Bill Traeger, who served a pioneering role as executive director of the U.S. Ski Team during its formative years as a professional sports organization in the late 1970s, died August 1, 2023 at the age of 78.

After working within the financial industry, Traeger was hired as executive director of the U.S. Ski Team in February 1977, ushering in a new period of professional leadership for the organization, which was was mostly volunteer-based before then. At that time, the U.S. Ski Team was establishing its office presence in Park City, Utah, headquartered in an old building on Main Street. 

Traeger's role focused on business management, bringing in a robust lineup of sponsors like American Express, Subaru, Dannon, Miller Beer, Pan American Airways and more. He brokered television rights for the team with CBS, battling a complex system with the international federation and overseas event organizers, and used the income to help fund development programs.

He left his role to pursue other business interests a year after the 1980 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid in March 1981. He was succeeded by Inez Aimee in July 1981.

Traeger passed away from complications with Parkinson's disease. He is survived by his wife, brother daughter and grandchildren

Two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist and retired Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete Ted Ligety will be inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame Foundation during the annual dinner and ceremony September 18 at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Ligety will join a strong group of honorees including Norwegian skiing star Stein Eriksen, basketball coach Dave Rose, fencer Julie Thompson Seal and sportswriter Tom Wharton in the Class of 2023.

Ligety started competing at age 10 at the then Park City Mountain Resort, now Park City Mountain. He joined Park City's Winter Sports School where could receive an education while skiing full time, working on his craft. It was not long until he made his World Cup debut at the age of 19 in giant slalom in 2003 at his home resort in Utah.

Ligety became a force within the giant slalom circuit and alpine combined. His first major success came in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino when he won Olympic gold in the combined. 

Giant slalom became Ligety's bread and butter. His first World Cup victory came in Yongpyong, Korea in 2006. From then on he dominated the event, many referred to him as "Mr. GS" in which he won five giant slalom Crystal Globes between 2008 and 2014 and took home the giant slalom world title in 2011 and 2013. 

In the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Ligety had his eye on the giant slalom gold. He succeeded, winning by almost a half second. He followed up this immense success with a fifth world title in the 2015 World Championships. 

Ligety is one of the most successful alpine skiers to come out of the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team with 25 alpine World Cup victories to his name, two Olympic gold medals and five World Championships gold medals, making him a clear choice for this honor. 

For reservations to this event go to USHOFF.org.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is highlighting HERoic trailblazers throughout our winter sports, both past and present. A HERoic trailblazer is a woman athlete who has gone above and beyond in her sport, moving the sport forward through grit and determination and inspiring the next generation of women athletes. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team alumna alpine athlete Lindsey Vonn perfectly embodies what it means to be a HERoic trailblazer. Vonn’s impact on the sport of skiing is immeasurable. As one of the most accomplished alpine ski racers in history, her legacy isn’t defined by only her achievements, but by her fearlessness, determination and relentless pursuit of excellence. During her career, she took ski racing to another level. 

The Beginning 

Vonn grew up in the Twin Cities and started skiing at just two years old. Encouraged by her father and grandfather to always keep pushing herself in the sport, she quickly moved up the ranks and enrolled in Erich Sailer’s renowned race program at Buck Hill in Burnsville, Minnesota. It did not take long for her, and those around her, to realize her natural talent. 

Vonn family vacations typically included driving from Minnesota to Colorado to ski. When the 16+ hour commutes between the states became too frequent, the family relocated to Vail, Colorado so that she could train full-time with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail. 

Vonn’s talent for the sport of ski racing quickly became apparent, due in part to her boundless talent and the inspiration that surrounded her. When Vonn was only nine years old, she met her hero and role model Picabo Street, an Olympic gold medalist legend of alpine skiing. Written in her memoir, Rise, Vonn recalls meeting Picabo and the impact it had on her future. “Picabo was my idol growing up. I met her at an autograph signing… and she changed my life. I went home that night and told my dad I wanted to be in the Olympics.” 

Vonn competed in her first race when she was seven. At nine, she raced her first ever international competition. She made her World Cup debut at the young age of 16 in Park City, Utah. History was happening right before her eyes and at the age of only 17, Vonn was called up to represent her country at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Finishing sixth in the alpine combined and 32nd in the slalom at the Olympics, Vonn’s first World Cup victory came two years later in the downhill in Lake Louise, Canada. 

From that point on, she could not be stopped. 

A Tale of Victories 

When Vonn recorded her first World Cup victory in the downhill at the 2004 Lake Louise World Cup, she set the tone for the rest of her dominant career. Famously, the Lake Louise venue became one of her favorites; Vonn had so much success at this venue it was later dubbed “Lake Lindsey” after she won the downhill 14 times. 

