U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes return to FIS World Cup competition this month, and the networks of NBC will broadcast more than 75 hours of live and same-day coverage in November and December on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and The Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, from Levi and Ruka, Finland, Lillehammer, Norway, and Copper Mountain Colorado. Coverage begins with the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup women’s slalom from Levi on Saturday, Nov. 21.

NBC Sports’ presentation of the 2020-21 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup season begins with the women’s slalom from Levi, Finland, next Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7 a.m. ET live on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and OlympicChannel.com. An encore presentation of the race will be presented later in the evening at 12 a.m. ET on NBCSN.

The winningest slalom skier of all time and three-time Olympic medalist Mikaela Shiffrin is expected to make her 2020-21 FIS Ski World Cup competition season debut in Levi, and the Olympic Channel will broadcast the second run slalom event live on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 7 a.m. EST. Mikaela owns four career victories at the World Cup stop in Finland, including winning there in each of the last two seasons. NBC Sports’ Steve Schlanger (play-by-play) will call the action alongside former U.S. Ski Team alumnus speed skier Steve Porino (analyst).

The Olympic Channel will also provide live coverage of the FIS Cross Country World Cup sprint, skiathlon, and team sprint events from Lillehammer, Norway, Dec. 4-6; and same-day coverage of the FIS Freestyle World Cup moguls from Ruka, Norway, on Dec. 5. NBC, NBCSN, and the Olympic Channel will provide live and same-day coverage of the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix, and the Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover from Copper Mountain, Colo., Dec. 18-19.

Last week NBC announced exclusive streaming of winter Olympic sports has moved from NBC Sports Gold’s “Snow Pass” to Peacock Premium. Peacock Premium will also become the exclusive home to all FIS events held in Austria, beginning with the FIS Freeski World Cup in Stubai, Austria on Nov. 21. Peacock Premium will also provide live streaming coverage of alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, ski jumping, nordic combined, and snowboard events throughout the season. 

Check out the current television broadcast and streaming schedule for November and December for all sports are available here. Sport-specific broadcast and streaming schedules are available below:

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

Broadcast and streaming schedules on Peacock Premium will be updated on a weekly basis throughout the season.
 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard and leading protein and energy products company, Built Brands™ announced today a new multi-year partnership, making Built Brands™ the official protein bar and energy gel of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team through the 2022 season. Throughout the duration of the partnership, Built Brands’ diverse range of recovery and performance products - packed with protein and nutrients without compromising flavor - will help fuel some of the world’s top athletes. 

“As a brand committed to healthy, great-tasting protein and energy products to fuel an active lifestyle, a partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard was only a natural fit,” said Nick Greer, Co-Founder of Built Brands. “We look forward to keeping some of today’s most competitive athletes energized on and off the mountain through 2022.” 

Throughout the partnership, the Utah-based brand will keep U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Park City headquarters, the USANA Center of Excellence, fully stocked with delicious and nutritious products so athletes can train harder and recover faster. Built Brands will also ensure teams have access to its wide-ranging product portfolio wherever they are in the world training and competing, which this season includes World Championships events for each team. Access to Built Brands™ beloved protein bars, along with its energy and protein supplements Built Boost® and BuiltGO™, means athletes can continue to push what’s possible on the snow. The brand will also have a presence at various domestic competitions and events. 

“Built Brands is a standout among protein bars, protein gels and energy gels and this partnership reflects our shared goal of enabling our athletes to perform at their best,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Revenue Officer Michael O’Conor. “Our athletes push their bodies to achieve exceptional feats and so require high-quality fuel to stay at the top of their game. We are excited to welcome Built Brands into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard family and look forward to providing our teams the fuel they need to reach the top of the podium.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the 23 athletes of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team for the 2020-21 season who will kick off competition with the traditional World Cup season opener in Ruka, Finland, Nov. 27-29.

