PARK CITY, Utah (Sept. 8, 2017) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard is partnering with Parents Empowered, a local media and education campaign, to help prevent and reduce underage drinking in the state of Utah. Both organizations recognize the important role parents and guardians play in educating their athletes and kids about the dangers of underage drinking and creating an alcohol-free environment.

Utah’s Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox joined U.S. Ski & Snowboard CEO Tiger Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Executive Vice President of Athletics Luke Bodensteiner, Park City Mayor Jack Thomas and other Summit County representatives at U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Center of Excellence on September 6 to officially launch the partnership.


Utah’s Lieutenant Governor Spencer Cox addresses media and community members at U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah.

“We are proud to support Utah’s efforts to safeguard all youth from the devastating effects of underage drinking,” shared Bodensteiner. “It is clear that today’s youth face many difficult challenges; if we can play a part in helping these kids reach their full potential, that is our goal and part of our mission. We take the same approach with our teams, ensuring that they’re given all the information and tools they need to perform and be Best in the World.”


U.S. Ski & Snowboard's partnership wiht Parents Empowered includes a series of statewide PSA billboards. 

As part of the partnership between U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Parents Empowered, several PSA video messages will be shared via social media and local broadcast television, with each video featuring a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team athlete sharing an important message about the dangers of underage drinking. In addition, the partnership will launch a series of related billboard and newspaper messages that remind parents to stay vigilant in keeping alcohol away from kids. Parents Empowered’s educational resources are relevant for all parents and will be shared broadly with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s membership.

For more information, visit parentsempowered.org.

You don’t necessarily need tickets—there’s plenty of free general admission viewing areas around the base of the Superstar Trail—but if you want the best views of the fastest women alpine skiers in the world, head over to Killington’s website and grab up your passes.

Last year, the tickets sold out in less than a day. This year, they go on sale on September 7, 2017 at 9 a.m. ET, and they’re expected to go just as fast. The Killington World Cup takes place on Thanksgiving weekend again—November 25-26, 2017.

A portion of the premier grandstand tickets and VIP tickets go to the Killington World Cup Committee, a fund created in support of the women’s World Cup benefiting regional youth winter sports programs throughout the northeast.

Head over to Killington’s website to see the ticketing options, and start dusting off your cowbells. Winter is coming soon.

The Women's Sports Foundation announced that Mikaela Shiffrin (Vail, CO) is a finalist for its 2017 Sportswoman of the Year award. Recent past winners of this prestigious honor include Ashleigh Johnson, Claressa Shields, Serena Williams, Carli Lloyd, Simone Biles, Missy Franklin, Yuna Kim, Candace Parker and Lorena Ochoa.

The athletes on the 2017 ballot – representing 18 sports and seven different countries – have distinguished themselves from the field with their record-breaking, historic and simply amazing athletic performances over a twelve-month period (between Aug. 22, 2016 and Jul. 31, 2017). Sportswoman of the Year award winners will be crowned at the Foundation’s 38th Annual Salute to Women in Sports awards gala on Wednesday, Oct. 18, in New York City. Fan voting for Sportswoman of the Year runs August 16-27 at sportswomanoftheyear.com. 

Vote for Mikaela Shiffrin for 2017 Sportswoman of the Year.

PARK CITY, Utah (August 7, 2017) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body of Olympic skiing and snowboarding, has named High West Distillery, Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, its new spirit sponsor. The partnership is set for three years, effective now through April 1, 2020, opportunely timed for U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboard Team and U.S. Freeski Team athletes to compete on the global stage.

Through ongoing digital, print and broadcast media campaigns, along with a number of special events throughout the year, the new partnership gives U.S. Ski & Snowboard and High West Distillery a variety of occasions to mutually benefit from each other’s joint promotions including a hospitality presence by High West at major international ski and snowboard events across America.  

