LAKE LOUISE, Canada (Dec. 4, 2016)  – Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) led four American women into the top 20 with a career-best 10^th-place finish in the first super G of the season at Audi FIS Ski World Cup.

“I am so thrilled,” said Wiles. “I had high expectations for the downhill and fell short. I had no expectations for today, but I knew that you had charge it hard, and that’s what I do best. So I just gave it my all and I’m very happy.”

Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) was 14^th, Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID) finished 16^th, from the 50^th start position, and Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO), who started 55^th, finished 20^th.

“You know if you cross the line with a good result, you know it’s going to end up as a good result,” said Johnson of her attack from the back of the pack. “But it’s also tough because you know that things are not stacked in your favor starting that far back. So you feel like you’re defying the odds.”

Switzerland’s Lara Gut took the victory after a 75-minute weather delay due to snowfall. The start was also moved from its original position, to the lower “Coach's Corner” start position. Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein was second, followed by Sofia Goggia of Italy in third.

Next up, the women’s tech team heads to Sestriere, Italy for giant slalom and slalom events Dec. 10-11. The speed team heads to Val d’Isere, France for downhill and super G events Dec. 17-18.

Breezy Johnson started 50^th and finished 16^th in the women's super-G. (Agence Zoom/Getty Images-Christophe Pallot)

“I’ve never been to Val d’Isere so that’ll be a whole different battle, as opposed to (Lake Louise), where I've been more than anywhere else,” Johnson said. “So it will be interesting, and I am really excited.”

Other American finishers Sunday included Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) in 34^th; Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA) 35^th; Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) 47^th; and Anna Marno (Centennial, WY) 49^th.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Jackie Wiles scored a World Cup career-best with a 10^th-place finish in Sunday’s super G.
• Wiles previous best World Cup super G finish was 29^th in Cortina, Italy in 2014.
• Breezy Johnson finished 16^th from the 50^th start position.
• Alice McKennis finished 20^th from the 55^th start position.
• Switzerland’s Lara Gut took the victory for her second World Cup win of the season.
• Mikaela Shiffrin leads the overall World Cup standings with 358 points.
• Gut is second in the overall World Cup standings with 330 points.

QUOTES
Jackie Wiles
I am so thrilled. I had high expectations for the downhill and fell short. I had no expectations for today, but I knew that you had to charge it hard, and that's what I do best. So I just gave it my all and I’m very happy.

I know it was going to be tough fight; it was going to be gritty and tough conditions. So knowing that going in, I just gave it my all, and that’s all I can do.

Breezy Johnson
I’ve been working hard summer and it’s really great to see it pay off when the pressure is on.

You know if you cross the line with a good result, you know it’s going to end up as a good result. But it’s also tough because you know that things are not stacked in your favor. So you feel like you’re defying the odds.

I’ve never been to Val d’Isere so that’ll be a whole different battle, as opposed to (Lake Louise), where I've been more than anywhere else, so it will be interesting and I am really excited.

RESULTS
Women’s Super G

VAL D’ISERE, France (Dec. 4, 2016) – After two days of speed, the tech guys were ready to go in Val d’Isere for the Audi FIS Ski World Cup giant slalom. Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) was the top American of the day, taking 11th place.

After a 46-year wait, France won a Val d’Isere GS in front of the home crowd with Mathieu Faivre taking the win after a spectacular second run. His teammate Alexis Pinturault was third and Marcel Hirscher of Austria second.

On perfect, grippy snow, the Americans stacked five racers into the points with Tommy Ford (Bend, OR) finishing just behind Ligety in 14th. Tim Jitloff (Park City, UT) was 18th, Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT) 22nd and David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) 27th.

Ligety, “Mr. GS,” is still coming back from an ACL injury that kept him off the circuit for a portion of last season. “I felt like I had skied OK, but the new trend of giant slalom racing is to set dead straight courses with super high speeds," said Ligety. "I haven't gotten comfortable with that yet and it makes me not ski my best and not be able to look for speed. Those top guys are skiing so fast that you can't be off and have the anchor down at all."

The men’s tech team stays in Val d’Isere to race a giant slalom and slalom next weekend.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ted Ligety was the top American in 11th place at a rescheduled giant slalom at Val d’Isere.
• Five U.S. men skied into the points.
• NBCSN will broadcast the giant slalom at 5pm ET.
• Next, the men race another GS in Val d’Isere on Saturday with a slalom Sunday.

QUOTES

Ted Ligety
I didn’t feel that comfortable to push that hard and it showed in the time. This is a great World Cup slope. It’s one of the better ones.

I felt like I had skied OK, but the new trend of giant slalom racing is to set dead straight courses with super high speeds. I haven't gotten comfortable with that yet and it makes me not ski my best and not be able to look for speed. Those top guys are skiing so fast that you can't be off and have the anchor down at all.

It's really neat seeing five of us in the top 30. It's a nice change from when it was just Jit and me for the most part. Tommy's been skiing great the last few weeks and Ryan has been skiing unbelievably, so it's great to see them skiing to their full potential and putting it in races. They're not just inching their way in and being happy in the mid-twenties, but actually throwing down second runs too. It's really cool to see.

Tommy Ford
They did a great job here and the snow was awesome. It was fun to have our team go for it. There’s a great crowd here. We’re all rooting for each other.

RESULTS
Men’s giant slalom

BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Sunday, Dec. 4
5:00 p.m. – Men’s GS, Val d’Isere – NBCSN

LAKE LOUISE, Canada (Dec. 3, 2016) – The American ladies stacked three in the top 15 on the second day of downhill in Lake Louise, led by Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) in seventh place. Friday’s top American Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA) was 11th and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO), in only her second Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhill, was 13th.

Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia wore a red bib marking her as the World Cup leader in downhill after a surprise win on Friday, and showed that the win wasn’t a fluke. She skied to victory again, ahead of Switzerland’s Lara Gut in second and Edit Miklos of Hungary in third.

Ross was happy with her result, pointing out the conditions that hindered racers starting behind her. “There was a lot of sun at the very beginning of the race and I think for every person, the sun was less and less,” said Ross. “But that’s ski racing. I got lucky… I’m happy with the result.”

Mikaela Shiffrin took 13th in her second World Cup downhill. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

While Shiffrin still plans to focus on giant slalom and slalom, she was excited to count two solid downhill results under her belt with an 18th place finish in Friday’s race. “I’m sure I’ll do another (downhill) this year,” said Shiffrin. “I love it, so I’ll for sure be back on the downhill circuit, but I have to keep sight of my real goals this season.”

After a great result in Friday’s race, Breezy Johnson (Jackson, WY) again skied into the points, taking 21st. Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO) and Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) also grabbed points, snagging 26th and 30th respectively. Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) was 34th and Anna Marno (Steamboat Springs, CO) did not finish.

A super G on Sunday will wrap up the Lake Louise speed series before the women head over to Europe.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Laurenne Ross was the top American, finishing seventh.
• Stacey Cook was 11th. Mikaela Shiffrin was 13th in only her second World Cup downhill.
• Next up, the women race a super G at Lake Louise to wrap up the speed series.

QUOTES
Laurenne Ross
It’s a bit of a crazy day today. There was a lot of sun at the very beginning of the race and I think for every person, the sun was less and less. But that’s ski racing. I got lucky, I started fifth. I actually came down in fifth, but only two people behind me beat me. It’s just one of those kind of weird days, but I’m happy with the result.

Mikaela Shiffrin
I was so excited for today! Yesterday, I executed everything on the course, but I wasn’t building speed. My only goal for today was to basically do the same exact thing, but try to get some flow going. I felt like I did that. I’m so excited because I’m like, that’s what it’s supposed to feel like! That’s cool!

I don’t know how many more downhills I’ll do this year. But just doing it at all and feeling that speed is an amazing experience for me. I’ll just try to lock that feeling away in my journal and see what happens the next time I do a downhill. I’m sure I’ll do another one this year, and just trying to keep that feeling and what the flow is supposed to feel like. I love it, so I’ll for sure be back on the downhill circuit, but I have to keep sight of my real goals this season. After the super G tomorrow, I have to get back into some training of slalom and GS and we go right into Sestriere. It’s sort of a tough schedule. We’ll have to hit the plane tomorrow and refocus.

RESULTS
Women’s downhill

BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Saturday, Dec. 3
8:00 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – NBCSN

Sunday, Dec. 4
1:00 p.m. – Women’s SG, Lake Louise – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:00 p.m. – Women’s SG, Lake Louise – Universal HD

VAL D’ISERE, France (Dec. 3, 2016) – Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) led the American’s in the first downhill of the season in 15th Saturday at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup.

Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud won for the second-straight day after taking Friday’s super G victory. Peter Fill of Italy was second. Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway, who was second in Friday’s super G, finished third.

An early November storm dropped upwards of three meters of snow on the top of the course in Val d'Isere. However, rain fell on the lower slopes during the same storm. Organizers were able to make enough snow on the lower slopes to host the event, but the conditions proved challenging for the racers, with extremely aggressive snow.

“The snow is super aggressive,” Nyman said. “You’re going from natural snow (up top), to really grippy (snow), to dense wet stuff and it’s hard to adapt.”

“It was just crazy,” added Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY), who finished 37th. “The snow was so much more aggressive than it has been over the past days. My skis were too sharp and I’m just happy to be down. I had a couple close calls.”

Other American finishers included Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) in 22nd, Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA) in 48th and Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT) in 56th.

Next up, the men race the second giant slalom of the season Sunday in Val d’Isere. Watch it in high definition live via NBCsports.com/live at 4:00 and 7:00 a.m. (EST).

HIGHLIGHTS

• Steven Nyman was the top American finisher in 15th.
• Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud won his 16th career World Cup with Saturday’s downhill victory.
• Jansrud’s second victory of the season moved him into the overall World Cup lead.
• NBC will broadcast the downhill Saturday at 5 p.m. EST.

QUOTES
Steven Nyman
The snow is super-aggressive. Up top they groomed it a lot...because there is a lot of soft snow. They did an amazing job because there received three meters of snow...but down here it was rain. So you’re going from natural snow, to really grippy, to dense wet stuff and it’s hard to adapt.

You can see a lot of the guys are getting caught up, kicked and high-sided, and it due to the snow conditions.

I wasn’t really active over a lot of the terrain. I was passive. It was just dumb mistakes, tactical mistakes for me. To know that I can still make those mistakes and still be as good as I am – great! But I have a lot higher expectations.

Andrew Weibrecht
I think the biggest positive is that I didn't kill myself today [laughing]. It was just crazy. The snow was so much more aggressive than it has been over the past days. My skis were too sharp and I’m just happy to be down. I had a couple close calls.

The course broke up quite a bit more. On the flats, there were ruts and grooves. During training, the course held up pretty well, but today, the snow really broke.

Everybody is still working out the kinks. It’s the first race series, so we’ll do it better next time.

RESULTS
Men’s Downhill

BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Saturday, Dec. 3
5:00 p.m. – Men’s DH, Val d’Isere – NBC

Sunday, Dec. 4
4:00 a.m. – Men’s GS1, Val d’Isere – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
7:00 a.m. – Men’s GS2, Val d’Isere – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
5:00 p.m. – Men’s GS, Val d’Isere – NBCSN

VAIL, CO (Dec. 3, 2016) — The annual Birds of Prey World Cup races at Beaver Creek may have been canceled, but a roster of America's finest World Cup skiers will be on hand Dec. 3 to honor one of the most talented surgeons in sports medicine history.

