leg of Saturday’s 15k skiathlon to kick off the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and lead Team USA, finishing sixth. Rosie Brennan was 14th, followed by Hailey Swirbul in 40th, and Julia Kern in 53rd.

“I’m really happy,” Diggins said. “I wish I would have had a better classic half, but the skate half was some of the best racing of my life.”

Norway’s Therese Johaug skied away from the field to take the gold, while Natalia Nepryaaeva of Russia out-sprinted Austria’s Teresa Stadlober for the bronze.

With a strong northwest wind blowing, athletes battled a below zero wind chill, which made the classic portion of the race especially challenging. Brennan set the early pace as the lead group slowly dwindled to 15 athletes at the 2.5k mark. At the exchange, Brennan had fallen to 14th, as Diggins sat in 10th. 

Once Diggins traded classic skis for skate skis, she was off to the races, pulling back four places and finishing just 20 seconds off the podium. 

“It feels so good to have one race under my belt,” Diggins said. “I’m really, really, pumped to see what I can do the rest of the week.”

For Brennan, it was a tough battle. Still, her second career Olympic race was indeed a triumph after her 2018 Olympic Skiathlon, where she battled just to finish and was later diagnosed with mononucleosis.

“That was my first and last Olympic race,” she said. “So I had a demon in the back of my mind that I needed to get rid of. To be in a better place today - even if it wasn’t my best - was a step in the right direction, and that is something that I am proud of.”

The Olympic Winter Games continue Sunday with the men’s 30k Skiathlon. Racing for Team USA is Gus Schumacher, who will make his Olympic debut, and Scott Patterson, who finished 18th in the skiathlon at the 2018 Olympics. The race starts at 3 p.m. CST (2 a.m. EST) and streams live on NBCOlympics.com and Peacock. USA Network will provide a same-day broadcast at 3 p.m. EST.

The women return to racing in Tuesday’s freestyle sprint on Feb. 8.

RESULTS
Women’s 15k Skiathlon

HOW TO WATCH
*All times EST

Please note: Streaming services and apps are third-party services and subject to such parties’ terms of use and data privacy. U.S. Ski & Snowboard disclaims any and all liability for use of third-party services and apps.

Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022
3:45 p.m. Cross Country Skiing – Women’s 15k Skiathlon, Kuyangshu Nordic Center, Zhangjiakou, CHN, Same-day delay, USA Network

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022
2:00 a.m. Cross Country Skiing – Men’s 30k Skiathlon, Kuyangshu Nordic Center, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network, Streaming Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
6:30 a.m. 2022 Winter Olympics Medal Ceremonies Day 2, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock
3:00 p.m. Cross Country – Men’s 30k Skiathlon, Kuyangshu Nordic Center, Zhangjiakou, CHN, Same-day delay, USA Network
7:00 p.m. Cross Country – Men’s 30k Skiathlon (re-air), Kuyangshu Nordic Center, Zhangjiakou, CHN, Same-day delay, USA Network

Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022
3:00 a.m. Cross Country – Men and Women’s Freestyle Sprint, Kuyangshu Nordic Center, Zhangjiakou, CHN, Streaming Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, USA Network
5:30 a.m. Cross Country – Men and Women’s Individual Freestyle Sprint, Kuyangshu Nordic Center, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network
6:00 a.m. 2022 Winter Olympics Medal Ceremonies, Day 4 – Streaming Peacock, NBCOlympics.com
2:00 p.m. Daytime Coverage – Biathlon 20km Individual, Cross Country Men’s and Women’s Individual Sprint Finals, NBC Broadcast
4:00 p.m. Cross Country – Men and Women’s Freestyle Sprint - qualifying, Kuyangshu Nordic Center, Zhangjiakou, CHN, Same-day delay, Broadcast, USA Network
6:30 p.m. Cross Country – Men and Women’s Freestyle Sprint - Finals, Kuyangshu Nordic Center, Zhangjiakou, CHN, Same-day delay, Broadcast, USA Network

Sport-specific broadcast and streaming schedules are available below:

• Alpine
• Cross Country
• Freeski
• Freestyle
• Ski Jumping
• Nordic Combined
• Snowboard

Broadcast and streaming schedules are updated on a daily basis throughout the season.

Jamie Anderson, Julia Marino, and Hailey Langland put it down when it counted to advance into Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 slopestyle finals on Sunday, Feb. 6.