Athletes named to the A Team for the 20-2021 season include 2018 Olympic Gold medalist Jessie Diggins and 2018 Olympians Simi Hamilton, Sophie Caldwell Hamilton, Sadie Maubet Bjornsen, and Rosie Brennan. Also joining the A Team this season are Julia Kern, who earned her first World Cup podium last season, and Hailey Swirbul, who scored World Cup points in classic and freestyle sprint and distance races last season.

In addition to a host of veteran athletes with World Cup, World Championship, and Olympic experience, the 2020-21 team includes the largest Development Team the United States has fielded in many years with 11 athletes, including all four members of the silver-medal-winning 2020 FIS Junior World Ski Championships women’s relay team: Kendall Kramer, Sydney Palmer-Leger, Novie McCabe and Sophia Laukli. Also returning to the D Team are three members of the men’s two-time gold-medal-winning Junior World Championships relay team, Luke Jager, Ben Ogden, and Johnny Hagenbuch. Also bringing her smile and positive energy back to the D Team is Hannah Halvorsen, who is back on snow after missing the entire season last year after she was hit by a car in Anchorage and suffered head, back, and knee injuries.

The fourth member of the men’s gold medal relay team, Gus Schumacher, joins the B Team for the 20-2021 season, thanks in large part to becoming the first American male to win an individual gold medal at the Junior World Championships. Katharine Ogden rejoins the B Team this season after racing for Dartmouth the past couple of seasons. Katharine posted two top-30 World Cup results in last season’s Tour de Ski.

Following a unique summer of training, members of the Davis U.S. Cross Country Ski Team are ready to go and open the season, which will also feature the 2021 FIS Nordic World Championships Feb. 24-March 7 in Oberstdorf, Germany.

“Needless to say, this year was the most atypical season of preparation that cross country team has had, with athletes mainly training at home in their smaller club groups,” said  U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Program Director Chris Grover. “Given this limitation, it’s impressive to see the level of fitness that many athletes have attained this fall, smashing personal records on time trials and local events. I have no doubt that when the Team gets their snow-feet underneath them this winter, they will have some extraordinary results.”

NBC’s new streaming platform, Peacock Premium, will live stream the 2020-21 FIS Cross Country tour this season. NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA and NBC Sports’ digital platforms will also air World Cup cross country coverage all season. Cross Country broadcast and streaming listings will be available throughout the season at USSkiandSnowboard.org

2020-21 Davis U.S. Cross Country Team
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

A TEAM
Women

• Sadie Maubet Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wash.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 11/21/89)
• Rosie Brennan (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 12/21/98
• Sophie Caldwell Hamilton (Peru, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 3/22/90)
• Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 8/26/91)
• Julia Kern (Waltham, Mass.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 9/12/97)
• Hailey Swirbul (Aspen, Colo.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 7/10/98)

Men

• Simi Hamilton (Aspen, Colo.; Stratton Mountain School Elite Team; 5/14/87)

B TEAM
Women

• Katharine Ogden (Landgrove, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School/Dartmouth College; 11/17/97)

Men

• Kevin Bolger (Minocqua, Wisc.; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 4/11/93)
• Scott Patterson (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 1/28/92)
• Gus Schumacher (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Winter Stars; 7/25/00)
• Logan Hanneman (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 6/2/93)

DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Women

• Hannah Halvorsen (Truckee, Calif.; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 2/19/98)
• Novie McCabe (Winthrop, Wash.; MVNT; 12/15/01)
• Kendall Kramer (Fairbanks, Alaska; NSCF-FXC; 6/25/02)
• Sydney Palmer-Leger (Park City, Utah; Sun Valley Ski Ski Education Foundation; 2/4/2002)
• Sophia Laukli (Yarmouth, Maine; Middlebury College Ski Team; 6/8/00)

Men

• Johnny Hagenbuch (Ketchum, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; 10/1/2001)
• Luke Jager (Anchorage, Alaska; APU/University of Utah; 1/17/00)
• Noel Keeffe (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; SSWSC/University of Utah; 8/24/99)
• Ben Ogden (Landgrove, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School/University of Vermont; 2/13/00)
• JC Schoonmaker (Tahoe City, Calif; Auburn Ski Club; 8/12/00)
• Hunter Wonders (Anchorage, Alaska; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 8/7/98)

