Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) will be the first to admit that just because she won, it doesn’t necessarily make her the best. With her 36th career FIS Ski World Cup slalom victory in Semmering, Austria, Saturday, Shiffrin became the women’s all-time World Cup slalom win leader, surpassing her childhood hero Marlies Schild.

“Marlies for me is always going to be the best,” said Shiffrin, who also became the first ski racer in history to win 15 World Cup races in a single calendar year. “I wouldn’t be where I am without being able to watch her...yeah (the record) is incredible, but she deserves that spot in my mind. If I can inspire any young athlete as much as [Marlies Schild] inspired me, then I did my job in this sport."

Shiffrin’s 51st World Cup win didn’t come easy. Starting fifth in the first run, she took a .48-second lead over a fired-up Petra Vlhova, who won Slovakia’s first World Cup giant slalom on Friday, but has finished second to Shiffrin in every slalom so far this season. Vlhova skied a strong second run to take the lead, which forced Shiffrin to take some risks as the final starter on the softening track. But thanks to her East Coast skiing roots at Vermont’s Burke Mountain Academy, those were familiar risks.

“First run felt quite good, second run was more of a battle,” Shiffrin said. “I was trying to not risk everything, but making speed on every turn. I had a couple mistakes, a couple moments where I was fighting for my life, but it was a good fight.”

Vlhova settled for her fifth second-place result in slalom this season at .29-seconds back, while Wendy Holdener of Switzerland was third at .38. With her victory, Shiffrin extended her World Cup lead to 466 points over Vlhova. She also leads the World Cup slalom and super-G standings and is ranked third in the giant slalom, and ninth in the downhill standings.

Victory number 51 also moved Shiffrin to seventh on the all-time World Cup win list, surpassing Italy’s Alberto Tomba with 50 wins. Sweden’s Ingemar Steinmark is the all-time World Cup slalom win leader with 40 victories.

For the next two weeks, Shiffrin will have the opportunity to focus on slalom with a city event in Oslo, Norway, on New Year’s Day, followed by a night slalom in Zagreb, Croatia, on Friday, before returning back to Austria for another slalom in Flachau on Jan. 8.

RESULTS
Women’s slalom

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Preliminary schedule, subject to change
*Same-day delayed broadcast

Saturday, Dec. 29
2:30 p.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*
5:00 p.m. - Women’s slalom - Semmering, AUT - NBC*

Tuesday, Jan. 1
10:30 a.m. - Men and women’s city event - Oslo, NOR - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) finished fifth on a balmy day featuring soft and sugary snow in Semmering, Austria, gaining more valuable points in the overall chase, while Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova earned her first World Cup giant slalom win.

Prior to today’s commanding victory, Vlhova had never finished better than seventh in a World Cup giant slalom. She came down almost a half a second ahead of Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg, and no one could catch her. Just three-hundredths separated the top three after the first run, and 18 hundredths the top six. Vlhova put her foot on the gas pedal and went “full gas” second run to take the victory.

Shiffrin now sits even prettier in first in the overall battle, with 934 points - almost double that of Vlhova in second, with 488 points. Vlhova and Shiffrin have been battling on the mountain all season, but it normally happens in slalom. When asked if she would look for revenge in tomorrow’s slalom, Shiffrin replied thoughtfully, “I try not to ski for revenge, because it’s a tricky balance for me. It’s better to ski for inspiration.”

Today was just not Shiffrin's day, though it wasn't a noticeable mistake that got her. “I think sometimes the biggest mistake you can make is pushing the wrong way,” Shiffrin reflected on her skiing. “It’s not a mistake that’s obvious to the eye, but you can kind of feel it - with every turn you’re just losing a little bit of speed because your skis aren’t coming around quite as fast so you can’t carry the speed.”

Despite her disappointment, Shiffrin - the sportswoman she is - gave props to Vlhova for her impressive skiing. “The way that she’s been skiing, and the way she skied at Killington, I could see it already,” she said. “She’s was having some really, really good turns. I was more surprised by Courchevel, but even then she was right there. That’s super cool. Congratulations.”

