KILLINGTON, VT (Nov. 28, 2016) – One of the most prominent voices in ski sport, Peter Graves, was honored with the FIS Journalist Award during the Audi FIS Ski World Cup weekend at Killington. The award is presented annually by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and the International Ski Federation (FIS).

Graves is most known as the voice of ski racing, having served as a prominent sport announcer and television announcer for nearly 40 years. Growing up as an elite level cross country ski racer, he became known for both his editorial work in nordic sport as well as one of its leading sports announcers.

“Peter just brings so much passion to our sport,” said USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “Whether he’s calling the action on Birds of Prey or on Superstar here at Killington, or writing about his favorite nordic sports, he brings such enthusiasm and positive feeling, generating so much excitement about our sports.”

"Peter is a highly worthy recipient of the FIS Journalist Award,” said FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis, who was on hand in Killington for the presentation. “His extensive knowledge of the sport and each of the disciplines comes across loud and clear in his commentary and reporting. Peter's commentary is always a pleasure to listen to, in addition to communicating well-researched facts and figures about the competition, the course and the athletes."

Graves, who grew up in Bennington, VT, skied collegiately at Fort Lewis College where he began his career in radio news broadcasting. He began writing about the sport and grew his sports announcing and broadcast career quickly. He has served as either a venue announcer or broadcaster at nine summer and winter Olympic Games, beginning with a role with ABC Sports for the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. He is unique among FIS Journalist Award recipients in that his work – both commentary and editorial – has touched each of the USSA’s ski sports.

At the Sochi Olympic Winter Games, Graves served as an announcer at the Olympic Medals Plaza, as well as at ski jumping and alpine ski racing venues. He has also been a commentator for FIS World Championships in alpine and nordic skiing

“I'm deeply humbled in receiving this award,” said Graves. “Being honored by your peers means the world to me. From the moment I first heard Bob Beattie call the Hahnenkamm I dreamed of announcing ski racing. It was electrifying and still is today! In many ways I feel like I'm just starting out in my career. It still energizes me in a way that moves me to the core.

He was presented with the award during the Audi FIS Ski World Cup where he served as a stadium announcer, calling the action for 30,000 fans at Killington as Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin stunned the crowd with her slalom victory.

Graves is the 17^th recipient of the award that includes some of the sport’s most noted journalists.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Longtime journalist, broadcaster and sport announcer Peter Graves was presented the FIS Journalist Award for his lifetime of coverage of the U.S. Ski Team athletes and events.
• The award was presented by U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Tiger Shaw during the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Killington.
• The FIS Journalist Award is made by the sport's international governing body for career contributions to the sport. Selections are made by national ski associations on behalf of the FIS. Graves is now among a list of 17 journalists honored in America since the award began in 1996.
• Graves’ career as a journalist has spanned over 40 years, including nine summer and winter Olympic Games.

FIS JOURNALIST AWARD
U.S. Recipients
2016 – Peter Graves, Sport broadcaster and announcer

2015 – Steve Porino, NBC

2014 – John Dakin, Vail Valley Foundation (presented in Feb. 2015)

2013 – John Meyer, Denver Post
2012 – Jonathan Selkowitz, Photographer
2011 – Tim Ryan, NBC
2010 – Hank McKee, Ski Racing
2010 – Paul Robbins, Freelance Journalist
2008 - Mike Clark, Associated Press
2007 - Gary Black, Ski Racing
2002 - Peter Diamond, NBC
2002 - Joe Jay Jalbert, Jalbert Productions
2001 - Anita Verschoth, Sports Illustrated
1999 - Charlie Meyers, Denver Post
1998 - John Fry, Ski Magazine
1997 - Bob Beattie, ABC/ESPN
1996 - William Oscar Johnson, Sports Illustrated

KILLINGTON, VT (Nov. 27, 2016) – In front of a huge hometown crowd and her entire family, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) shone under pressure to win the Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom at Vermont’s Killington Mountain. Shiffrin’s win capped off a successful weekend in the east coast that will impact ski racing for decades to come.

Coming in as the odds-on favorite, Shiffrin had a couple of small bobbles in her second run, but put aside all the pre-race pressure to extend her first run lead and win by .73 seconds ahead of Veronika Velez Zuzulova of Slovakia to take her 21st World Cup win. Wendy Holdener of Switzerland was third.

“It’s been incredible,” said Shiffrin. “I knew it was going to be a big one and special, and I was so excited. It’s the east coast - I know this place and I know these people love to watch ski racing. I’m so proud that they all came out and really cheered that loud!”

Shiffrin soaks up the victory in Killington. (Agence Zoom/Getty Images-Alexis Boichard)

However, Shiffrin’s day ended on a high note on Killington’s Superstar Trail, as she came through the finish and uncharacteristically celebrated when she saw the number 1 next to her name. Her whole family was there to watch, while she was particularly excited about skiing in front of her grandmother for the first time ever. “The fact that my nana was able to watch this race is amazing,” said Shiffrin. “I can’t put that into words. The proudest I’ve ever been is winning this race in front of my nana.”

Shiffrin celebrates the win with her nana at Killington (USSA-Reese Brown)

Sunday’s crowd was equal to Saturday’s 16,000 fans, bringing the total to more than 30,000 fans in total to attend the Killington World Cup—the first World Cup in the east coast in 25 years. Every kid was smiling, as they waved flags and asked for autographs from their favorite skiers. “It was incredible,” said Shiffrin. “Today you could peak over the break in the hill and see everybody. I could hear them chanting USA before my run. In these kinds of races, the crowd totally carries me down the hill.”

Shiffrin, Veronika Velez Zuzulova (left) of Slovakia and Wendy Holdener of Switzerland on the podium in Killington, Vermont. (Agence Zoom/Getty Images-Alexis Boichard)

U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Tiger Shaw was also present at the race. “This event at Killington will have a lasting impact on this sport for a decade or more to come,” said Shaw. “The excitement and the motivation that this will generate for kids in New England in insurmountable and will help grow the profile of alpine skiing in the country.”

Next up, the women head to Lake Louise for a speed series Dec. 2-4.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Mikaela Shiffrin won the Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom at Killington Mountain by .73 seconds.
• Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) finished 17th. Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV) and Megan McJames (Park City, UT) did not qualify for a second run. Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO) and Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY)—who were racing their first slalom World Cup—did not finish first run.
• More than 30,000 people attended both races at Killington Mountain.
• Next, the women’s team heads to Lake Louise, Canada for a speed series Dec. 2-4.