Cross Country Coaches and Staff

• Cross Country Program Director: Chris Grover
• Head Coach: Matt Whitcomb                    
• World Cup Coach: Jason Cork                                     
• D-Team / Development Coach: Kate Barton                                                                         
• Cross Country Sport Development Manager: Bryan Fish                       
• Cross Country Sport Coordinator: Adam St. Pierre              
• Communications Manager: Tom Horrocks

Service Staff

• Head of Service: Oleg Ragilo           
• World Cup Service: Per-Erik Bjørnstad    
• World Cup Service: Tim Baucom                         
• World Cup Service: Eli Brown    
• World Cup Service: Chris Hecker
• World Cup Service: Karel Kruuser    

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today a 30-athlete roster making up the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team for the 2020-21 season. The U.S. Freestyle Ski Team includes aerials and moguls skiers, and both disciplines are currently on snow in Scandinavia preparing for their FIS World Cup openers, scheduled for Dec. 4-5 in Ruka, Finland. This season will look different than what anyone is used to, so athletes and staff are focused on what they can control and what is immediately on the schedule. 

“The Freestyle Team had success last season with 13 World Cup podiums and our athletes are determined to build off of that,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Freestyle Director Jeremy Forster. “Despite an abrupt end to the 2019-20 season and a challenging spring, these teams have maintained a positive outlook and really took advantage of the training available to them this summer. We are grateful for our domestic training partners in keeping some semblance of normalcy during these times and are looking forward to a great 2020-21 season.”

Athletes named to the aerials team include Megan Nick, who finished the season ranked fourth in the world after earning two second-place World Cup results; 2017 World Champion and three-time Olympian Ashley Caldwell, who ended last season crowned U.S. National Champion; and Winter Vinecki, who ended last season ranked 10th in the world. Madison Varmette will kick off her fifth season with the team. Megan Smallhouse and Kaila Kuhn will both return for their second seasons and newly named rookie member Dani Loeb looks forward to her first season as a U.S. Ski Team member.

Top-ranked American man in sixth, Chris Lillis, returns for his seventh season with the team. Chris earned two podiums last season, including a win in Kazakhstan. He is joined by Justin Schoenefeld, who ended the American drought on Aerials wins last season and was ranked 10th in the world; Eric Loughran, 2020 U.S. National Champion is back for his sixth season; and Quinn Dehlinger returns for his second season.

The team behind this team returns for what will be their second season together. Aerials Head Coach Vladimir (Vlad) Lebedev is joined by World Cup Coaches Eric Bergoust and JC Andre, Athletic Development Coach Houston Deck and Physical Therapist Peter Toohey.

“This summer we were fortunate enough to get a lot of work done at the Utah Olympic Park,” said Head Aerials Coach Vladimir Lebedev. “We made some significant DD (degree of difficulty) improvements and all of the athletes are looking really strong. The Team is ready to take what we’ve built on in the pools to the snow. This season will be instrumental in the lead in to Beijing 2022, especially with World Championships as test events. We look forward to a productive camp in Ruka and hopefully a continuation of the success we had last season.”

Athletes named to the moguls team include the deepest field of female mogul skiing talent in the world. Known as the #PowHERHouse, these women are fast and fierce. Fastest-woman-in-the-world and 2018 Olympian Jaelin Kauf leads the crew. She is joined by Hannah Soar, who had a breakout last season, and 2018 Olympian Tess Johnson. The women are stoked to have Avital Carroll back from injury for her third season. Olivia Giaccio returns for her fifth season. Young and hungry Kai Owens returns for her second season, as does Sabrina Cass. New members and sisters Madison and Kasey Hogg look forward to their first season with the Team. Morgan Schild, Nessa Dziemian and Kenzie Radway are all named to this year’s roster as well.

