Ever wonder how the aerial skiers of the U.S. Ski Team got their start? Just how does one get into performing quintuple twisting triple backflips 50 feet in the air? The answer for many was the opportunity to try the sport at a talent ID camp, several of which are held each year in Lake Placid, N.Y., and Park City, Utah.

Aerials team members Madison Varmette (Stafford, Va.) and Eric Loughran (Pelham, N.H.) each got their start in aerials after attending a Lake Placid talent ID camp. Winter Vinecki (Gaylord, Mich.) first tried aerial skiing in Park City through the Fly Freestyle program (which became incorporated into Park City Ski & Snowboard). “I liked to mess around on our trampoline at home doing flips,” Vinecki said. “And I love skiing, so I thought, ‘Why not try it?’ I came out to Park City and did the Fly Freestyle tryout camp.” The rest is history.

Varmette came from a competitive cheerleading and gymnastics background and was encouraged to attend a camp by her trampoline and tumbling coach. Despite doctors warning Varmette not to try aerials after experiencing symptoms of what was later diagnosed as transverse myelitis, she couldn’t resist. 

“I wasn’t going to try out, I was just going to go up and look around because I had doctors who told me not to,” Varmette said. “But then I couldn’t help myself. So I put on all of the borrowed gear and I went out and tried it. The first time going on the ramp I sat down and kind of got scared. The second time I finally made it off and it was an amazing feeling, it was like flying.”

On July 11-14, Park City Ski & Snowboard will host a four-day introduction to aerials opportunity for athletes ages 13-19. The Aerials Tryout Camp is geared towards those with a background in gymnastics, trampoline, power tumbling and/or diving who have Olympic dreams and are compelled to compete. No prior skiing experience is necessary, but it is a definite plus.

“The goal of this camp is to introduce new athletes to the sport of aerial skiing,” explained Jana Johnson, Park City Ski & Snowboard’s aerial team head coach. “We love to get new people involved. It’s a small sport but it’s a super fun sport.”

Participants will partake in six water ramp sessions at the Utah Olympic Park (UOP) and trampoline sessions at the UOP and at U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Center of Excellence. All gear - boots, skis, wetsuit, helmet, and life jacket - are included. 

Head Aerials Coach for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, Emily Cook, looks forward to meeting prospective aerials athletes, as she plans to be on site for the camp. “Introducing newcomers to our sport is super important,” Cook said. “The aerials community is small but mighty, and we want anyone who has the slightest interest in us to be able to experience aerial skiing. The nature of our sport makes us look more intimidating than we are, but it’s a very open and accepting community. We all love what we do and know if, given the chance, some of these younger athletes will love it too.”

For any aspiring athlete who may be daunted at the thought of skiing off a giant kicker into a pool, Varmette has three words, “Just do it. All you have to do is try. And ask questions. Everyone involved with tryout camp loves doing the sport. There’s no wrong question.”

If interested in participating, please visit Park City Ski & Snowboard Team's registration page.

It may be sizzling outside, but the 2019-20 ski season officially gets underway on July 1 for U.S Ski & Snowboard membership. For those athletes attending summer/fall camps or competing in the southern hemisphere, renewing your U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership early should be at the top of your to-do list.

For the 2019-20 competition season, all U.S. Ski & Snowboard adult members and athletes, excluding short term and some alpine masters members, are now required to complete periodic background screening and annual SafeSport training. 

“Renewing members are encouraged to get ahead of the curve by registering early - before the snow actually falls!” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Member Services Sheryl Barnes. “That way athletes can get their SafeSport training and background screening completed and still have time for summer fun.”

Renewing athletes can get a jump on the season by taking their annual SafeSport training prior to renewing their membership by visiting www.SafeSport.org and signing in to their account and completing available courses. Just make sure to affiliate your U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership by providing your 7-digit membership number when you log into SafeSport. By doing this, SafeSport will provide U.S. Ski & Snowboard Member Services with updates on your progress and online course completion.

Seventeen-year-old athletes who will be turning 18 during the upcoming season may also complete their SafeSport training and get a jump start on their background check by registering early too. When you renew your membership, you’ll find a link on the final page of online registration. If you miss the link, Member Services will send an email with instructions within 1 business day of renewal/registration.