QUOTE
Mikaela Shiffrin
It’s been incredible. Racing in front of the east coast has been an emotional high for me. Then there’s been the pressure side of things—I put a lot of pressure on myself. I’ve been performing so well in slalom and I knew I had a great chance of winning the slalom here. I woke up this morning, though, and I had a bad feeling about today. I went through a moment where I was thinking maybe I shouldn’t do this. I was so worked up and nervous and worried about the wrong thing. It wasn’t very enjoyable until the second run—the fight I put into the course and staying in the course even after making some bobbles here and there. I hope I looked like I wanted to ski fast because that was what my goal was. I’m still looking to put my best training skiing into a race.

I think that role of being an inspiration for younger girls is growing. As more people tell me that I inspire them, I start to inspire myself more as well. I’m not the most confident person—I tend to have a lot of self-doubt, but I’m generally a really happy person. Sometimes these races get to me. I feel like I have to be something special or different or get someone else’s approval—the crowd, the media. Today, I tried to make the choice that I don’t need approval. That’s the message to these young girls that’s more important than my skiing. I ski for myself, not for anybody else.

I work my tail off. Everybody does. All these girls are trying to beat me. But I’m not even close to my best skiing. I’m doing my thing and I’m a happy person. It’s great to be back here and get a breath of that freshness.

A lot of my family was watching at World Champs at Vail/Beaver Creek, but my nana didn’t come to those. My entire family lives in the east coast. We had a big group of people here. I got to see them for Thanksgiving, which was incredible. They all say they had a good time—to be honest the fact that my nana was able to watch this race is amazing. I can’t put that into words. The proudest I’ve ever been is winning a race in front of my nana. The best part about it is that she doesn’t care whether I win or lose. She might not even remember! She doesn’t care—she loves me. Thanks nana for your unconditional love and your incredible pies.

It was incredible. I heard there were 16,000 people up there yesterday. Especially in slalom, you can see the crowd from the start. Today you could peek over the break in the hill and see everybody. I could hear them in the start chanting "USA!" before my run. I love that. In these kinds of races, the crowd totally carries me down the hill.

I knew it was going to be a big crowd. The tickets sold out in 24 hours back in the springtime. So people were so excited to watch us race. I knew it was going to be a big one, and special, and I was so excited. It’s the east coast, I know this place, I know these people love to watch ski racing. I’m so proud that they all came out and really cheered that loud!

RESULTS
Women’s slalom

KILLINGTON, VT (Dec. 26, 2016) – 16,000 fans showed up at Vermont's Killington Mountain to watch the best giant slalom skiers in the world race their home hill of Superstar. With one of the largest women's alpine racing crowds in the history of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup, the noise was deafening, with people driving from far and wide to cheer on their heroes at the first World Cup in the east coast in 25 years. Delighting the crowd, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) grabbed fifth place and spent hours signing autographs for aspiring athletes after her race.

The day opened with clear, warm weather, but it got steadily colder as precipitation and fog rolled in throughout the day. The track was rough with bumpy conditions due to the wet weather. Tessa Worley of France was first, with first-run leader Nina Loeseth of Norway in second and Sofia Goggia of Italy in third.

Fans celebrate at the Killington World Cup. (U.S. Ski Team - Tom Kelly)

Sitting in eighth after first run, Shiffrin threw down a solid second run to take fifth overall. “I’m happy with my second run and I’m taking steps forward,” said Shiffrin. “I’m happy to finish another GS. Last year my DNF rate was like 100 percent in GS races. I’m happy to have scored some points and I can build off of that.”

But the talk of the day was the crowd size. Fans streamed into the venue in droves. Even as the weather worsened throughout the afternoon, the crowd seemed to get louder and louder. Athletes from all countries stated how cool it was to see the number of ski racing fans, including Shiffrin, who went to nearby Burke Mountain Academy. “It’s amazing,” said Shiffrin. “The crowd is awesome—so many people and we’re all so excited about it.”

Mikaela Shiffrin skis the GS at Killington. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alexis Boichard)

Although they didn’t qualify for a second run, Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO) and Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY) started their first World Cup in Killington, and Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) skied her first World Cup giant slalom.

“Julia Mancuso had a talk with us girls a few days ago and she was super supportive and told us to go for it—set your goals high and don’t leave anything behind,” said O’Brien. “I grew up skiing at Squaw Valley, but I went to Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont. I was super excited when I found out about (the Killington World Cup). The crowd is awesome—it makes your heart beat a little faster.”

Next up, the women race slalom Sunday with Shiffrin entering the field as the heavy favorite after winning the Levi slalom two weeks ago. “With slalom, I feel like most hills play to my strengths,” said Shiffrin, addressing the tough Killington hill. “It’s just about doing my best to put my training skiing out there. I’ve been training really well—a lot better than I even skied in Levi. I’ll be very disappointed if I can’t put that skiing out there.”

Tomorrow’s race will be live streamed on nbcsports.com and broadcast on NBC at 3 p.m. ET.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Mikaela Shiffrin took fifth in the Killington giant slalom.
• It was the first World Cup in the east coast in 25 years.
• Giant slalom favorite Lara Gut of Switzerland did not finish first run.
• Nina O’Brien, Megan McJames (Park City, UT) and Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) also did not qualify for a second run. Alice Merryweather and Patricia Mangan did not finish first run.
• The women race slalom on Sunday. Stream the slalom on nbcsports.com and watch the broadcast of the race at 3 p.m. ET.

TV SCHEDULE 
Sunday, Nov. 27 – women’s slalom – NBC, 3:00 p.m. ET Live streaming available on nbcsports.com. 

QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
I’m happy with my second run and taking steps forward. One of these days, I’m going to ski some fast GS. I’m happy to finish another GS. Last year, my DNF rate was like 100 percent in GS races. I’m happy to have scored some points and I can build off of that.

It’s amazing. The crowd is awesome—so many people and we’re all so excited about it. I’m fired up for tomorrow. I’m going to take a minute and reevaluate what’s going on with my GS and why I can’t seem to put my training skiing into the race. A lot of girls are really fast and pushing really hard and they all want to win just as badly as I do. I have to start skiing like I want to win.

In the morning, I definitely had nerves. In the afternoon, I was more pissed off, which seemed to help. I have to find my flow. When I’m a little nervous in the slalom, I can find some energy from the turn. In GS, my timing gets off. I totally miss the pressure and it’s just getting really frustrating.

