Hydro Flask, an award-winning leader in high-performance, insulated stainless steel flasks and soft good innovations and a Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ, NM: HELE) company, is excited to announce a multi-year sponsorship with U.S. Ski & Snowboard. The brand has signed on as the official water bottle and drinkware supplier of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team.

Through the program, Hydro Flask insulated products will be used by U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team athletes, coaches and staff while traveling, training and competing across seven disciplines – including alpine, freeski, freestyle, cross country, ski jumping, Nordic combined, and snowboard. Additionally, U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Hydro Flask will team up to offer consumer experiences and co-branded products.

“Our headquarters in Bend are neighbor to one of Oregon’s premier ski and snowboarding destinations, where many of our employees spend quality time outside of work. We’re excited to support an organization that aligns with our culture and hometown roots,” said Hydro Flask General Manager Scott Allan. “Our mission to inspire happier, healthier and more sustainable lives outdoors makes partnering with U.S. Ski & Snowboard the perfect fit for our brand.”

The multi-year program will support the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team through the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

“Hydro Flask is known for innovation and performance, and we’re excited to share their insulated products with our world-class athletes and fans,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Marketing Officer Andy McKeon. “This program will help support winter sports athletes by keeping them hydrated throughout training and competition, including the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. At the same time, replacing single-use containers with Hydro Flask’s reusable bottles while traveling and in everyday life will help reduce plastic consumption and waste – an effort that is important to us.”

Dedicated to uniquely refreshing experiences, innovative design and an unparalleled user experience, Hydro Flask continues to receive accolades for its insulated products. Hydro Flask has been the recipient of several Red Dot, GOOD DESIGN™ and iF Design Awards, including the coveted iF gold award. The Company has grown to become the number one overall American water bottle brand in Sporting Goods and Outdoor, according to third party data.  

Wintersteiger, official supplier to U.S. Ski & Snowboard since 2001, and exclusive tuning partner for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team, set up a pop-up shop at the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain this past November. 

Wintersteiger’s World Cup pedigree and support of the U.S. Ski Team make them the obvious machine tuning choice for both the U.S. Ski Team and other U.S. Ski & Snowboard club programs training at Copper Mountain. For the U.S. Ski Team, the goal was to launch a ski education platform that would allow coaches to address equipment problems quickly, visually. The idea is that properly tuned equipment makes it easier for the athlete to execute technique, and well-maintained equipment turns better and glides faster, thus, simply, increasing the athletes’ performance. 

For this event, Wintersteiger race technicians partnered with Swix and former U.S. Ski Team Serviceman, Graham Lonetto, to offer a full complement of services: ski evaluation, new ski prep, stone grinding, ceramic disc edging, and Wax Future cycling. Wintersteiger’s race technicians had a complete range of race tuning equipment, including a Scout. The Wintersteiger Scout offers the highest caliber ceramic disc finishing for precise tuning of side and base edges as well as World Cup proven grinds to ensure the smoothest, fastest base possible.

The ski tuning clinic program included in-depth training about ski tuning safety, a ski audit, ski flattening and structure, and identifying the missing piece—for instance, asking the questions: Is the binding position correct? Is the base bevel correct? Is the base structure correct? Are we using the correct side edge bevel? Is the wax correct? This initiative proved to be a significant help to the U.S. Ski Team, and development level athletes, in particular.  

“Winterstieger and Swix teamed up to provide a tuning center at the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain during the month of November,” commented Land Rover U.S. Ski Team Alpine Director Jesse Hunt. “With its state-of-the-art equipment and well-educated service personnel, this tuning center was a game-changer for the development athletes attending Copper Mountain camps. Hundreds of skis were evaluated and, as a result, many of those skis were tuned by professional technicians onsite. It was an amazing service for our up-and-coming athletes, many of whom have not received this type of ski preparation before. Big props, specifically, to serviceman Michael Beer, who did the lion’s share of the work.”

Initially, these services were exclusive to the U.S. Ski Team but were then made available to other athletes around November 10th. The temporary shop in Copper acted as a supplement to Wintersteiger’s established partner locations in Colorado that use the same machinery and processes found in factory race rooms around the world. With the ultimate goal of minimizing equipment as a variable, it is critical that the machines your local shops utilize are as serious as you are. 