“High West has become a very notable brand in the lifestyle of skiing and snowboarding and is an important complement to our lineup of global partners,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Commercial Officer Dan Barnett. “This is an opportunity to bring awareness to the already internationally known whiskey brand with whom we proudly share our Park City home.”

“High West has built its brand over the past decade among skiers and snowboarders here in Park City,” said High West Director of Marketing Justin Lew. “U.S. Ski & Snowboard provides High West with a unique opportunity to gain more global brand exposure.”
 

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is an Olympic sports organization providing leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders, 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. Established in 1905, U.S. Ski & Snowboard receives no direct government support, operating solely through private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to fund athletic programs to assist athletes in reaching their dreams. The organization is based in Park City, UT. For more information, visit ussa.org.

About High West
Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, High West's passion is crafting delicious and distinctive whiskeys and helping people appreciate whiskey all in the context of our home, the American West. High West offers an outstanding collection of highly rated whiskeys in finer liquor stores, bars, and restaurants in 49 states throughout the U.S. and internationally.

High West was honored to receive Whisky Advocate’s prestigious Distiller of the Year award in 2016. The ultimate authority on whisky said, "High West delivers innovative and delicious whiskeys, expands the definition of what it is to be a distiller, and pioneered a successful new paradigm for craft distilling."

High West’s must-visit locations include our High West Distillery in Wanship, Utah, a 30,000 square foot world-class distillery and visitor center featuring educational tours and High West’s unique country-western cuisine; and our High West Distillery & Saloon in historic Old Town Park City, the world’s only ski-in gastro distillery that was voted “Best Park City Restaurant” by readers of City Weekly. It has received multiple accolades including a nomination for Best Bar by the James Beard Foundation, and a top-10 ranking on The Daily Meal’s list of 150 Best Bars in America.

The Los Angeles Olympic Bid Committee today announced that it had reached an agreement with the International Olympic Committee for terms to hold the 2028 Olympics. It is subject to confirmation by the IOC in September. It is also subject to finalization of an agreement between the United States Olympic Committee and LA. 

“The Olympics coming to America is an asset for all sports – summer and winter," stated U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. "Congratulations to Los Angeles and the U.S. Olympic Committee for their work in bringing the Olympics to the USA.” 

For more information: Los Angeles Bid Committee Declares Candidature To Host Olympic And Paralympic Games 2028

To kick off U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s new partnership with Toyota, a few of Toyota’s NASCAR stars got the chance to train with U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes at the Center of Excellence in Park City.

Included amongst the NASCAR athletes were Furniture Row Racing drivers Martin Truex Jr. and Erik Jones, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Daniel Suarez, as well as Truex’s crew chief Cole Pearn and Jones’ crew chief Chris Gayle.

WATCH: NASCAR DRIVERS WORK OUT WITH U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD ATHLETES

“God, I hate working out,” said Truex before he started. “It’s so boring!”

Martin Truex Jr. snowboards on the simulator at the Center of Excellence in Park City. (U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

But Truex was proved wrong, as the workout included activities like skiing and snowboarding on a simulator with alpine skier River Radamus, doing stationary bike workouts with U.S. Ski & Snowboard strength and conditioning coaches, flipping on the trampolines with aerialists Ashley Caldwell and Mac Bohonnon, and cheering on nordic combined skier Bryan Fletcher while he performed a VO2 max test.

On their second day in Utah, the NASCAR drivers headed up to Park City’s Utah Olympic Park where they watched aerialists go off the water ramps, hiked to the top of the ski jumps with nordic combined skier Taylor Fletcher and—of course—drove a bobsled down the Olympic course.

Daniel Suarez slips with the help of Mac Bohonnon and Ashley Caldwell. (U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

Finally, they wrapped up their trip by going down to the Utah Olympic Oval where they learned to skate with Olympic speedskaters.

"Success!" said Truex after the two-day excursion into the Winter Olympic world. "Zero wipeouts."

Watch the NASCAR drivers learn what it’s like to train with Olympians in NBC Sport’s video here.