The first snowboard qualifiers of these Olympic Games were an exciting and tense affair as the best-of-two-run format left little run for error. Beyond the sub-zero temps and building winds, the conditions in the sculpted Genting Snowpark allowed the women to seize the opportunity to showcase the meteoric progression in women’s slopestyle riding. The course, described as “challenging,” “technical,” and also “unique,” which was no doubt a nod to the guardhouse feature and the second “twisted sister” jump, a style not seen since Sochi 2018.

On her first run, two-time slopestyle gold medalist Anderson put down the top score for the U.S. women, earning a 74.35 and fifth place. Marino followed in sixth place with a 71.78, and Langland finished ninth with a 68.71.

Anderson said, “Today was one of the better days we’ve had, so that was a plus. The course is super challenging, as you can see. There weren’t a lot of technical runs, but I feel grateful I was able to put one down.” 

Anderson attempted to improve her score on her second run, putting down a compelling run, only to wash out on her Cab double cork 900 on the final jump, “I felt pretty pissed I couldn’t land my last run, but such is life. Highs and lows. I’m excited to send it tomorrow!”

Marino and Langland had the pressure on, needing to up their scores on their second runs just as the wind started picking up. They both rose to the occasion. 

Marino said, “I had so many nerves on that second run. Now the pressure’s off because I just wanted to make it into the finals—that was my main goal. Now I feel a little more relief that I made it through.”

Marino was unfazed by the wind, “I had tunnel vision; I just wanted to make it to the end of the course. I did not look at the flags at all. I was just like, ‘I’m going to go for my run no matter what, I don’t care about the wind. I’m going to throw down what I think is my best.’”  

Langland has a different strategy of waiting for a lull in the wind. “The wind gusts are no longer coming straight downhill, they’re now starting to swirl in between the jumps and in the rails and starting to come uphill, and that can cause some really bad consequences.” Shared Langland after finishing her second run. “The conditions are pretty gnarly, so I’m happy to be walking away in one piece.” 

Courtney Rummel, the 18-year-old out of West Bend, Wisconsin, finished in 17th with a score of 48.30, missing the cutoff to advance into finals but putting on a great show at her first Olympic Games. 

The top qualifiers of the day were Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL), followed by Kokomo Murase (JPN) and Enni Rukajarvi (FIN). 

Sunday’s finals will consist of twelve women competing in a best of three run final to determine who will take home an Olympic medal. Fans in North America can tune in to watch Saturday, Feb. 5. at 8:30 p.m. EST on USA Network.

RESULTS

Women's slopestyle qualifiers

START LISTS

Women's slopestyle finals

HOW TO WATCH
*All times EST.

Please note: Streaming services and apps are third-party services and subject to such parties’ terms of use and data privacy. U.S. Ski & Snowboard disclaims any and all liability for use of third-party services and apps.

Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022
8:30 p.m. Snowboarding – Women's Slopestyle Finals (Live), Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network
11:00 p.m. Snowboarding – Men's Slopestyle Qualifying, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022
12:00 a.m. Primetime Plus – Snowboarding Slopestyle Finals & More, NBC Broadcast
11:00 p.m. Snowboarding – Men's Slopestyle Final, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock

Sport-specific broadcast and streaming schedules are available below:

• Alpine
• Cross Country
• Freeski
• Freestyle
• Ski Jumping
• Nordic Combined
• Snowboard

Broadcast and streaming schedules are updated on a daily basis throughout the season.

In 2018, Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall accomplished the seemingly impossible – the duo took gold in the women's team sprint. Together, they won the first American medal of any kind in cross country skiing since 1976. 

Never before had any women, or men, been close to competing with the Scandanavian teams that dominated the cross country track for four decades. Diggins and Randall proved that with a bit of support, the Americans could hang with "the big dogs." Not only was their victory a historic moment for the U.S. women's cross country team, but the entire American contingency of the sport.

Randall retired, and Diggins continued, this time, as a country-wide role model and a "de facto captain of a team made up of men and women." 

In "Her Gold Was Four Years Ago, but She Never Stopped Leading," New York Times reporter Matthew Futterman outlines Diggins's rise to the top and how her effervescent presence has had a lasting effect on her teammates, her sport, and her country. 