Second run held up better than first run looked like. I didn’t feel like I was getting bounced around too much, but it’s not your perfect hard snow, that’s for sure. It seemed like the course held up better.

With slalom, I feel like most hills play to my strengths. It’s just about doing my best to put my training skiing out there. I’ve been training really well—a lot better than I even skied in Levi. I’ll be very disappointed if I can’t put that skiing out there.

Nina O’Brien
It was a wild ride, but it was fun. The crowds are huge here. Julia Mancuso had a talk with us girls a few days ago and she was super supportive and told us to go for it—set your goals high and don’t leave anything behind. I grew up skiing at Squaw Valley, but I went to Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont. I was super excited when I found out about (the Killington World Cup). The crowd is awesome—it makes your heart beat a little faster.

RESULTS
Women's slalom

DON’T FORGET: Make sure to follow the U.S. Ski Team’s #beastworldcup adventures via Snapchat (usskiteam), Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

KILLINGTON, VT (Nov. 24, 2016) – The athletes are en route to #beastworldcup, and the excitement has been steadily building to what will be one of the biggest events of the season – the first Audi FIS Ski World Cup to make its way east in 25 years. One of New England's premier resorts, Killington Mountain, is primed to play host to the best skiers in the world this weekend, and Superstar will be the big stage.

The big question everyone is asking is who will be crowned “Superstar” in Killington? Will Olympic and World Champion Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) stand upon the top step of the podium…twice? Will Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter redeem herself after skiing out in Levi and put up a show against Shiffrin in slalom on Sunday? Will Switzerland’s Lara Gut and Slalom Tokyo Drift go on their highly anticipated “Gondola and Chill” date? So much anticipation. Time will tell. One thing we can be sure of is that it’s an even playing field for these ladies, never having raced Superstar at Killington before. What can we expect?

Shiffrin races to a win in Levi earlier this season. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

“I’ve skied Killington, but I haven’t actually skied Superstar,” noted Shiffrin. “I don’t know the hill. I’ve heard that it starts steep—it has some false flats so you think you’re in the clear but you’re not. It’s going to be tough, that’s what I know about it. I’m excited for the challenge of the hill. I’m excited to go to a new venue that nobody’s ever been to.” She’s not the only one who feels this way.

Two-time Olympian Resi Stiegler is equally excited to ski a new track. “It's so exciting and lively,” said Stiegler. “It’s a huge deal to have this many World Cups in the U.S. and to be in such a place where everyone is able to travel and attend and be this excited is awesome. It makes it a lot of fun to feel the energy and to have people this happy about it.” Be sure to keep an eye on Stiegler in the finish—her energy is palpable and she’ll be sure to bring the crowd to their feet.

Resi Stiegler skis to 16th at the Levi slalom. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)

Of course, Thanksgiving is on our American athletes’ minds and many of them are stoked to be able to spend time with their families this week, both on and off the hill. At just 17 years old—the youngest of the U.S. crew starting this weekend—Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA) said, “This is an amazing opportunity. Racing a World Cup is something I’ve been working for my whole life—since I was five years old and started ski racing—it’s been there in the back of my mind. To be able to do it in the U.S. is just incredible. My family is going to be there, and I’m really excited for it.”

Cashman isn’t alone. Other fresh faces include Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY), Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) and Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO)—who all have east coast ties. They’ve been skiing fast in training, and look forward to bringing the heat to the big stage.

As of Wednesday, the U.S. Ski Team had confirmed eight starters for Killington, featuring Shiffrin, who won her ninth straight—and 20th career—World Cup slalom recently in Levi. Shiffrin has a strong chance to medal in both disciplines in front of a hometown crowd. “I like the feeling of competing at home,” Shiffrin said. “I always have…even if there’s added pressure, sometimes I feel that—but I feel like the crowd is really cheering for me and the U.S. Just as long as you put your heart into it, the crowd is going to be psyched.”

Nina O'Brien (pictured racing in the 2016 U.S. Alpine Champs) will be making her World Cup debut in Killington. 

Come cheer on the U.S. Ski Team. Free spectator viewing areas will be available this weekend at Killington for the giant slalom Saturday and slalom Sunday. NBC will cover both the women's giant slalom on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET and the women’s slalom on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET. You can also catch all the action streaming live on nbcsports.com

CONFIRMED KILLINGTON STARTERS
Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA) ) – SL*
Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV) ) – SL
Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY) – GS*
Megan McJames (Park City, UT) – GS & SL
Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) – GS**
Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO) – GS & SL*
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) – GS & SL
Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) – GS & SL

*denotes first World Cup start
**denotes first World Cup GS

Patricia Mangan (pictured racing in the 2016 U.S. Alpine Champs) will be making her World Cup debut in Killington. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• In the debut of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup to Killington Mountain Resort, the U.S. Ski Team has confirmed eight women to start in this weekend’s giant slalom and slalom events.
• This is the first Audi FIS Ski World Cup on the east coast in 25 years.
• Olympic and World Champion Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) will be battling the reigning World Cup overall champion, Switzerland’s Lara Gut, for the top step on the podium in giant slalom, and reigning slalom title holder Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter in slalom.
• Shiffrin placed second—behind Gut—in the World Cup giant slalom opener in Soelden, Austria, and first at the slalom opener in Levi, Finland.
• Shiffrin won all five of the slalom races she competed in during the 2016 season, and she did it by a combined time of 10.56 seconds—a 2.11-second average margin of victory. She won her ninth straight and 20th career World Cup slalom recently in Levi.
• Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) skied the eighth-fastest second run in Levi and grabbed 16th place. She’ll be gunning for a top five in Killington.
• Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV) is one to watch this weekend—she skied a smokin'-fast two top splits in Levi that had her positioned for a top-20 finish before she made a mistake over the pitch.
• Megan McJames (Park City, UT) will look to score points this weekend on home turf. In 2016, she won the NorAm Overall title, which qualifies her for her own start in every World Cup. She’ll be starting both giant slalom and slalom this weekend.
• This will be the World Cup debut for three young and promising U.S. Ski Team athletes including Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA), Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY) and Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO). O'Brien was the surprise 2015 giant slalom national champion in Sugarloaf, Maine.
• Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) will also make her World Cup tech debut. In 2016, Merryweather skied her World Cup speed debut with downhill in Altenmarkt, Austria.
• At just 17 years old, the youngest of the crew, Cashman grabbed second place in slalom at the National Junior Championships at Copper Mountain, CO in 2016.
• NBC will cover both the women's giant slalom on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET and the women’s slalom on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET. Live streaming of both races will be available on nbcsports.com.