On the men’s side, two-time Olympian Brad Wilson returns for his 10th season. He is joined by Jesse Andringa, who is back from injury; Alex Lewis and Nick Page, who both return for their second seasons; and new member Landon Wendler. This season marks Joel Hedrick’s sixth with the team. Casey Andringa is named this season as well, although will not be competing due to injury.

Moguls Head Coach Matt Gnoza leads the bump crew and is joined by World Cup Coaches Riley Campbell and Joe Discoe, Athletic Development Coach Josh Bullock and Physical Therapist Chuck Williams.

“We asked [the athletes] to consider this as time to reflect on who they are and who they want to be during this time,” explained Head Moguls Coach Matt Gnoza on how the team is dealing with the unknowns caused by COVID-19. “We had them focus on what is within their control and to be informed, take breaks from conversations, news, and information related to COVID-19. We emphasized to use sport and training as an escape and focus.”

“Outside of just returning to some sort of normalcy and getting back to training and events, I am looking forward to seeing the athletes continue to progress,” Matt said on looking forward to the 2020-21 season. “I expect the team to make a significant jump during the third season of the Olympic quad. Our priority is to continue to climb the rankings as both a team and as individual athletes.”

The U.S. Freestyle Ski Team is scheduled to compete in 21 World Cup events spanning three continents for the 2020-21 season. This season is scheduled to feature the 2020 FIS Freestyle, Freeski and Snowboard World Cup Championships in Zhangjiakou, China, which will serve as test events for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. 

In a year marked by uncertainty, fans can be certain that the Freestyle crew will bring the heat for 2020-21. 

NBC’s new streaming platform, Peacock Premium, will live stream the 2020-21 FIS Freestyle Skiing World Cup tour this season. NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA and NBC Sports’ digital platforms will also air World Cup freestyle skiing coverage all season. Freestyle broadcast and streaming listings will be available throughout the season at USSkiandSnowboard.org

2020-21 U.S. Freestyle Ski Team
(Hometown; Club; Birthdate)

U.S. Aerials Team
Men
Quinn Dehlinger (Cincinnati, Ohio; Elite Aerial Development Program; 6/8/02)
Chris Lillis (Pittsford, N.Y.; Bristol Mountain Freestyle Team;10/4/98)
Eric Loughran (Pelham, N.H.; Loon Mountain Freestyle; 12/4/95)
Justin Schoenefeld (Lawrenceburg, Ind.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 8/13/98)

Women
Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, Va.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 9/14/93)
Kaila Kuhn (Boyne City, Mich.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 4/8/03)
Dani Loeb (Pintlala, Ala.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 8/10/2001)
Megan Nick (Shelburne, Vt,; Elite Aerial Development Program; 7/9/96)
Megan Smallhouse (Reno, Nev.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 1/16/01)
Madison Varmette (Stafford, Va.; Elite Aerial Development Program; 5/8/96)
Winter Vinecki (Gaylord, Mich.; Park City Ski and Snowboard; 12/18/98)

Aerials Coaches and Staff
Aerials Head Coach: Vladimir Lebedev
Aerials World Cup Coach: JC Andre
Aerials World Cup Coach: Eric Bergoust
Aerials Athletic Development Coach: Houston Deck
Aerials Physical Therapist: Peter Toohey

U.S. Moguls Team
Men
Casey Andringa (Boulder, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 10/6/95)
Jesse Andringa (Boulder, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 12/15/97)
Joel Hedrick (Fort Collins, Colo.; Winter Park Competition Center; 5/30/97)
Alex Lewis (Carlisle, Mass.; Killington Mountain School; 11/16/99)
Nick Page (Park City, Utah; Wasatch Freestyle Foundation; 8/1/02)
Landon Wendler (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Winter Sports Club; 10/12/2000)
Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.; Wasatch Freestyle; 6/5/92)

