NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN!

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is a diverse organization of many sports with a vital backbone of athletes, officials, coaches and clubs nationwide all working together for the betterment of the sport. It’s important each year to recognize the work of those behind the scenes who are providing athletes of all ages with an opportunity to participate in ski and snowboard competitions.

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard awards program is designed to recognize a wide range of individuals and organizations for their work over the past year. As a U.S. Ski & Snowboard member, you are eligible to nominate into many of the award categories. To learn more about the full range of U.S. Ski & Snowboard awards, go here.

Award Selection:

• Nominations are accepted all at once and at large from members who have a valid and current membership for the 2024-25 Season.
• Each sport committee will select the respective sports winners for Club and Coach of the Year.
• Selection of other awards winners is determined by a vote of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards Working Group.
• Winners are announced at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards Dinner on May 14, 2025.

Nominations: 

• Click on the nomination link for each individual award for which you wish to nominate.
• Complete the nomination paying special attention to highlighting accomplishments required for each award.
• Nominees must also be current members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
• Click to submit.
• Remember, you need to submit nominations for each award separately.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS: Friday, March 28, 2025

NOMINATION CATEGORIES

Paul Bacon Award (event organization)

The Paul Bacon Award is given to an individual or group for the greatest contribution to U. S. Ski & Snowboard in the field of race organization during the 2024-25 season. Traditional nominees include local clubs or individuals whose work has made a difference in providing good events for athletes.

PAUL BACON AWARD Nomination Form

John J. Clair Award (service to national teams)

The John J. Clair Jr. Award is given for outstanding service that benefited the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team in 2024-25. Past recipients have included outside team support personnel, donors, journalists, movers and shakers. Most recipients have been individuals, though some organizations have been recognized. The recipient’s service should be to the national teams.

JOHN J. CLAIR JR. AWARD Nomination Form

Bud & Mary Little Award (service to FIS or USOPC)

The Bud & Mary Little Award is a lifetime achievement award presented to an individual who has contributed significantly through a long-term involvement with the International Ski & Snowboard Federation or U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Recipients are eligible to receive the award only once. Achievement should be lifetime; it is not specific to this past year.

BUD & MARY LITTLE AWARD Nomination Form

Buddy Werner Award (sportsmanship)

Have you seen any great acts of sportsmanship this past year? Nominations should be based on actions from the 2024-25 season. It is only open to individuals.

BUDDY WERNER AWARD Nomination Form

Russell Wilder Award (service to youth)

The Russell Wilder Award recognizes the most outstanding effort during 2024-25 in focusing the interests of American youth on the sports of skiing or snowboarding. It can be awarded to an individual or an organization.

RUSSELL WILDER AWARD Nomination Form

OFFICIALS NOMINATION AWARD CATEGORY

West Family Award (outstanding official)

The West Family Award is a lifetime achievement honor, recognizing an outstanding certified official at any level.  Nominations come from the pool of current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Officials membership.

WEST FAMILY AWARD Nomination Form

Nominations only open to those who hold a current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Officials membership. 

FIS TECHNICAL DELEGATE NOMINATION AWARD CATEGORY

Westhaven Award (outstanding FIS technical delegate)

The Westhaven Award is a lifetime achievement award, recognizing an outstanding FIS technical delegate for his or her service over time. Nominations come from the pool of current FIS TDs.

WESTHAVEN AWARD Nomination Form

Nominations only open to those who hold a current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Technical Delegate membership. 

CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARD CATEGORY

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club of the Year Award

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club of the Year is the club that achieved the most outstanding high-performance athletic and organizational results in the current season and best meets the athletic and club performance benchmarks.

This award will be granted for each sport: Adaptive, Alpine, Cross Country, Freeski, Freestyle, Snowboard & Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined

U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARD Nomination Form

Nominations only open to those who are current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Clubs.

DEVELOPMENT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD CATEGORY

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Coach of the Year Award

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Coach of the Year Award recognizes outstanding contribution to development and international programs by a coach resulting in high-level performance by his or her athletes in competition during the past season. Coaches of the year are recognized for their leadership, commitment, sport knowledge and passion, including proven ability to foster athletic excellence amongst their constituents or teams. 

This award will be granted for each sport: Adaptive, Alpine, Cross Country, Freeski, Freestyle, Snowboard & Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined

U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD DEVELOPMENT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD Nomination Form

Nominations only open to those who are current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Coaches.

Park City, Utah (Feb. 18, 2025) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard has named 10 athletes to represent the U.S. at the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim, Norway, from Feb. 27 to March 9, 2025. The team will compete for top finishes in individual and team events, taking on the world’s best in the storied venue of Granåsen.

The World Champs will bring together the top nordic athletes from more than 20 countries, with 170,000 tickets being sold out for each day of competition. The U.S. Nordic Combined Team features a strong mix of veteran competitors and rising talent, all prepared to make an impact on the world stage.

Women’s Team

The women’s team includes an experienced lineup led by Alexa Brabec whose recent top 10 World Cup finishes are capturing the world’s attention, and Annika Malacinski, a multi-time World Championships competitor and national team member. Young athletes Haley Brabec, Ella Wilson and Kai McKinnon join the veterans to gain exposure to elite international competition and a chance to make their mark in Trondheim.