QUOTES

Mikaela Shiffrin
I’ve skied Killington, but I haven’t actually skied Superstar. I don’t know the hill. I’ve heard that it starts steep—it has some false flats so you think you’re in the clear but you’re not—it’s going to be tough, that’s what I know about it. I’m excited for the challenge of the hill. I’m excited to go to a new venue that nobody’s ever been to. I feel like it’s going to be an even playing field. I like the feeling of competing at home. I always have…even if there’s added pressure, sometimes I feel that—but I feel like the crowd is really cheering for me, and the U.S. Just as long as you put your heart into it, the crowd is going to be psyched. I haven’t raced back east in so long—that was a huge part of building my fundamentals in my skiing was racing the east coast—and it’s such a tight-knit community. The region that I raced in was northern Vermont—it’s tiny, and that’s cool. I think I’m going to get that feeling back from being there, and seeing my friends from Burke. It’s going to feel like racing at home again.

Resi Stiegler
It's so exciting and lively. It’s a huge deal to have this many World Cups in the U.S. and to be in such a place where everyone is able to travel and attend and be this excited is awesome. It makes it a lot of fun to feel the energy and to have people this happy about it. I am excited for a new track as well. I think it's going to be a really good weekend!

Lila Lapanja
I love skiing on unknown tracks especially when it's a new experience for everyone. The mystery gives me a sense of adventure and since there are no previous results or memories to latch onto, it feels like a fresh start to racing! Clean plate, even field. Can't wait.

Alice Merryweather
It’s so exciting that I’m going to be racing Killington. It’s pretty surreal. I was hoping to be racing some tech World Cups this year, but I wasn’t really sure it would happen or not. The fact that it’s happening and I get to race at Killington in front of a home crowd—it’s just going to be really cool. It means so much to me to have a World Cup back in the east coast – to have a World Cup 20 minutes from where I went to high school. My whole family can come, my friends will be there—I think the atmosphere is going to be amazing and I’m really looking forward to it.

Keely Cashman
Killington is an amazing opportunity. Racing a World Cup is something I’ve been working for my whole life—since I was five years old and started ski racing—it’s been there in the back of my mind. To be able to do it in the U.S. is just incredible. My family is going to be there and I’m really excited for it. I think it’s important to have teammates that can push each other to do better, and that you can talk about things with. We’re just really close—to be there with Nina and Trish and Alice is going to be really amazing.

Nina O’Brien
I am so excited to make my World Cup debut at Killington. I think starting your first World Cup is probably something every ski racer dreams about and thinks about, so earning the spot in both GS and slalom is something I’m really excited and happy about. To have the race at home in the U.S., but in Killington on the east coast in Vermont where I went to high school at Burke is exciting. I’ve actually raced on the trail before—once when I was a U16—so I have some good memories there. I think it’s going to be pretty fun to share my first World Cup with my teammates. We have a really good team and we’re competitive, but we’re great friends and we really push each other in training. So I think to be able to do this together is going to bring us closer and lift the team up, and push us all to hopefully race in more World Cups together.

Patricia Mangan
Obviously making my World Cup debut is something in and of itself—but to be able to do it in front of U.S. fans and on the east coast, where a lot of my friends and family can watch and see and take part in is something is super cool and I’m really excited for. There’s some phenomenal skiing on the east coast—definitely tricky, hard, technical hills—and I think it’s great that the east coast has finally gotten the World Cup back. I’m super glad there’s enough snow and I’m super happy I’ll be able to race it!   

TV SCHEDULE
Saturday, Nov. 26 – women’s giant slalom – NBC, 3:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, Nov. 27 – women’s slalom – NBC, 3:00 p.m. ET

Live streaming available on nbcsports.com.

COME HANG WITH US: On Saturday, Nov. 26th, from 4-5pm, U.S. Ski Team athletes will be signing autographs from 4:00-5:00 p.m. at the Mahogany Ridge Pub. Check out the full event schedule.

DON’T FORGET: Make sure to follow the U.S. Ski Team’s #beastworldcup adventures via Snapchat (usskiteam), Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 23, 2016) – The 2017 U.S. Alpine Ski Team has officially been announced and is headlined by Olympic medalists Bode Miller (Franconia, NH), Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO), Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY).

The season commenced with the U.S. Ski Team’s annual Copper Mountain, CO training camp at the U.S. Ski Team’s Speed Center. With a little help from Mother Nature in the form of a storm that served up six inches of snow on Thursday, the Speed Center is now open from top to bottom. When fully operational, it is the only full-length downhill training facility open anywhere in the world this time of year.

The Team kicked off the season to coincide with Copper Mountain’s opening weekend, as Copper Mountain hosted the Putnam Investments NASTAR Pacesetting Trials, followed by an autograph signing in the afternoon that attracted hundreds of alpine ski racing fans eager to see stars like Mancuso and Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) and up-and-comers such as Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA), Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY) and Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO)—who will all be starting in their first-ever World Cup in Killington, Vermont. The athletes will finish the season with a women's Audi FIS Ski World Cup giant slalom and slalom at Squaw Valley in March, just prior to the 2017 Audi FIS World Cup Finals at Aspen Snowmass.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The 2017 U.S. Alpine Ski team was officially announced on Nov. 23. The season officially kicked off with the Putnam Investments NASTAR Pacesetting Trials and a Team autograph signing on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Copper Mountain, CO – home of the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center.
• Olympic medalists Bode Miller (Franconia, NH), Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO), Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) were among 50 athletes named to the 2015 A, B, C, Development and National University Teams.
• Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) suffered an injury in a training crash on Nov. 11 at the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain, CO. There was no immediate determination as to how long she would be out of action.
• The team is coming off a 2016 season that saw Miller, Mancuso, Vonn, Shiffrin and Ligety each sitting on the sidelines for portions of time.
• Despite her injury, Vonn secured her eighth downhill title, surpassed Ingemar Stenmark’s previous World Cup title record with 20 and broke Annemarie Moser-Proell’s previous downhill victory record of 36, with a total of 38 career downhill victories.
• Though Shiffrin sat on the sidelines for a portion of the 2016 season, she won all five of the slalom races she competed in, and did it by a combined time of 10.56 seconds—a 2.11-second average margin of victory.
• Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) nailed consistency in a big way in 2016 with a steady and impressive climb to find her home on the podium once again. Ross amassed 14 top-15 finishes, nine top-10 finishes and five top-five finishes—across three disciplines.
• After hip surgery in 2016, Mancuso has been forging a strong path to recovery and was on snow with the team in New Zealand and Copper Mountain with a return to competition date still TBD.
• Miller has appeared at on-snow training camps in both Portillo, Chile and Copper Mountain, CO with the team, though his return to competition date is still TBD. 
• Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) comes off of a season in which he did something no American Downhiller had done before—podiuming four times in a row in the PyeongChang Olympic test event in Jeongseon, Chamonix, Kvitfjell and St. Moritz.
• Nyman and teammate Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) have their eyes set on the downhill title. No male American Downhiller has achieved this feat before.
• Though Weibrecht has two Olympic medals to his name, he had yet to taste the World Cup podium until the 2016 season, grabbing his first Audi FIS Ski World Cup podiums at Birds of Prey and Kitzbuehel.
• Copper Mountain is home to the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center, which provides U.S. skiers with a World Cup-level training course.
• The Audi FIS Ski World Cup swings through America Nov. 26-27 with women’s giant slalom and slalom races at Killington Resort. It is Killington’s first time hosting a World Cup and the first time the east coast has hosted a World Cup since 1991. The men will travel to Europe early, with a super G, downhill and giant slalom Dec. 2-4—recently relocated from Beaver Creek, CO to Val d’Isere, France due to unseasonably warm weather.