AJ Hurt (Squaw Valley, Calif.) and Nina O’Brien (San Francisco, Calif.) both DNFd in the first run. Action continues in Semmering with a slalom on Saturday, where Shiffrin will go for her 15th win in the calendar year, as well as her 36th slalom victory - both World Cup records. 

RESULTS
Women's giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Preliminary schedule, subject to change
*Same-day delayed broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

ALPINE
Friday, Dec. 28
12:00 p.m. - Men’s downhill - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*

Saturday, Dec. 29
4:30 a.m. - Women’s slalom run 1 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
5:15 a.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
7:30 a.m. - Women’s slalom run 2 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
2:30 p.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*
5:00 p.m. - Women’s slalom - Semmering, AUT - NBC*

Cross country ski fans around the world will be able to watch live streaming of the upcoming L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships from Craftsbury, Vt., Jan. 3-8, 2019. The live coverage will be available exclusively from U.S. Ski & Snowboard in partnership with Central Cross Country Skiing.

The weeklong event will bring together some of the top cross country skiers from clubs across America battling for national titles and spots on World Championship and Junior World Championship teams.

Central Cross Country Skiing has been producing live streaming of all major cross country ski events in America for the few seasons to help grow exposure for the sport, including the U.S. Super Tour, and Junior World Championships.

In addition to CXC’s presentation of the L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is providing free coverage of the entire U.S. Ski & Snowboard Super Tour series for the second-straight season. The Super Tour streams live on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Facebook channel.

Coverage from the U.S. Championships in Craftsbury will be available on usskiandsnowboard.org

A full package of both live and on-demand recorded coverage is $29.95, covering all four days of competition. Live coverage is also available on a daily basis for $9.95 per day, with additional access to recorded coverage $4.95 per day.

Coverage begins Thursday, January 3 with classic individual start racing. Sprints are set for Friday, January 4 and Sunday, January 6, with final freestyle mass start on Tuesday, January 8. 

L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championship Live Streaming Schedule
*All times EDT

Thursday, January 3, 2019
8:45 a.m. - Classic individual start

Friday, January 4, 2019
9:15 a.m. - Classic sprint

Sunday, January 6, 2019
9:15 a.m. - Freestyle mass start

Tuesday, January 8, 2019
8:45 a.m. - Freestyle sprint

Full Event Schedule

On a gnarly Bormio downhill track, perhaps the gnarliest it’s been since the 1990s, Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, Calif.) matched his career best, finishing just off the podium once again behind Switzerland’s Beat Feuz by 15 hundredths of a second.

The Italian men put on a good show in front of the home crowd, with Dominik Paris taking the win and Christof Innerhofer in second by nearly four tenths. There appears to be a Swiss-American battle shaping up once again, as Bennett has been just off the podium the last two races behind Feuz, by 21 hundredths total. Bennett’s teammate and mentor, Steven Nyman (Sundance, Utah), had the same battle with Feuz during the 2016 season. In what was a tough fight with the mountain, Nyman ended up 16th.

“I want a podium pretty bad, but [Beat] Feuz - the Swiss guy with the red leader bib - just keeps beating me out,” Bennett said with a laugh following his run. He reflected on his run, “I don’t know what happened...I just kind of put it on the rev limiter and committed to the turn,” he said. But he admitted the conditions were tough in Bormio, “The first training runs were very unforgiving, and it was a little more unforgiving today. The men’s downhill field is very competitive right now, so if you make a mistake, you’re not going to be in there. Limiting the mistakes and putting your foot on the gas pedal every single race is what you have to do now, or you won’t be competitive. Today I was happy with my run...I didn’t know it was quite that good, which is usually a good sign.”

Nyman, who shares a serviceman and a ski company - Fischer - with Bennett, has been a huge source of guidance and leadership for the younger “Twin Tower.” “Without Steven, I would not be doing what I’m doing now,” said Bennett. “We inspected the entire course together, and he has so much experience and looks at things a different way, so it’s been very helpful for me to work with him to formulate a game plan together. We ski very similar. We share skis, we share a serviceman from Fischer, and I think we have a good quiver of skis. Our serviceman is busting his butt every day. I like working with him, because he’s similar to my father, as far as taking pride in the small details of your craft and he does a great job, so it’s fun to be around him.”

