U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body of Olympic and Paralympic ski and snowboard sports in the United States, announced today the expansion of its luxury travel and experience program, The Crest Club, launched in partnership with Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E). The global hospitality program offers an experience only U.S. Ski & Snowboard can provide and will host six more unique trips, with unparalleled access to the best skiers and snowboarders in the world. 

The Crest Club debuted in the 2024-25 season with an exclusive trip to the St. Moritz World Cup, an Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, Dec. 11-14, 2025, where guests enjoyed an ultra-curated VIP experience at one of the most famous alpine events on the circuit. Now, The Crest Club has expanded its global footprint to include five World Cup events, including three in Europe and two in the U.S. 

Complementing its five World Cup experiences next season, The Crest Club calendar also features one distinctive non-World Cup experience that showcases the program’s ability to deliver access beyond traditional competition. In March 2027, guests will be immersed in the legendary Engadin Ski Marathon in St. Moritz, one of the world’s most celebrated cross country ski events, where endurance sport, alpine culture and European society converge across the frozen lakes of the Upper Engadin—alongside current and former U.S. Olympic athletes who bring the race and its traditions to life from the inside. This experience extends The Crest Club beyond the gates of World Cup racing, delivering unparalleled access to iconic ski traditions and terrain few ever experience at this level.

The Crest Club represents more than just a VIP experience – it's a private platform meticulously built to deliver an exclusive, all-access pass to professional athletes, legendary courses and the inner workings of World Cup competition – the highest level in skiing and snowboarding. 

“The Crest Club offers a five-star, white-glove experience that cannot be replicated by anyone apart from U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and we are excited to bring the program into its second year,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President & CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “The Crest Club is here to stay, and we’re motivated to build off the success of last season and expand the access – across the globe and across different sports.”

“The Crest Club was designed to unlock experiences that even the most passionate fans rarely get to see,” said Chris Weil, co-CEO and founder of Horizon Sports & Experiences. “Expanding the program in 2026-27 allows us to continue building something special alongside U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Together, we are creating unforgettable moments that connect guests more deeply to the athletes, competition and destinations that define the sport.”

Inside The Crest Club, guests receive unparalleled insider access at the FIS World Cup and other exclusive events, with premium race viewing embedded directly alongside the team and athletes. Experiences extend far beyond the finish line, offering rare access to moments before, during and after competition, as well as direct engagement with athletes, coaches and Olympic and Paralympic legends, including Olympic champion Picabo Street. Guests will also have opportunities to ski alongside the best in the world, paired with destination-specific ski and snowboard experiences on iconic courses and terrain, all complemented by Michelin-star dining and private hospitality at each stop.

2026-27 Schedule of The Crest Club Events

• Dec. 11-14, 2026: Women’s Stifel Birds of Prey, Beaver Creek, CO // Women's Downhill, Super-G
• Dec. 17-21, 2026: FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, St. Moritz, Switzerland // Women’s Super-G, Giant Slalom
• Jan. 21-25, 2027: Hahnenkamm World Cup, Kitzbühel, Austria // Men’s Downhill, Super-G, Slalom
• Feb. 25-Mar. 1, 2027: FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, Courchevel, France // Men’s Downhill, Super-G
• March, 2027: Engadin Ski Marathon, St. Mortiz, Switzerland
• March 19-22, 2027: Stifel Sun Valley Finals, Sun Valley, ID // Men’s and Women’s Downhill, Super-G, Giant Slalom, Slalom 

THE CREST CLUB EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE FOR 2026-27

Women’s FIS World Cup | Stifel Birds of Prey | Beaver Creek, Colorado 
Set beneath the dramatic terrain of Beaver Creek, the Stifel Birds of Prey showcases precision and power on one of North America’s most respected World Cup courses that has traditionally been only skied by men until 2024. 2025 will bring the women back to the famed course, led by athletes such as Sofia Goggia, Emma Aicher, Breezy Johnson and Mikaela Shiffrin, racing in front of her hometown. This trip delivers unparalleled access, with behind-the-scenes insight into team preparation, course strategy and performance in one of the most iconic ski towns in the United States. Off the hill, refined dining and discreet mountain hospitality await. Those seeking to get closer to the competition and the people who shape it will want to secure their place in this unforgettable and otherwise unattainable Crest Club experience.

Women’s FIS World Cup | St. Moritz, Switzerland 
St. Moritz is where alpine racing and European society have intersected for more than a century, and The Crest Club places you at the center of that tradition alongside the Stifel U.S. Ski Team women’s alpine team. Hosted on the sunlit slopes of Corviglia, this women’s World Cup unfolds against frozen lakes, grand hotels and a social scene shaped by generations of global influence. Guests enjoy privileged race-day access, direct connections with athletes and team leadership and entry into St. Moritz’s most storied private venues—not to mention its iconic White Carpet slopes. Experience the luxury and opulence of St. Moritz not as a spectator, but from within one of Europe's more iconic mountain towns.

