Emotions run high in the opening seconds of Off Piste: Tragedy in the Alps, a new film released by the Bryce and Ronnie Snow Safety Foundation (BRASS). Young athletes dig frantically in the snow searching for their two friends buried under meters of heavy, compacted snow. But it’s too late.

Avalanches are a powerful force of mother nature. The very mountains that bring such life to skiers and snowboarders can just as quickly take it away. Off Piste: Tragedy in the Alps is a poignant reminder of that and a brilliant educational tool to help introduce skiers and snowboarders to basic steps to stay safe in the backcountry.

In January 2015 an avalanche in Sölden, Austria took the lives of two promising young stars of the U.S. Ski Team. They and their teammates were innocently enjoying the sport they love when tragedy struck. The BRASS Foundation, formed in 2016, was born out of the tragic avalanche deaths of Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle to create a legacy of changes in the culture of avalanche safety. Its mission is to lobby for the evolution of snow safety systems and to advocate for greater penetration of avalanche education.

The film and a detailed accident report were released by BRASS to help build greater awareness in the skiing and snowboarding community for avalanche safety.

The 13-minute film was produced for BRASS by Trent Meisenheimer and Arius Sorbonne from the Utah Avalanche Center. It will be utilized at workshops produced by BRASS and other avalanche education organizations. Ski and snowboard competition clubs around the country and the world will use it as a teaching tool. Among the stars featured in the film are Olympic champions Bode Miller, Mikaela Shiffrin and Ted Ligety, as well as downhill star Steven Nyman.

"Right from the time of Ronnie and Bryce's accident it's been the goal of the families to use the tragedy as an opportunity to educate others," said BRASS Chairman Jamie Astle, father of Bryce. "For that reason, we wanted to be very candid and forthcoming with the film to reach viewing audiences with a very simple yet poignant message."

Off Piste, roughly translated as ‘off trail,’ is titled after the common terminology in the sport referring to skiing or riding off traditional groomed ski runs in a resort or in the mountain backcountry.

The film is impactful from the start with a re-creation of the rescue of Ronnie and Bryce as teammates frantically search for their friends. It features dramatic avalanche footage from other backcountry accidents that show vividly the power of sliding snow.

Most of all, though, it conveys a powerful message and simple tips to help skiers and snowboarders stay safe.

Through the eyes of their families, you learn who Ronnie and Bryce were. From their teammates who were with them, you learn what they were thinking when they ventured off the groomed trail. You share the powerful, intense emotions they felt trying to find their friends.

"None of the young men in that group knew the difference between on and off piste," said Ronnie's father Steve Berlack. "Off piste in the United States is defined as out of bounds, going through a gate. In Europe, when you are off a groomer you are off piste."

The avalanche that day caused over 7-million pounds of snow to slide. Video of avalanches and a graphic rendition of the Sölden avalanche paint a vivid picture. Accounts in the film document the small but important elements of the accident that could have changed the story that day.

"It takes all of 20 minutes to be learn and be educated enough to have an impact on that situation," said gold medalist Bode Miller.

"You want to be prepared," says Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin. "There are five points that are good to remember: You want to get the gear, get the training, get the forecast, get the picture and get out of harm's way."

Through the eyes of both U.S. Ski Team stars and avalanche experts, each of the five points are explored in the film.

"Being a ski racer is a definitely a dangerous sport. What we're going down is a highly regulated area with fencing and snow prep - you have all these things to keep you safe," said Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety. "You get out there into the backcountry there are none of those luxuries, that's for sure."

"For the people who assume that just because know how to ski terrain or rip down a mountain because they ski downhill, it's a very different beast," said Shiffrin.

BRASS is making the film available at no cost to clubs or individuals to help increase awareness and educate.

"We hope that Off Piste gets people thinking," said Astle. "It's not a replacement for an avalanche safety course. But in 13 minutes it will give any skier or snowboarder some tools they can use for decision making."

The release of Off Piste: Tragedy in the Alps is combined with a very candid and revealing report of the details of the accident in Sölden, which is available at www.brassfoundation.org. "The film Off Piste and the accident report are designed to share actual information from the accident so it will positively impact others and prevent similar tragedies," said Astle.