The hope is that U.S. Ski Team will take the lead internationally with projects like the “in-house” tuning shop/lab and concept center at the Center of Excellence, the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain, Colo., the spring coach’s training at Mammoth, Calif. (Level 100, 200, 300 and 400 coaching training), and sponsored regional training seminars with associated accreditation—for example, Green Mountain Valley School’s (GMVS) service center with proper machines/training techniques and wax/tools support. 

Check out the article Todd Carroll wrote for Ski Racing Media, entitled “Backshop Stonegrinding Illustrated” for more information.  

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About  Wintersteiger
With four decades of experience and more than 30,000 ski tuning machines including 1350 automated ski tuning machines sold worldwide, Wintersteiger is the global market leader in racing service solutions. The Austrian, German, and US Ski Teams, as well as ski manufacturers Atomic, Fischer, Head, Rossignol, and Salomon, rely on the highest-quality results provided by Wintersteiger ski tuning machines.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2019, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org. 

Comcast NBCUniversal today announced the launch of SportsTech, a global accelerator for sports technology startups. SportsTech will feature an unprecedented partnership of three of Comcast NBCUniversal’s sports brands – NBC Sports, Sky Sports and Golf Channel – alongside NASCAR and two US Olympic sports organizations: U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USA Swimming. Comcast Ventures, the company’s San Francisco-based venture capital arm, will round out the partnership.  Each partner will serve on an advisory committee that influences the innovation priorities of SportsTech, and each will provide startups with direct access to strategic industry relationships, mentorship, and partnership opportunities.

Early stage startups from around the world are encouraged to apply for the inaugural class, which will begin in August, at www.comcastsportstech.com. 

Based in The Battery Atlanta/SunTrust Park, where Comcast Cable’s Central Division headquarters are located, the new accelerator is designed to provide sports tech startups with the resources and relationships to succeed by giving them access to a broad international consortium of advisors, a custom sports tech curriculum shaped by industry experts, and investment capital.  Partners will have early exposure to emerging sports tech trends and technologies that cross multiple sports, gaining insight into how these technologies can potentially reshape and benefit their businesses.

SportsTech is the third accelerator created by Comcast NBCUniversal in the last three years, joining LIFT Labs Accelerator, powered by TechStars, based out of the company’s global headquarters at the Comcast Technology Center in Philadelphia, and The Farm, powered by Boomtown, located in Atlanta.

“We are delighted to introduce SportsTech to our suite of accelerators to help founders build sports technology and products, refine their business models, tell their stories, and benefit from the unique assets and talent of Comcast NBCUniversal,” said Sam Schwartz, Chief Business Development Officer, Comcast Cable.  “Comcast NBCUniversal has some of the most prominent sports brands and we are excited to partner with founders through SportsTech.”

“The demand for sports technology across the globe has never been greater, yet most sports startups don’t have access to the resources they need to succeed nor an ability to develop relationships with the right people inside the industry,” said Jenna Kurath, Vice President of Startup Partner Development, Comcast Cable.  “SportsTech will provide the curriculum and platform for founders to develop their ideas while obtaining mentorship from leaders in multiple sports, enabling them to further deploy their technologies to dramatically improve sports experiences for athletes and audiences alike.”

“Being nimble and pushing boundaries are key elements of our sports and familiar territory for entrepreneurs,” said Troy Taylor, Director of High Performance, U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Several months ago, we approached Comcast and Boomtown seeking their help to explore, research and validate the ways in which wearable technology and artificial intelligence could enhance our athletes’ performance. The output of this exercise helped refine technology that will be implemented to improve the training regimen of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes ahead of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. We’re thrilled with the results of our relationship and welcome continued proposals from startups seeking to help our athletes be more resourceful in their pursuit of podiums.”

Beginning in August 2020, SportsTech will offer a three-month custom-tailored program for up to 10 startups.  Initial focus areas will include technologies and products in several key categories:

• Media & Entertainment
• Fan & Player Engagement
• Athlete & Player Performance
• Team & Coach Success
• Sports Venue & Event Innovation
• Fantasy Sports & Sports Wagering
• esports
• Business of Sports

The deadline to submit an application for SportsTech is May 15.  The selected startups will reside in Atlanta for the duration of the program, operating out of SportsTech’s flagship location at The Battery at SunTrust Park, where Comcast’s The Farm accelerator is also based.  It will be directed by Boomtown Accelerators, a leading accelerator program headquartered in Boulder, CO.  Boomtown operates The Farm for Comcast NBCUniversal and has established itself as a preeminent home for early-stage startups. 