Read the full story at NYTimes.com >>

In February 2020, Mikaela Shiffrin lost her father, Jeff Shiffrin, in an unexpected accident. A fixture in her life and her career as a ski racer, "the Shiffrin family rock," was suddenly gone. Shiffrin was on set shooting the cover of Sports Illustrated in Europe while her father was being rushed to the hospital. A highlight of her career immediately became one of the worst days of her life and rocked her into a funk that almost meant the end of her ski racing career.

Two years after his death, NBC Olympics has released an emotional nine-minute tribute to Jeff's legacy, one which he left behind in photographs that decorate Shiffrin's home in Edwards, Colorado. Shiffrin, her brother Taylor, and her mother Eileen open up about the devastating experience and the moment she chose to continue when all she wanted was to let go.

World champion and US Olympic cross-country skier, Julia Kern, gives Good Housekeeping the inside scoop of what it's like to live as an Olympic competitor.

Take a tour through the official cross country ski truck which holds gear, around 600 skis, and a personal wax technician. Not only does Julia give a tour of the gear closet on wheels, but also her living accommodations which includes an apartment, a chef, and we can’t forget all the snacks! Come get a glimpse of what life is like on the road as Julia Kern prepares for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Cole McDonald, Dylan Walczyk, Jaelin Kauf, Olivia Giaccio, and Hannah Soar each qualified to compete in mogul finals this coming weekend after laying down solid runs in the first mogul's qualifier of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. 

Kauf posted the top result for the U.S. women in the first qualifier, finishing third, followed by Giaccio in fourth, and Soar in seventh. McDonald led the way for the American men in fifth. Walczyk finished tenth overall. Because each athlete finished in the top 10 in Thursday’s first qualification round, they do not have to compete in a second qualification round this weekend and will head straight to the finals.

“In the start gate I felt super good up there, really calm, not too nervous,” commented 18-year-old McDonald. “I was really happy with that top jump. I thought I landed super well and skied out super well. The middle section felt great, very few breaks in there. The only flaw in that run I felt like was in the bottom air, but overall really happy with my first Olympic run.” 

The Olympic format for moguls competition consists of two qualification rounds. In the first qualifier, the top 10 skiers advance directly to the final. The remaining 20 skiers have another opportunity to qualify in a second qualification round. Each athlete is then ranked by their best run between qualifiers one and two, to determine the second group of 10 skiers that will advance into the final. 

A total of 20 athletes of each gender will compete in the final rounds that determine who will take home an Olympic medal. The top 12 scores of Final Round 1 advance to Final Round 2. In Final Round 2, the top six scores advance to the super final, where the top six athletes will compete for a spot on the Olympic podium and a medal for their home country.

The second round of qualifications is scheduled for the same day as finals. Nick Page and Bradley Wilson will have another chance to qualify for the final round on Saturday, Feb. 5. Kai Owens has the opportunity to compete in Sunday's event per FIS rules. Owens did not start in the first qualification round on Thursday.

RESULTS
Women’s qualifying
Men’s qualifying

HOW TO WATCH

Please note: Streaming services and apps are third-party services and subject to such parties’ terms of use and data privacy. U.S. Ski & Snowboard disclaims any and all liability for use of third-party services and apps.

*All times EST.

Friday, Feb. 4, 2022
6:30 a.m. NBC Special Opening Ceremony Live from 2022 Winter Olympic Games, NBC Broadcast, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock
11:00 p.m. West Coast Encore Opening Ceremony 2022 Winter Olympic Games, National Stadium, Beijing, CHN NBC Broadcast

Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022
3:00 a.m. Primetime Opening Ceremony 2022 Winter Olympic Games, National Stadium, Beijing, CHN, NBC Broadcast
5:00 a.m. Freestyle Skiing – Men's Moguls Qualifying 2, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock
6:00 a.m. Freestyle Skiing – Men's Moguls Finals, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock

Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022
5:00 a.m. Freestyle Skiing – Women's Moguls Qualifying 2, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock
6:00 a.m. Freestyle Skiing – Women's Moguls Qualifying 2, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, USA Network
6:30 a.m. Freestyle Skiing – Women's Moguls Finals, Secret Garden, Zhangjiakou, CHN, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock
6:30 a.m. 2022 Winter Olympics Medal Ceremonies Day 2, NBCOlympics.com, Streaming Peacock

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today the appointment of Guy Slattery as the organization’s new Chief Marketing Officer. Slattery will be responsible for all aspects of U.S. Ski & Snowboard's brand development and communications. Prior to joining the organization, Slattery was CMO at VICE Media. He will report to President & CEO Sophie Goldschmidt.