The video is available from BRASS free for any educational showing. It can be found on the BRASS website, YouTube, Vimeo or Facebook. <add links>

Additional information on avalanche safety and education are available from a host of regional and national organizations, including the Utah Avalanche Center which is releasing a series of free online avalanche courses.

Avalanche Information Resources

• BRASS Foundation
• American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education
• Colorado Avalanche Information Center
• Know Before You Go
• National Avalanche Center - U.S. Forest Service
• Utah Avalanche Center

Off Piste: Tragedy in the Alps

• Full length (high resolution)
• Full length (low resolution)
• One minute trailer (high resolution)
• One minute trailer (low resolution)

NOTE: Off Piste: Tragedy in the Alps is available license-free for educational use only. It may not be excerpted or shown commercially without permission of the BRASS Foundation.

About BRASS Foundation
The Bryce and Ronnie Athlete Snow Safety Foundation was born out of the tragic avalanche deaths of U.S. Ski Team athletes Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle to create a legacy of changes in the culture of avalanche safety. Its mission is to lobby for the evolution of snow safety systems and to advocate for greater penetration of avalanche education. It works closely with avalanche industry organizations in the USA and around the world. The BRASS Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit relying entirely on donations from passionate private and commercial supporters.
 

PARK CITY, Utah (November 9, 2018) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s new slopestyle and big air national development coach Nichole Mason is set to host the first ever all-female USASA freeski and snowboard Level 100 and 200 clinics from Dec. 3-6 at Copper Mountain, Colo. The Level 100 clinic will take place Dec. 3-4 and will target intro level coaches who will be working with Phase 1 and Phase 2 athletes. The Level 200 Clinic will take place Dec. 5-6 and will target more experienced coaches who have been working with athletes for a number of years and whose goals are to expand their knowledge and skill set to better work with Phase 3, 4 and 5 athletes.

To participate in the the Level 100 class you must be at least 18 years old, currently working as an active coach, registered as a member of USASA and work over 60 hours per season. Additionally, you must have your clinic registration verified by a supervisor/program director of a USASA or USSA program, USASA Regional Series Director or a supervisor of an AASI/PSIA member ski or snowboard school. Lastly, you must have a First Aid/CPR Certificate from a qualified provider, USOC Safesport certification and CDC Heads Up certification. Level 200 prerequisites include all of the above with the addition of a Level 100 certificate. Click here for more detail on course prerequisites.

Mason is one of the many snow sport enthusiasts who started her career as a young competitive athlete with USASA. She coached Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club for five years, where she was the 2017 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Domestic Coach of the Year, and Development Coach of the Year. Mason went on to be the first-ever female coach in her current position with U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Through empowering the female community and bridging the gap between USASA and U.S. Ski & Snowboard, these all-female clinics will create new opportunities for both female athletes and industry professionals.

“I am excited about this new project on several levels,” said Mason. “First, the partnership between U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USASA to reach the common goal of strengthening our coach education curriculum is critical. In addition, we look forward to providing a broader spectrum of support to our female coaches in the industry. This clinic provides an opportunity to talk openly about the struggles women encounter being in a male-dominated industry, what we can do together to slowly change that dynamic and empower female athletes in the sport. We historically have significantly lower numbers on the female side for both coaches and competitive athletes. Our goal is to strengthen the female coaching community and watch that empowerment trickle down the line to keep more female athletes in the sport.”

USASA has 20 clinics currently scheduled across the United States. For additional information or to register for another clinic visit https://usasa.org/resources/coaches/coaches-clinics.

About USASA:

The United States Snowboard and Freeski Association is the first step in the Olympic pipeline. USASA is represented by 32 regional series and made up of over 5000 athlete members, 1000 + coaches, officials, and judges and hosts over 500 snowboard and freeski events annually at over 120 resorts nationwide. The USASA National Championships are held annually at Copper Mountain, Colorado and span twelve days with over 1,800 participants making it the largest snowboard and freeskiing event in the world and is entering its 30th year.  USASA aims to facilitate fun and fair events for all ages across the country, to attract snowboarders and freeskiers, promote their development, provide member education, and influence the future of our sports.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body for ski and snowboard sports in the USA. One of the oldest and most established sports organizations worldwide, directly tracing its roots back to 1905, the organization, based in Park City, UT, provides leadership and direction for elite athletes competing at the highest level worldwide and for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders in the USA, encouraging and supporting all its athletes in achieving excellence wherever they train and compete. 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. U.S. Ski & Snowboard receives no direct government support, operating solely through private donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund athletic programs that directly assist athletes in reaching their dreams and achieving the shared goal of being Best In The World.