2016-17 U.S. ALPINE SKI TEAM
Name (hometown; home club) (skis, boots, bindings, poles, helmet, goggles, glasses, protection) birthdate
* denotes Olympian

Men's A Team
David Chodounksy (Crested Butte, CO; Crested Butte Ski Team) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Swix, Briko, Briko, Briko, Slytech) 6/25/1984 *
Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, Giro, Giro, Giro, Leki/Ortema) 7/14/1988 *
Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV; Park City Ski Team) (Lange, Leki, Briko, Briko, Briko, Leki) 1/11/1985 *
Ted Ligety (Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 8/31/1984 *
Bode Miller (Franconia, NH; Carrabassett Valley Academy) (Leki, Dainese, Dainese, Dainese) 10/12/1977*
Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT; Park City Ski Team) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Komperdell, POC, POC, POC, Ortema) 2/12/1982 *
Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation) (Head, Head, Head, Komperdell, Giro, Giro, Giro, Slytech/Ortema) 2/10/1986 *

Women's A Team
Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA; Mammoth Mountain Ski Team) (Stoeckli, Marker/Volkl, Atomic, Komperdell, Dainese, Dainese) 7/3/1984 *
Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Stoeckli, Lange, Swix, POC, POC, POC) 3/9/1984 *
Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO; Rowmark Academy) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, Briko, Briko, Leki) 8/19/1989 *
Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation) (Volkl, Lange, Marker, Leki, Briko, Briko, Eagle Eyes, Leki, Ortema) 8/17/1988 *
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/Burke Mountain Academy) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, Atomic, Oakley, Oakley, Leki) 3/13/95 *
Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH; Mt. Washington Valley Ski Team) (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol, Swix, POC, POC, POC, Reusch) 5/28/1987 *
Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY; Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club) (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 11/14/1985 *
Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, Briko, Oakley, Oakley, Leki) 10/18/1984 *

Men's B Team
Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club/Dartmouth College) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Leki, Briko, Briko, Leki/Ortema) 1/17/1991
Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Leki, POC, POC, POC, Leki/POC) 7/14/1992
Thomas Biesemeyer (Keene, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Swix, Uvex, Uvex, Ortema/Slytech) 1/30/1989
Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT; Cochran's Ski Club/Mt. Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Komperdell, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 3/27/1992
Tommy Ford (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation) (Head, Head, Head, Swix, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 3/20/1989 *
Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, POC, POC, POC, Leki/Dainese) 6/15/1991 *
Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT; Burke Mountain Academy) (Volkl, Lange, Marker, Swix, Briko, Briko, Ortema) 3/27/1989 *
Wiley Maple (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Komperdell, Briko, Oakley) 5/25/1990

Women's B Team
Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID; Rowmark Ski Academy) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, Briko, Briko, Slytech) 1/19/1996
Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV; Sugar Bowl Academy/Diamond Peak) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Leki, POC, POC, Leki) 12/3/1994
Anna Marno (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club) (Stoeckli, Stoeckli, Marker, Swix, Uvex, Uvex) 11/23/1992
Jacqueline Wiles (Aurora, OR; White Pass Ski Club) (Rossignol, Lange, Look/Rossignol, Swix, Dainese, Dainese) 7/13/1992 *

Men's C Team
Erik Arvidsson (Woodside, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, POC, POC, POC, POC) 9/3/1996
Drew Duffy (Warren, VT; Green Mountain Valley School) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Leki, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 6/1/1995
Mark Engel (Truckee, CA; Sugar Bowl Academy) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 10/1/1991
AJ Ginnis (Vouliagmeni, Greece; Green Mountain Valley School/Dartmouth College) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 11/17/1994
Nicholas Krause (Northboro, MA; Stratton Mountain School) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, Uvex, Uvex, Leki/Ortema) 5/12/1993
Sam Morse (Carrabassett Valley, ME; Carrabassett Valley Academy) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Uvex, Uvex, Uvex, Ortema) 5/27/1996
Brennan Rubie (Salt Lake City, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 5/8/1991
Kipling Weisel (San Francisco, CA; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) (Stoeckli, Rossignol, Marker, Swix, POC, POC, POC, Slytech/Ortema) 3/26/1995

Women's C Team
Cecily Decker (Saranac Lake, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation) (Stoekli, Lange, Salomon, Briko, Briko) 5/16/1998
Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY; HoliMont Race Team) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Leki, Briko, Briko, Leki, Ortema) 3/7/1997
Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA; Stratton Mountain School) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Look/Rossignol, Leki, POC, POC) 10/5/1996
Galena Wardle (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski Club) (Volkl, Lange, Marker, Leki, POC, POC) 4/28/1998

Men's Development Team
Patrick Kenney (Hingham, MA; Burke Mountain Academy) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Leki, POC, POC, POC, Ortema) 2/13/1997
River Radamus (Edwards, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Swix, POC, POC) 2/12/1998
George Steffey (Lyme, NH; Stratton Mountain School) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Look/Rossignol, Leki, POC, POC, Leki) 8/8/1997
Florian Szwebel (Winter Park, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) (Stoeckli, Lange, Atomic, Leki, Shred, Slytech, Leki) 9/4/1996