Women
Avital Caroll (Manhattan, N.Y.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 4/24/96)
Sabrina Cass (Cheshire, Conn.; Wasatch Freestyle Foundation; 3/27/02)
Nessa Dziemian (East Hampstead, N.H.; Park City Freestyle Ski Team; 4/14/94)
Olivia Giaccio (Redding, Conn.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 8/15/00)
Tess Johnson (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 6/19/00)
Kasey Hogg (Park City, Utah; Wasatch Freestyle Foundation; 1/8/2003)
Madison Hogg (Park City, Utah; Wasatch Freestyle Foundation; 2/15/2001)
Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 9/26/96)
Kai Owens (Vail, Colo.; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; 8/16/04)
Kenzie Radway (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 6/22/03)
Morgan Schild (Pittsford, N.Y.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; 8/25/97)
Hannah Soar (Somers, Conn.; Killington Mountain School; 6/4/99)

Moguls Coaches and Staff
Moguls Head Coach: Matt Gnoza
Moguls World Cup Coach: Riley Campbell
Moguls World Cup Coach: Joe Discoe
Moguls Athletic Development Coach: Josh Bullock
Moguls Physical Therapist: Chuck Williams

Freestyle Staff
Freestyle Program Director: Jeremy Forster
Freestyle Team Manager: Alexis Williams
Freestyle Sport Development Senior Manager: Ashley Deibold
Freestyle Sport Development Coordinator: Elise Saarela
Freestyle Communications Manager: Lara Carlton

FOLLOW THE U.S. FREESTYLE SKI TEAM
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Facebook @usskiandsnowboard
Twitter @usskiteam

OFFICIAL U.S. FREESTYLE SKI TEAM SUPPLIERS

Learn more about how you can support U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes this season at KeepTheFlameAlive.org.

Winter is coming to U.S. Ski & Snowboard Official Training Site Copper Mountain, Colo. and so are world-class athletes! If you have ever dreamed of meeting one of your Land Rover U.S. Ski Team idols, listen up! This year, our meet and greet will be virtual, so no matter where you are, we would love for you to submit.

Our theme this year is resilience. This has been a complicated and difficult year for everyone, so what have you done to push through? What part does skiing play in your life & how does the sport challenge you to become your best self? Whether your actions were big or small, we want to hear how your creativity and tenacity have lifted up 2020. 

Submit your entry by posting your story on Instagram and tag both @usskiteam and @Coppermtn. You can also submit by commenting below our post, messaging us in our direct messages, or emailing us at socialmedia@coppercolorado.com. However you choose to share your story, we would love to hear it and we would love for you to be a part of this year’s meet and greet! #keeptheflamealive 

Peacock Premium will live stream World Cup competitions in Winter Olympic sports this season, starting in two weeks.

Events that previously streamed on NBC Sports Gold’s “Snow Pass” are moving to Peacock Premium, part of NBC Universal’s new streaming service available here.

That includes alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, Nordic combined, ski jumping and biathlon, live and on-demand. Most of those seasons begin in late November and December.

NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA and NBC Sports’ digital platforms will also air Winter Olympic sports coverage all season.

Peacock Premium will be the exclusive home for International Ski Federation (FIS) events in Austria, starting with women’s and men’s Alpine skiing World Cup parallel races in Lech/Zuers on Nov. 26-27.

Release courtesy of NBC.

Learn more at PeacockTV.com/Sports.

In the first-ever digital release of a full-length Warren Miller feature film, Warren Miller Entertainment (WME) is excited to bring its audience the digital release of the brand’s 71st film, Future Retro. The film features the 2019 HomeLight Killington Cup in Killington, Vt. and two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin's stunning performance, while U.S. Ski Team alumna and Olympian Kaylin Richardson headlines the segment. 

In Future Retro, progressive, young female skiers Lexi duPont and Amie Engerbretson journey to the heart of deep-rooted ski culture in Switzerland, and freeskiers Baker Boyd and Victor Major rip the endless peaks of Iceland, using a 1,300-year-old farm as their base camp. A trio of world-class snowboarders including Elena Hight, Danny Davis, and Nick Russell, travel to Antarctica and witness the impact of climate change. 