Media Contact
Andrew Gauthier
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Marketing and Communications Manager
andrew.gauthier@usskiandsnowboard.org

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced it has agreed on a new partnership deal with John Paul Mitchell Systems (JPMS) in the hair products category.

JPMS’ partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard will highlight their product lines at domestic Freeski and Snowboard events, most notably the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freeski and Freestyle World Championships, to be held in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s own backyard of Park City, Utah, in February 2019. Freeskiing and snowboarding competitions celebrate an athlete’s unique style, as JPMS products empower those of all backgrounds to embrace their differences and celebrate their individual creativity. Freeski and Snowboard events will provide JPMS direct access to engage U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s large audience of Millennial and Generation Z snowsports fans with these exciting products through unique branded social, digital and broadcast assets, as well as direct-to-consumer opportunities within partner villages at U.S. Ski & Snowboard events. The JPMS event activations will also highlight the company’s commitment to anti-bullying, a cause JPMS champions.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is proud to partner with JPMS, a company that shares similar values of integrity, passion, community and excellence. JPMS not only provides the highest quality of hair care available but is also dedicated to making the world a better place. As the first professional beauty company to stand up against animal testing, JPMS’ commitment to caring for people and for the planet is something U.S. Ski & Snowboard is excited to be a part of.

“JPMS’ commitment to our athletes and events has been an outstanding asset for U.S. Ski & Snowboard for 20 years, so our partnership is very exciting,” said Dan Barnett, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Our two organizations share very similar values, and enabling the JPMS brand to engage with our young, aspirational fan-base is hugely compelling for all involved.”

“As a long-time partner of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, we are delighted to be back on the slopes with them for another season of impeccable style,” said JPMS’s Vice President of Lifestyle Sports, Julie Solwold.  “The passion U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes have to push the boundaries of performance and creativity through their sports aligns with our philosophy of encouraging individuals to celebrate their own unique style on their canvas of choice. We look forward to a fun and colorful season with U.S. Ski & Snowboard this year!”

PARK CITY, Utah ­– Ahead of the season-opening FIS Alpine World Cup event in Soelden, Austria, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing for ski and snowboard sports in the USA, has announced its new broadcast deal with Infront, a leading full-service sports marketing company based in Zug, Switzerland.

The new agreement takes the existing partnership between U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Infront, which first began in 1998, through to the 2025-26 season and includes the global broadcast rights, ex USA, for all of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s domestic Alpine Skiing, Ski Jumping (including Ski Flying), Nordic Combined, Snowboard and Freestyle Ski World Cup events. The portfolio of events includes the upcoming Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Killington, Vt. (November 24-25) featuring global superstar and double Olympic Gold Medalist Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) and the Beaver Creek Xfinity Birds of Prey, Audi FIS Ski World Cup (November 30 - December 2), featuring double Olympic Gold Medalist Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah). The global broadcast viewership for these events last season was approximately 91 million and 122 million respectively. Both Shiffrin and Ligety will be racing in the season-opening Audi FIS Ski World Cup event in Soelden, Austria October 27-28.

“We are delighted to lock in this rights deal with Infront,” said Dan Barnett, Chief Marketing Officer for U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Infront is an incredibly important partner of our organization – without them, we would not be able to showcase the extraordinary feats of our marquee athletes to the hundreds of millions of ski and snowboard fans around the world.”

Adding to Barnett’s thoughts is Bruno Marty, Infront Senior Vice President Winter Sports, who said, “U.S. Ski & Snowboard is a highly valued partner and everyone at Infront is delighted to have prolonged our long-term partnership. Our global audience has many heroes to cheer for and this renewed agreement means that they will have even more access to watch their favorite stars and U.S. events for years to come.”