Though Nyman was somewhat disappointed with his 16th place finish, he was happy for Bennett. “It was really cool to see Bryce do so well” Nyman commented, in the finish area in Bormio. “I was fired up as I was watching in the lodge, and then he won that middle section and everyone was clapping. When the other guys came down in second or third, no one said anything, but with Bryce, they all clapped. People love him. People respect him. He has a heightened focus right now that’s really impressive to see and he’s analyzing a lot of things and convincing himself of what’s possible. He believes in himself and I think he knows he can attack anywhere.”

When asked by a journalist in the finish, “If Kitz is one hell of a ride, what’s Bormio?” Nyman thought for a few seconds and replied with a laugh, “It’s a boxing match - you’re getting punched all the way down and you have to take those punches and just keep moving and rolling with it all the way down. I had high expectations. I know I can do well here. Today I was just getting punched through all of the terrain and the chop. It’s a beast top to bottom this year. It’s brutal on the legs.”

The icy conditions were rough on bodies, mind, and equipment to boot. Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, Calif.) decided to sit out today’s downhill after he lost a ski and went into the nets in the second downhill training run. Today, Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, Vt.), who was the top American finisher in both training runs, walked right out of his ski before the third gate. He got up, skied away, and was not injured. Jared Goldberg (Holladay, Utah) finished in the points for the first time this season, landing in 28th. Wiley Maple (Aspen, Colo.) finished in 40th and Sam Morse (Sugarloaf, Maine) in 49th. Tommy Biesemeyer (Keene, N.Y.) did not finish but was also thankfully not injured.

The speed series continues with a super-G on Saturday at Bormio, before the men get to take a little break over the new year.

RESULTS
Men's downhill

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Preliminary schedule, subject to change
*Same-day delayed broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

ALPINE
Friday, Dec. 28
12:00 p.m. - Men’s downhill - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*

Saturday, Dec. 29
4:30 a.m. - Women’s slalom run 1 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
5:15 a.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
7:30 a.m. - Women’s slalom run 2 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
2:30 p.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*
5:00 p.m. - Women’s slalom - Semmering, AUT - NBC*

The 13th edition of the FIS Cross Country World Cup Tour de Ski begins Saturday in Toblach, Italy. The Tour spans seven stages over nine days and includes stops in Toblach; Val Mustair, Switzerland; and Oberstdorf, Germany, and finishes with a hill climb in Val di Fiemme, Italy on Sunday, Jan. 6.

“The Tour de Ski is one of the most exciting events on the calendar”, said U.S. Cross Country Team Coach Matt Whitcomb. Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) will be looking to improve upon her third-place overall finish from last year when the 2019 Tour de Ski opens with a freestyle sprint Saturday and continues with stage 2 featuring a 10k freestyle for the women and a 15k freestyle for the men Sunday.

The U.S. is starting a lean team of seven athletes for the 2018-19 edition of the Tour as many athletes are choosing to use the early January L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships in Craftsbury, Vt. as a qualifier for the FIS Cross Country World Championships in February.  

The excitement level and strategy for the upcoming Tour are captured in what each U.S. starter has to say about the event:

“The Tour de Ski is, for me, the most exciting week of the entire season! With a race almost every day, it’s one huge adrenaline ride. I’m excited for this year’s challenge of doing the entire Tour once again, and also looking to use these races and building blocks as part of my preparation for the World Championships! “

 - Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.)

“I love the Tour format, with the craziness of all the travel, and day after day work. It has been nice to have a few weeks off of racing to recover and get my muscles ready to take on the intensive racing. I plan to only do the first part of the Tour this year and follow it with a training block to help me be in the best shape for World Championships in February. “

 - Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wa.)

“We have had a relaxing break in Seefeld (Austria) and I'm feeling good and looking forward to racing the first few stages of the Tour de Ski before dropping out to come back to Seefeld and prepare for Dresden (Germany). I'm excited to do two skate sprints and my first skate distance race of the year in Toblach and Val Mustair and then I will be screaming at the TV to cheer on my teammates finishing the Tour!”

