Graham Anderson—a visionary leader, advocate and lifelong devotee to the sport of skiing—passed away on June 2, 2025 in Sun Valley, Idaho. He leaves behind a legacy that has shaped the foundation of ski racing in the United States and around the world.

Graham’s skiing journey began in 1947 on the slopes of Sun Valley. As a young athlete, he raced within the Pacific Northwest Ski Association and earned varsity letters in both alpine and nordic at the University of Washington. His love of skiing evolved into a career of purpose—marked by transformative leadership and enduring contributions to U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the global skiing community.

At the national level, he was chairman of U.S. Ski & Snowboard (then USSA) and led key committees including the National Alpine Championships Committee, Olympic Ski Games Committee and Coaches Association. He was also a trustee of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation from 1960-93 and remained an honorary trustee until his passing.

Internationally, Graham was a respected authority within the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), where he served as a delegate for nearly 40 years. His influence helped shape alpine ski racing—most notably, helping codify super-G as a discipline and leading the global movement to adopt breakaway race gates, enhancing safety for generations of athletes. He also held roles on the FIS Alpine Executive Committee and World Cup Committee and was a jury member at multiple World Championships and Olympic Games.

Graham’s service to the sport earned him the Julius Blegen Award—U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s highest honor—in 1979, and he was inducted into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1984. He was also inducted into the Sun Valley's Ski Hall of Fame in 2020. He believed deeply in the integrity of sport, always championing athlete safety.

In addition to his national and international roles, Graham helped steer the future of the sport at a grassroots level. From coaching high school athletes in Seattle to presiding over the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation board, Graham invested in the next generation. His impact extended to adaptive skiing through his leadership with SkiForAll, which provided programs for disabled skiers in the Northwest. 

Graham never lost sight of what made skiing magical. He skied Sun Valley’s Bald Mountain until he was 86 and remained a leader in the ski community until his final days.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard celebrates the life of Graham—a devoted steward of skiing. He is survived by his wife, four children and six grandchildren. 

Golden Ski Award 2025

The New England Ski Museum has announced the 2025 recipient of the Eastern Ski Writers Golden Ski Award: Annika Hunt of Burke Mountain Academy. After a successful 2025 season, Hunt will be honored for a 3rd consecutive year. 

Hunt’s hard work resulted in 1st place finishes at Sugarloaf in both Downhill and Super G and eight total Nor Am podiums, making her the overall Nor Am winner with 938 points. Hunt’s success this season has culminated to sixteen podiums, six wins across North America and Europe and an impressive sub-100 ranking across three disciplines.

Read more about Hunt’s success and the Eastern Ski Writers Golden Ski Award Here.

Hunts World Rank Progression: 2025 Season

2025 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress Update

It was great to have so many people together in-person at the annual U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress in Park City. Those in attendance heard meaningful reporting from staff, coaches, officials, and volunteers from around the country. There was much discussion about the state of our sport and key issues to address as we move forward for the 2026 season. For anyone looking for a recap, meeting minutes and reports have been posted online here. Below is a summary of action items that were passed by the Alpine Sport Committee along with other important information.

Alpine Sport Committee (ASC) Operating Procedures

The new ASC Operating Procedures were approved by the ASC and the Board of Directors (BOD), reducing Sport Committee membership from 25 to 18 and the number of subcommittees from 4 to 3.

Alpine Development Playbook

The Performance Task Force’s Alpine Development Playbook was presented, discussed, and endorsed. A plan was established to implement its recommendations through working group meetings this summer.

U18 Start Limitation

The U18 FIS start limitation of 30 technical events for first-year athletes and 35 technical events for second-year athletes was repealed (U607.2).

Out-of-Region Quotas for FIS Events

Flexibility was allowed for U.S. Ski & Snowboard regional directors to expand out-of-region quotas beyond 10 when possible, depending on field size and race organizer approval. 

Live Timing at U14 and Younger Races

Real-time “live timing” services will not be allowed during U.S. Ski & Snowboard races with U14 and younger athletes. Unofficial results can be posted online after the completion of a race run.

Gate Height for U14 Athletes

Flexibility was allowed for 72-inch gates to be used at events with U14 athletes.

Alternating Gate Colors

Flexibility was allowed for gates to be contrasting and alternating colors - not just red or blue (680.2.1.1).

Officials Education

Alpine Official (AO) updates will be required annually beginning with season 2026.

TD Daily Allowance

The daily allowance for National Alpine TDs will rise from $120 to $150.

Next Meeting

The ASC will next meet in October of 2025: specific date and time to be announced.