The annual Stifel Awards were given out to the eight moguls & aerials athletes. The awards are presented to honor the achievements of athletes and staff from the season, ranging from Best Comeback to Staff Member of the Year. 

The Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team athletes and staff voted on the categories, and each winner received a $1,000 check made possible by Stifel.

Rookie of the Year: Audrey Crowley
With only four World Cup starts under her belt at the start of the season, Audrey quickly became a name to remember, earning two World Cup podiums this year. Additionally, in her first-ever World Championship appearance, Crowley took the bronze medal in giant slalom. 

Athlete of the Year: Saylor O’Brien
Saylor O’Brien was the athlete to beat this season. Despite multiple canceled speed races, O’Brien found herself on the World Cup podium four times, including her first career win. 

Most Improved: Patrick Halgren
This season was nothing short of incredible for Patrick Halgren. With multiple World Cup personal bests and ending the season with a slalom U.S. title, Patrick is one to watch out for next year. 

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN!

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is a diverse organization of many sports with a vital backbone of athletes, officials, coaches and clubs nationwide all working together for the betterment of the sport. It’s important each year to recognize the work of those behind the scenes who are providing athletes of all ages with an opportunity to participate in ski and snowboard competitions.

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard awards program is designed to recognize a wide range of individuals and organizations for their work over the past year. As a U.S. Ski & Snowboard member, you are eligible to nominate into many of the award categories. To learn more about the full range of U.S. Ski & Snowboard awards, go here.

Award Selection:

• Nominations are accepted all at once and at large from members who have a valid and current membership for the 2024-25 Season.
• Each sport committee will select the respective sports winners for Club and Coach of the Year.
• Selection of other awards winners is determined by a vote of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards Working Group.
• Winners are announced at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Awards Dinner on May 14, 2025.

Nominations: 

• Click on the nomination link for each individual award for which you wish to nominate.
• Complete the nomination paying special attention to highlighting accomplishments required for each award.
• Nominees must also be current members of U.S. Ski & Snowboard.
• Click to submit.
• Remember, you need to submit nominations for each award separately.

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS: Friday, March 28, 2025

NOMINATION CATEGORIES

Paul Bacon Award (event organization)

The Paul Bacon Award is given to an individual or group for the greatest contribution to U. S. Ski & Snowboard in the field of race organization during the 2024-25 season. Traditional nominees include local clubs or individuals whose work has made a difference in providing good events for athletes.

PAUL BACON AWARD Nomination Form

John J. Clair Award (service to national teams)

The John J. Clair Jr. Award is given for outstanding service that benefited the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team in 2024-25. Past recipients have included outside team support personnel, donors, journalists, movers and shakers. Most recipients have been individuals, though some organizations have been recognized. The recipient’s service should be to the national teams.

JOHN J. CLAIR JR. AWARD Nomination Form

Bud & Mary Little Award (service to FIS or USOPC)

The Bud & Mary Little Award is a lifetime achievement award presented to an individual who has contributed significantly through a long-term involvement with the International Ski & Snowboard Federation or U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Recipients are eligible to receive the award only once. Achievement should be lifetime; it is not specific to this past year.

BUD & MARY LITTLE AWARD Nomination Form

Buddy Werner Award (sportsmanship)

Have you seen any great acts of sportsmanship this past year? Nominations should be based on actions from the 2024-25 season. It is only open to individuals.

BUDDY WERNER AWARD Nomination Form

Russell Wilder Award (service to youth)

The Russell Wilder Award recognizes the most outstanding effort during 2024-25 in focusing the interests of American youth on the sports of skiing or snowboarding. It can be awarded to an individual or an organization.

RUSSELL WILDER AWARD Nomination Form

OFFICIALS NOMINATION AWARD CATEGORY

West Family Award (outstanding official)

The West Family Award is a lifetime achievement honor, recognizing an outstanding certified official at any level.  Nominations come from the pool of current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Officials membership.

WEST FAMILY AWARD Nomination Form

Nominations only open to those who hold a current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Officials membership. 

FIS TECHNICAL DELEGATE NOMINATION AWARD CATEGORY

Westhaven Award (outstanding FIS technical delegate)

The Westhaven Award is a lifetime achievement award, recognizing an outstanding FIS technical delegate for his or her service over time. Nominations come from the pool of current FIS TDs.

WESTHAVEN AWARD Nomination Form

Nominations only open to those who hold a current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Technical Delegate membership. 

CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARD CATEGORY

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club of the Year Award

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club of the Year is the club that achieved the most outstanding high-performance athletic and organizational results in the current season and best meets the athletic and club performance benchmarks.