Men’s FIS World Cup | Hahnenkamm | Kitzbühel, Austria
The Hahnenkamm is alpine racing at its most uncompromising, and Kitzbühel is where legends are made in full public view. Through The Crest Club, guests gain rare proximity to the Stifel U.S. Ski Team men’s speed team during the most revered weekend on the World Cup calendar, anchored by the Streif—ski racing’s most demanding course. Beyond race access, The Crest Club will take you through the packed streets of revelers to go behind Kitzbühel’s private doors and into historic race clubs, invitation-only celebrations, black-tie parties and intimate moments with athletes and Olympic icons who define the sport. This is not simply attendance at the Hahnenkamm; it is immersion into the culture, courage and legacy of alpine racing unavailable anywhere else. 

Men’s FIS World Cup | Courchevel, France
This Crest Club experience delivers guests directly into alpine racing in one of Europe’s most refined mountain settings. Rising above the storied villages of the Trois Vallées, Courchevel—often called the St. Tropez of snow—sets the tone with its rare concentration of high-end boutiques, discreet glamour and international appeal. Premium race-day positioning, skiing alongside former Olympians, direct engagement with Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes and private hospitality anchored in Courchevel’s celebrated culinary and chalet culture define the journey. This is alpine racing delivered with discretion, refinement and access beyond any available experience outside of The Crest Club. 

Engadin Ski Marathon | St. Moritz, Switzerland
The Engadin Ski Marathon transforms the Upper Engadin valley into the world’s most elegant stage for endurance sport, drawing global tastemakers, elite amateurs and lifelong skiers to race across frozen lakes beneath the sunlit Alps. Guests of The Crest Club will gain privileged access to this legendary event—featuring elite athlete interactions to private hospitality in St. Moritz’s most storied addresses and more. Whether participating in the marathon or observing the spectacle, attendees will experience the Engadin not as a public race weekend, but as a private guest on a singular VIP passage into a Swiss tradition where sport and alpine culture converge in a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

FIS Alpine World Cup Finals, Stifel Sun Valley Finals | Sun Valley, Idaho 
Sun Valley holds a singular place in American ski culture, blending pioneering heritage with refined mountain living and the World Cup Finals return the sport to one of its most storied homes. With The Crest Club, guests experience the culmination of the season alongside the Stifel U.S. Ski & Team as Crystal Globes are decided on Bald Mountain’s classic pitches. Days unfold with elevated race access, skiing with local Olympic legends Picabo Street and private gatherings that reflect Sun Valley’s legacy as a retreat for the elite. This is one of the most anticipated World Cups on the 2026-27 calendar for a reason. Join in on closing the chapter of the season, as told from the inside, in a destination that helped shape the sport itself.

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ABOUT U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, including the Stifel U.S. Ski Team: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, freeski, nordic combined, Para alpine and ski jumping, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team and Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. 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 HORIZON SPORTS & EXPERIENCES 
Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) provides a unique and complementary combination of sports, experiential marketing, and media capabilities. HS&E has a core focus on IP creation and monetization, strategic advisory and consulting, media rights, sponsorship, sales, and experiential strategy and activation. HS&E is led by co-CEOs David Levy and Chris Weil.

HS&E's ever-growing roster of sports and entertainment partners now encompasses PayPal/Venmo, Paramount+, Proximo Spirits, the NBA, Cognizant, M&T Bank, Unrivaled and World Sevens. Additionally, the agency created and manages its Pickleball Slam franchise, and the Women's Champions Classic, further solidifying HS&E’s position as a premier destination for cutting-edge sports and entertainment solutions.

John Caldwell, A Founding Father of U.S. Cross Country Skiing, Dies at 97

U.S. Ski & Snowboard mourns the passing of John Caldwell, a former Olympian, pioneering coach and author widely regarded as the founding father of cross country skiing in the United States. Caldwell died at the age of 97, leaving behind a legacy that shaped generations of American cross country athletes and helped build the foundation of the sport nationwide.

An Olympian himself, Caldwell represented the United States at the 1952 Winter Olympics. He later served as head coach of five U.S. Olympic cross country teams, leading the program at the 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1984 Winter Olympic Games. 

Off the snow, Caldwell’s impact on athlete development was profound. He coached at the Putney School in Vermont from the mid-1950s until his retirement in 1989, was a founding force behind the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), helping establish a regional development model that has since produced Olympians, World Cup athletes and national champions, and was even an author, with the 1964 hit, The Cross Country Ski Book. His vision of accessible, athlete-centered development remains a blueprint for success across the country.