All renewing athletes are also eligible for a host of member benefits, including significant discounts on top winter, and summer, sports brands through U.S. Ski & Snowboard partners, and through U.S. Ski & Snowboard ExpertVoice platform. 

The early deadline for membership renewal is Oct 15. To renew your 2019-20 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Membership now simply log into your U.S. Ski & Snowboard account. You’ll find a link to register for background screening on the final page of online registration after payment. Don’t worry if you miss the link we’ll email instruction on both SafeSport training once your registration is complete. 

With almost 500 inches of snow (and counting) this season, official U.S. Ski & Snowboard training site Timberline Lodge and Ski Area, Ore., set the moguls team up for success at a 15-day camp that wrapped June 22. Conditions were prime and the team packed in 11 training days on the Palmer glacier.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Head Moguls Coach Matt Gnoza had two goals for this first Mt. Hood camp: reinforcing fundamentals and bringing new tricks to snow, both of which he felt the team achieved. Jaeline Kauf (Alta, Wyo.) and Tess Johnson (Vail, Colo.) trained grab jumps, new for both women. Common in freeskiing, grabs are not often seen in moguls competition, but both Kauf and Johnson want to up their degree of difficulty (DD) and the overall excitement of their runs. Alex Lewis (Carlisle, Mass.) and Jesse Andringa (Boulder, Colo.) worked on polishing their higher DD jumps such as double-fulls and cork-10s. "This summer I want to work on progressing my cork 10’s to make them more consistent," said Lewis. "I also want to improve my strength. Overall it’s been a good start to the prep season.”

“I’ve been playing around with a couple of grabs and new jumps myself,” said Kauf. “I think it’s super important to continue building your air package and ‘bag of tricks.’ It just gives you more options and helps with both air awareness and your confidence on other jumps.”

 

 

 

 

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Happy Summer? // It’s been a fun jump camp, even with some winter weather✨. . . 📸 @tuckermarshall

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“Mt. Hood is one of my favorite training venues for perfecting my tricks,” said Hannah Soar (Somers, Conn.). “Our coaches, in conjunction with the Timberline staff, create great jump sites for our team to use in the summer when we are working on new jumps and tweaking our old ones. This camp I focused on getting back to on-snow jumping by working on my back lay and back full which I competed last season, and then when we return to Mt. Hood in a few weeks I will bring my cork 7 and cork 7 tail grab to snow again and focus on those tricks.”

The team returns to the Utah Olympic Park (UOP) for jump training on the water ramp before their second on-snow camp at Timberline next month. “Athletes know what they need to work on in their jumps to take them to the next level when we return to the UOP,” said Gnoza. “The next Timberline camp is another chance to go from water to snow. This is important so that they can practice landing and skiing so they can work to develop seamless exits from jumps as they reenter the moguls - something that cannot be duplicated on the water.”

“Timberline is always the perfect place to try something new,” said Johnson. “Every time I’ve been there I’ve brought a new trick to snow, and this time was heli-mute! The vibes are great there, it’s hands down my favorite summer training venue and I’m stoked to go back.”

For a team that crisscrosses the globe training and competing, it’s always nice to feel at home. Timberline has been playing host to the moguls team for the past three summers (and much longer prior to that) and it’s clear the Oregon resort has become a home away from home for these athletes. 

“Timberline is always an incredible training camp for us,” said Andringa. “We get to go straight from water ramping and bring our new, more difficult tricks directly to snow which is huge. On top of that, Hood and Government Camp are one of the most fun places in the world.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced the addition of three new regional staff members in a continued effort to offer athletes in the development pipeline both a positive environment as well as talented coaches with vast experience. 

In the Eastern Region, Nate Bryant has been hired as a coach, as former Eastern Region coach Brad Farrell has decided to go back to school to pursue a degree in law. Bryant grew up as a ski racer in the East, attending St. Michael’s College. He began his coaching career in 2012, first at Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV) as a U14 coach, then as a FIS coach, and moving on to Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS) in 2016 as a FIS coach. Bryant comes highly regarded by Eastern Region Alpine Development Director Sam Damon who said, “He’s been working with the men’s FIS program at GMVS since then, traveling a lot with their guys who are trying to make the jump through Eastern Cup to NorAm and D-Team level programming. He rules!” 