 - Sophie Caldwell (Stratton Mountain, Vt.)

“I’m excited to start the Tour De Ski. I skipped the Davos (Switzerland) world cup weekend, so I’ve had a nice long training block to prepare for these races.”

 - Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop Wa.)

“Coming off a solid period 1 with my form going in the right direction, I was looking forward to a Christmas Break to relax, but also to really sharpen my shape! Coming into my first Tour De Ski I feel strong and confident, my strategy will be like going into any other race, now I’m just looking forward to throwing down some top results! Looking forward to getting back together with the team and putting together a solid Tour!”

 - Kevin Bolger (Sun Valley, Idaho)

“I’m really excited for my eighth Tour de Ski. Even though my plan is to only race through the two sprints, we’ll be heading to some pretty amazing venues and towns in Central Europe and the team vibe during the Tour is always so awesome. It’s such a unique format for ski racing, and it’s just really fun to be a part of the wild traveling show.”

 - Simi Hamilton (Aspen, Co.)

“I am really excited and honored to be able to participate in the Tour de Ski. I want to just stay focused and relaxed because it’s a lot of racing and hectic environment. I think if I can stay relaxed I hopefully can finish the Tour with some good and fun results!”

 - Ben Lustgarten (Burlington, Vt.)

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Preliminary schedule, subject to change
*Same-day delayed broadcast

Saturday, Dec. 29
8:20 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 1 men and women’s sprint - Toblach, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 1 men and women’s sprint - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV

Sunday, Dec. 30
6:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 2 women’s 10k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 2 men’s 15k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Tuesday, Jan. 1
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 3 men and women’s sprint - Val Muestair, SUI - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Wednesday, Jan. 2
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 4 women’s 10k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 4 men’s 15k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Thursday, Jan. 3
7:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 5 men’s 15k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
9:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 5 women’s 10k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Saturday, Jan. 5
8:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 women’s 10k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
9:10 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 men’s 15k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
2:00 p.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 men’s 15k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV*

Sunday, Jan. 6.
7:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 women’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:45 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 men’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
2:00 p.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 men’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV
 

During the holiday break, moguls athlete Hunter Bailey (Vail, Colo.) reflects on his annual ski trip to Alaska, which always provides perspective in why he loves doing what he does, both on skis and behind the camera.

Bailey and several friends take some sleds and "rent an RV or two and park wherever the snow seems best." This past summer marked the third of this annual expedition. Skiing in Alaska has always been a dream for Bailey and he finds these trips to be "incredibly fun and rewarding."

Read the full story of Bailey's skiing and photography pursuits in Alaska on the Ilford blog

Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) continues on her record-setting quest in Semmering, Austria, with FIS Ski World Cup giant slalom and slalom events Friday and Saturday to highlight the final competition week of 2018. After becoming the youngest alpine skier to win 50 World Cup races, Shiffrin can become the World Cup record holder for victories in a calendar year with just one win this week. In addition, she can also take sole possession of the World Cup slalom win record from her childhood idol Marlies Schild, of Austria.

Shiffrin is currently tied with Austria’s Marcel Hirscher with 14 wins each in 2018. Hirscher had the opportunity to extend that total to 15 but straddled a gate Sunday in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. With Hirscher’s next race coming on New Year’s Day, the door is wide open for Shiffrin to grab the calendar year victory record this week. Both Semmering events will be streamed live exclusively on NBC Sports Gold. NBC will broadcast a recap show of the slalom on Saturday at 5 p.m. EST, as Shiffrin goes for slalom win No. 36 and the World Cup slalom win record.

Semmering also kicks off 12-day stretch that includes five races and continues with a city event Jan. 1 in Oslo, Norway; slalom in Zagreb, Croatia Jan. 5; and wrapping up with a slalom on Jan. 8 in Flachau, Austria.

“It’s a big block of races for sure,” Shiffrin said. “It was like this last year as well, so we’ve been expecting it. But it’s always tough to do these races, have success, refocus and move forward again. I just try to keep the ball rolling.”