Comcast NBCUniversal has a proud history of supporting founders and startup communities, dating back to its own founder Ralph Roberts, who had the vision to see how a small cable startup in 1963 could transform into one of the most innovative global media and technology companies.  In addition to SportsTech and The Farm, run at the Central Division in Atlanta, the company also offers the Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs Accelerator.  Both accelerators are currently accepting applications for startups from around the world to build and refine their business. To learn about the 2020 focus areas and apply, visit www.ComcastNBCULIFT.com and www.TheFarmATL.com.

Five years ago, two promising young U.S. Ski Team athletes were killed in an avalanche, not fully realizing the dangers they faced skiing off piste in Austria. Since then, the mission of the Bryce and Ronnie Athlete Snow Safety Foundation (BRASS) has been to promote greater awareness of avalanche safety through education and advocacy initiatives.

On the fifth anniversary of the tragedy, U.S. Ski & Snowboard and BRASS have released a groundbreaking online Avalanche Awareness eLearning module designed to expand education to U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes, coaches and local clubs nationwide. The first-of-its-kind educational tool was created by the Utah Avalanche Center.

Bryce Astle, 19, and Ronnie Berlack, 20, died January 5, 2015 in Sölden, Austria when they were caught in a massive slide in an off piste area, within the boundary of the resort but not regularly controlled for avalanche danger. BRASS was formed after the accident and has been instrumental in raising awareness globally, with a primary focus in reaching competitive athletes and coaches.

“BRASS sees a real need to reach the tens of thousands of athletes and coaches in America who are simply not aware of the dangers they face when skiing off a race course,” said BRASS Chairman Jamie Astle. “This online tool will greatly expand our reach, providing basic awareness education and encouraging athletes and coaches to also get on-snow for more expansive education.”

The online module integrates video and presentation content into both a short and longer,  90-minute program that includes online testing to validate the impact of the education. It covers a wide range of avalanche safety awareness, utilizing the basics of the popular Know Before You Go program developed by Utah Avalanche Center and now being presented in workshops nationwide. It also expands into the basics of avalanche safety science. The content includes personal messages from Olympic champions Mikaela Shiffrin and Ted Ligety.

“It’s pretty obvious that avalanches are really dangerous,” said Shiffrin in the opening video of the module. “Eventually, you’ll be lured into the backcountry.  We can learn to reduce our risks by learning about avalanches.” 

The online module is available on BRASSFoundation.org and usskiandsnowboard.org. The primary targets for the initial module are ski and snowboard coaches and local clubs. It is also available to all U.S. Ski & Snowboard members through their My.USSA.org dashboard under Courses.

“Club coaches, volunteers, administrators and officials are vital as they are the ones who have day-to-day contact with athletes,” added Astle. “They need the knowledge to expand their leadership and management of athlete safety.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard helped pioneer and fund the program and will make completion of the short course mandatory for all members beginning in May. The courses will be integrated into U.S. Ski & Snowboard sport education’s curriculum.

“Athlete safety is paramount to our organization,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “This online learning module will help all learn more about the importance of avalanche safety and awareness.”

The content was developed by Paul Diegel and Trent Meissenheimer of the Utah Avalanche Center, along with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s sport education team led by Gar Trayner and education specialist Chris Packert.

"Utah Avalanche Center was able to bring utilize its expertise to help BRASS and U.S. Ski & Snowboard to develop an avalanche eLearning program that will be used to provide avalanche awareness to coaches and athletes," said Utah Avalanche Center Executive Director Chad Brackelsberg. "This program will also help the Utah Avalanche Center achieve its goal of reaching as many people as possible with an avalanche awareness message in an effort to prevent avalanche accidents.”

The online Avalanche Awareness module initiative with U.S. Ski & Snowboard is another step in a series of programs pioneered by BRASS. The BRASS 13-minute Off-Piste video, featuring a re-creation of the accident, has now been seen by over a million worldwide. It remains a valuable tool for clubs to educate athletes and coaches. A turnkey BRASS 101 club presentation workshop has reached over a thousand individuals this season alone. And a partnership between BRASS and U.S. Ski & Snowboard has brought AIARE Level 1 (American Institute of Avalanche Research and Education) training to over a hundred national team coaches and athletes in the past three years.

BRASS will also take its message to national ski resorts, participating in the upcoming National Ski Areas Association winter workshops at Squaw Valley, Calif. and Killington, Vt.