PARK CITY, Utah - Clarity of avalanche warnings as well as lack of snow safety education and knowledge of the local ski environment by athletes and coaches were primary issues cited in a report detailing the 2015 avalanche deaths of two U.S. Ski Team athletes. The skiers had not seen avalanche warning reports so were unaware of the danger and unfamiliar with the nature of off-piste skiing at the European resort.

A comprehensive accident report was released Monday (Oct. 22) to the public and the avalanche education community by the Bryce and Ronnie Athlete Snow Safety Foundation (BRASS). The report will be used as a tool by BRASS to advocate for changes in snow safety warning systems as well as expansion of education to prevent future accidents.

The report was produced for the BRASS Foundation by noted avalanche safety expert Bruce Tremper, the retired director of the Utah Avalanche Center, and contains official reports of the Austrian agencies responsible for management of the accident.

Bryce Astle (Sandy, Utah) and Ronnie Berlack (Franconia, N.H.) were killed January 5, 2015. They were among a group of six athletes skiing on the Rote Karl run off the Gaislachkogel lift in Sölden. The athletes were in the resort west of Innsbruck attending an on-snow training camp. The morning of the accident, they were free skiing on the mountain after heavy snow forced cancelation of planned training sessions. The report outlines the fact that the athletes did not know they were skiing in an uncontrolled area of the resort and there was no English language signage.

“The accident was a great tragedy for our families and our sport,” said Steve Berlack, father of Ronnie and a ski coach himself. “But we are committed to using this accident as a platform for change so that something like this doesn’t happen again.”

The report outlines precise details of the morning, citing a variety of situations that led to the accident. With new snow, avalanche warning conditions were at Level 3 that morning, on a scale of five, indicating danger was ‘considerable.’ The report cited that the skiers and coaches did not have a distinct understanding of the danger level and that signage at the lift was not clear. 

“Our initiative from the accident is to improve snow safety culture,” said BRASS Foundation Board Chairman Jamie Astle, father of Bryce. “It’s a two-pronged approach for us. First, we will look at ways we can influence the avalanche safety community to improve warning systems. Second, we will advocate for greater avalanche education, especially for ski racing athletes and coaches.”

Since its formation in 2016, BRASS has been active in the avalanche education community. Last Spring, BRASS helped fund a series of three-day on-snow avalanche education sessions for U.S. Ski Team athletes and coaches at Snowbird, Utah, certified by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE). 

Earlier this month, Cindy Berlack, mother of Ronnie, lobbied avalanche safety officials at the International Snow Safety Workshop in Innsbruck, Austria. Over 1,000 snow scientists and safety managers were in attendance. Berlack was seeking an evolution of the warning scale used by resorts as well as universal multilingual signage standards.

In Sölden this week, officials will unveil new English-language signage across the resort as well as dedicating a memorial to the two athletes along the road leading to the Rettenbach Glacier race course where the Audi FIS Ski World Cup opens Oct. 27-28.

“The entire Sölden community has rallied around our sons and taken aggressive steps to make their mountain safer for all,” said Steve Berlack. “Cindy found a welcome reception by the avalanche community at the ISSW workshop. We already feel we’re having a positive impact.” 

BRASS and Sölden will hold a reception on Wednesday, Oct. 24 to announce the changes leading up to the weekend World Cup opener.

The snow safety foundation will continue its work in America this winter, notably on the educational front. A BRASS-produced film Off Piste, featuring a recreation of the accident as well as comments from noted athletes Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller, and Ted Ligety, will be released to the public in November. BRASS will also prioritize its efforts to bring more educational programs to skiers.

STAMFORD, Conn. – NBC Sports Gold, NBC Sports Digital’s direct-to-consumer live streaming product, launched “Snow Pass” today, giving fans access to live and on-demand domestic and international competitions of seven Olympic winter sports from October 2018 through April 2019. “Snow Pass” will feature an unprecedented 700+ hours – including nearly 100 exclusive hours – of coverage of FIS alpine skiing, nordic combined, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, biathlon, and snowboarding events. The 2018-19 “Snow Pass” is available for purchase now for $69.99 by visiting NBCSportsGold.com.

“Coming off the success of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, the appetite for winter sports coverage has never been greater,” said Portia Archer, Vice President, Direct-to-Consumer Services, NBC Sports Group. “Whether it’s the thrill of the downhill, the endurance of cross-country, or the majesty of the ski jump, we’re excited to give fans more content than ever before.”