Women's Development Team
Keely Cashman (Strawberry, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Leki, POC, Slytech) 4/4/1999
Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO; Burke Mountain Academy) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Leki, POC, POC, Slytech, Leki, POC) 11/29/1997
Nellie-Rose Talbot (Vail, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, Shred, Slytech) 8/24/1999

National University Team
Griffin Brown (North Fayston, VT; University of Vermont) 2/8/1995
Garret Driller (Tahoe City, CA; Montana State University) 8/24/1996
Alex Leever (Vail, CO; University of Denver) 7/6/1995
Brian McLaughlin (Topsfield, MA; Dartmouth College) 6/24/1993

2017 ALPINE STAFF
Alpine Director: Patrick Riml
Alpine Press Officer: Megan Harrod
Alpine Medical Coordinator: Chris Antinori  

MEN
Head Coach: Sasha Rearick
Team Manager: Kate Avrin

Men’s World Cup Speed
Head Coach: Alex Hoedlmoser
Assistant Coach: Pete Anderson
Assistant Coach: Scott Veenis
Assistant Coach: Chris Beckmann
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Anton Beretzki
Ski Service: Sylvain Munsch
Fischer Ski Service: Leo Mussi
Atomic Ski Service: Lukas Rottinger
Head Ski Service: Guntram Mathis
Ski Service Bode Miller: Chris Krause
Athletic Trainer: Tiitu Romar

Men’s World Cup Technical
Head Coach: Forest Carey
Assistant Coach: Ian Garner
Assistant Coach: Parker Gray
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Joshua Applegate
Head Ski Service Ted Ligety: Alex Martin
Ski Service: Primoz Finzgar

Men’s World Cup Slalom
Head Coach: Ian Lochhead
Ski Service: John Mulligan
Physiotherapist: Sarah Gillespie

Men’s Europa Cup
Head Coach: Bernd Brunner
Assistant Coach: Chad Wolk
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Michael Bingaman
Ski Service: Giorgio Gay
Ski Service: Bruno Grandi
Athletic Trainer: Chris Toone

Men’s Development
Team Manager: Chelsea Steinbach
Head Coach: Justin Johnson
Assistant Coach: Graham Flinn

National University Team
Head Coach: Peter Lange
Ski Service: Jeff Wagner

WOMEN
Head Coach: Paul Kristofic
Team Manager: Chelsea Steinbach
Head Strength and Conditioning Coach: Eirik Hole

Women’s World Cup Speed
World Cup Speed Head Coach: Alberto Senigagliesi
Assistant Coach: Chris Knight
Assistant Coach: James Pollock
Ski Service: Ales Sopotnik
Ski Service: Mattia Giongo
Ski Service: Aaron Speden
Head Ski Service Lindsey Vonn: Heinz Haemmerle
Stoeckli Service Julia Mancuso and Stacey Cook: Primoz Gregoric
Athletic Trainer: Micum McIntire

Women’s World Cup Technical

Mikaela Shiffrin
Head Coach: Mike Day
Assistant Coach/Strength and Conditioning Coach: Jeff Lackie
Atomic Ski Service: Kim Erlandsson
Physical Therapist: Lyndsay Young

Lila Lapanja and Resi Stiegler
Head Coach: Magnus Andersson
Assistant Coach: Karin Harjo
Ski Service: Vittorio Boggian

Women’s Europa Cup and Development
Head Coach: Thomas Erhard
Assistant Coach: Kris Shampeny
Ski Service: Andrea Adorno

ALPINE SPONSORS AND SUPPLIERS

Alpine Uniform Supplier
Spyder

Accessories
2XU
Booster Straps
Buff, Inc.
Dainese
Huge Brands
Khombu
Neve Designs
POC
Reusch
Slytech
SmartWool
Ziener
Level
Vertical Brands

Alpine Uniform Sponsors
Audi
GoPro
High Sierra
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Putnam Investments
Spyder
USANA
Visa

Skis/Boots/Bindings
Atomic
Blizzard
Fischer
Head
Komperdell
Lange
Leki
Marker-Volkl
Nordica
Tecnica
Rossignol
Soul Poles
Stoeckli
Swix

Helmets, Goggles, Eyewear
Atomic
Abominable
Boll
Briko
Oakley
Giro
POC
Shred
UVEX

Protection
Dainese
Leki
POC
Ortema
Slytech

Wax, Tools, Training Devices and Accessories
Big Truck
BOSU Fitness
Dominator
Dermatone
DryGuy
EPS-Doublet
Forward Ski System
HKD Snowmakers
Little Hotties
Prinoth
Holmenkol
Reliable Racing
Ski Sauna
Skier’s Edge
Sun Valley Ski Tools
Swix
Thule
Toko
Tools4Boards
TriggerPoint
Vauhti Wax Technologies
WEND Wax
Wintersteiger
World Cup Supply
Yaktrax

This weekend the Audi FIS World Cup returns to New England for the first time in over 25 years with races at Killington, VT. A quarter century ago, a 19-year-old Maine native made history winning the World Cup Finals giant slalom at Waterville Valley, NH. This week’s Behind the Gold explores Julie Parisien’s story.

The young ski racer stood outside the start house at the top of the mountain, a mix of Stevie Wonder, Zeppelin and the Beatles playing in her ears. The U.S. Ski Team’s 19-year-old rising star out of Vermont’s Burke Mountain Academy was contemplating her first run lead in a World Cup giant slalom – a position she had never experienced before.

She grabbed her poles and twisted her torso to stretch, eyes looking down towards the finish. Below was a sea of spectators – friends, family – mom, dad, her brother. Scared? No, not at all. Confident? Yes – this was her day to win.

Easy to guess – Mikaela Shiffrin? No, but remarkable similarity. It was Julie Parisien (now Julie Nuce).

On the eve of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in Killington, VT, the 45-year-old mother of four reminisced on that remarkable day in March of 1991 – the last time the White Circus visited New England - the day when she would be the first American World Cup winner in four seasons.

“I was not nervous at all - I was so psyched,” she reflected. “That whole day I had this vibe about me. This is what champions who win over and over are able to do. I remember the course, I remember every gate, I remember the snow on the back of my neck, I remember the trainer, I remember Mark Archer at the start - I remember it all.”