In Rocky/Central, Kristina Revello has joined the team, bringing a “...wealth of experience at all levels of the development pipeline,” noted Rocky Central Alpine Development Director Darlene Nolting. “She is organized and thoughtful in her approach and will be a great addition to our Rocky/Central Regional staff.” Revello takes the reigns from Ian Dunlop, who took a coaching job that will allow him to be closer to home. Revello has been a part of various regional projects in both Rocky/Central and the West for over 10 years and has a long history of excellence in coaching. Most recently, she was coaching SSCV’s men’s FIS and U14 programs, and has worked as a guest coach with both the D Team at FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships and the women’s national World Cup speed team. 

Finally, Fletcher McDonald has joined the Western Region staff as the region’s FIS Development Coach. McDonald assumes the role from Mike Prado, who had a successful year with the region but, with the birth of his second child, took a coaching position that would allow him to be closer to home. A native of Colorado hailing from the slopes of Copper Mountain Resort, McDonald comes from a ski racing family with a grandfather that fought with the 10th Mountain Division in WWII. His parents each had successful ski racing, and then coaching, careers and his mother directs the children’s ski and ride school at Vail Ski Resort. 

Attending the University of Colorado, McDonald was a key member of the school’s alpine team, leading them to win two NCAA championships. Following graduation, he coached for CU before settling at SSCV, where he coached the men’s FIS Performance Team. “With a large, friendly personality, and a broad smile, Fletcher is well respected by his peers and the athletes who he has coached,” noted Western Region Alpine Development Director Bill Gunesch. “At Vail, Fletcher helped build a successful and passionate ski racing culture and, along with his staff, helped move several athletes to collegiate teams and the national team. Fletcher is moving from Colorado to Idaho this summer, following personal pursuits. We’re extremely fortunate to have him in the West, and joining the Western Region staff.”

Each of these new hires will hit the ground running at camps this summer, and will be extremely impactful as the organization strives to develop the next generation of alpine talent in each of the three regions, working up into D-Team programming with Head Women’s Development Coach Marjan Cernigoj and Head Men’s Development Coach Sasha Rearick.

The end of the 2018-19 competition season brought significant change to the U.S. Freeski and Snowboard teams’ staff. U.S. Freeski Slopestyle/Big Air Pro Team Coach D.J. Montigny and Snowboardcross Coach Jeff Archibald are stepping down after incredibly successful careers with the national team. Archibald was with the organization for 17 years and Montigny for seven. Although they will no longer be coaching athletes to the podium, their hard work, wisdom, and guidance will leave a lasting impact on the organization as a whole. 

“Jeff and D.J. are amazing coaches that set an incredibly high standard in their positions,” said U.S. Snowboard and Freeski Director Jeremy Forster. "Both were instrumental in developing their respective programs and establishing the high level of success each program has enjoyed during their time with U.S. Ski & Snowboard. We are excited that Dave Euler is moving up to Coach with the Pro Slopestyle/Big Air Freeski Team and work with Head Coach Skogen Sprang.”

Known around the organization as one of the nicest people you will ever meet, Montigny brought much more to the table than just a great personality and knowledge of the sport. His ability to instill confidence in athletes of all levels was second to none. 

“D.J. always had a positive attitude and loved doing his job,” said Head Pro Freeski Slopestyle Team Coach Skogen Sprang. “I’ve worked with him for the last seven years and he will be greatly missed. His enthusiasm was contagious, he loved the sport, and would do anything to help an athlete out. He has had to make a tough decision to take care of his family and I can respect that 100%. I wish him the best, and hopefully, he can stay involved with the sport from his new location. I know he’ll be following the team very closely rooting us on as much as always!”

Sprang is not the only representative at U.S. Ski & Snowboard that will miss Montigny’s presence on the snow. 

“I met D.J. when I was 13 years old at U.S. Ski & Snowboard Project Gold Camp back in 2012,” said X Games gold medalist Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.). “Little did I know that D.J. would eventually become one of the main reasons that I am skiing at the level I am today. He’s believed in me since day one, he’s pushed me through my good and bad days, and he’s always been the one standing at the top of the slope course for every one of my career highlights. I’ve always known that no matter what, D.J. believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. Not only was he an incredible tactical coach, but he knew all of his athletes mentally unlike any coach I’ve ever worked with. Nothing I can say will thank him enough for the coach and person he’s been in my career and life. I really couldn’t have found the success I have today without him and wouldn’t have wanted any other coach by my side. I can’t express how lucky this team was to have had a coach like D.J. He’s done so many amazing things for this team and I know he will be missed greatly by us all.”