Avalanche Awareness 101

Land Rover North America today debuted its new brand and product advertising campaign, titled “Play Harder This Winter,” highlighting the British Premium SUV brand’s partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard. The campaign is led by a 30-second brand film, accompanied by 30 and 15-second product spots, all of which feature several U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes showcasing how Land Rover vehicles are perfect for those who love to be outside in the winter.

The campaign debuts today with a brand commercial featuring Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team member, and two-time Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin. In the 30 second spot, Mikaela enjoys overcoming heavy winter snow with ease and determination in a Range Rover Sport to make it to the mountain daily. The brand spot will appear across a mix of channels and will run during National Football League (NFL) games on CBS and FOX.

The campaign also includes 30 and 15-second spots featuring freeskiers David Wise and Maggie Voisin, snowboarder Maddie Mastro, and Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team members Bryce Bennett and Steven Nyman, alongside the Range Rover Sport, Land Rover Discovery, Discovery Sport and Range Rover Velar. Each spot showcases key Land Rover vehicle features helpful for winter play, including Terrain Response Control (Range Rover Sport), Intelligent Seat Fold (Land Rover Discovery), Activity Key (Discovery Sport), and heated and massaging seats (Range Rover Velar).

“As snow has started to fall and the competitive Ski and Snowboard season has started, Land Rover is calling for people to Play Harder this season with a campaign starring U.S. Ski and Snowboard athletes enjoying their Land Rover SUVs,“ said Kim McCullough, Vice President of Marketing, Jaguar Land Rover North America. “As partners with U.S. Ski and Snowboard, this campaign is a first step to give increased visibility to these sensational athletes and celebrate how they work and play hard every winter.”

Land Rover was named the Official Vehicle Partner of U.S. Ski and Snowboard in the USA in September 2019. U.S. Ski & Snowboard supports nearly 200 national team athletes and represented 80 percent of Team USA’s gold medals during the PyeongChang 2018 and Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. This year, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes will participate in more than 200 competitions globally, including 35 events in the United States. As part of the sponsorship agreement, Land Rover will support 10 U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete ambassadors including Olympic gold medalists and World Champions.

The multi-year partnership also names Land Rover as the title sponsor of the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team, the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix series, and presenting sponsor of the “Visa Big Air Presented by Land Rover” events, which takes place at SunTrust Park in Atlanta, GA on December 20-21, 2019. The Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover is part of a multi-year commitment by U.S. Ski & Snowboard to bring big air events to the masses in breathtaking new environments by hosting one city big air event per season leading into the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games. The event will be sanctioned as a FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Cup and will offer elite international men’s and women’s big air competition.

The Visa Big Air will be the first event of its kind to come to Atlanta. Event organizers expect to provide a taste of mountains and Olympic winter competition to 20,000 fans for each of the two days of competition. U.S. Freeski Olympian Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.), as well as the 2018-19 FIS Snowboard Overall Crystal Globe Winner Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.), will represent the U.S. Snowboard Team.

Land Rover offers some of the most luxurious and capable SUVs in the world. From the effortlessly elegant Range Rover to the versatile Discovery featuring available three-row seating, and the recently revealed all-new Defender, the Land Rover lineup of award-winning SUVs is built for adventure in the toughest terrain and weather conditions.

To follow the action throughout the season, follow @LandRoverUSA and @USskiteam.

Note to Editors:

Information about Land Rover North America products is available to consumers at www.landroverusa.com. Visit  www.us.media.landrover.com for news releases, high-resolution photographs and broadcast-quality video footage. Additional media updates are available on Facebook (LandRoverUSA) and Twitter (@interactivelr).

About Land Rover

Founded in 1948, Land Rover designs, engineers, and manufactures its vehicles in the United Kingdom. For over 70 years the brand has built a reputation for providing its clientele with some of the most luxurious and capable vehicles in the world; whether driving through the heart of the city or traversing the countryside on- and off-road. Today's Land Rover lineup includes the Defender; Discovery and Discovery Sport; Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover Velar and Range Rover Evoque. Land Rover is fully engaged with sustainability initiatives and social concerns with continuous involvement in environmental and community programs. For more information, visit the official Land Rover website at www.landroverusa.com.

About Jaguar Land Rover

Jaguar Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive manufacturer, built around two iconic British car brands: Land Rover, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium all-wheel-drive vehicles; and Jaguar, one of the world’s premier luxury sports sedan and sports car marques.