Coming out of Maine’s Lost Valley and then Sugarloaf resort, Parisien honed her skills at Burke winning a Junior Worlds super G medal in 1989. Her storybook tale came in March of 1991. Flying under the radar, she came into a NorAm at tiny Ski Sunlight in Glenwood Springs, CO and beat a World Cup-caliber GS field by nearly two seconds – much to the disbelief of the Europeans. Just 24 hours later in a World Cup at Vail, she proved it was no fluke, skiing to a career-best fifth. Five days later, it was on to the World Cup Finals at Waterville Valley.

Leading the first run, Parisien was untouchable, beating Austrian superstar Uli Maier by .84 seconds.

“After I crossed the finish, I looked up at the stands and saw all those familiar faces,” said Parisien. “I saw my parents, our neighbors, my older brother JP - his hands up in the air screaming – I knew almost every face in the stands. I still treasure that photo.”

Julie Parisien celebrates with family, friends and fans after winning her first World Cup in March 1991 at Waterville Valley. no credit)

Parisien still thinks reflects on her ski racing career over two decades ago. “I think about it all the time,” she stated. “I think I was good, and why didn’t I stick with it. I was a kid – really, just a kid. But I felt like I had to be so mature. Being a member of the U.S. Ski Team, I felt we needed to be more grown up than we were.”

Shiffrin wasn’t born until four years after Parisien’s historic win. The two have never met. But the fellow Burkite’s quick rise to success has not been lost on the Maine native. When then 19-year-old Shiffrin led after the first run of the Olympic slalom in Sochi, Parisien reflected on her own Olympic moment at Meribel, France in 1992. Just 20, she led the first run of slalom but wound up out of the medals in fourth.

“I thought about that as I watched Mikaela in Sochi,” Parisien reminisced. “She won the first run; so did I. She was standing in the same position I was in 1992. I said, ‘she’s going to win – history cannot repeat herself.’”

After the Waterville win, Parisien struggled to re-create the momentum. “I wish it had happened at the start of the season,” she recalled. “I didn’t get a chance to practice it. I have so much respect for these girls who win over and over. They have to be able to get that 100 percent focus that I captured that one day.”

She went on to win three World Cups, a World Championship medal and a spot in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. But she also battled emotions after her brother and mentor JP was killed by a drunk driver the next year. She retired after the 1998 Olympics.

Today, she finds her joy from raising three boys and a girl and being a hockey mom. She takes pride in her U.S. Ski Team career and the impact she had on her sport. And she looks back fondly on that March New England day when she found the inspiration and focus that every great athlete seeks.

“I was so completely focused. I don’t think anyone could have beaten me that day. I just knew I was going to win.”

From local ski hills to the PyeongChang Olympics, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) encompasses all athletes that share a passion for skiing and snowboarding. We explore what makes each skier and rider a champion with stories from the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing, next to kids winning a NASTAR medal, landing their first cork 7 or joining a club team. Alongside USSA’s mascot Champ, take a look at how all of these athletes strive to be Best in the World.

As we continue to explore what makes USSA athletes champions, we’re learning more than we ever expected. Being a champion goes beyond the medals and the titles. It’s someone with great character and an undying belief in themselves; it’s someone who loves their sport with an unmatched passion. We are honored to share these stories with you. In this installation, U.S. Ski Team Content Manager Courtney Harkins sits down with Picabo Street to discuss #WhatMakesAChamp.

You’ve heard the name Picabo Street. You may have read her book or know the crazy history of her name. You may remember her winning a gold at the Nagano Olympics or have watched her take a world champion title. She was the first American woman to ever win the overall world cup downhill title. She’s Lindsey Vonn’s childhood idol. She’s a National Ski Hall of Fame inductee.

But Street fell off the map for a little while. You’d spot a glimpse of her on social media when she’d attend a World Cup or when she helped raise money for U.S. Ski Team athletes, but mostly she lived a quiet life, raising her three boys in Alabama.

Recently, she’s moved back to Park City, UT—the home of the U.S. Ski Team headquarters—and is following her next dream: mentoring and educating kids.

Street celebrates after winning her gold medal in the 1998 Olympics. (Getty Images-Jerome Prevost)

“I managed to get through high school,” said Street. “But I made the U.S. Ski Team at 15 and 180 days at a school desk went out the window. I ended up going with an Alaska correspondence school and finished using snail mail.”

This gave her an idea. What if she could help elite athletes go through school at their pace and tailor a specific program around their sports? “Whether the kid is a ski racer, a snowboarder, a hockey player or a horseback rider, when he or she reaches that elite level, there’s a ton of travel required,” said Street. “School takes a backseat, but it shouldn’t have to.”

Street teamed up with Michelle Demschar—former USSA domestic alpine program director, executive director of the Australian Ski Federation and high school teacher—and Dan Kemp—a longtime educator, program developer and school headmaster. The three of them put their heads together to figure out an education model that would work for these types of kids.

With sports becoming a year-round endeavor, the three decided on a 12-month school with rolling enrollment and a virtual curriculum supported by live teachers in a physical classroom. Because of travel schedules and training, it’s hard to make a traditional 9-month calendar work successfully for higher-level athletes with college aspirations.

A student is tutored at Picabo Street Academy.

“Kids go to a training camp and come back behind schedule,” shared Kemp. “They’re always playing catch up and they’re anxious about it. They’re worried about being behind and what their teachers are going to say. And parents worry too – they want to be sure their kids are not sacrificing their education for their sport. They shouldn’t have to deal with that kind of anxiety.”

With all of this in mind, Kemp, Demschar and Street started Picabo Street Academy. Students can attend class at the school in Park City to work with teachers, or take their work with them on the road. Kids can drop by before an afternoon workout, during a training break or at night before dinner. They can work with a Spanish tutor in the classroom, attend online AP courses or take a math test.

“It’s not days in the seat; it’s about course mastery, which allows students to move at the pace that suits them,” said Demschar. “It’s great for college preparedness as students figure out their schedules and classes to fit around their sport – they really learn about time management! We help students plan their academic pathway to set them up for success both in and out of the classroom.”

Demschar, Kemp and Street watch an online system to help manage the calendar of classes, assignments and extra-curricular activities, working with the students to keep them accountable. “It’s perceived freedom within a structured environment,” laughed Street.

Similarly, they’re tailoring classes around what the student athletes are already doing. “When a student is traveling to Italy for a camp, we’ll have them take a photography elective around their travels,” said Kemp. “They get to go to amazing places and do amazing things. Why wouldn’t we work into that?