With a new baby boy joining the Montigny family only a few months ago, D.J. will focus on his family and spending more time at home. The rigors of an international travel schedule are a significant challenge when trying to balance work and family. Montigny will be moving back east and focusing on being the best husband and father he can be, a task that he will undoubtedly succeed. Fortunately, Montigny is walking away from U.S. Ski & Snowboard with a memory bank full of milestones he will never forget. 

“I have to say one of the best parts of the job was when an athlete did something every day that made you say ‘Wow!’” said Montigny. “The women and men on the team are so good at what they do and to be a part of that was absolutely amazing. Some of my favorite memories would have to be coaching the Olympic Teams in 2014 and 2018, and of course, all of the X Games that I was able to attend. Seeing athletes win medals, and to achieve success at such high-level events is exciting to watch, and such a huge achievement for them. I was able to see a lot of cool tricks go down, and a lot of innovation happen in person. But watching some of the women work so hard last season to put doubles to snow, and then push the sport by landing them in competition was one of the biggest highlights of my career."

Meanwhile, over at snowboardcross, Archibald capped off his nearly two-decade run with U.S. Ski & Snowboard with one of the most successful seasons yet, including two unforgettable victories. Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) earned his first-ever international competition victory, winning the snowboardcross title at the 2019 FIS World Championships at Solitude Mountain Resort. Dierdorff became the first American man to win a snowboardcross World Championship title in 14 years. He then teamed up with Jacobellis to take gold in the new mixed team snowboardcross event, which will make its Olympic debut in 2022.

Dierdorff was unaware Archibald would be stepping down after the season, which made what they accomplished together extremely timely and memorable.

“I actually didn’t know it was going to be his last season with the team,” said Dierdorff. “Because I didn’t know at the World Champs, It was almost more of an afterthought how special it really was to have the opportunity to work with Arch. When I got the email from Arch and found out he was leaving, it was a major bummer, but also at the same time, super cool to realize we shared such a special experience together in his last season at World Championships. It’s so sweet that everything culminated in his final year after working so hard together for five years.”

Archibald confirmed that the team’s success at World Championships will be something he will never forget.

“The team event is special,” said Archibald. “Snowboardcross is an individual sport and when the athletes get a chance to work as a team, they really embrace it. I knew I was stepping down at the end of the season, so to see Mick and Lindsey win the inaugural World Championships event on home turf in my hometown was amazing! My wife and kids were able to be there, which made it even more meaningful. I couldn’t have scripted a better way to end it.”

The 2019 FIS World Championships was just the cherry on top of a long and successful career for Archibald. When he started with the team in 2005, snowboardcross was still fairly new. Archibald, along with a talented group of riders, was able to innovate at a rapid pace with course designs, techniques, and training methods. This culture of innovation and progress continued until the end of his career. Dierdorff shared his thoughts on training with Archibald throughout his tenure with the U.S. Snowboardcross Team. 

“Before I was even on the U.S. Snowboardcross Team, I knew Arch and Foley represented the top level of my sport. It quickly became my goal to be coached by that group of guys. Everything changed when I finally got the results and made the team and the full culture of joining their program of training and competing became a reality. I immediately started doing so many activities with Arch, whether it was mountain biking, skateboarding, rock climbing or working on skills in the gym at the Center of Excellence. Jeff was so good at thinking outside the box and getting us to apply different skills to help improve our performance. It’s not just about the riding or standard things you would imagine, he definitely took it to the next level. For me, Arch helped me overcome mental barriers I never thought possible. I can say with no doubt he opened me up mentally and taught me how to really push myself. I will always be grateful for that. ” 

In addition, Archibald’s partner and colleague Peter Foley, Head U.S. Snowboardcross Coach, can’t say enough about his dedication to the sport.