At Jaguar Land Rover, we are driven by a desire to deliver class-leading vehicles, which will provide experiences our customers will love, for life. Our products are in demand around the globe. In 2018 Jaguar Land Rover sold 592,708 vehicles in 128 countries.

We support around 260,000 people through our retailer network, suppliers and local businesses. At heart we are a British company, with two major design and engineering sites, three vehicle manufacturing facilities and an engine manufacturing center in the UK. We also have plants in China, Brazil, India, Austria and Slovakia. 

From 2020 all new Jaguar Land Rover vehicles will offer the option of electrification, giving our customers even more choice. We will introduce a portfolio of electrified products across our model range, embracing fully electric, plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid vehicles as well as continuing to offer the latest diesel and gasoline engines.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2019, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes will find comfort in the cold with warm feet thanks to a new partnership with UYN-  Unleash Your Nature. The national governing body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the United States announced a multi-year partnership with UYN today in the category of “high-performance socks” that will extend through 2023.  

“We are excited to welcome UYN - Unleash Your Nature into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard family,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief Revenue Officer Michael O’Conor. “Any skier or rider, from the novice up to our elite athletes, can appreciate the importance of high performing footwear. UYN’s commitment to quality and functional products means we can provide our national team members with happy feet - one less thing they have to think about as they work to push the boundaries of their sport.” 

To Unleash Your Nature means more than winning. Just as U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes grind it out each day in the gym or on the snow, “to UYN” is to test your limits, not only achieving your goals but going beyond them to find new motivation every day. UYN products offer maximum performance with outstanding comfort, the best materials, and the most refined functions. With UYN socks athletes will experience warm, highly functional comfort and will benefit from elements that improve grip, ventilation, and protection from heel to toe.  

“We are proud to partner with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team and support the performances of its members with our highly technical socks” said UYN Brand Manager Giuseppe Bovo. “UYN will put its long experience in the functional footwear field at the service of U.S. athletes. At the same time, the feedback we will get from the greatest ski and snowboard champions will serve as a vital point of reference as we develop new products”.

The 2019-20 season-opener FIS Freeski Slopestyle World Cup event that was originally scheduled to go down this weekend in Stubai, Austria has been canceled. After much careful consideration, the Stubai organizing committee and the Austrian Ski Federation have made the decision to call off the event due to difficult weather conditions in the lead-up to the competition, and a very unfavorable forecast for the upcoming days.  

Last week’s heavy snowstorm combined with high avalanche danger kept the resort closed for two days over this past weekend, causing major delays in course preparations, which in turn the postponement of Wednesday’s first training session.

Officials and organizers then reassessed all options for the competition ahead of Wednesday night’s team captain’s meeting. Unfortunately, with high winds and yet another winter storm set to hit the valley on Thursday evening, the reality of the situation at the FIS Freeski Slopestyle World Cup event in Stubai, Austria made itself clear - the opening of the 2019-20 slopestyle World Cup would not be happening this weekend.

“For Friday and Saturday the prognosis looks extremely unfavorable, especially in terms of wind, with another heavy snowstorm predicted to roll in on Thursday evening,” commented Erich Flatscher, Head of the Organising Committee, “We always strive to deliver an event in safe and fair conditions and due to this forecast we believe this is not achievable this time. This led to the decision to cancel the event.”

With Mother Nature having her way in round one, we now look forward to the next events on the 2019-20 FIS Freeski calendar, with the Copper Mountain, Colo. Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix Halfpipe World Cup from Dec. 11-13, and the Beijing, China Air + Style Big Air World Cup going down from Dec. 12-14. The next event on the slopestyle World Cup calendar will be the Font Romeu, France competition, taking place from Jan. 9-11, 2020.
 

NormaTec, the industry leader in compression recovery technology for athletes, today announced a four-year partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body of competitive skiing and snowboarding in the United States. U.S. Ski & Snowboard provides leadership, direction, and support for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders striving for excellence. NormaTec’s PULSE 2.0 Series systems will help U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes to achieve their goals to be best in the world in their sport by integrating superior recovery into training regimens.