Legendary skiers Scot Schmidt and the Egan brothers show a new crop of athletes how they were responsible for the extreme-skiing movement of the ’80s and ’90s, and the next generation of skiers and riders show us what it means to challenge the status quo. From competitive triumph on the road to the podium at the World Cup in Killington to pushing boundaries of big-mountain skiing in Alaska, Future Retro will be that connection—past, present, and future.

As winter enthusiasts gear up to get outside this season, the health and wellness of the Warren Miller audience is considered a top priority. With this in mind, the world-renowned production company has opted to share the 2020 film via a premium, virtual film format in November 2020. 

Like any Warren Miller film premiere, these virtual events will be lively and will act as the official kickoff to winter. Consisting of a one-hour virtual red carpet, with athlete appearances, behind-the-scenes interviews, sponsor shout-outs, and vintage throwbacks, these premieres will be hosted by U.S. Ski Team alumnus, Olympian and longtime Warren Miller narrator Jonny Moseley. 

Viewers will be invited to transform their living room, garage, backyard, basement, or beyond into the ultimate ski film premiere venue. Small, socially-safe watch parties are welcome for the livestreaming events, and attendees can stream or cast the film from their internet browser onto their smart TVs or streaming devices via their smartphones or desktop. Viewers will have access to the event for up to 48 hours, and each virtual ticket includes up to 4 people–– complete with entries into the nightly door prizes, national sweepstakes, and up to four coupon codes. Should someone want to attend with more guests, they will be encouraged to purchase additional tickets.  

The virtual tour will take place through three regional events across North America:

• East Coast show: Saturday, Nov. 7 - Tickets & More

• Mountain/Central show: Saturday, Nov. 14 - Tickets & More

• West Coast show: Saturday, Nov. 21 - Tickets & More

“Hopefully the convenience and accessibility of the virtual experience will reach a new and wider audience, who may not have been able to attend a live show for geographical or other reasons,” says 20-year Warren Miller filmmaking veteran and producer Josh Haskins. “And of course we’re excited to provide the event atmosphere virtually to our dedicated longtime fans. They will just need to be their own bartenders during the show.”

Join this collective experience as the legacy continues. Go to warrenmller.com to learn more.

Featured Athletes
Jim Ryan | Kaylin Richardson | Lexi duPont | Amie Engerbretson | Baker Boyd | Victor Major | Forrest Jillson | Tanner Rainville | Tom Day | John Egan | Dan Egan | Scot Schmidt | Jack Lovely | Maria Lovely | Parkin Costain | Elena Hight | Danny Davis | Nick Russell | Marcus Caston 

Film Destinations
Vermont | Switzerland | Iceland | Alaska | Montana | Antarctica

About Warren Miller Entertainment 
Warren Miller Entertainment has been a pioneer in action sports cinematography since 1949. Future Retro is the 71st installment of its feature film library. Warren Miller Entertainment is the leader in snow and adventure sports production, stock footage, event experiences, and four-season content solutions for sponsors, clients, and athletes, and is a division of Pocket Outdoor Media, based in Boulder, Colorado.

Media Contacts
Jessica McGee, Warren Miller Entertainment, 303.253.6425, jmcgee@pocketoutdoormedia.com
Jessi Hackett, Warren Miller Entertainment, 303.253.6373, jhackett@pocketoutdoormedia.com
Kate Lessman, California & Mountain/Central PR, kate@thinkbigmediapr.com
Chris Hrenko, East Coast PR, 802.310.8662, chris@palemorning.com 

Release courtesy of Warren Miller Entertainment.

Race events have a team captain's meeting and inspections so we can become familiar with the venue and terrain before jumping into the course. If we happen to have a day where the race is canceled due to too much snow, we still need to learn about the terrain before venturing out. Whether skiing inbounds or in the back country, knowledge is power when it comes to avalanche and skier safety!