This award will be granted for each sport: Adaptive, Alpine, Cross Country, Freeski, Freestyle, Snowboard & Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined

U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD CLUB OF THE YEAR AWARD Nomination Form

Nominations only open to those who are current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Clubs.

DEVELOPMENT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD CATEGORY

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Coach of the Year Award

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Coach of the Year Award recognizes outstanding contribution to development and international programs by a coach resulting in high-level performance by his or her athletes in competition during the past season. Coaches of the year are recognized for their leadership, commitment, sport knowledge and passion, including proven ability to foster athletic excellence amongst their constituents or teams. 

This award will be granted for each sport: Adaptive, Alpine, Cross Country, Freeski, Freestyle, Snowboard & Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined

U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD DEVELOPMENT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD Nomination Form

Nominations only open to those who are current U.S. Ski & Snowboard Coaches.

The Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team has arrived in Maribor, Slovenia, for the 2025 FIS Para Alpine World Ski Championships, and youngster Audrey Crowley kicked things off on a high note with a bronze medal performance in giant slalom in her first World Championships start. 

“I think that this podium result really represents the hard work I have been putting in this season and during the off-season,” said Crowley. “It means the world to me to earn my first ever World Championships medal because it’s been a lifelong dream of mine. It feels surreal to have achieved this.”

The partly cloudy sky and slight wind throughout the day created a perfect compact racing surface for the first World Championships event, and the U.S. women took advantage, each putting on strong run one performances. The Austrian coach set run two, a more technical course with tricky rollers and quick transitions that caused trouble for many athletes. 

Crowley led the way in the women’s standing class with her bronze medal performance. Kelsey O’Driscoll of the National Sport Center for the Disabled finished eighth in her first World Championships start, followed by Allie Johnson in 12th. In women’s sitting, Saylor O’Brien finished eighth. Laurie Stephens did not finish. 

“⁠I’ve learned a lot about my pre-race preparation through my experience on the team so far,” said Crowley. “I’ve been exploring what works best for me, especially during inspection, and doing my best to feel relaxed in the start. I’ve also learned how to use what I call “excited butterflies” to really charge and be in the best place [mentally] when racing. Going into the slalom race, I’m really trying to ski without expectations. I want to put down good, solid skiing. Mentally, slalom has always been the hardest for me, so I’m trying to go into it having fun and skiing my best.”

On Sunday, the men will race giant slalom, followed by men’s slalom on Monday and women’s slalom on Tuesday.

RESULTS
Women
 

After a short break for the holiday season, the Stifel U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team turned on the gas for the first two downhill races of the season this morning, and the results did not disappoint with wins from Andrew Kurka and Saylor O’Brien. 

O’Brien served as the sole U.S. woman today, and she was sure to impress. Beyond her win, she also took home a second place finish in the first race of the day, bringing her podium count to the season to three. On the men’s side, Andrew Haraghey finished just off the podium in both races, finishing fourth with two stellar races. 

In race one, Spencer Wood finished 14th, followed by Patrick Halgren in 16th and Jesse Keefe in 17th. Andrew Kurka started the day with a fourth place finish in the men’s sitting classification, followed by Zach Williams in sixth. 

In the second race of the day, Wood improved with a 12th, Halgren in 15th and Keefe in 17th in the men’s sitting classification. Williams finished the day in seventh. 

This weekend, the athletes are back in tech mode for a set of giant slalom races in St. Moritz, Jan. 11-12. 

RESULTS
Men Race 1
Men Race 2
Women Race 1
Women Race 2

The weather in Courchevel started the same way as it ended yesterday: foggy and wet; however, the cloud cleared just in time for Audrey Crowley to earn her second career podium in the same number of days, finishing third overall to wrap up the French Tour. 

The positive turn in the weather led to more successful finishes today across classes, allowing for more consistent competition. The men kicked things off, and Jesse Keefe followed up his 11th-place finish yesterday with a top 10 today, landing in ninth in the men’s standing class. Patrick Halgren was close behind in 13th, followed by Tyler McKenzie in 17th and Spencer Wood in 20th. Zach Williams finished the day 16th in the men’s sitting classification. 

The women stole the show today, with all three athletes finishing in the top eight. Crowley used the newfound sunlight to her advantage, putting down a clean run two to cement her spot on the women’s standing podium. The entire podium was a repeat of yesterday, with Ebba Aarsjoe (SWE) and Anna-Maria Rieder (GER) taking the top two spots again. Allie Johnson finished the day eighth. Saylor O’Brien finished just off the podium in fourth place in the women’s sitting category, adding to her third place finish yesterday. 

Next up, the team is taking a short break split between the U.S. and Europe for the holiday before getting back to racing in Santa Caterina, Italy Jan. 8-9. 

RESULTS
Men
Women