 “The Grateful Steadys” is the moniker of a loose confederation of grateful patients, athletes, Fellows, MDs, friends and fans brought together by a quartet of Olympic skiers to honor retired local orthopedic pioneer, Dr. Richard Steadman. Like many of their peers, the “Core Four”—Andy Mill, Cindy Nelson, Edie Thys Morgan and Christin Cooper-Tach — owe their careers, and post-career active lives, to Steadman’s interventions, and felt it was time for the skiing world to gratefully acknowledge the impact this one man has had on the sport.

The campaign launched a year ago with the commissioning of a lifesize bronze bust by renowned sculptor, Bruce Wolfe, and was followed by a robust grassroots fundraising campaign to the Steady faithful around the world. The response was immediate and overwhelming. With fundraising now complete, the campaign reaches its pinnacle on Saturday Dec 3^rd with the unveiling of the original bronze during a U.S. Ski Team alumni event, hosted at SaddleRidge in Beaver Creek.

The statue will reside in the Steadman Philippon Research Institute wing of the new Vail Valley Medical Center. Two identical replicas were cast – one to reside in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Center of Excellence in Park City, UT and the other in the Steadman residence.

Other Grateful Steady party elements include a tribute video (created by Vail’s Hayden Scott of Ee4KProductions) documenting Steadman’s career, with testimonials by champion skiers and patients. Many will be in attendance, with a select few speaking to Steadman’s impact on their lives and careers.

An award-winning innovator in the field of orthopedic sports medicine, Steadman became a legend for his pioneering approach, which got world class ski racers back on skis in record time and enabled professional athletes from nearly every sport to return to the playing field stronger than before.

In 1963, after earning his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Steadman went to work in South Lake Tahoe, California, as an orthopedic surgeon at Barton Memorial Hospital.  When he volunteered his services at a World Cup ski race in Heavenly Valley in 1973, a long and exciting relationship with the U.S. Ski Team began. 

Soon, he was pioneering significant improvements in post-surgical rehabilitation developing novel exercise protocols that shook the foundations of sports medicine.

In 1974, U.S. Ski Team star Cindy Nelson became the first elite skier to be treated by Dr. Steadman. Nelson would undergo 11 surgeries in her 14-year career, without ever missing a full season, winning Olympic Downhill bronze in 1976, along with a trio of World Championships medals and six World Cup races. Legions of U.S. Ski Team athletes coursed through Tahoe over the next decades, often taking up residence in the Steadman home, as revolutionary protocols were tested and proven sound, first on his living room floor, then out on the race courses.

Nelson, working as Vail’s Director of Skiing, and former Vail Associates owner George Gillett were instrumental in persuading Steadman to leave Lake Tahoe in 1990 with the promise of expanded research, treatment and training facilities in Vail.

Steadman has treated well over 22,000 patients during the course of his 40-year career in Tahoe and Vail. In addition to members of the U.S. Ski Team, the list includes such legendary athletes as tennis greats Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles and Billie Jean King, NFL Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Bruce Smith, musicians Judy Collins and Rod Stewart and global soccer sensations Cristiano Ronaldo and Lothar Matthaeus. Steadman became a consultant to the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies while serving as U.S. Alpine Chief Physician at nine consecutive Olympic Winter Games from 1976 through 2006.

Steadman’s internationally renowned advanced surgical protocols and innovations include: Microfracture, a procedure that repairs the damaged joint and encourages the regrowth of articular cartilage; Healing Response, an arthroscopic alternative to full knee reconstruction; and The Package, a collection of arthroscopic procedures performed in a single operation, for which Steadman received a research award in 2012.

Today, the Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI) in collaboration with the doctors of the Steadman Clinic, is known worldwide for its unprecedented clinical database and research into orthopedic injuries of the knee, hip, shoulder, ankle and spine.

As part of Dr. Steadman’s early vision, The Steadman Clinic and SPRI will be housed in the new 59,000 square foot Vail Valley Medical Center (VVMC) providing state-of-the art medical facilities and patient care as part of the community hospital’s multi-year renovation and expansion. This first phase, the west wing, will open in 2017.

Dr Steadman’s pioneering spirit, surgical prowess, revolutionary advancements and uncommon devotion to treating the whole patient, left a distinctive and lasting impact in the field of sports medicine, in the lives of everyday people and across many pro sports, particularly the U.S. Ski Team.

The December 3^rd tribute is a massive thank you from “Grateful Steadys” everywhere, in the ski industry, the medical community, and beyond. 

LAKE LOUISE, Canada (Dec. 2, 2016) – In the opening downhill of the 2016-17 season, Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA) was the top American in Friday’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Lake Louise, taking sixth place. Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) also snuck into the top 10, grabbing ninth.

It was an exciting race, as fans had presumed the race was won by Kajsa Kling of Sweden, who was winning for 10 racers after starting 17th. However, Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia and Sophia Goggia of Italy attacked from bib 28 and 29 to take first and second, respectively, thrilling the crowd.

Cook was excited about her finish in what she calls her favorite stop on the World Cup tour. “I’m really excited. Podium or not, I think I skied well today,” said Cook, who has three Lake Louise downhill podiums under her belt. “Our team is super fast right now. It’s a fun, competitive environment.”

Mikaela Shiffrin skied her first downhill World Cup. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

Though the results weren’t quite what the Americans were looking for after a strong training run Thursday, when the ladies stacked four in the top six, there were a few standout racers. In only her eighth World Cup race ever, Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID) finished just out of the top 10 in 11th place, her best-ever World Cup result. Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) made her World Cup downhill debut, finishing in 18th. And after two years off snow due to injury, Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) made her World Cup return, just missing the points in 31st.