“I first met Jeff when he was an athlete on a team I was coaching before the U.S. Snowboard Team existed,” said Head Snowboardcross Coach Peter Foley. “A few years after his retirement as an athlete, I hired him to coach the U.S. Alpine Snowboard Team and then as a coach of the boardercross team. He has been instrumental in the success we’ve had over the years and has done amazing things with this team. He is an incredible student of the game of boardercross and of sport in general. He has educated himself relentlessly about ways to make each one of our athletes better, mentally physically, tactically, and technically while searching for and creating innovation to keep us ahead of the world. On top of all that he is one of the best people you could ever have as a friend.”

Archibald did not just find success on snow, but he and Foley were instrumental in applying cutting edge discipline specific sport science to the snowboardcross training program. From utilizing new training technology to strategically planning their training camp and competition schedule, Archibald’s positive influence on and off the snow is undeniable and certainly will be missed. The search for his replacement is still underway.  

Like Montigny, stepping down from coaching was a very difficult decision, but one with family and time at home on the top of mind. Archibald describes it as one of the hardest decisions he’s ever had to make. Whatever is next for Montigny and Archibald, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard community can vouch that they will give it their full dedication and strive for success.
 

The 2019-20 USASA membership launch will take place on July 1, providing substantial value for athletes, parents, coaches, and officials. For athletes, membership prices range from $0-$100 before October 1, depending on the age group. Ruggies are still free, while Groms are only $50. For coaches and officials, membership prices are $150 and $100, respectively. 

Click Here To Renew Your USASA Membership (As of July 1, 2019)

Along with the benefit of being able to participate in USASA sanctioned events, membership value is extensive. Added value for membership includes discounts to marquee freeski and snowboard camps, including $300 off Woodward Camps, $150 off Windells and High Cascade Camps, as well as discounts with SASS Global Travel. In addition, members also receive discounts for some of the industry's best products including hard goods at Donek and membership to ExpertVoice, a leading product advocacy platform created for industry influencers. Also, USASA will again offer global travel insurance through Global Rescue as the number one resource for your protection while traveling abroad.

The 2019-20 competition calendar will offer an improved and expanded athlete development pipeline for young skiers and riders, illustrating the commitment to provide a healthy future of our shared sports of freeskiing and snowboarding. More specifically, USASA will become the sole entry point for grassroots freeski and snowboard competition. The expanded development pipeline will offer five to six new co-hosted USASA, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and FIS sanctioned regional events for slopestyle and halfpipe geared towards reducing travel costs and ultimately decreasing barriers to entry for young athletes looking to take the next step in their competitive journey. These changes are a result of fine-tuning the current development pipeline leading into FIS Nor-Am and other high-level freeski and snowboard competitions. 

This year, members will notice an increase in membership prices from the 2018-19 season, purely as a function of USASA’s commitment to ensuring that all officials, judges, and coaches have been thoroughly screened and educated relative to SafeSport policies and procedures. 

It would not be ski and snowboard season without the USASA Nationals. The 31st Annual USASA National Championships will take place at Colorado's Copper Mountain Resort, hosting freeski and snowboard slopestyle and halfpipe as well as ski cross, snowboard cross and parallel alpine snowboard events for all age groups. In addition, freeski and snowboard big air will be offered as a FIS-level competition demonstrating the commitment to aligning the development pipeline with the Olympic movement at the highest levels of the sport. 

Together, U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USASA look forward to another great year of excellence, respect, fun and serving as the first step in the competitive journey for all of snowboarding and freeskiing in the United States. 

Visit USASA.org to renew your membership starting July 1st.
 

With Monday’s announcement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarding the 2026 Olympic Winter Games to Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, current and future U.S. Ski & Snowboard Olympic Champions are reacting with excitement toward competing in Italy.

“A huge congratulations to Milano-Cortina for winning the 2026 Olympic Winter Games,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes have a history of success in Cortina d’Ampezzo, most notably Lindsey Vonn’s 12 World Cup wins there, a record for the venue, and most recently when Mikaela Shiffrin won her third career World Cup victory there this past January. The Olympics are the pinnacle of our sports and what drives each of our elite athletes across our seven teams to put in the hard work to train and compete towards being Best in the World. We are already well underway preparing for Beijing 2022, and look forward to competing in three new events: Freeski Big Air, Mixed Team Aerials and Mixed Team Snowboardcross.