As CMO, Slattery will be responsible for setting U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s overarching brand strategy and marketing plan to expand the profile of the organization and its athletes across all disciplines, including the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboard Team and U.S. Freeski Team. He will oversee the strategy and execution of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s marketing, communications, social media, broadcasts, content development, events and creative services to grow the organization’s fan base and maximize revenue streams, and opportunities with media, brands and influencers.

“Guy is a dynamic and highly regarded award-winning marketing executive who I’m confident will lead the growth of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s global profile,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO. “His extensive successes in entertainment marketing and content development align very well with our organization’s vision for the future of snow sports. We are thrilled to have Guy lead our marketing efforts and drive commercial success through a long-term brand strategy. I look forward to working with him on developing new ways to engage with and grow our communities.” 

“Being a ski and snowboard enthusiast myself, I understand the passion and commitment that athletes, teams and brands bring to snow sports, and I look forward to helping raise the national and global profiles of all involved,” said Slattery. “I’m thrilled to work at the epicenter of this culture, and I’m looking forward to working with Sophie to continue building on the organization’s storied legacy.”

Slattery most recently served as CMO and President of TV for VICE Media, where he built and led the team that launched the Emmy award-winning television network VICELAND. After launching VICELAND, Slattery was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer, where he drove growth and innovation through the development and marketing of the VICE brand portfolio (VICE.com, VICE News, VICE TV, VICE Studios, Refinery 29, Virtue, Pulse Films) across all platforms and lines of business, including advertising and design, brand positioning and identity, branded content, consumer research and insights.

Before joining VICE, Slattery was Executive Vice President of Marketing at A+E Networks, responsible for all marketing, creative and brand strategy for A&E and HISTORY during a period that saw both networks grow to become among the top five entertainment networks in cable. Before his tenure at A+E Networks, Slattery led marketing and communications for the National Geographic Channel globally and held marketing leadership roles at Sky UK, Star TV Asia, and MGM.

Slattery holds a B.A. degree in economics from the University of Manchester in England. He is an avid snowboarder and will be relocating from New York to Park City, Utah.

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 2022, 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 value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Kevin Flight, Elevate Communications/U.S. Ski & Snowboard, kflight@elevatecom.com

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today a new partnership with Woodward, designating Woodward Copper, Colorado and Woodward Park City, Utah facilities as Official Training Centers for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes through January 2025. This agreement will see athletes from U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the United States, training at Woodward Copper and Woodward Park City leading up to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, providing invaluable access as athletes train to reach podiums.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Woodward to elevate our freeski and snowboard athletes’ training,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Freestyle, Freeski and Snowboard Director Jeremy Forster. “Woodward’s facilities at Copper Mountain and in Park City will provide key year-round training for our Pro and Rookie Team athletes for years to come.”

Woodward Copper, located at Copper Mountain, Colorado, stands out as a top training destination for every level of competitor. Along with its Superpipe and Central Park, the resort recently debuted two airbag training zones for elite-level halfpipe and big air athletes, which offers some of the best and most consistent training for freeskiers and snowboarders. 

“Over time Woodward Copper has evolved to become the proving ground for snowboarding and progression,” says Red Gerard, U.S. Olympic slopestyle gold medalist. “I am beyond thrilled that Copper has leveled up even more with the addition of new training bags and an official partnership with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team.”  

“Our partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard is stronger than ever and we’re proud to provide even more world-class training opportunities for their athletes,” said Dustin Lyman, president and general manager of Copper Mountain. “For decades, we’ve looked forward to hosting U.S. Team athletes for training and competition each season. It is our privilege to expand this partnership, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team is a big reason why we are considered the Athlete’s Mountain.” 

Woodward Park City, Utah provides consistent, year-round access to high-performance training indoor and outdoor venues, including the 66,000 square-foot indoor Action Sports Hub, which is comprised of trampolines, foam pits and proprietary training tools, along with the outdoor Mountain Park, which includes a superpipe and big air jump. 