On the men’s alpine World Cup side, downhill and super-G are on tap this week in Bormio, Italy, with downhill training on Wednesday and Thursday, downhill race Friday and super-G Saturday. Both the downhill and super-G will be broadcast on the Olympic Channel, and streamed on both OlympicChannel.com and NBC Sports Gold. NBC Sports Network will also broadcast a recap show both Friday and Saturday.

The seven-stage Tour de Ski kicks off Saturday in Toblach, Italy, and Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) will be looking to improve upon her third-place overall finish from last year. The 2019 Tour de Ski opens with a freestyle sprint Saturday, and continues with stage 2 featuring a 10k freestyle for the women and a 15k freestyle for the men. Both stages will be broadcast on the Olympic Channel and streamed on OlympicChannel.com and NBC Sports Gold.

The 67th running of the 4-Hills Tournament opens Saturday with men’s HS137  qualifying for Sunday’s HS137 event in Oberstdorf, Germany. The 4-Hills Tournament continues through January 6th with events in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Innsbruck, and Bischofshofen, Austria. More than 100,000 fans expected at this year’s tournament, which will be streamed live on OlympicChannel.com and NBC Sports Gold.

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Preliminary schedule, subject to change
*Same-day delayed broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

ALPINE
Friday, Dec. 28
4:30 a.m. - Women’s giant slalom run 1 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
5:15 a.m. - Men’s downhill - Bormio, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
5:30 a.m. - Men’s downhill - Bormio, ITA- Olympic Channel-TV
7:30 a.m. - Women’s giant slalom run 2 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
12:00 p.m. - Men’s downhill - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*

Saturday, Dec. 29
4:30 a.m. - Women’s slalom run 1 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
5:15 a.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
7:30 a.m. - Women’s slalom run 2 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
2:30 p.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*
5:00 p.m. - Women’s slalom - Semmering, AUT - NBC*

Tuesday, Jan. 1
10:30 a.m. - Men and women’s city event - Oslo, NOR - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

CROSS COUNTRY
Saturday, Dec. 29
8:20 a.m. - Tour de Ski men and women’s sprint - Toblach, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski men and women’s sprint - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV

Sunday, Dec. 30
6:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski women’s 10k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski men’s 15k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Tuesday, Jan. 1
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski men and women’s sprint - Val Muestair, SUI - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Wednesday, Jan. 2
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski women’s 10k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski men’s 15k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Thursday, Jan. 3
7:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski men’s 15k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
9:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski women’s 10k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

SKI JUMPING
Saturday, Dec. 29
10:20 a.m. - Four Hills Tournament men’s HS137 qualifier - Oberstdorf, GER - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Sunday, Dec. 30
10:20 a.m. - Four Hills Tournament men’s HS137 - Oberstdorf, GER - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
5:00 p.m. - Four Hills Tournament men’s HS137 - Oberstdorf, GER - Olympic Channel-TV*

Siblings that ski together, stay together… or something like that.

Families around the world have family traditions they honor during the holiday season and the moguls athletes of the U.S. Freestyle Team are no exception. Skiing moguls seems to run in the family.

Olivia Giaccio (Redding, Conn.) and her younger brother, Frankie (Wasatch Freestyle) started skiing moguls around the same time. “I competed first, but Frankie followed shortly after,” said Olivia. “We started in ski school and once we were past Ministars (ages 4-6) at Killington (Vermont) they told us to go to the ski club. My mom just signed us up for the moguls program.”

Casey and Jesse Andringa (Boulder, Colo.) also got into moguls together. “I started when I was eight years old and Jesse started right around the same time. He got to do everything I got to do, but two years earlier in life,” explains Casey.

Both brothers point to watching moguls competitions as the reason for getting into the sport.

“I watched Jonny Moseley skiing and he did the Dinner Roll. I think I was about five when I saw it and I thought, ‘That’s the coolest thing ever!’ And then we saw a bunch of kids at Winter Park (Colorado) at a DEVO competition skiing. I told my parents I wanted to do it. So they signed me up for a competition later in the week. I got dead last, but with a screamin’ run. I was very excited about it."

- Casey Andringa

Jack Kariotis (Tiburon, Calif.) has two sisters, Ali and Kylie, who compete in moguls.