“It wasn’t bad at all!” said Shiffrin, who got stuck in a long course hold after the athlete before her crashed into the netting. “I struggled a little with the course hold…but it was a clean run—cleaner than previous days. I’m sure we’ll see a couple things in video and then I’ll try and make adjustments for tomorrow. But right now, I’m alive and everything’s good!”

Breezy Johnson skied to her best World Cup result. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

Notably missing was Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), who has dominated Lake Louise throughout her time on the World Cup. Just last season, she swept the downhill and super G podiums, bringing her podium total in Lake Louise to 25.

Other U.S. finishers included Jackie Wiles (Aurora, CO) in 23rd and Anna Marno (Steamboat Springs, CO) in 48th. Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO) DNFed.

The women race downhill again Saturday before finishing the Lake Louise weekend on Sunday with a super G.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Stacey Cook had the top American finish, taking sixth at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhill at Lake Louise.
• Breezy Johnson had her career-best World Cup finish in 11th place.
• Mikaela Shiffrin skied her first World Cup downhill, finishing in 18th.
• Notably absent was Lindsey Vonn, who has podiumed at the Lake Louise speed events 25 times. She is recovering from a broken arm.
• Catch Friday’s downhill race at 7:30 p.m. ET on Universal HD.
• The women race downhill again Saturday before finishing the Lake Louise weekend on Sunday with a super G.

QUOTES

Stacey Cook
I’m really excited. Podium or not, I think I skied well today. There was maybe a little bit of a doubt earlier this week that I could throw it in there for a competitive run, so I’m happy with my personal performance. Also, it’s fun—our team is super fast right now. It’s a fun, competitive environment.

I love this downhill. I think it’s the most true downhill we have on the World Cup. We get going close to 130 kilometers an hour and the snow is amazing. The volunteers here work so hard and are all friendly. Over the 14 years I’ve raced this, I’ve gotten to know so many of them. It’s fun to have people cheering for you and smiling. This is my favorite stop. I’ve got to try and keep the momentum going as we move forward, but it’s really a treat up here.  

Mikaela Shiffrin
It wasn’t bad at all! I struggled a little with the course hold. It’s always a consensus when you get iced at the start, you’re like ‘oh no, not me.’ Being my first downhill, I started thinking about who went before me, what did she do, where did she fall, is she hurt, why is it taking so long, why do they have to send a forerunner—all these thoughts going through my mind. But I was like, just clear your head, pretend it’s a training run, no pressure. I certainly didn’t risk anything crazy. To be fast in speed, there needs to be a certain level of risk, and I know that. But right now, if GS and slalom are my main priorities this season, I certainly don’t need to be going crazy in a downhill in flat light and after I got iced.

It was a clean run—cleaner than previous days. I know there are spots I got pushed a little bit and I can be more solid, stronger on my outside ski, feeling the snow a little bit and being loose. I’m sure we’ll see a couple things in video and then I’ll try and make adjustments for tomorrow. But right now, I’m alive and everything’s good!

RESULTS
Women’s Downhill

BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)

Friday, Dec. 2
7:30 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – Universal HD

Saturday, Dec. 3
2:30 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
8:00 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – NBCSN

Sunday, Dec. 4
1:00 p.m. – Women’s SG, Lake Louise – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:00 p.m. – Women’s SG, Lake Louise – Universal HD 

VAL D’ISERE, France (Dec. 2, 2016) – Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) and Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT) brushed aside the disappointment of losing home field advantage by leading the U.S. to a seventh-place and 15th-place respective finishes in Friday’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup super G.

Norway took the top two spots on the podium with Kjetil Jansrud winning his 15th career World Cup. Aksel Lund Svindal, who is back after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Kitzbuehel last season, was second. Italy’s Dominik Paris was third.

Friday’s race was scheduled for Beaver Creek, CO. However, weather conditions forced the FIS to relocate the Birds of Prey events to Val d’Isere for the opening speed World Cup, where the men are racing for the first time sine 2007. Ganong’s result, his sixth career top-10 World Cup result, came from the 27th start position.

“Seventh place from that start position is a really solid result and I can build off of that. It’s a good way to start the season,” said Ganong, who was bumped from the top 20 on the start list due to a new start order, which allows athletes with 500 overall World Cup points to be slotted in after the first seed. “I kind of got screwed (on the start order) and I was pretty bummed out last night.”

Ryan Cochran-Siegle scored a career-best World Cup result in Val d'Isere, France (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alain Grosclaude)

Equally as impressive was Cochran-Siegle’s 15th-place finish, a career-best World Cup result, which came from the 61st start position. This was Cochran-Siegle's first World Cup super G since his injury in 2013, when he blew his ACL and MCL while racing the downhill portion of the alpine combined at the Schladming World Championships. Head Coach Sasha Rearick said this result is a "major, major success."

“Coming through the finish, it was a little hairy,” Cochran-Siegle said. “Sometimes you think you kill it, and sometimes you think you suck. And I thought I had more suck that run, but I guess I was just enough on the edge that I was able to put it in there.”

Other American finishers included Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) 18th; Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) 29th; Steve Nyman (Sundance, UT) 33rd; Brennan Rubie (Salt Lake City, UT) 34th; Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT) 50th; Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA) 53rd.

Next up, the first men’s downhill of the season is Saturday in Val d’Isere. Watch it in high definition live via NBCsports.com/live at 4:45 a.m. (EST).

