U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced their full support for Dexter Paine in his candidacy for the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) Council. 

As a visionary leader with a deep commitment to skiing and snowboarding and its athletes, Paine has been involved in governance at both the national and international levels for decades. He served as a member of the FIS Council Executive Committee from 2014-22 and has acted as an ex-officio honorary member from 2022 to the present. Throughout his time with FIS, Paine focused on transparency, communication and inclusivity, including championing for female representation on the Council, longer terms for athlete representatives and the inclusivity of Paralympic sports. 

Paine currently serves as a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Board of Directors (2021-present), is on the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation Board (2002-24) and is actively involved in the Salt Lake City 2034 Olympic Winter Games bid. Previously, Paine was Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors (2006-19) and was on U.S. Biathlon’s Board of Directors (2020-24). He has extensive experience in event delivery as an Executive Committee member of the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek, Colorado and the 2019 Freestyle, Freeski & Snowboard World Championships in Park City, Utah. 

Paine is the chairman at Paine Schwartz Partners and has more than 25 years of investment experience and 35 years in the private equity industry. In addition to his professional achievements, Paine is widely respected for his integrity, vision and dedication to the sport. His collaborative approach and strategic mindset have positioned him as a trusted leader within the skiing and snowboarding community.

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors firmly believes that Paine’s extensive experience and unwavering passion make him the ideal person to represent the interests of athletes and federations worldwide, unanimously putting forward his candidacy. 

"Dexter Paine's dedication to the advancement of skiing and snowboarding is unparalleled,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “His leadership has consistently propelled our sports forward, and we know he will bring that same level of commitment and expertise to the FIS Council. We are proud to endorse Dexter and are confident in his ability to advocate effectively for the interests of athletes and federations around the world."

Gene Sykes, Chairman of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, also voiced his support. "As an organization committed to supporting American athletes on the global stage, we recognize the importance of strong leadership within international federations,” said Sykes.
“Dexter’s proven track record of leadership and advocacy aligns perfectly with the values of the Olympic movement. We fully endorse Dexter's candidacy for the FIS Council and believe he will be an outstanding representative for skiing and snowboarding on the international level."

Olympic champion Kikkan Randall, who has served on the IOC Board, USOPC Board and FIS Council, echoed the sentiments: “Dexter has been an incredible leader and advocate for skiing and snowboarding across all levels. He understands the complex needs of all stakeholders and has always championed the athletes' voices in the process. He brings a wealth of experience, tremendous passion and dedication to making sport fair, safe and positioned for growth. Dexter is well respected across the sports universe and has been an excellent collaborator between organizations. I am proud to endorse Dexter’s candidacy.”

The election for the FIS Council takes place at FIS Congress on June 5, 2024. 

Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team’s Brooklyn DePriest won the gold medal and Rebecca Flynn bronze at the 2024 FIS Slopestyle and Big Air Junior World Championships in Livigno/Mottolino, Italy.

Officials were forced to run the second two heats of men’s slopestyle qualifications immediately before finals due to gusty winds on Monday. It was a busy day for DePriest, who had to first qualify to join Ski & Snowboard Club Vail’s Caleb Dhawornvej in the slopestyle final. Dhawornvej qualified from heat one on Monday before the event was postponed.

DePriest sat in fourth overall after an impressive qualifying performance, but kicked into another gear in the round of finals, putting up a massive score of 91.00 on his first run that ultimately won him the slopestyle title at the 2026 Olympic venue. DePriest was the only competitor of the day to crack into the 90s. Dhawornvej finished 15th overall.

Traveling straight from Silvaplana after qualifying for her first World Cup final, Flynn continued to show her young potential, finishing third overall on the women’s side of slopestyle competition to clinch the bronze medal. Ski & Snowboard Club Vail’s Lily Dhawornvej put down an impressive performance of her own, finishing fifth overall.

The squad shifts its focus to big air competition at Junior Worlds, with both men’s and women’s qualifications slated for Thursday, March 28.

RESULTS
Women's slopestyle
Men's slopestyle 

After a disappointing first round of finals on Saturday, the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Cross Team took to the Mt. St. Anne course looking for redemption in the final World Cup of the season. With perfect conditions, a well-designed course and an impressive showing of American fans, the squad was primed and ready to leave their mark on the 2023-24 season. Jake Vedder came away with a fourth place finish. 

It was an exciting first round of racing for the men, with Nick Baumgartner advancing through his 1/8 heat to join teammates Connor Schlegel and Vedder for the first quarterfinal. The three Americans were joined by Canada’s own Eliot Grondin, who had already clinched the 2023-24 FIS World Cup snowboard cross Crystal Globe after a dominant season. The hometown hero led the way throughout most of the course until Vedder made an impressive push at the finish to steal the lead from Grondin and secure his place in the round of semifinals.

The start of the course proved costly yet again in the semifinals, with Italian Omar Visintin making an uncharacteristic mistake following the opening roller section, speaking to the technical difficulty of the course and making the first of two semifinals a three-man race. Vedder avoided the chaos and continued his impressive day of racing with a crafty pass on France’s Merlin Surget to finish close behind Grondin and guarantee himself a top-four finish to close out the season in front of a rowdy crowd cheering “USA” at the finish.

In the final race of the final World Cup of the season, the four fastest men of the day lined up in the start gate to take on the pristine Mt. St. Anne course for the final time. Despite a clean start and holding on to third throughout the first half of the race, Vedder fell to fourth to finish just off the podium behind German Leon Ulbricht in third, Australia’s Cameron Bolton in second and Grondin in first, who finished his dominant season with back-to-back victories on home soil.

On the women’s side of competition, American Stacy Gaskill and Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Jacobellis, who earned her 60th career podium with a second place finish in Montafon just a week prior, were both knocked out of competition in the quarterfinal round, taking 10th and 12th place overall, respectively.

After finishing the season in Mt. St. Anne following a grueling few months of back-to-back European races, the Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team snowboard cross racers return stateside for some well deserved time off before setting their focus on summer training heading  into the 2024-25 season.

RESULTS
Women
Men