“Jack and I started skiing moguls at about the same time. It’s always been a family sport for us. My dad watched the 2002 Olympics, saw Jonny Moseley, and fell in love. We all skied moguls from there after. Moguls has always been something important to our family. We all started as young as we could and it’s been a lot of fun.”

- Ali Kariotis (Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride)

Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.) and older brother, Bryon (Butte, Mont.), competed on the National Team together for a number of years.

“We spent a lot of time together on the road so we would get on each others nerves quite a bit. That being said, we both had someone who we could completely trust would always have each other’s back. I would get more nervous watching Bryon than I would for my own competition runs. We both genuinely cared for each others’ well being. I would be so stoked when he did well, even if that meant he beat me.”

- Brad Wilson

Sibling moguls skiers means having opposite schedules most of the year. But Olivia was able to cheer on her brother at U.S. Selections at Winter Park, Colorado, recently. “It’s great having her out here watching me,” said Frankie. “Everyone here knows her, and I know everyone here through her.”

For the Giaccio’s the December holiday period is a unique opportunity when brother and sister can enjoy spending time together.

“We get to ski a bit together over the holidays when I’m home. Usually I’m chasing him down the mountain. We ski on Christmas morning as a family. It’s a pretty simple tradition, but the one thing I love most about the holidays every year!"

- Olivia Giaccio

Kylie Kariotis (Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride), younger sister to Ali and Jack, concurs, “Jack and Ali are usually off competing and my younger brother and I are at school and just skiing Squaw. But then at Christmas, they both come home and we all can ski together.”

Being home for Christmas is important for the Wilson household. “Christmas is a special time of year because it is the only time we could spend more than a week at home in the winter. We weren’t traveling to competitions or camps. On Christmas day our tradition is to go to mass in the morning, then go skiing in the afternoon,” said Brad.

For Casey and Jesse Andringa, being on the National Team means a lot of time well spent together. “It’s awesome [to be on the Team together], we’ve been living and training together every day since we’ve been old enough to live by ourselves, around 16 years old. We work well together, we push each other,” says Jesse.

“It’s fun competing with your siblings. Growing up in a family of mogul skiing makes you push each other. Having a brother helped me so much in my career, someone to watch, push me in training, all of the time. It’s been a great experience.”

- Ali Kariotis (Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride

“I would agree it’s a lot of fun to have someone to train with. Having someone you know on the road is nice for those long stretches,” explains Jack.

Whether competing apart or traveling together, having a shared passion for skiing moguls has certainly brought these families closer together.

When the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships kick off Feb. 1, it will mark the first time since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games that Utah - The State of Sport - has hosted so many athletes for a World Class event. In this three-part series, we talk to a number of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes expected to compete in the upcoming World Champs, and their thoughts on competing on home soil, in front of family and friends, the pressure to exceed expectations, and their overall view of what the World Championships mean to them.

• Part One: Snowboard and Ski Cross at Solitude
• Part Two: Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Big Air at Park City Mountain
• Part Three: Aerials and Moguls at Deer Valley

Aerials and Moguls at Deer Valley Resort

“The World Championships are only a small step below the Olympics. As athletes, we look at it as almost as big as the Olympics, it will have the same competitors there as Pyeongchang. Because Deer Valley is the greatest venue in the world, the World Championships events there will be some of the biggest competitions I’ve ever competed in.”

   - Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.), 2017 World Championships moguls silver medalist

However, it’s not just about accommodation, but rather in an in-depth knowledge of the actual field of play that athletes will be battling it out on that can pay dividends. Wilson has had the pleasure of competing on the Deer Valley moguls course numerous times as it is a regular stop on the FIS World Cup tour. This offers advantages, but they are not necessarily exclusive to U.S. athletes. One thing is for sure, Deer Valley Resort knows how to do it right.

“I have a lot of experience on this course for sure,” said Wilson. “But with Deer Valley being a constant stop on the World Cup tour, so do many other athletes. Deer Valley showcases our sport better than anyone in the world, so they will showcase FIS World Champs better than anyone!”