The full team across seven disciplines including alpine, freeski, freestyle, cross country, ski jumping, Nordic combined, and snowboard, will have access to the NormaTec PULSE 2.0 Series Recovery Systems. U.S. Ski & Snowboard will also be constructing a dedicated NormaTec Recovery Room in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence for the team to use as they train to compete at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

“We are proud to support U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes,” said Gilad Jacobs, CEO of NormaTec. “It is an honor to be partnering with a team that boasts some of the top performing winter sports athletes in the world and providing them the technology they need to continuously reach for their dreams here in the U.S. and around the globe.”

The NormaTec PULSE 2.0 Series Recovery Systems use compressed air and the patented NormaTec Pulse Massage Pattern created by a physician bioengineer to massage limbs, mobilize fluid, increase circulation, and facilitate faster recovery. NormaTec’s technology gives athletes a competitive edge by helping them recover quickly after training sessions and is also used as a high-tech warm up. The technology is relied on by 97% of all pro athletic teams in the United States.

"I have been absolutely loving my NormaTec recovery system,” said Olympic cross country champion Jessie Diggins. “Since opening the box, I’ve used them every single day! I love how the compression massage makes my legs feel after a hard workout, and it helps me recover quickly before second training. I also love how small and quiet they are, and how I can customize exactly what I want, even changing the pressure zones mid-session! These are now my go-to recovery tool."

NEW YORK, NY – U.S. Ski & Snowboard today announced that Volcom, a modern lifestyle brand rooted in board sports, will be the official apparel partner of the U.S. Snowboard Team. The partnership includes outfitting the snowboardcross, slopestyle/big air, and halfpipe teams through the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games.

Volcom has been a leader in snow sports for more than 20 years, delivering tech-infused products that reflect the brand’s unique design language and providing stylish and functional outerwear that helps riders perform their best under the most challenging conditions. The line features Volcom’s signature technical features, including Zip Tech®, a patented zipper system that allows the wearer to zip the powder skirt of virtually any Volcom Snow jacket into any Volcom snow pant – allowing no gaps for the snow to penetrate. The official U.S. Snowboard Team assortment will also include Volcom’s proprietary Thermal Defense System (TDS®), which features 3-layer jackets with strategically-placed down paneling to maximize warmth without overheating.

“We are so excited to be the official outfitter of the U.S. Snowboard Team. To have the Volcom stone be worn by the best athletes, on the highest of stages in this sport is an honor,” said Todd Hymel, CEO of Volcom. “As we celebrate 20 years of Volcom Outerwear, this partnership ushers in a new era of our history. Performance and innovation are the foundation of everything we do at Volcom. We look forward to working closely with all the athletes to gain insights, so we can continue to create best-in-class, elevated product.”

“Volcom is a brand that has strong ties to snowboarding,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “We have an opportunity to embark on the journey to the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games together, and I believe that’s powerful. Alongside a strong and balanced roster of riders as well as an elite coaching staff, the Volcom partnership lays the groundwork for the athletes to perform at the highest level and continue to push the boundaries of competitive snowboarding.”

Volcom will outfit both the men and women of the U.S. Snowboard Team, including athletes, coaches, and support staff. The U.S. Snowboard Team uniforms will feature Volcom’s pinnacle product in outerwear, hoodies, gloves, hats, and beanies. The collection design nods to U.S. heritage with pops of red, white, and blue, as well as stylized camo prints. Key styles featured in the official assortment includes Men’s TDS® Infrared Jacket and Women’s Nya TDS® Jacket, both of which incorporate Zip Tech® and Thermal Defense System (TDS®).

Athletes will wear Volcom at World Cup, World Championship, and National events, as well as official training camps globally leading up to and during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

To learn more about product offerings and Volcom’s legion of snow athletes, follow @Volcomsnow on social media.

Click here for the official launch video including Shaquille O'Neal, Run The Jewels, and more.

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About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic National Governing Body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Tracing its roots directly back to 1905, the organization represents nearly 200 elite skiers and snowboarders in 2018, competing in seven teams; alpine, cross country, freeski, freestyle, snowboard, nordic combined and ski jumping. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org

About Volcom:
Inspired by creative spirit, Volcom was founded as a clothing company rooted in skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding. Building upon the foundation of sport culture, Volcom also supports initiatives in music and the arts and lives by the mantra ‘True To This’ as a rallying cry for persistent rebels and creatives that follow their passions.  Volcom creates meaningful products for men’s, women’s and kid’s across a variety of categories, including outdoor, swim, skate, denim, fashion and more. Volcom has more than 100 direct-to-consumer retail outposts globally and has distribution in hundreds of specialty retail and department store locations.