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travis Ganong finished seventh to lead four Americans into the top 30.
• Ganong scored his sixth career top-10 World Cup super G result.
• Ryan Cochran-Siegle scored a career-best World Cup result in 15th. 
• Siegle's previous World Cup best was 20th at Lake Louise in November 2012. This was his first World Cup super G since his injury in 2013 at World Championships in Schladming.
• Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud won his 15th career World Cup with Friday’s super G victory.
• Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last year at Kitzbuhel, was second.
• The first downhill of the season is Saturday on Val d’Isere’s OK (Oreiller-Killy) course.

QUOTES
Travis Ganong
First race of the year, I had the pre-race jitters and was way more nervous than normal. But then it felt good to make that first turn and turn my brain off and just have some fun.

Seventh place from that start position is a really solid result and I can build off of that. It’s a really good way to start the season.

[On the new start list]
With the new start order, I kind of got screwed today because I was 20th on the list. But (Alexis) Pinturault has 500 points, so automatically gets 16th (start position). So I got bumped out of the top 20 and had to start 27th.

Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Coming through the finish, it was a little hairy. Sometimes you think you kill it, and sometimes you think you suck. And I thought I had more suck that run, but I guess I was just enough on the edge that I was able to put it in there. I wasn’t really expecting anything. I was just trying to send it down as hard as possible. If I make it down, then I’d be happy.

Andrew Weibrecht
I’m still trying to get into the rhythm a little bit. We haven’t trained a lot of real dynamic stuff lately, so it’s definitely a learning curve right now for me. But every day is a little bit better and I’m looking forward to the downhill tomorrow.

RESULTS
Men’s Super G

TV SCHEDULE
BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Friday, Dec. 2
1:00 p.m. – Men’s SG, Val d’Isere – NBCSN

Saturday, Dec. 3
4:45 a.m. – Men’s DH, Val d’Isere – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
5:00 p.m. – Men’s DH, Val d’Isere – NBC

Sunday, Dec. 4
4:00 a.m. – Men’s GS1, Val d’Isere – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
7:00 a.m. – Men’s GS2, Val d’Isere – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
5:00 p.m. – Men’s GS, Val d’Isere – NBCSN

VAL D’ISERE, France (Dec. 1, 2016) – It’s been a slow start to the season for the American Downhillers, with the cancellation of Lake Louise and a move from Beaver Creek to Val d’Isere due to unseasonably warm weather. It’s safe to say the men are anxious to drop into the OK (Oreiller-Killy) course at La Daille, Val d’Isere. Meanwhile, over in Lake Louise, conditions are looking supreme and the Speed Unicorns are looking even better, stacking four in the top six today, led by Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO).

This weekend’s TV coverage is highlighted by the men’s speed series in Val d’Isere, which will feature Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) as a color commentator alongside Steve Porino on NBC and NBCSN. The women’s speed series kicks off with coverage on both Universal HD and NBCSN. You can also catch all the action from both Val d’Isere and Lake Louise in high definition live via NBCsports.com/live.

Travis Ganong was the strongest American man during Val d'Isere training runs. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alexis Boichard)

The men are returning to Val d’Isere for the first time since 2007, so this is a fresh stop for many of the men’s field. They grabbed some free skiing on Tuesday to check out the lay of the land, and they like what Val d’Isere had to offer. After two training runs, it seems the Attacking Vikings and Italians are once again the ones to chase. Our neighbor to the north, Canada, had a strong showing out of Eric Guay in the final training run today, placing first. But don’t count out Austria’s Max Franz and Matthias Mayer.

The collaboration with the Norwegians born during the 2015-16 season continued into the 2016-17 season, so the American Downhillers have had the chance to train alongside Norwegian racers for summer prep period camps. Kjetil Jansrud and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde posted fast times in training runs, with Aksel Lund-Svindal to follow, still getting his bearings back after returning from injury.

Steven Nyman is hunting for a good result. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alain Grosclaude)

Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) led the way for the American Downhillers, finishing 10^th and ninth, respectively, in the training runs. Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) followed. The track is a good—and slightly familiar—one for veteran Nyman, and he believes it will also be a good track for teammate Ganong.

“We stopped racing it in ’07,” Nyman said. “The first couple of years that I raced it I always thought ‘this is a course I could do really well on.’ It’s more of a glider’s course and then it gets more technical in the middle and then there’s more gliding on the bottom. If I execute, I think I can do really well.”

Alice McKennis looked strong during training runs at Lake Louise. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

Over in Lake Louise, Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) has been dominant in training runs, winning the second training run, and placing fourth and sixth in the others. She loves the track this year and is hoping to translate this speed to race day. “The course is really fun this year,” noted Wiles. “It’s more of a charging course. There are a couple places you can really attack it and I’m feeling very confident in my skiing. Going into the race, I need to stay focused and not do too much—just do what I have been doing, stay focused and charge it as much as I can.”

McKennis continued the strong American showing by placing second in the third and final training run, leading four into the top six today. Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) followed closely behind McKennis in third, Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA) in fourth and Wiles in sixth. Mikaela Shiffrin, who is making her downhill debut, will be one to watch as she gets more experience on her long boards. Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID) also had a strong showing in training, finishing ninth yesterday.

Leanne Smith is making her comeback at Lake Louise (Getty Images-Mark Ralston)

The team is stoked to have teammate Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) back on the mountain, returning to World Cup action after sitting out two seasons due to injury. In a recent interview with Ski Racing, she said, “I think that getting myself into a race atmosphere and back into what I do best will be good for me—just to let everything go and not think about technique or the fact that I’ve been out two years.”