“The Olympic movement pushes athletes to the best of their abilities to progress their sports and we are hopeful for even more opportunities for our fans to watch them in action, perhaps with the addition of a dual moguls event for 2026. Italy is a nation steeped in winter sports tradition and as Cortina d’Ampezzo will also play host to the 2020 FIS Ski World Cup Finals and the 2021 FIS Alpine World Championships, we look forward to bringing our athletes, staff, and supporters there leading into and in 2026.”

    - Tiger Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO

The 2026 Olympics will mark the return to the European continent of the Games last held in the small Italian city of Turin in 2006.

The Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will see U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes compete at a number of venues that have previously hosted FIS Ski & Snowboard World Cup competitions. The women’s alpine skiing events will take place at Cortina d’Ampezzo, site of the 1956 Olympic Winter Games, and a highly-anticipated annual stop on the women’s FIS Ski World Cup circuit with downhill and super-G events. Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) took her third career World Cup super-G victory at Cortina this past January.

“A big congratulations to Milano-Cortina on winning the 2026 Olympic bid!” exclaimed Shiffrin. “From the first moment I saw the Olympia delle Tofane track, I knew it was going to be one of my favorites. First of all, the Dolomites are a sight for sore eyes - the landscape is absolutely stunning, and the Cortina organizing committee does an incredible job prepping the surface. The sun always seems to be shining, and the Italian fans are among the most passionate on the tour. In my first World Cup super-G start at Cortina in 2017 I was fourth, and what stands out most about that day is that I just had SO much fun. Last year I won my third career super-G victory there. It’s a pure joy to ski on that track.”

Cortina d’Ampezzo is also scheduled to host the 2020 FIS Ski World Cup Finals and the 2021 FIS Alpine World Championships as a lead up to the 2026 Games. Bormio will host the men’s Olympic alpine events - featuring the Stelvio, one of the most spectacular, technical and difficult tracks in the world - having twice hosted the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 1985 and 2005 and many editions of the FIS World Cup.

Cross country, nordic combined and ski jumping will all take place at Val di Fiemme where Jessie Diggins (Affton, Minn.) and Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, Alaska) won the first-ever FIS Cross Country World Championships gold medal for the United States in 2013.

“I have so many fond memories of racing in Val di Fiemme, so I’m thrilled to see the Olympics come to Milano-Cortina!” said Diggins. “Italy is one of my favorite countries to live, train and race in, so this will be an exciting Games!”

Livigno will host snowboard, freeski, and freestyle competition, providing the small Italian village the opportunity to host international competition for the first time leading up the 2026 Games.

“Thinking all the way to 2026 seems a bit hard for me to grasp. I’m still enjoying my Olympic experience from 2018 in South Korea and have my eye’s set for 2022 in Beijing,” said 2018 Olympic snowboard slopestyle gold medalist Red Gerard. “It’s hard to get too much further than that for my goals, but I am sure Italy will be a cool change and it’s nice to see the Winter Olympics back to another part of the world. I hope to have the chance to represent the U.S. in Italy and look forward to the opportunity.”

The 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games will provide an inspirational urban setting of a modern metropolis united with the uplifting and traditional mountain-setting of the spectacular Italian Alps: the Dolomites. Athletes, spectators and the Olympic Family will experience Italy’s passion and enjoy the cultural and social pleasures that draw millions of visitors to Milano and the Dolomites every year. Milano’s storied 80,000-seat Stadio Giuseppe Meazza soccer stadium is slated to host the opening ceremony, with the closing ceremonies taking place in a Roman amphitheater in Verona.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced today that Riley Campbell will join the U.S. Moguls Team as World Cup Coach. Campbell starts his new position with the organization on July 15.

Campbell comes to the U.S. Ski Team with 10 years of moguls coaching experience. He was most recently with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail where he served as moguls coach for seven years. Prior to that, he coached for Team Breckenridge. He has also served as the head coach for the Bermuda Ski Team, traveled to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games to help coach U.S. Moguls team member Casey Andringa (Boulder, Colo.) and has been a private coach for U.S. Ski Team member Morgan Schild (Pittsford, N.Y.). His work with these two current team members, as well as co-coaching Tess Johnson (Vail, Colo.) and Kai Owens (Vail, Colo.), has put him in concert with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Head Moguls Coach, Matt Gnoza over the years, helping make his transition to the U.S. Ski Team a smooth one.