To learn more about Volcom’s deep product assortment visit www.volcom.com.

Follow @Volcom on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing and entertainment company, which owns a portfolio of global media, entertainment and lifestyle brands. Headquartered in New York City, ABG elevates and builds the long-term value of more than 50 consumer brands and properties by partnering with best-in-class manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. Its brands have a global retail footprint in more than 100,000 points of sale across the luxury, specialty, department store, mid-tier, mass and e-commerce channels and more than 4,930 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world. ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling product, content, business and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. ABG’s portfolio of iconic and world-renowned brands generates $9.4 billion in annual retail sales and includes Marilyn Monroe®, Mini Marilyn®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O'Neal®, Sports Illustrated®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Michael Jackson® (managed brand), Nautica®, Aéropostale®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Herve Leger®, Judith Leiber®, Frederick's of Hollywood®, Nine West®, Frye®, Jones New York®, Louise et Cie®, Sole Society®, Enzo Angiolini®, CC Corso Como®, Hickey Freeman®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Adrienne Vittadini®, Taryn Rose®, Bandolino®, Misook®, 1.STATE®, CeCe®, Chaus®, Spyder®, Tretorn®, Tapout®, Prince®, Volcom®, Airwalk®, Vision Street Wear®, Above The Rim®, Hind®, Thomasville®, Drexel® and Henredon®.

 For more information, visit authenticbrandsgroup.com.

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STAMFORD, Conn. – NBC Sports Group and U.S. Ski & Snowboard have renewed their media rights agreement through the 2021-22 season, both parties announced today. Under the agreement, NBC Sports will present 40+ hours of coverage of U.S. Ski & Snowboard events across NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and its subscription service NBC Sports Gold. NBC Sports and U.S. Ski and Snowboard have been partners since 1998.

Coverage will include seven U.S.-based events for the next three seasons: including the FIS Alpine World Cup events at Killington, Vt, for the women, and Beaver Creek, Colo., for the men; FIS Freestyle World Cup events at Copper Mountain, Colo., Mammoth Mountain, Calif., and Deer Valley, Utah; and two new events – the Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover in Atlanta, and the FIS Cross Country World Cup in Minneapolis.

“We are proud to continue our long-standing partnership with U.S. Ski and Snowboard, featuring some of the world’s fastest, most creative, and gravity-defying athletes,” said Gary Quinn, Vice President, Programming, NBC Sports Group. “And any time these exciting competitions are happening across some of America’s greatest resort destinations, fans will be able to watch whenever, and wherever, they want.”

“We are thrilled to extend our agreement with longstanding partner NBC Sports through the 2021-22 season,” said Tiger Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO. “Our relationship with NBC Sports is a valuable platform to be able to share our sports and athletes with fans across the nation as they prepare for Beijing 2022. We have an amazing season ahead and between the HomeLight Killington Cup – which has drawn record numbers on the World Cup circuit in both attendance and viewership – as well as new events on the calendar like the Visa Big Air presented by Land Rover, and the FIS Coop Cross Country World Cup in Minneapolis, we have a big opportunity to share the excitement with the world through the eyes of NBC Sports.”

2019-20 SEASON
For the 2019-20 season, 12 hours of coverage will be presented on NBC, 21.5 on NBCSN, and 10 on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA.

Coverage begins on Saturday, Nov. 30, at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with a live presentation of the first run of the women’s slalom at the HomeLight Killington Cup in Killington, Vt.. Coverage on NBC begins shortly thereafter with the second women’s slalom run at 3:30 p.m. ET. Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA begins its U.S. Ski & Snowboard coverage on Saturday, Dec. 7, with the Xfinity Birds of Prey men’s downhill from Beaver Creek, Colo., at 1 pm ET.

The full NBC schedule is available on the WATCH tab at USSkiandSnowboard.org

All coverage on NBC and NBCSN will live stream via authentication on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Coverage airing on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA will live stream on NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, OlympicChannel.com, and the Olympic Channel app.

NBC Sports Gold – NBC Sports’ direct-to-consumer product – will also stream all U.S. Ski & Snowboard events via “Snow Pass,” which provides fans access to live and on-demand domestic and international competitions of seven Olympic winter sports. Click here for more information.

NOTE: NBC Sports’ entire alpine schedule for the 2019-20 season, including international FIS events, will be released soon. Click here for NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2019-20 FIS Snowboarding World Cup schedule.

Release courtesy of NBC.