“It’s been amazing to see Woodward embrace progression and training areas indoors and on-mountain at both Copper and Woodward Park City,” says Shaun White, five-time Olympian and professional snowboarder. “I’ve spent a lot of time in the pipes at both places the past two seasons getting ready for the Olympics.” 

“Woodward Park City was built with the intention of empowering and inspiring the next generation of action sports athletes,” explains Woodward Park City General Manager Phoebe Mills. “This partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard furthers our commitment to current and future U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and encourages local youth to dream big.”

The partnership with Woodward gives U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team athletes new tools and venues for athletes to progress through the next four-year cycle in preparation for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Woodward’s indoor and outdoor high-performance training venues create an ideal setting for training high level athletes in multiple disciplines. 

###

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2021, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org. 

About Copper Mountain
Located just 75 miles west of Denver, Colo., Copper Mountain offers a pure mountain experience that inspires adventure, elevates ambition and empowers progression. During the winter, Copper’s world class naturally divided terrain provides skiers and riders access to over 2,500 acres of high alpine adventure. Each summer, the mountain transforms into an unspoiled playground for hikers, mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Three centralized pedestrian villages provide a vibrant atmosphere complete with slope-side lodging, dining, shopping and activities. Copper Mountain is home to Woodward Copper and he U.S. Ski Team Speed Center which facilitate year-round training for every level of athlete. Copper Mountain is part of the POWDR Adventure Lifestyle Co. portfolio, and an Ikon Pass partner. POWDR is a family-owned adventure lifestyle company (TM) that believes there is nothing better for your soul than to spend time with the people you love, doing the things you love. 

About Woodward Park City
Woodward Park City is a world-class, year-round action sports community club in one of the greatest outdoor regions in the world. Encompassing a fully integrated 125-acre campus with a state-of-the-art action sports hub, action sports parks and mountain parks, Woodward Park City encourages intuitive growth and safe progression for passionate action sports athletes of all ages and abilities to play and train every day, 365 days and nights a year. Visitors to Woodward Park City can experience lift-accessed snowboarding, skiing, tubing and mountain biking, as well as indoor and outdoor facilities for skateboarding, BMX, scooter, parkour, and cheer. Woodward Park City is part of the global Woodward experiential action sports company on a mission to inspire the next generation of action sports and athletes and is also part of the POWDR portfolio.

Media Contacts:
Annie Fast, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
annie.fast@usskiandsnowboard.org

Meisha Ross, Woodward Park City
mross@woodwardparkcity.com

Taylor Prather, Copper Mountain
tprather@coppercolorado.com

In the New York Times exclusive multimedia feature, What Scares the World's Most Daring Olympians, published Feb. 1, 2022, journalists explore the five biggest fears of Winter Olympic athletes – getting hurt, new tricks, bad weather, uncertainty, and skiing nearly blind. Five parts, five stories, one for each fear. 

Each piece walks readers through an interactive, visual experience that depicts the thoughts and feelings that race through the minds of the athletes as they push themselves to new speeds and new heights. As a whole, it is a testament to the grit, determination, and focus that every athlete channels when they put their bodies on the line in pursuit of a feeling – a feeling that defies fear and derives exuberance. The Olympic stage is one most athletes spend their entire lives pursuing, an opportunity none of them will take for granted, no matter the stakes.

The article features three dozen active and retired Winter Olympians, including U.S. Ski & Snowboard's very own Jamie Anderson, Erik Arvidsson, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Billy Demong, Red Gerard, Faye Gulini, Breezy Johnson, Casey Larson, Ben Loomis, Annika Malacinski, Alice Merryweather, Steven Nyman, River Radamus, Logan Sankey, Shaun White, and Jackie Wiles.

"The Winter Olympics are a carnival of danger, a spectacle of speed and slick surfaces, powered mostly by the undefeated force of gravity. Skiers hurtle themselves down mountains faster than cars drive on highways. Sliders ride high-speed sleds down a twisting chute of ice. Ski jumpers soar great distances through the air, and snowboarders and freestyle skiers flip and spin in the sky and hope for a safe landing. The next wipeout always feels moments away. The athletes who perform these daring feats are not crazy. They are not reckless. But they do have one thing in common that might surprise those of us who watch.

They are scared. Every one of them."

Explore the full feature at NYTimes.com >>