"With Riley's Campbell’s past successes with many members of the U.S. moguls team, his name quickly surfaced as a top candidate, and that did not change throughout our thorough search process,” said Gnoza. “It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome Riley, a familiar and respected member of our sport to join my staff as a U.S. Ski Team Mogul Coach."

Born and raised in Frisco, Colo., Campbell learned to ski at a young age and joined Team Summit’s alpine program when he was eight, but eventually made the switch to moguls. “I fell in love with freestyle skiing at a young age. Looking back I think it was the culture that grabbed me. The freestyle culture is one of passion, fun, toughness and hard work.” Campbell competed in moguls with Team Summit and later Team Telluride, until sustaining a career-ending injury at age 19. A year after his competitive career ended, Campbell’s Team Summit coach John Dowling brought him on staff and Campbell has been coaching ever since.

Ski & Snowboard Club Vail consistently produces a large contingent of skiers that are named to the U.S. Ski Team. Campbell has worked with current and past National Team members such as Dylan Walczyk, Hunter Bailey, Kaitlyn Harrell, Emerson Smith, Casey Andringa, Jesse Andringa, Johnson, Schild, Owens and Nessa Dziemian. Campbell himself was teammates with Walczyk on Team Summit and with newly appointed Moguls World Cup Coach Joe Discoe on Team Telluride.

Campbell’s coaching philosophy is to empower athletes in their training program. “Including the athlete in their own planning and giving them a voice in their own training environment helps them stay engaged, create ownership of their training, and helps me operate as a coach. I tend to operate with two lines of communication.” He brings a high level of expertise in technical ski skills, aerials and competition strategy which he believes will enhance the overall early technical preparation and build confidence for when they get in the gate.

“The essence of coaching is simply supporting an athlete in their endeavors. Ultimately, it’s about taking care of them, keeping them as safe as possible and helping them grow. Supporting athletes, helping them in any way I can, and acting as a trustworthy reference for them is what drives me as a coach. It is incredibly rewarding to be there to support an athlete and then to see them succeed.”

Campbell rounds out the coaching roster for the U.S. Moguls Team, joining coaches Gnoza and Discoe. He looks forward to forging relationships with his new team and building off of the 2018-19 season’s successes as they prepare for 2019-20.

“I am extremely familiar with each of the current U.S. Ski Team members and have witnessed their entire careers, I believe there is a lot of potential. It will be an honor to represent the nation on the world's stage.”

Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho) was feeling stronger than ever, returning to snow and tackling 2019-20 prep period camps, when she sustained a left knee injury during a training camp at official training site Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California, forcing Johnson to once more rehab before she can return to the FIS Ski World Cup circuit.

On June 13, Johnson tore her left posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) after catching an edge and crashing hard in giant slalom training. Johnson missed the 2019 season due to a right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear sustained in September 2019, working tirelessly in the gym to get strong and return to snow.

Throughout her rehab, she chronicled the highs and lows of the experience in a series entitled “Patient Notes.”

During the 2018 season, Johnson had more success than ever. Of her 15 downhill and super-G starts, she was in the points 10 times, top-15 five times, top-10 four times, and narrowly missed her first podium in Garmisch, Germany, finishing in fourth place. At her first Olympic bid in  PyeongChang, South Korea, she grabbed a solid 14th-place result in super-G and a seventh in the downhill. Incredible results for the first-time Olympian.

Never one to mince their words, Johnson’s feelings about the injury are poignant and powerful.

Devastated, gutted, shattered. These adjectives don’t do justice to how I’m feeling right now. Training GS last week I randomly caught an edge, crashed hard, and tore my PCL and MCL. This was not the leg that sustained an ACL tear last September. I honestly do not believe that it had anything to do with my injury from last year. I just had some absolutely sh*t luck. Again.

I’ve already said I don’t believe everything happens for a reason. This injury disproves that hard work always pays off. I am lucky enough to have the resources to help me overcome this injury. But trying to find meaning in what happened doesn’t do justice to the awfulness of the situation. It sucks; I won’t lie.