WATERVILLE VALLEY, N.H. (June 29, 2017) - Olympian Tom Corcoran, an early U.S. Ski Team pioneer and founder of the New Hampshire's Waterville Valley ski resort, passed away Tuesday (June 27) at his home in Seabrook Island, S.C. at the age of 85. Corcoran was one of the most decorated skiers of his era, moving on to become a pioneer in the ski industry and a longtime U.S. Ski & Snowboard leader. He was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1978.

Corcoran was born Nov. 16, 1931 in Japan and grew up skiing at Quebec's Mt. Tremblant. He went to high school in New Hampshire and later competed for the U.S. Ski Team at both the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. He narrowly missed a medal in giant slalom at Squaw Valley, finishing fourth.

In his career he won four U.S. titles, the famed Roch Cup in Aspen twice, Sun Valley's Harriman Cup and many other honors. After retirement he remained extremely active in the sport as a leader with the then U.S. Ski Association and the U.S. Ski Team Education Foundation. He was awarded U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Julius Blegen Award in 1991 for his lifetime service to the sport.

Corcoran graduated from Dartmouth College in 1954 and later earned a master's degree in business from Harvard. After retirement, he worked in Aspen before moving back to New Hampshire where he founded Waterville Valley in 1965. The resort opened on Mt. Tecumseh in 1966 with four chairlifts.

Corcoran's Waterville Valley also became a popular spot for politicians and celebrities, from the Kennedy family to New Hampshire's Sununu family. Over the decades he played a pivotal role in the American ski industry, also serving as a very active director and chairman of the National Ski Areas Association. He also played a key role in the startup of the recreational racing program NASTAR in the late '60s. He stepped down from management in 1999.

During his three decades managing Waterville Valley, it became a core resort for ski racing. The legendary Waterville Valley Black and Blue Trail Smashers were a central part of racing in New England, playing host to all levels of competition from kids and junior races right up to World Cup racing, playing host to 11 races. America's Julie Parisien made history at Waterville Valley in 1991 winning a World Cup giant slalom. The resort also played a pioneering role in the formative years of freestyle skiing, as well as in cross country as race site in the U.S. Ski Association's Great American Ski Chase.

"Tom Corcoran was a real catalyst behind the prominence of alpine ski racing when I was growing up in the 1970s and '80s in New England," said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. "He was the consummate visionary and volunteer for our sport - always looking at ways he could give back."

Corcoran's brilliant performance in the 1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley saw him come within six-tenths of a second from becoming America's first man to win a medal. His fourth place finish was the best for an American in giant slalom until Bode Miller won silver in 2002.

After his retirement from Waterville Valley, Corcoran and his late wife Daphne, an accomplished sailor, spent time at their home in South Carolina as well as sailing around the world. In 1999 Tom and Daphne completed a four-year circumnavigation of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea that covered 20,000 sea miles, with visits to 26 countries and over 200 ports of call. He remained an active follower of the U.S. Ski Team and an engaged advocate for the sport.

Daphne passed away this past February. The Corcorans left behind six children, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Information on services is pending.

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine (June 28, 2017) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced Carrabassett Valley Academy and Sugarloaf as the newest additions to its training partnership program. CVA has been designated as a U.S. Ski & Snowboard High Performance Center and Sugarloaf as a Team Development Site.

As a high performance center, CVA will collaborate with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Park City- based Center of Excellence and other high performance centers to share best practices in strength and conditioning, sport science and sports medicine. It will also serve as a site to host training and education sessions for U.S. Ski & Snowboard clubs in the region. CVA’s training facility, the Anti-Gravity Complex, boasts strength training venues, trampolines, an indoor skate park, basketball court, spin and yoga room, climbing wall and a variety of outdoor training sites.

“The connection with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s High Performance Team will be an invaluable resource for the school,” said CVA High Performance Director Shelby Downing. “It is a great advantage, not to mention huge inspiration, to be able to see U.S. team members in action in the gym and on the fields.”