“Because regulations require gym classes, a traditional school has the student take PE. We’ve talked to athletes that almost didn’t graduate high school on time because they didn’t take enough PE credits,” he continued. “We realize our students are always being physical—they’re at dryland training or running gates at the mountain. That counts as PE for us.”

But the academic rigor is high at Picabo Street Academy. “We encourage kids to look at their education as their own,” said Street. “We’re the support net around them to get them where they want to go. We’re here to work together for a common goal: the highest level of education and the highest level of athletic performance.”

Another part Street felt strongly about is scholarship. She’s working on finding the right kinds of kids and getting them academic funding when needed. “I wish I had this when I was racing. I’m happy to be a champion for education and sport. This is close to my heart,” she said with her eyes closed.

You’ll still see Street at World Cup races, cheering on the U.S. Ski Team, but she’s gone from gold medals to yellow pencils. It’s not just ski racing that makes her a true champion any longer. Picabo took some time to answer our three questions on what makes her a champion now.

U.S. SKI TEAM: In your words, what makes a champion?
PICABO STREET: A champion is someone willing to do whatever it takes to succeed and own it once they had—whether it’s on the hill or in the classroom.

U.S. SKI TEAM: Do you remember the first time you felt like a champion?
PS: I felt like a champ the first time I ski raced. It was in Sun Valley, ID on Dollar Mountain in the Kindercup. I won. But I also felt like a champ when I opened my first uniform back from the U.S. Ski Team. And I felt like a champion when I returned from my adversities. And of course, I felt like a champion when I won my gold. Is that too many?

U.S. SKI TEAM: What is the biggest piece of advice you have for aspiring kids who want to be sitting where you are today?
PS: Prepare well. Work harder than you think you can. Believe. Spend as much time in the NOW as possible. And don’t forget to smile when you make it.

KILLINGTON, VT (Nov. 21, 2016) - It's winter at Killington! One of New England's premier resorts is ready to rock as early season snow and cold temperatures have made the Vermont ski area a winter wonderland as athletes from around the globe make their way to the first World Cup in the eastern USA in 25 years.

With over 200 snow guns pumping out white gold on Monday, snowmaking efforts on the race run Superstar are now complete. Last Thursday, the International Ski Federation (FIS) officials gave the resort the officlal go-ahead a day prior to its scheduled snow control date. Snowmaking temperatures are expected to remain ideal with temperatures in the teens through Wednesday, allowing crews to move over to Skye Lark and expand more top-to-bottom terrain for the public on Snowdon mountain.

Snow covers the track on Superstar. (Reese Brown)

The long-range weather forecast for race weekend is cold temperatures and snow showers.

Athletes are expected to begin arriving midweek, with U.S. athletes celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday before freeskiing on the race hill Friday. The race will also be televised on NBC at 3:00 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Free spectator viewing areas will be available this weekend at Killington for the giant slalom Saturday and slalom Sunday. American Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) will be among the favorites. 

AVON, CO (Nov. 17, 2016) – After meeting with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Beaver Creek’s event organizing committee, the International Ski Federation (FIS) has determined that due to unseasonably warm weather, the 2016 Audi Birds of Prey FIS World Cup at Beaver Creek, CO will be canceled. The FIS will make an official announcement on Friday, Nov. 18.

A recent shift in weather patterns has brought snow and colder temperatures to Beaver Creek Resort and the Vail Valley. However, winter conditions did not arrive in time to allow race crews to create the demanding, 8,600-foot-long Birds of Prey courses. Beaver Creek Resort is still scheduled for a Wednesday, Nov. 23 opening day, conditions permitting.

“In the business of ski racing, we sometimes are faced with challenges that are simply beyond our control,” said USSA Vice President, Events Calum Clark. “Beaver Creek, Vail Resorts and the Vail Valley Foundation’s exceptional track record of delivering the classic men’s downhill each December is a reflection of their unwavering dedication to putting on a great event for the athletes. The Birds of Prey World Cup is a highlight for our entire organization each season and we look forward to returning to Beaver Creek in 2017.”

This year marks 50 years of FIS Ski World Cup and Vail was one of the original sites on the tour, hosting a giant slalom in March of 1967. The Vail Valley Foundation has held World Cup ski racing in Beaver Creek since 1988, and specifically on the Birds of Prey course since 1997. The Vail Valley Foundation also led the effort to bring the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships to Vail and Beaver Creek in 1989, 1999 and 2015.        

“Beaver Creek typically has some of the best early season conditions in the world and a remarkably sophisticated snowmaking system. However, the cold weather did not come in time this year,” said Mike Imhof, president and CEO of the Vail Valley Foundation. “We’re grateful for the incredible efforts put forth by our valued volunteers, and we thank the FIS, Vail Resorts and the USSA for their hard work and ongoing partnership. We now look forward to hosting our beloved Birds of Prey World Cup ski race in 2017.”

The main elements of the EverBank America’s Winter Opening festival, including concerts from Strange Americans on Dec. 1, Bonfire dub and Beers of Prey beer tasting on Dec. 2 and a showing of Red Bull Media House’s new film The Fourth Phase on Dec. 3, are still scheduled to occur at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek.

The FIS is expected to make an announcement of the event’s rescheduling the in the coming days.

KILLINGTON, VT (Nov. 17, 2016) – The International Ski Federation (FIS) confirmed today the Audi FIS Ski World Cup scheduled for Nov. 26-27 at Killington Resort. The resort has achieved positive snow control and will host women’s giant slalom and slalom races as scheduled on Thanksgiving weekend.

“Killington has worked around the clock to ensure a successful return of the World Cup to the east for the first time in 25 years,” said USSA Vice President, Events Calum Clark. “Killington and Powdr Corp. have been strong partners in this endeavor and we are looking forward to showcasing our sport in our largest membership region.”

There are just nine days left until #BeastWorldCup. (Killington)

With world-class snowmaking technology, Killington Resort is historically one of the first resorts to open for winter on the east coast.

“This positive snow control news from FIS reinforces what we already knew – that Killington has ample snow on Superstar to host the world’s fastest female ski racers,” says Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain. “Thanks to the hard work of our snowmaking team during every cold weather window this fall, we can now breathe a quick sigh of relief before jumping into the final stretch of preparation for this massive event.”

For more information on the Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Killington, visit alpine.usskiteam.com and follow #BeastWorldCup.