I just returned from my ACL. I put everything I had into that recovery. I don’t mean this as a brag; I don’t mean this to criticize anyone else rehabbing, but I feel a bit like I worked harder on that ACL recovery than anyone ever has. And let me tell you it was NOT easy. And this one will require even more. I already know this. And though I know everyone wants to say ‘you’ve already done this, you can do it again!’ To be honest this doesn’t help me, it even terrifies me a bit. Because I was, I am, still worried I can’t. I just had a somewhat miraculous ACL recovery, I was back on snow at four months, skiing gates at five and a half, skiing downhill 7 months after surgery. And more than that I felt good doing it. I knew I was stronger and hungrier than ever. And though I hope beyond hope I can do it again I will make no guarantees about returning quickly or well (at least in the short term). I learned from this injury that there‘s a lot of work involved, there’s a lot to do with the amazing staff and the great support, but there’s also a bit of luck involved.

But what I do know is that there’s no going back. There’s only through. And I love this sport so I’ll give it everything I have, and more. And I ask that rather than telling me that I will do it again, say, ‘when you feel like you can’t, I’ll be here. When you need that extra bit of strength, take some of mine.’ And maybe, maybe then, I can, we can, defy the odds one more time, and set new records on what can be accomplished.

Johnson will undergo surgery next Tuesday, and then will begin the long, arduous road to recovery. Again, she is incredibly thankful to the community for the support and wants everyone to know - from sponsors to fans and beyond - that she will return. Stay tuned here and to Johnson’s Instagram for frequent updates from Johnson as she experiences the highs and lows of returning to the mountain.

BRADFORD, VT/VAIL, CO – World Cup Supply and 1to3go are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018-19 Berlack/Astle Memorial Fast Skier Awards. NYSEF/Northwood School athlete Madison Kostoss and Jonathan Davis from the Green Mountain Valley School were each awarded the prize for U16 racers.

Madison Kostoss is a U16 out of Wilmington N.Y., where her passion for skiing was born on Whiteface Mountain. A top racer in New York, her coach Patrick Purcell describes Kostoss' “I can do it” attitude that puts her in a special league. “She is self-driven, willing to take chances and knows clearly that her path is one of success” noted Patrick.

“Ski racing has taught me the importance of a balanced lifestyle along with many other lessons," said Kostoss. "Ronnie and Bryce captured the essence of this during their lives. I am honored to be a recipient of this award and will continue to be inspired by their charisma throughout my ski racing career.”

Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS) skier Jonathan Davis from Waitsfield, Vt. knows adversity. Last year he suffered a life- threatening ski edge laceration and has been very active in raising awareness for this ever-increasing problem facing many ski racers. Like the Berlack and Astle families, Davis has learned to turn a tragic situation into a way to help others.

“I am both excited and humbled to win the Berlack/Astle award," reflected Davis. "Everything I have heard or read about each of them, tells me they learned at an early age to live their life with a passion for their sport, their family and their community. I hope to live up to the honor of this award by, working hard, constantly challenging myself, staying positive even in tough times, and just being the best person I can be.“

Both athletes will receive a $1,000 cash award, race products from SYNC and a backpack and t-shirt from World Cup Supply.

This is the 10th year the “Fast Skier Award” has been awarded and the fourth year that the award has been presented in memory of Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle, two up-and-coming U.S. Ski & Snowboard alpine athletes whose lives were lost tragically in an avalanche in Soelden, Austria in January 2015. The award is based on race results, academic excellence, coach’s recommendations and community involvement...the type of qualities that both Ronnie and Bryce exhibited. This award gives us a chance to recognize excellence in the U16 community and also continue to remember Ronnie and Bryce, two gifted athletes whose character on and off the hill was an inspiration to others.”

World Cup Supply and 1to3go congratulates Madison and Jonathan and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors. We’d also like to thank SYNC and Atomic, N.A. for their generous donations and help recognizing Madison’s and Jonathan’s achievements.

Learn more about the award at www.berlackastleaward.com.

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About World Cup Supply
Founded in 1991, World Cup Supply is a respected supplier of ski racing, ski area and event supplies. Located in Bradford, Vermont the company is the exclusive North American distributor of the SPM line of hill supplies for alpine ski racing, resorts and events. http://www.worldcupsupply.com/

About 1to3go
1to3go is a consultancy started by Barry Levinson, founder of SYNC Performance and SRD/Ski Racing Development. 1to3go provides a variety of marketing and creative services to the ski and outdoor industries. http://www.1to3go.com/

Release courtesy of Barry Levinson, founder of SYNC Performance, SRD/Ski Racing Development and 1to3go.