Sugarloaf is a regular stop on the FIS NorAm Cup Tour and has hosted multiple regional and national championships as well as a FIS World Cup and Junior World Championships. As a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Development Site, Sugarloaf will provide on-hill training days for regional and national development projects and access for U.S. Ski Team athletes.


Multiple Olympic athletes have emerged from CVA and Sugarloaf's program, including (l to r) Kristen Clark-Rickenbach, Bode Miller, Emily Cook and Seth Wescott. (Getty Images)

“Since the FIS World Cup in 1971, Sugarloaf has been a proving ground for the nation’s top skiers and snowboarders,” said Sugarloaf General Manager Karl Strand. “From Bode Miller to Kirsten Clark and Seth Wescott, many of the country’s greatest athletes have cut their teeth right here in Carrabassett Valley, and we are honored to open our doors to the next generation of competitive snowsport athletes.”

“These partnership programs have provided hundreds of our regional and national athletes with the training opportunities they need to take their performance to the next level,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “The facilities at CVA and Sugarloaf will be invaluable resources for our national teams and local clubs as we prepare for the Olympic season and beyond.”

CVA and Sugarloaf join eight other resorts, academies and facilities that have established formal partnerships to support U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes. The training partnership program was formalized last winter and is available to U.S. Ski & Snowboard gold and silver certified clubs and resorts around the country.

PARK CITY, Utah (June 20, 2017) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard has named Toyota as the official automotive and mobility partner of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Teams, bringing the world’s top automaker together with America’s best winter athletes to achieve success at the upcoming Olympic Winter Games and beyond.

Toyota’s partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard began last season as it stepped in as the title sponsor of the U.S. Grand Prix, one of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s premiere event properties and the official Olympic qualification series for snowboarding and freeskiing. With the expanded partnership, Toyota will now have a presence across multiple U.S. Ski & Snowboard events, including the U.S. Alpine Championships and domestic World Cups across all sports. The company will also receive logo exposure on alpine, freestyle and cross country athlete uniforms.


Toyota is entering its second year as the title sponsor of the U.S. Grand Prix. (U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

“With a record number of digital impressions and TV viewers last season, U.S. Ski & Snowboard events continue to bring incredible value to our partners and are key in the promotion of our athlete and sports,” said Tiger Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard president and CEO. “Through its expanded partnership, Toyota is demonstrating confidence in its ownership of the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix and a dedication to supporting all of our national teams. We are looking forward to continuing to add value to this relationship.”

Commitment to advanced mobility, innovation and a passion for the outdoors aligns Toyota with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s organizational vision, and both parties are working together to grow the visibility of winter action sports. In the lead-up to the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, Toyota will also support some of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s top athletes, including U.S. Snowboard Team’s Chloe Kim and Hailey Langland, and U.S. Freeski Team’s Torin Yater-Wallace and Gus Kenworthy.


(L to R) U.S. Snowboard Team athletes Julia Marino, Jamie Anderson and Hailey Langland celebrate a USA sweep at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain. (U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

“Toyota’s first year as a partner of U.S. Ski & Snowboard was invaluable to us as a brand making its initial foray into the Olympic movement,” said Ed Laukes, group vice president, marketing, Toyota. “Adding the U.S. Ski Team to the mix for this season, especially heading into the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, is very exciting.”

The 2017-18 Toyota U.S. Grand Prix schedule will be announced this week at U.S. Ski & Snowboard Partner Summit.
 

ABOUT U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is an Olympic sports organization providing leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders, 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. Established in 1905, U.S. Ski & Snowboard receives no direct government support, operating solely through private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to fund athletic programs to assist athletes in reaching their dreams. The organization is based in Park City, Utah. For more information, visit www.ussa.org.

ABOUT TOYOTA
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to advancing mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. Over the past 50 years, we’ve produced more than 30 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.5 million in the U.S.) in 2015 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.

Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to assist more people move more places. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.