The Bryce and Ronnie Athlete Snow Safety Foundation (BRASS) was formed in the memory of Bryce Astle and Ronnie Berlack, two rising U.S. Ski Team stars killed in an avalanche in 2015. After losing her son, Masters racer Cindy Berlack (New England Masters, W10) has become an advocate for Avalanche Awareness helping to spread the word about avalanche safety and education. 

Sign up for BRASS 101 Avalanche Safety Webinar and take 90 minutes to learn about avalanche safety from certified avalanche safety instructors.

BRASS 101 Webinar Schedule

Wednesday, November 4, 2020
2:00-3:30 p.m. MST (4:00-5:30 p.m. EST)
Instructor: Ben Mirkin (Northern Vermont University)
REGISTER


Thursday, November 12, 2020
7:00-8:30 p.m. MST (9:00-10:30 p.m. EST)
Instructor: Lindsay Mann (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)
REGISTER


Thursday, November 19, 2020
4:00-5:30 p.m. PST (7:00-8:30 p.m. EST)
Instructor: Scott Schell (Northwest Avalanche Center)
REGISTER


Thursday, December 3, 2020
4:00-5:30 p.m. PST (7:00-8:30 p.m. EST)
Instructor: Scott Schell (Northwest Avalanche Center)
REGISTER

Before the Webinar

• Download the MENTIMETER mobile app for your SmartPhone to enable in-presentation quizzes.
• Take 13 minutes to watch the BRASS Avalanche video Off Piste: Tragedy in the Alps.

Wow! It feels like it’s been a very long time since I’ve reached out to all of you like this! I want to take a moment to say that I hope you are doing well and most importantly, I hope you and your families are staying healthy and safe. I would like to think that someday soon I won’t have to preface all of my poats with that sentiment, and instead I will be able to stand in front of all of you and tell you how excited I am for the season ahead. Unfortunately, my in-person enthusiasm will have to wait a while longer, but I will do my very best to express my excitement via this post! 

I don’t know if anyone could’ve set a more positive tone for the season to come better than Paula Moltzan and Nina O’Brien, two U.S. Ski Teamers hailing from the Eastern Region, each one of them finishing in the top fifteen at the Soelden World Cup opener earlier this month. In case you missed the live broadcast, U.S. Ski & Snowboard published a quick writeup following the race, where Paula largely credited her best-ever FIS World Cup finish to time spent in the gym during the extended prep period: “Starting April 1 until September when we came to Europe, I just worked out every day twice a day for a long time with not a lot of breaks [...] I think that really played into how my skiing has improved.” The snow has definitely started to fly around in the mountains here in the East, but there is still plenty of time to devote to fitness before the competition season begins. I encourage all of you to take advantage of these next few weeks and train like you mean it. There are tons of useful videos and workouts available on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard SkillsQuest Fitness page, in case you need a little direction. 

It’s almost November so you know what that means… Yup! U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s early bird membership registration deadline is quickly approaching! If you haven’t done so already, get your membership squared away before November 1 before prices go up! Once you’re done with that, take a moment to review the COVID Guidance Document published by U.S. Ski & Snowboard, as well as the results of the Eastern Region’s COVID Planning Survey. A few weeks back, we sent out a survey to program directors in the East and asked about their upcoming plans for a season amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The different approaches to this season are worth knowing and understanding; I encourage all of you to take a moment to look over the results and read these folks’ answers and opinions.

By now, it’s old news to tell you that this year is going to be different from the rest, but that’s the cold, hard, icy-Eastern-ski-surface truth. We will have to make continual adjustments to our plans throughout the year in order to remain successful and safe. But, just because this year will be different, does not mean it will be any less worthwhile. I want to assure you that we have exciting opportunities and fun, challenging events planned (and being planned) for all age groups across the region. If you haven’t seen it already, here is a link to the most up-to-date FIS calendar (tab “PLAN B2 w/Divisions [current]”). As mentioned in a previous email, this is still a work in progress, though every day we are getting closer and closer to a final product. We will be sending out a more finalized version of the calendar as soon as it’s available, which we hope to have for you in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, this gives a clearer picture of the direction in which we are headed. 

