Stifel U.S. Ski Team Announces New Trophy and Prize for North American World Cups

Park City, UTAH — (Nov. 21, 2024) - The Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team and title partner Stifel Financial together announce the Stifel HERoic Cup, part of the organization’s HERoic initiative celebrating women’s sports. The Stifel HERoic Cup will be awarded to the woman athlete with the most World Cup points after the three North American stops on the women’s FIS Alpine World Cup tour: the Stifel Killington Cup, Tremblant World Cup and Stifel Birds of Prey presented by United Airlines.

“We are thrilled to announce the Stifel HERoic Cup this season and further our commitment to amplifying women in sports through our HERoic initiative,” said President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sophie Goldschmidt. “Stifel’s commitment to the athletes is second to none and this award is a testament to that. It will be a weekend of firsts in Beaver Creek, and we look forward to awarding the first Stifel HERoic Cup following the first women’s Stifel Birds of Prey presented by United Airlines.”

The cup winner will be awarded $50,000 at an award ceremony following the final race in Beaver Creek. The victor will also receive the newly designed and produced Stifel HERoic Cup trophy. The prize money will be deposited in a Stifel investment account and the athlete may choose to withdraw the money, leave it invested with Stifel’s guidance, or combine both. If there is a tie, the athletes will split the award. 

“We’re excited to help the Stifel U.S. Ski Team celebrate and empower women competing in North America this winter through our sponsorship of the Stifel HERoic Cup,” said Ron Kruszewski, Chairman and CEO of Stifel. “As the firm Where Success Meets Success, we continue to align the Stifel brand with individuals who share our commitment to greatness, and we look forward to supporting these dedicated female athletes as they compete for the first ever Stifel HERoic Cup.”

The Stifel HERoic Cup was created to promote excellence in women’s alpine skiing further while showcasing Stifel’s commitment to supporting the sport and its athletes. It aligns with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s broader goals of women's empowerment within the organization's HERoic initiative. 

 “Ron and Stifel have been incredible supporters of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team,” shared 98-time World Cup winner Mikaela Shiffrin. “Their support of the Stifel HERoic Cup is yet another example of their passion for ski racing and their determination to bring more support to our team and awareness to our sport. We are all so thankful for Stifel’s commitment to supporting the first-ever Stifel HERoic Cup.” 

A leaderboard will be created based on World Cup points as tracked by FIS. Eligibility is for athletes competing at the Stifel Killington Cup, Tremblant World Cup and Stifel Birds of Prey presented by United Airlines. The first opportunity kicks off in Killington, VT, Nov. 30 - Dec. 1, 2024, with a women’s giant slalom and slalom race. 

STIFEL HEROIC CUP-ELIGIBLE RACES

• Nov. 30, 2024 – Stifel Killington Cup, Killington, VT – giant slalom
• Dec. 1, 2024 – Stifel Killington Cup, Killington, VT – slalom 
• Dec. 7, 2024 – Tremblant World Cup, Tremblant, CAN – giant slalom
• Dec. 8, 2024 – Tremblant World Cup, Tremblant, CAN – giant slalom 
• Dec. 14, 2024 – Stifel Birds of Prey presented by United, Beaver Creek, CO – downhill
• Dec. 15, 2024 – Stifel Birds of Prey presented by United, Beaver Creek, CO – super-G

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Courtney Harkins, Director of Communications & Marketing
U.S. Ski & Snowboard
courtney.harkins@usskiandsnowboard.org 

Park City, UT (Nov. 14, 2024) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard is excited to announce that alpine great Lindsey Vonn will rejoin the Stifel U.S. Ski Team.

Vonn’s decision to try and return to ski racing comes after careful consideration following successful knee surgery earlier this year. She has been able to get back to training and test her knee over the past couple of months and will be continuing her progression with the Stifel U.S. Ski Team in Colorado and beyond, representing a new exciting chapter in her already storied career.

“Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey,” said Vonn. “I am looking forward to being back with the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and to continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women.”

Vonn’s return comes off the back of a strong season for the women’s Stifel U.S. Ski Team. Her presence will bring an extra layer of experience to the already successful alpine program. 

“Lindsey has made an indelible mark on alpine skiing and our organization throughout her career. We’re delighted to welcome her back,” said President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sophie Goldschmidt. “Her dedication and passion towards alpine skiing is inspiring and we’re excited to have her back on snow and see where she can go from here.”

Vonn recorded her first World Cup victory in 2004 and continued on to win three Olympic medals, 20 World Cup titles (including four overall Crystal Globes), eight World Championship medals, 137 World Cup podiums and 82 World Cup victories. However, she suffered multiple injuries during her career and despite her ability to persevere and come back from those injuries, it eventually was the reason for her retirement after 18 seasons on the World Cup tour. Following a partial knee replacement surgery in April, she feels stronger than ever.

Vonn also continues to work with her personal foundation, the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which supports underserved girls through scholarships and empowerment programs, and is still a mentor to current Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes. She hopes she can continue to inspire the next generation of women in sports.