For the men, coverage begins with super G on NBCSN Friday at 1 p.m. ET, followed by NBC's coverage of the downhill on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. NBCSN will air the giant slalom Sunday at 5 p.m. ET. For the women, coverage begins with downhill on Universal HD on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by NBCSN's coverage of the downhill Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Universal HD will air the super G Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

CONFIRMED STARTERS

Val d’Isere—Men:
Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA) – SG, DH
Tommy Biesemeyer (Keene, NY) – SG, DH
David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO)– GS
Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT) – SG, GS
Tommy Ford (Bend, OR) – GS
Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) – SG, DH
Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT) – SG, DH
Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV) – GS
Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) – SG, GS
Steve Nyman (Sundance, UT) – SG, DH
Brennan Rubie (Salt Lake City, UT) – SG, GS
Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) – SG, DH

Lake Louise—Women:
Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA) – DH, SG
Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID) – DH, SG
Anna Marno (Centennial, WY) – DH, SG
Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO) – DH, SG
Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) – DH, SG
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) – DH, SG
Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) – DH, SG
Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) – DH, SG

Mikaela Shiffrin will be racing her first World Cup downhill. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Val d’Isere is replacing the Beaver Creek weekend with a downhill, super G and GS.
• Travis Ganong has been the strongest American man in downhill training runs in Val d'Isere.
• Jackie Wiles is poised for her potential first podium, after winning a training run in Lake Louise.
• Mikaela Shiffrin is making her Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhill debut.
• After missing two seasons due to injury, Leanne Smith returns to action in Lake Louise.
• Anna Marno is the 2016 super G National Champion and will be racing in Lake Louise.
• Ligety goes for the podium after a strong top-five finish in the Soelden season opener—his first race back from injury.
• For the men, coverage begins with super G on NBCSN Friday at 1 p.m. ET, followed by NBC's coverage of the downhill on Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. NBCSN will air the giant slalom Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.
• Saturday’s downhill on NBC will feature Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) as color commentator alongside Steve Porino.
• For the women, coverage begins with downhill on Universal HD on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by NBCSN's coverage of the downhill Saturday at 8 p.m. ET. Universal HD will air the super G Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

QUOTES

Steven Nyman
[On how he feels going into the first speed series]
The preparation period was great and we’re just chomping at the bit to get racing. It’s nice over here—soft and nice snow up top, turning into hard, bumpy stuff down bottom. There’s going to be a lot of variance from top to the bottom of the hill. That’s the thing that eats at you—I want to compete; that’s what I live for. I love the competition. I love testing myself and seeing what I’m capable of—and finally it’s going to happen this week.

[On the Val d’Isere track]
We haven’t raced this course in a long time. It’s the women’s course. We used to race this side. It’s a classic—it’s one of the old ones. We stopped racing it in ’07, and those first couple of years that I did race it I always thought, ‘this is a course I could do really well on.’ It’s more of a glider’s course and then it gets more technical in the middle and then gliding on the bottom. If I execute well, I think I can do really well.

Jackie Wiles
[On the conditions at Lake Louise and the track this year]
The course is really fun this year—it’s more of a charging course. There are a couple places you can really attack it and I’m really loving this track so far and feeling very confident in my skiing at the moment. Going into the race now, I need to stay focused and not do too much—just do what I have been doing, stay focused and charge it as much as I can. It’s been a great offseason and I’m really excited to start racing tomorrow!

[On being an Ambassador for the Lindsey Vonn Foundation]
I’m extremely grateful and I feel truly blessed to have Lindsey as a mentor. She’s kind of taken me under her wing, and really helped me a lot this summer in training. She looked at some of my video and helped me with my equipment. It’s made a huge difference so far and I am so lucky to have the best female skier in history in my corner wanting to help me succeed.

Alice McKennis
Today was a really nice day to finish up our final training run. It was beautiful weather—pretty clear today—so visibility was good. I think as a group we’re all feeling really good and strong and stable on our equipment. We all know this hill really well, so hopefully today’s training run is just a precursor to tomorrow. We’re all excited and getting ready to race! I’m really looking forward to kicking out of that gate tomorrow.

Laurenne Ross
I feel really good going into this weekend. My preparation has been strong, and I have a special connection with this place as I spent my youngest skiing years in these mountains. Coming back to this area in the Canadian Rockies puts me at ease; it makes me feel small and allows me to breathe deeply. I’m really excited to race, too! The conditions are great in Lake Louise this year. The start was moved down a bit due to snow, but the course is basically the same as every other year. There is a bit less terrain because the snow levels are so low, but the course still runs well and speeds will be up by race day. The organization and volunteers did an amazing job of getting everything together in time for us to race, considering the lack of snow. As a team, we are missing Lindsey and Julia, but it’s exciting to have Mikaela here skiing some downhill with us. Hopefully the weather cooperates and the races go smoothly—it’s going to be a blast.

Mikaela Shiffrin
I am confident, mainly just because of the way I stand on my skis. For the most part, I feel safe on my skis. I know how to handle what comes up, and so I never feel really crazy—which is good. With my downhill and super G skiing, it’s just about time and getting used to it, and linking together an entire run of aggressive skiing. I know I can do it—it’s just going to take a little bit of experience.

I always expect a lot from myself, but to be in a place where nobody expects me to win is really nice. I feel like I could use this mentality with my slalom and GS more, because I’ve been getting really nervous in the tech races and really worked up—wondering what’s going to happen if I don’t win. It’s not a great feeling when I go into those races. I’m much happier right here, without expectations and just trying to learn as much as I can. And that’s when I perform best—when I’m just trying to learn. So I’m just trying to use this mentality and take it with me the rest of the season.

Leanne Smith
I think that getting myself into a race atmosphere and back into what I do best will be good for me—just to let everything else go and not think about technique or the fact that I’ve been out two years. There’s no better time than to get back in the start gate and build the confidence.

BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Friday, Dec. 2
Men’s super G – NBCSN, 1:00 p.m.
Women’s downhill – Universal HD, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 3
Men’s downhill – NBC, 5:00 p.m.
Women’s downhill – NBCSN, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 4
Men’s giant slalom – NBCSN, 5:00 p.m. ET
Women’s super G – Universal HD, 6:00 p.m. ET

Live streaming available on NBCsports.com/Live.

BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)

Friday, Dec. 2
6:00 a.m. – Men’s SG, Val d'Isere – NBCsports.com - LIVE STREAM
1:00 p.m. – Men’s SG, Val d’Isere – NBCSN
2:30 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
7:30 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – Universal HD

Saturday, Dec. 3
4:45 a.m. – Men’s DH, Val d’Isere – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
2:30 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
5:00 p.m. – Men’s DH, Val d’Isere – NBC
8:00 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – NBCSN

Sunday, Dec. 4
4:00 a.m. – Men’s GS1, Val d’Isere – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
7:00 a.m. – Men’s GS2, Val d’Isere – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
1:00 p.m. – Women’s SG, Lake Louise – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
5:00 p.m. – Men’s GS, Val d’Isere – NBCSN
6:00 p.m. – Women’s SG, Lake Louise – Universal HD

Headlights pierced the morning fog that had settled into the valleys around the Green Mountains in central Vermont as thousands of cars twisted and turned en route to the mountain. In the pre-dawn darkness, nearly a thousand kids and their chaperones made their way to the Killington Ski Club building as clouds obscured the sun - nearly two dozen ski clubs gathering together. This was a special day for ski racers.

For the past 14 months, since the announcement that the Audi FIS Ski World Cup was returning to the Eastern USA, every mom and dad of a young ski racer in New England knew that on Thanksgiving weekend, they would be taking their kids to Killington.

It was a grey, misty morning in Vermont. But it was a day that would forge dreams of future gold in the minds of young boys and girls. As they marched proudly into Killington’s newly built stadium, their wide open eyes told the story. These were young ski racers from every corner of Vermont, about to experience the thrill of a lifetime.

The move by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association to bring World Cup ski racing back to the Eastern USA for the first time in 25 years was a calculated investment in kids. Giving thousands of ski racers an up-close view of their sport and heroes could have a profound impact on an entire generation.

Young ski racers enjoyed an up-close view of their sport and their heroes. (Pico Ski Club-Lucienne Horrocks)

In Saturday’s opening giant slalom, you could scan the crowd of over 16,000 and find every single set of eyes squarely focused on the race course – absorbing every bumpy rut with the athletes, heart skipping a beat as they knifed down the course.

“When the kids watch these races, what they see is Mikaela Shiffrin’s perfection and precision,” said the state’s youth racing program Vermont Alpine Racing Association (VARA) Director Julie Woodworth. “They have such a high regard for her – she’s a Burkie (Burke Mountain Academy) and from Vermont. And it’s also good for them to see that she was fifth and that’s OK.”

There’s something special about being part of a live ski race. You can feel the tension in the air. You hear the beautiful sound of skis carving a turn, or feel the agony as you hear them skid on the ice.

“It’s so much cooler to see it in person,” said 11-year-old Abrie Howe of the Mt. Mansfield Ski Club in Stowe. “I see them on TV but I had no idea how big a deal it was until I saw it in person.”

VARA racers watch their favorite athletes at Killington.

But it wasn’t just the racing – it was getting to meet athletes and see them as individuals.

“It’s so important to see them as real people,” added Woodworth. “These kids know that these athletes are at the highest level and they want to be close to them and soak up their expertise – even it’s just watching them walk by.”

In her ever humble way, Shiffrin takes on the role of hero in her own unique way.

“That role of being an inspiration for young girls is growing,” she said. “As more people tell me I inspire them, it also inspires me.”

But being a hero also has its challenges, which Shiffrin feels every time she steps into the starting gate.

“I’m generally not a confident person – I have a lot of self-doubt,” she said. “But I am generally a really happy person. Sometime these races get to me as I feel I need to be something special or I need the public’s approval.

Mikaela Shiffrin's fans cheer in the Killington crowd. 

“Today I tried to make the choice that I don’t need approval and that’s a message to all the young girls. You should ski for yourself, not for anyone else. I don’t care what people think about me. I’m doing MY thing and I’m a happy person. I love that and it’s a really special time for me to be back here ski racing.”

The athletes left a lasting impression on each and every one of the 30,000 fans who packed the stadium during the weekend at Killington.

“Mikaela’s focus, poise, humility and friendliness represent the very best of New England and our skiing community,” said Killington President Mike Solimano. “While she undoubtedly inspired the next generation of ski racers, she also inspired the entire Killington team, myself included.”

It all adds up to future gold. For young Abrie, she left Killington with many memories and new goals. “I feel like it would be really cool to be on the U.S. Ski Team,” she said, as she went outside to watch second run.

KILLINGTON, VT (Nov. 28, 2016) – Record crowds packed a snow-covered New England mountain venue over Thanksgiving weekend as the International Ski Federation’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup returned to the Killington ski resort near Rutland, VT for the first time in 25 years. With 30,000 spectators over two days, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) anticipates the event to have a significant long-term sport growth and industry impact.

The engagement of fans was greater than anticipated, comparable to the biggest crowds in the 50-year history of the alpine World Cup tour. The production of an eastern USA World Cup was part of a decade-old strategy by the USSA to grow awareness of alpine ski racing across America with a return to the most densely populated area of ski fans.

The event received a strong boost on Sunday when American Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) took her 10th straight World Cup slalom win.

“The success of Killington was the result of a strong partnership between the USSA, Killington and the International Ski Federation all aligned in a common mission to grow our sport in America,” said USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “By exposing 30,000 people to the sport in person, we’ve introduced thousands and thousands of kids to the excitement of alpine ski racing. It could have a profound impact on the U.S. Ski Team over the next decade.”