In freestyle, keep an eye out on Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury who is the winningest moguls athlete in the history of the sport. Also, for the women, Olympic gold medalist Perrine Laffont of France and Yulia Galysheva from Kazakhstan are strong contenders.

The anticipation is building and there is a clear consensus among athletes. The host venues have what it takes to host the top snowboard, freestyle and freeski competitors for ten days of world-class competition. Brad Wilson certainly think so!

“I’m super excited for World Champs at Deer Valley and on our home soil,” he said. “So is the rest of the world. Deer Valley is definitely the majority favorite place to compete for all the competitors. Already, on a normal season the Deer Valley World Cup is top tier, now with it being World Champs, it makes it that much better.”

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Preliminary broadcast schedule, subject to change
Streaming schedule TBA
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

Friday, Feb. 1
1:00 p.m. - Men and women's snowboardcross finals - NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 2
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - Olympic Channel
8:30 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - NBCSN*

Sunday, Feb. 3
1:00 a.m. - Men and women’s freeski big air finals - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Team snowboardcross - Olympic Channel
4:00 p.m.-  Team snowboardcross - NBCSN*

Monday, Feb. 4
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - Olympic Channel
7:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - NBCSN*

Tuesday, Feb. 5
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard slalom - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard big air - NBCSN

Wednesday, Feb. 6
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s freeski slopestyle finals - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - Olympic Channel
11:30 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - NBCSN*

Thursday, Feb. 7
9:00 p.m. - Team aerials - NBCSN

Friday, Feb. 8
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard  halfpipe - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s moguls - NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 10
2:00 a.m. - Men and women’s dual moguls - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - Olympic Channel
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - NBC*

Monday, Feb. 11
10:30 p.m. - Women’s freeski halfpipe finals - NBCSN**
 

When the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships kick off Feb. 1, it will mark the first time since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games that Utah - The State of Sport - has hosted so many athletes for a World Class event. In this three-part series, we talk to a number of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes expected to compete in the upcoming World Champs, and their thoughts on competing on home soil, in front of family and friends, the pressure to exceed expectations, and their overall view of what the World Championships mean to them.

• Part One: Snowboard and Ski Cross at Solitude
• Part Two: Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Big Air at Park City Mountain
• Part Three: Aerials and Moguls at Deer Valley

Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Big Air at Park City Mountain

Freeski legend, the Sochi Olympic Games freeski slopestyle silver medalist Devin Logan (West Dover, Vt.) looks forward to another opportunity to ski on a big international stage. “The World Champs in Park City are huge for me,” she said. “It’s like the Olympics again, it’s another chance to present my best skiing and hopefully stomp the run of my life.”

Logan has been skiing the slopestyle course and halfpipe at Park City Mountain since moving to Park City in 2011. Most international freeskiers and snowboarders cannot say the same. “The Park City halfpipe is always so nice, cut perfectly, the jumps are always great in the park,” Logan commented. “It’s where I ride when I’m not in competition.”

She notes her advantage in one of life’s simple pleasures, “I get to sleep in my own bed,” said Logan. “I will get to come back to my home without having the stress of traveling or sleeping in a strange place. It makes you feel as comfortable as possible. I think all that adds up to being confident and skiing well.”

Logan has put roots down in the Park City area which in many ways offers a sense of confidence going into the competition. She recently purchased two acres of land in Tollgate Canyon on the outskirts of town.

“Being able to make Park City my home and have a future here is really exciting,” she said. “I love Park City, from the mountains to the summer activities there’s always something to do. Also, given I travel a good amount, the airport being right down the hill is very convenient.”

It’s very clear that Logan isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but does knowing everyone and having loved ones around create unwanted pressure or responsibility?

“It’s definitely an advantage, I consider my friends my family in Park City. Most of my family is back east and my brothers are traveling, but I have been taken in by a lot of good people and spend all the holidays with them and it really has become home. The fact that I will have the chance to compete in front of this extended family gives me goosebumps. You want to do well in order to show them their support is making it happen and helping me reach my goals.”