Over the course of her career, the stats that define her career are staggering. She won three Olympic medals, four World Cup overall Crystal Globes, eight World Championship medals (two gold), has the third most World Cup victories of all time (82) and 137 World Cup podiums. 

Dedication and Perseverance

But with immense success can come challenges. Downhill skiers launch themselves down icy tracks at 80+ mph, and not many people took to the track like Vonn. She was known for her fearlessness on the snow and with that came the higher probability for injury. Throughout her competitive career, Vonn suffered multiple season-ending injuries, but always came back stronger. 

From fractures, blown knees, a broken left ankle, concussions and more, one thing remained consistent: Vonn’s grit and determination to get back to the start gate. 

A Lasting Impact 

Vonn’s awards and accolades speak to her longevity and success as an elite athlete. She has been named the Laureus Sportswoman of the Year (2010), USOPC’s Sportswoman of the Year (2010), and has received four ESPYs for Best Female Athlete (2010, 2011), Best Female U.S. Olympic Athlete (2010) and Best Moment (2019). In 2019, she was awarded the Princess of Asturias Award for Sports for her athletic achievements and contributions to future generations of athletes. 

During her time on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team and beyond, Vonn used her platform to give back to the community. She founded the Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which focuses on allowing girls to pursue their personal and athletic goals by offering scholarships and mentorship programs across sports. 

Lindsey Vonn has paved the way for generations to come. Her accolades collectively reflect her extraordinary impact on alpine skiing and women’s sports in general. As one of the sport’s all-time greats, we are proud to have her as one of our HERoic trailblazers. 

Influential snowsports official and pioneering snowboarding advocate Anna McIntyre passed away on August 9, 2023 at the age of 91.

McIntyre was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts and grew up in Connecticut (where she was known for drag racing her 1931 Ford Model A), before moving to New Hampshire in 1957. When her children were old enough to ski, she and her family got season passes at Waterville Valley when it first opened and from there, she blazed a trail.

In 1980, McIntyre became the first woman FIS Chief of Race for an alpine World Cup, and was the only woman who oversaw international ski competition for decades—working all 11 World Cups at Waterville Valley and acting as Chief of Race for nine of those. She created a name for herself within the industry for the work she did within the male-dominated world of World Cup ski racing.

She also helped to bring technology to World Cup racing in 1978, and managed the recruitment and organization of volunteers for the Waterville races, with the volunteers referring to themselves as “Anna’s Army.” Additionally, she was an official at four Olympic Winter Games: Innsbruck, Lake Placid, Calgary and Salt Lake City.

McIntyre also led the movement to bring snowboarding to the Olympics. In 1991, she petitioned U.S. Ski & Snowboard (then U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association or USSA) board of directors to include the sport, resulting in the eastern division allowing a trial year of competitive snowboarding. Throughout the first season, McIntyre developed the first snowboarding rule book and in 1992, she was named the first chairperson of USSA’s new Snowboard Committee. Snowboarding became its own discipline within USSA the year after that. From there, she worked with USSA and its CEO Howard Peterson to lobby FIS to approve the sport, which it did in 1994. The IOC officially welcomed snowboarding to the Olympics in 1998.

Within U.S. Ski & Snowboard, McIntyre was the first woman officer in the organization. The organization also named an award after her, the Anna McIntyre Citation Award, given to the person who has contributed to the advancement of the sport of snowboarding every year.

She racked up a massive number of other accolades throughout her life, including being elected to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Waterville Valley Hall of Fame. She also won the New England Ski Museum’s Spirit of Skiing Award, North American Snowsports Journalists Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Julius Blegen Award, the organization’s highest award for service to sport, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Burckett-Dodge Award for outstanding contribution to alpine officiating. Waterville also named their race timing building the Anna McIntyre Timing Center.

"Anna was one of our sport's most impactful advocates for a half century,” said Ex-Officio U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors Chairman Dexter Paine. “She was the consummate volunteer, always working in a professional manner and always seeking ways to make our sport better. She and my dad worked together many times as volunteers. Anna chewed me out occasionally and even disqualified me a few times.”

“What a pioneer Anna was, who made such an impact in so many ways, inspiring generations and creating new opportunities for our sports and athletes,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “We are forever grateful for all Anna did.” 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s thoughts are with McIntyre’s family, friends and greater community. She will be missed, but her legacy will live on through snowsports.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Anna to the Anna McIntyre Scholarship Fund for Local Athletes or the Building Fund at WVBBTS/SEF: WVBBTS/SEF, PO Box 277, Waterville Valley, NH 03215.

A celebration of life for McIntyre will be held October 19, 2023, 1-3 p.m. in Moultonborough, New Hampshire at Castle in the Clouds, Carriage House, upstairs in the Winnipesaukee room.