The last World Cup in New England was March of 1991 at New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley where American Julie Parisien, just 19, won the giant slalom. In Sunday’s finale at Killington, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) did the honors taking the win in slalom.

The USSA began its efforts a decade ago, looking for both a capable resort and an opening in the tightly packed FIS World Cup calendar. A schedule window opened in summer, 2015 with USSA acting quickly to bring Killington onto the global calendar. With a strong culture of alpine ski racing, Vermont provided an outstanding backdrop.

“Producing a World Cup is a huge undertaking especially in early season,” said Shaw. “We needed a resort with the existing ski area infrastructure, experienced personnel and passion for the sport. We found all of that in Killington and its parent company Powdr Corp. which did a world class job in producing one of the greatest women’s events in the history of the tour.”

Killington deployed over 160 snow guns to cover the Superstar race run and built an expansive stadium and village.

The impact of the event was recognized by the international federation, which has seen significant crowds at its three opening events in Austria, Finland and now America.

“Killington was a special event for ladies’ ski racing,” said FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis, who was on-site. “To have so many excited fans and youngsters was tremendous for our sport.”

While Killington has long been known as a major New England early season destination, the World Cup brought a significant branding boost with global broadcast to 16 nations—including live coverage in 10 countries—bringing the event reach to tens of millions. National broadcasts on NBC showcased the event across America. And over 200 news media were on-site to provide a barrage of coverage throughout the eastern USA and globally.

"It was a smashing success in the ski world,” said Preston Leete Smith, the founder of Killington. “Vicariously, this becomes one of the great moments in my life of skiing.”

The event created strong recognition of the Killington brand across America’s strongest skiing market as a lead-in to the 2016-17 season.

“The record-setting crowd, smooth race coordination and inspirational athletic performances throughout our first World Cup weekend have the entire town of Killington gushing with pride,” says Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain. “When you add up the record-breaking attendance at both days’ races and a healthy crowd of skiers and snowboarders on our open terrain, we had over 30,000 enjoying snow sports at Killington. That’s pretty impressive.”

Like many, Solimano was impressed with the performance of Shiffrin, as well as her engagement with fans – signing hundreds of autographs post-race at Killington Sports.

“Mikaela’s focus, poise, humility and friendliness represent the very best of New England and our skiing community,” said Solimano. “While she undoubtedly inspired the next generation of ski racers, she also inspired the entire Killington team, myself included.”

The USSA feels one of the most notable impacts from the event will be sport growth in the region where local ski clubs provide opportunities for kids through organizations like the Vermont Alpine Racing Association (VARA). Before Saturday’s event, nearly 1,000 young ski racers of all ages from nearly two-dozen regional clubs paraded into the stadium. Fans watched intently all weekend with youngsters mesmerized to see Olympic stars like Shiffrin showcase alpine ski racing.

The races were among 16 World Cup competitions scheduled in America this year at four resorts – Killington, VT; Beaver Creek, CO; Squaw Valley, CA and Aspen, CO with World Cup Finals in mid-March.

The event was sponsored by a strong lineup of a dozen national and regional partners who all reported strong activity at their on-site activation booths in the sponsor village, as well as significant online engagement through their social media channels. Vermont has a rich history in alpine ski racing, which helped attract a host of regional partners including Vermont Tourism & Marketing to complement national partners like Audi, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Putnam Investments, Coca-Cola and Rockin’ Refuel along with international partners Oschner Sport and Jack Wolfskin.

“Our partners knew this would be a unique event and that after a 25-year absence, the audience would be strong,” said USSA Chief Marketing Officer Michael Jaquet. “But crowds were even higher than expected, which is gratifying given our goal of raising the profile of the sport. Longtime partners like GoPro and Lagunitas reported some of their best on-site efforts ever. We saw the same with merchandise sales at both Killington and U.S. Ski Team brand stores on-site.”

SnowSports Industries of America (SIA) President Nick Sargent weighed in on the good the event did for the ski industry. “This event has the horsepower to engage the nearly 12 million skiers in the U.S just in time for the ski and holiday shopping seasons to begin,” said Sargent. “For the industry, this is a strong signal that the winter sport population is alive and well. After a poor winter in the east last year, the World Cup in Killington fuels the pent-up demand by winter sport enthusiasts.”

Officials from the USSA, FIS and Killington are expected to discuss future inclusion of the Vermont resort in the tour schedule. The 2017-18 Olympic year World Cup calendar will be approved this May during international federation meetings in Portoroz, Slovenia.

“Killington was a great success for our sport and will inspire thousands of young boys and girls,” said Shaw. “We look forward to discussing the future and how we can continue to help grow alpine ski racing.”

“I’m just so proud of the energy, teamwork and positivity that our staff and the entire community displayed,” added Solimano. “We won’t know for some time whether or not the World Cup will return to Killington, but we would absolutely welcome it back. I think our snowmakers, mountain operations, marketing and hospitality teams proved that they’re up for any challenge.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Audi FIS Ski World Cup ski racing returned to the eastern USA for the first time in 25 years over Thanksgiving weekend at Vermont’s Killington resort.
• A record 30,000 spectators packed the outdoor venue – one of the largest crowds in the 50-year history of the World Cup.
• Attendance was estimated at 16,000 for Saturday and 14,000 on Sunday.
• The event was part of a long-term initiative by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association to raise awareness of alpine ski racing in America.
• TV broadcast was carried to 16 countries, with 10 nations live including most key European countries and China.
• NBC broadcast across America.
• Over 200 news media provided on-site coverage.
• There is no immediate decision on long-term inclusion of Killington into the international calendar. The 2017-18 Olympic year calendar will be approved in May, 2017.