    - Devin Logan, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team

Logan believes the U.S. will improve on the team’s performance at the past Olympics. “I think the U.S. will do better than in PyeongChang,” she said. “We came away with a lot of medals on the snowboard and freeski teams but I think that coming off of that success with momentum, plus having the World Champs in Park CIty, that will all be really beneficial.”

Confidence is high, but there are serious international competitors in every discipline and U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes are aware of what lies ahead. Despite the fact that U.S. athletes are familiar with the host venues, the terrain and will generally feel at home throughout the 10-day competition, international competitors are coming to win. Logan listed off some international rivals, but thinking out loud and being a true team player, she had a rebuttal for each of her own comments.

“In big air, the Norwegians are really impressive, but we are also really good and have people like Alex Hall, Mac Forehand and Caroline Claire who keep getting better. In slopestyle, the Norwegians and the Swedish are very talented, but we also have Nick Goepper coming off a silver in slopestyle in (PyeongChang). Also, McRae Williams is hungry after not having the best result in PyeongChang. Colby Stevenson and Joss Christensen are also from Park City and will be looking to do well in their hometown. On the girls’ side, Maggie Voisin and Julia Krass are doing doubles now, they are going to bring the heat.”

Logan’s thoughts on international competition reference Norway’s Oystein Braaten, Birk Ruud, and Johanne Killi as well as Sweden’s Henrik Harlaut, Jesper Tjader, Oscar Wester and Emma Dahlstrom. Not to mention the Switzerland powerhouse including PyeongChang Olympic gold and silver medalists Sarah Hoefflin, Mathilde Gremaud and Andri Ragettli. Isabel Atkin from Great Britain is also very much a contender. In addition, U.S. athletes can’t forget their friends to the north with Canadian phenoms Alex Beaulieu-Marchand and Evan McEachran gunning for medals.

Speaking to halfpipe, Logan said, “Canada is also very strong as well as the French, but so is the U.S. with Aaron Blunck, Alex Ferreira, David Wise, Brita Sigourney, and Maddie Bowman.”

Strong Canadian competitors in the halfpipe include Olympic gold medalist Cassie Sharpe, as well as Simon D’Artois and Noah Bowman.

One thing that is clear from Logan’s comments is that like the Olympics, the World Championships are bigger than just one athlete. It’s about the team and even the sport as a whole. Logan not only recognized this, but has taken it upon herself to make the bright future of her teammates and the sport of freeskiing priority one. While she wants to perform, there is a much bigger goal on her mind.

“I put pressure on myself to do well,” she said. ”Who doesn’t want to win and stand on top of the podium? But, regardless if I make the team or not, I’m going to be there cheering on my teammates. I like to help mold the young athletes because now I’m the veteran and I have been through this for so long. If I can pass on some wisdom and experience to help others be successful in their career, that’s even better. It’s all about pushing the sport and making it grow. That’s what I want to see.”

Although Logan is looking out for her teammates and freeskiing, her love of competition will always shine through. “As much as I feel I can provide to these young athletes, they return the favor,” she said. “They push me and light that fire because I know I have more in the tank and feel I have more to offer. Another World Champs medal would definitely be nice and I will do my best to make that happen.”

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Preliminary broadcast schedule, subject to change
Streaming schedule TBA
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

Friday, Feb. 1
1:00 p.m. - Men and women's snowboardcross finals - NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 2
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - Olympic Channel
8:30 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - NBCSN*

Sunday, Feb. 3
1:00 a.m. - Men and women’s freeski big air finals - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Team snowboardcross - Olympic Channel
4:00 p.m.-  Team snowboardcross - NBCSN*

Monday, Feb. 4
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - Olympic Channel
7:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - NBCSN*

Tuesday, Feb. 5
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard slalom - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard big air - NBCSN

Wednesday, Feb. 6
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s freeski slopestyle finals - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - Olympic Channel
11:30 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - NBCSN*

Thursday, Feb. 7
9:00 p.m. - Team aerials - NBCSN

Friday, Feb. 8
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard  halfpipe - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s moguls - NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 10
2:00 a.m. - Men and women’s dual moguls - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - Olympic Channel
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - NBC*

Monday, Feb. 11
10:30 p.m. - Women’s freeski halfpipe finals - NBCSN**