Men’s Team

Ben Loomis, a two-time Olympian and seasoned World Championships competitor, spearheads the men's team. He is joined by fellow Olympians and World Championships veterans Stephen Schumann and Niklas Malacinski, who have shown strong potential with a top 15 and consistent top 25 finishes on the World Cup. Erik Lynch and Carter Brubaker are also named to the team, both hungry for a chance to show their potential on this international stage.

 “This team represents the hard work and resilience that nordic combined athletes have shown this past year,” said Anders Johnson, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Ski Jumping & Nordic Combined Sport Director. “We are excited to see both our returning competitors and younger athletes push themselves against the best in the world. Trondheim will be an incredible test, and we are confident in the team’s ability to rise to the challenge.” 

2025 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM

(Hometown; ski club; birth date; past World Championship teams)
*denotes first World Championships team 

Women:

• Alexa Brabec (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; University of Utah; 10/08/2004; 2021, 2023)
• Haley Brabec (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 6/6/2007; 2024)
• Annika Malacinski (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Colorado Mountain College; 5/9/2001; 2023)
• Kai McKinnon (Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Educational Foundation; 5/6/2008; 2024)
• Ella Wilson (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 3/4/2008; 2024)

Men:

• Carter Brubaker (Anchorage, AK; Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage; Arizona State University; 12/21/2003)*
• Ben Loomis (Eau Claire, WI; Flying Eagles Ski Club; DeVry University; 6/9/1998; 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023)
• Erik Lynch (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 9/6/1994)*
• Niklas Malacinski (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Colorado Mountain College; 12/7/2003; 2021, 2023)
• Stephen Schumann (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Arizona State University; 3/14/2000; 2023)

2025 FIS World Ski Championships Live Coverage

All times EST
Check local listings, subject to change (FIS Event Schedule)

Thursday, Feb. 27
9:00 a.m. - Women’s Mass Start Normal Hill HS102/5km - skiandsnowboard.live

Friday, Feb. 28
6:00 a.m. - Mixed Team Normal Hill HS102/4x5km - skiandsnowboard.live

Saturday, March 1
6:00 a.m. - Men’s Compact Normal Hill HS102/7.5km - skiandsnowboard.live

Sunday, March 2
6:00 a.m. - Women’s Gundersen Normal Hill HS102/5km - skiandsnowboard.live

Thursday, March 6
5:00 a.m. - Men’s Team Large Hill HS138/4x5km - skiandsnowboard.live

Saturday, March 8
3:30 a.m. - Men’s Gundersen Large Hill HS138/10km - skiandsnowboard.live

Alexa Brabec raced to a career best finish on Sunday, Jan. 19, at the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup in Schonach, Germany.

Brabec had a power jump of 92 meters, landing her in 12th place going into the 5k ski race. She was then able to ski up in a tight race where third to eighth place went back and forth to the finish line. Alexa finished seventh overall, narrowly missing the podium by less than eight seconds. 

On Saturday, Jan. 18, Brabec finished with a new personal best finish in 10th in the individual Gundersen HS100/5k event. Annika Malacinski also cracked the top 20 with an 18th place finish. In the men’s event (HS100/10k), Niklas Malacinski led the U.S. team to a solid 21st place finish, followed by Ben Loomis in 24th, Stephen Schumann in 47th and Erik Lynch in 50th.

In Sunday's individual compact HS100/5k event, Annika Malacinski secured another top 20 result, finishing in 20th place. On the men’s side, Niklas Malacinski delivered the top U.S. result with a 17th place finish, followed by Stephen Schumann in 28th, Erik Lynch in 42nd and Ben Loomis in 49th.

With Brabec’s breakthrough performances and consistent efforts from the entire team, the weekend shows the progress and potential of U.S. athletes on the World Cup circuit. Looking toward the FIS World Ski Championships at the end of February, the U.S. Nordic Combined team is on track for more top finishes and career-best races.  

RESULTS

The men’s U.S. Nordic Combined Team kicked off the 2024-25 World Cup season in Ruka, Finland, this weekend with exciting performances, including a top-five jump, two athletes in the top 20 overall, a new PR and all four men scoring World Cup points.

The weekend consisted of three events, each with a different format and some fast, exhilarating ski races. Thursday, Nov. 28, was a double PCR, or Provisional Competition Round, part of every event as a back-up in case jumping is canceled on the day of competition. Niklas Malacinski got the world’s attention with a jump of 126.5 meters, landing him in fifth place overall.

Friday’s race was the Individual Compact Large Hill HS142, a 7.5k ski race with start times compacted into a tighter window. This makes for a more exciting ski race that typically benefits fast skiers, of which the U.S. men are ranked. All four U.S. men landed in the top 40, with Erik Lynch scoring his first World Cup points: Malacinski 21, Loomis 25, Schumann 33, Lynch 40.

Malacinski made headlines again in Saturday’s race when he held tight with the second lead pack to finish in 13th place.  This was another Gundersen Large Hill HS142 with a 10k ski race this time. Malacinski jumped 126 meters, which landed him in 12th place after ski jumping, and he followed that up with an incredible ski, sticking with the best athletes in the world to finish 13th place overall and a new personal best. Following closely behind was Ben Loomis in 17th, giving the U.S. men an impressive start to the season.

Next, the U.S. Nordic Combined team will head to Lillehammer, Norway, where the women will join the men for another weekend of World Cup competition.

Link to Results