“Lindsey is someone who has really been there for me throughout my time on the World Cup circuit,” said Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Bella Wright. “I never got the opportunity to be Lindsey’s teammate in the past, so the opportunity to ski alongside her is extremely exciting! I can’t wait to see what the U.S. women can do this season.” 

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Assets:
Video assets are available for media here. Photos are available for media here.
Credit: Stifel U.S. Ski Team 

For more information:
Courtney Harkins
Director of Marketing & Communications, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
courtney.harkins@usskiandsnowboard.org 

For Lindsey Vonn Media Inquiries: 
Liz Logan, LLogan@fullpic.com

Press release courtesy of Tony Harrison & Soldier Mountain

Park City, UT & Fairfield, ID (Nov. 13, 2024) — The Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals at Sun Valley Resort in March isn’t the only event drawing members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard to Idaho this winter. Nearby Soldier Mountain just signed an agreement with the slopestyle teams for the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team and the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team to host the inaugural annual training camps in December and late March.

The Southern Idaho ski area, best known as the resort actor Bruce Willis used to own, will build a training facility for the slopestyle teams to train on as part of the Soldier Mountain Snow Training Center, which serves competitive athletes throughout the Western U.S. Designed by world-renowned terrain park builder Charles Beckinsale, the site will support the slopestyle teams’ needs for large-scale jumps, which are part of competition but not widely available to train on. Beckinsale will personally construct the training facility on the run Canyon underneath the High Trail Express Lift (Chair 1).

The three-year partnership has allowed Soldier Mountain to enhance its snowmaking system, with the resort recently acquiring new state-of-the-art TechnoAlpin TR10 snow guns. The move doubles Soldier Mountain’s snowmaking capacity and will ensure skiers and riders enjoy full top-to-bottom coverage on the runs North Ridge and Canyon.

“This is a huge win for a small, independent ski resort like Soldier Mountain,” GM David Alden said. “One of the things that makes Soldier Mountain so attractive is that we’re small enough to be nimble and eager to try new things. And U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s financial and philosophical commitment to a small ski area like Soldier Mountain will ensure we offer a sustainable domestic training venue for the world’s best snowsports athletes for many years to come.”

Leadership at U.S. Ski & Snowboard concur.

Teaming up with a small mountain complements U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s affiliation with the Indy Pass, with Soldier Mountain one of seven Idaho Indy Pass partners. And the resort’s proximity to Utah — Soldier Mountain is less than 5 hours by car from U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s headquarters in Park City — eases logistics and is a good fit with the team’s Easy Green environmental initiative by reducing the carbon footprint of its training.

Soldier Mountain has presented us with a unique opportunity to build world-class jumps in the USA at a time of year that will give our Slopestyle teams a huge advantage going into the competition season,” Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team Sport Director Rick Bower said.

Stifel U.S. Freeski Team Sport Director Skogen Sprang agreed, adding the teams are “excited to explore a new location that is so passionate about freeskiing and snowboarding and are looking forward to seeing what kind of magic Soldier Mountain can make up there.”

Alden is super stoked about the impact the new training facility will have on rising stars on the snowboard and freeski scene.

“U.S. Ski & Snowboard is dedicated to creating training opportunities at the grassroots level,” Alden said. “Bringing a training venue of this magnitude to the western region gives up-and-coming snowboarders and freeskiers who are looking to compete at a higher level but can’t afford to travel far to train an unprecedented opportunity to hone their big-air skills. It’s like the major leagues building a new stadium for the minor leagues because they realize they need to nurture the next generation of pros.”

For more information, please contact:

David Alden, 208.541.8738, david@soldiermountain.com

Courtney Harkins, 978.314.1019, courtney.harkins@usskiandsnowboard.org

Tony Harrison, 208.880.9814, tony@COMMposition.biz

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ABOUT U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, snowboard, freeski, Nordic combined, ski jumping, Para alpine and Para snowboard. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. Visit usskiandsnowboard.org for more information.

ABOUT SOLDIER MOUNTAIN
Established in 1947, Soldier Mountain is a family friendly mountain resort located near Fairfield, Idaho, at 1043 N. Soldier Creek Rd. in the Soldier Mountains of the Sawtooth National Forest. It is about two hours from Boise, 80 minutes from Sun Valley, and 90 minutes from Twin Falls. The resort offers skiing and snowboarding on 35 named trails and a terrain park on the frontside comprising 1,150 lift-served skiable acres and 2,000 acres of snowcat-accessible backcountry. Soldier Mountain has two chairlifts reaching an altitude of up to 7,177 ft., a magic carpet, and a tubing hill. In the summer it offers five mountain biking trails, a skills park, and a nine-hole disc golf course. Its lodge restaurant serves homemade fare while The Fox Den Pub provides guests with a cozy spot to hang out after a great day on the mountain. Camping spots are available at the end of the resort’s parking lot at Pioneer Campground and along the road beyond, and motel lodging and vacation rentals are available in Fairfield about 10 miles away. As an Indy Pass partner, Soldier Mountain also offers season passholders discounted Indy Passes as an add-on. Visit soldiermountain.com for more details.