I think we all share a common goal for this upcoming season, and that is to keep ourselves, our athletes, our families, and our friends safe. This seems easier said than done, I know, but I think we are very, very lucky to be a part of Team East. We have so many intelligent and innovative people throughout our region who are committed to creating and maintaining safe environments for our athletes, without compromising the integrity and performance of their clubs and programs. So many of you have been working diligently to come up with ideas and ways to help our athletes prosper and succeed this season. I’m continually impressed by the high level of skill within our region. The will, grit, and determination of the East give me the confidence to take on the season ahead and reassures me that we can handle whatever is to come. This winter will have its challenges, no doubt, but our team is well equipped and ready to go full-send. I am really excited about this season, and I hope you are too.

If you have any questions or concerns or just want to check-in before the season really gets rolling, please don’t hesitate to reach out. The temps are starting to drop at my house here in New Hampshire, and snow has already hit the ground… a few times! Winter is coming. I can’t wait. 

See you on the hill,

Paige

Paige Roberts
Eastern Region Manager
U.S. Ski & Snowboard
E: paige.roberts@usskiandsnowboard.org
P: (435) 714-1281

Happy Fall. I hope this newsletter finds everyone happy and healthy. The Rocky/Central staff along with Regional and Divisional governance have been busy over the summer planning for the upcoming season. I know there are a lot of questions regarding how the season will look and if we will be able to race this year. I can tell you all we have been working hard to put together a competition season for all of you. 

Racing will look different this season than it has in past seasons. Many of these changes will be for the positive. Some of the changes are as follows, the number of racers at a particular venue will be limited to 100 athletes and depending on local health orders it could be fewer athletes. In most cases genders will race on separate days and there will be two races in a day for FIS and National point scored races. Younger athletes will have 4 races in a day. This new format is an effort to limit travel and overnight stays. Most races in Rocky Mountain Division will be weekdays due to the limited number of skier numbers the ski areas are restricted to. Central Division athletes will be able to compete mostly on weekends.

FIS racing will start mid-December. U16 and younger racing will start after January 1st. A later start to the season will enable coaches and athletes to build a strong fundamental base before they move forward into race focus. This will pay dividends for our athletes in the years to come. This is a gift of time for our athletes. I look forward to seeing the results of the extra time. 

Many of you may have heard, Rocky/Central U14 Junior Championships will not be held for the coming season. This is to minimize travel for athletes and their families. Each of the Divisions are working hard to put together a Divisional U14 Championships in its place. These events will be showcase events for our U14 athletes. Rocky/Central U16 Junior Championships have been confirmed at Steamboat March 1st through 5th. 

As we finalize details to the race calendar and plans for how everything will be put together, watch the website, we will post information there as well as sending it out to your coaches. The theme for the year will be flexibility and adaptability as we move forward through the season. We will have to all work together, coaches, officials, parents and athletes, to have a successful season. A big thank you to all our local clubs that have been working diligently with their local ski areas to put together a plan for competing this season.

There will not be any new official’s certification this year. However, for those of you who need continuing education to keep your certification current, there will be a continuing education update clinic given in a webinar format. Check with your local official's chairman or website to find out how to register for these clinics.  Rocky Mountain Ski Race Officials, rmsro.org, has their schedule up on their website. CR1 clinics are posted on their website. CR2 and CR3 will have their clinic schedule posted shortly on their websites. 

A big shout out to our Rocky/Central athletes that competed in the World Cup opener at Solden. Two of our athletes earned World Cup points - Paula Moltzan finished in 10th!! And River Radamus finished 27th.  Bridger Gile also earned a WC start in Solden. 

I hope fall conditioning and training has gone well for everyone. I am excited for the upcoming season and everything it entails. I believe our athletes will come out stronger and better through all this. I wish everyone a successful fall training session. 

Best wishes,

Darlene Nolting
Rocky/Central Regional Director

Patrick Mich
Central Division Manager

Kristina Revello
Rocky/Central Regional Coach