A complement to the hundreds of hours of Olympic winter sport programming airing across NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, and their respective digital platforms [hyperlink], “Snow Pass” includes every remaining stop of the World Cup season for each of the seven sports, including exclusive live and on-demand coverage of many alpine skiing events, beginning Oct. 27. The pass also features live and on-demand coverage of the FIS World Championships, which take place every other year, from February–March 2019.

NBC Sports Gold holds the exclusive rights to all FIS events held in Austria and will stream the first FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup races of the 2018-19 season from Soelden, Austria, on “Snow Pass” on Oct. 27-28.

NBC Sports Gold is available on Apple iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Roku and online at NBCSportsGold.com. NBC Sports Gold is powered by Playmaker Media, NBC Sports Digital’s technology service which provides end-to-end support for companies in need of best-in-class live streaming and VOD solutions. Click here for more information.

Following is the schedule for NBC Sports Gold’s 2018-19 “Snow Pass” (organized by sport):

ABOUT NBC SPORTS GOLD

NBC Sports Gold is NBC Sports’ direct-to-consumer live streaming product that provides sports fans with access to exclusive premium sports events and content, live and on-demand, at an affordable price. Launched in 2016 with a single cycling product, NBC Sports Gold currently offers 11 individual sports “passes” – eight national (Premier League, Cycling, Track & Field, Figure Skating, Speed Skating, Rugby, Pro Motocross -- also available internationally, and Snow, which consists of seven Winter Olympic sports); two regional (Blazers and Philly); and two international (Notre Dame Football & Pro Motocross). In 2019, NBC Sports Gold will add PGA TOUR LIVE and INDYCAR. More sports are expected to be added soon. Among the premium events and content offered by NBC Sports Gold are 150 Premier League matches; the Tour de France and many more prominent cycling races around the world; USA Track & Field and IAAF Diamond League events; domestic and international figure skating competitions; every Gallagher Premiership Rugby match; the entire 2018 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship season; 700+ hours of seven Winter Olympic sports; and all Notre Dame Football home games for international fans.

STAMFORD, Conn. – NBC Sports will showcase 150-plus hours of 2018-19 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup programming, including nearly 90 hours of coverage on the Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, and more than 70 hours spanning NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, OlympicChannel.com, and the Olympic Channel app.

Additional FIS Alpine Skiing coverage will also be available on NBC Sports Gold – NBC Sports’ direct-to-consumer live streaming product – and the Olympic Channel digital platforms. Among the events exclusive to NBC Sports Gold are the season-opening races in Soelden, Austria on October 27-28. Further details will be announced Monday, Oct. 22.

U.S. Olympic gold medalists Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn, and Ted Ligety, as well as Steven Nyman, Travis Ganong, Ryan Cochran-Siegle and Tommy Ford headline the U.S. Ski Team in 2018-19. Vonn, a three-time Olympic medalist, is four wins away from tying Ingemar Stenmark’s World Cup record of 86 victories, which has stood for nearly three decades. The 34-year-old recently announced that she plans to retire following the season, whether she breaks Stenmark’s record or not. Shiffrin, who won gold in giant slalom at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and has three Olympic medals to her name, is the two-time defending overall World Cup champion.

NBC Sports’ 2018-19 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup schedule also includes events in Lake Louise, Alberta (Nov. 24 – 25, Nov. 30 – Dec. 2); Killington, Vt. (Nov. 24 – 25); Beaver Creek, Colo. (Nov. 30 – Dec. 2); St. Moritz, Switzerland (Dec. 8 – 9); Wengen, Switzerland (Jan. 18 – 20); and the FIS World Alpine Skiing Championships in Åre, Sweden (Feb. 2 – 17).

The season culminates with more than 15 hours of coverage of the 2018-19 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals in Soldeu, Andorra, beginning March 13.

STREAMING COVERAGE OF FIS ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide streaming coverage of the 2018-19 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup events airing on NBC, NBCSN and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.

All linear coverage on NBCSN will stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. All linear coverage on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA will stream on OlympicChannel.com and the Olympic Channel app, in addition to NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

Follow the latest Alpine Updates for broadcast and streaming schedules.