Skiing excellence became a family tradition. His son, Sverre Caldwell, founded the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) cross country program and elite team, while his granddaughter, Sophie Caldwell, represented the U.S. both on the U.S. Ski Team for several years and at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

John Caldwell’s legacy lives on in the athletes he coached, the organizations he built and the culture of excellence he helped instill within U.S. cross country skiing. U.S. Ski & Snowboard extends its deepest condolences to the Caldwell family and to the entire nordic sport community.

USA Ski Jumping and the Stifel U.S Ski Jumping Team are proud to announce the ten athletes selected to represent the United States at the 2026 Junior World Ski Jumping Championships, taking place March 4–8 in Lillehammer, Norway.

Competition will be held on the Normal Hill, HS98 and will feature one individual event, one team event for both men and women and one mixed team event. Junior Worlds represents a pivotal step in an athlete’s progression, providing the opportunity to compete against the world’s best young ski jumpers in a true championship environment.

“We’re excited for this year’s Junior World Championships,” said Anders Johnson, Stifel U.S. Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Sport Director. “Lillehammer is a hill our athletes know well, and that familiarity allows them to focus on performing rather than adjusting. With seven returning athletes bringing championship experience to the team, we feel prepared and confident heading into the week.”

SKI JUMPING FIS JUNIOR WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM
*Denotes first Junior World Championships team (Hometown; Club; Birthdate;

Women

• Kaija Copenhaver (Marquette, MI; Ishpeming Ski Club; 9/23/2009; 2025)

• Estella Hassrick (Madison, WI; Blackhawk Ski Club; 5/21/2006; 2023, 2024, 2025)

• Sandra Sproch (Chicago, IL; Norge Ski Club; 11/9/2007; 2023, 2024, 2025)

• Islay Sheil* (Lakeville, CT; Salisbury Winter Sports Association; 8/15/2009) 

• Piper Mouttet* (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 7/9/2010)

Men

• Jason Colby (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 5/21/2006; 2023, 2024, 2025)

• Sawyer Graves (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 9/30/2008; 2024, 2025)

• Maxim Glyvka* (Fox River Grove, IL; Norge Ski Club; 3/26/2006)

• Henry Loher (Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Educational Foundation; 7/5/2008, 2025)

• Arthur Tirone (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 2/8/2008, 2023, 2024, 2025) 

Schedule and details: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/event-details.html?sectorcode=JP&eventid=62428&seasoncode=2026

The Stifel U.S. Nordic Combined Team is sending seven athletes to Lillehammer, Norway, for the 2026 Junior World Championships, March 2-8, 2026. The schedule will feature a team sprint, HS98 Normal Hill Gundersen and a mixed team event. Athletes named to the team qualified based on predetermined selection criteria. The full race schedule can be found on FIS. The trip is supported by Nordic Combined USA (NCUSA) and the National Nordic Foundation (NNF). 

"I am proud to announce our 2026 Nordic Combined Junior World Ski Championships Team,” said Michael Ward, Nordic Combined USA Development Coach. “This group of athletes represents every division across the country which is testament to the hard work happening at the club level and to the bright future of our sport. We have a young and dynamic team with three athletes making their international debut, joined by four teammates who bring valuable experience and professionalism from competing at this level. I’m incredibly excited and look forward to a great week of competitions." 

2026 Nordic Combined Junior World Ski Championships Team
Women

• Haley Brabec (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, CO; 2007)
• Sadie McCrank (Park City Ski and Snowboard, UT; 2010)

 Men

• Anders Giese (Norge Ski Club, IL; 2008)
• Ethan Maines (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, CO; 2009)
• Duncan Van Dorn (New York Ski Education Foundation, NY; 2008)
• Luke Miller (Park City Ski Club, UT; 2008)
• Ronen Woods (Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage, AK; 2006)

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Jill Brubaker
Nordic Combined USA
[email protected], 907.240.2940

 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced the eight skiers who will compete in the women’s team combined event debuting at Milano Cortina Winter Games on February 10th. The men’s team combined team was announced Feb. 8 via social media. 

Teams are selected by coaches using results-based criteria from evaluative events, including the 2026 Olympic downhill race. The top downhill skier will be paired with the top slalom skier and so on through four teams.

Highlighting the team will be the newly crowned 2026 downhill Olympic champion, Breezy Johnson, paired with the most successful alpine skier in the modern era, Mikaela Shiffrin. Both Shiffrin and Johnson will look to add another medal for Team USA and continue their golden run, having won gold at the 2025 World Championships in the team combined.

It is the first time the event will be seen at the Olympic Winter Games. The event consists of two runs: one downhill and one slalom. The fastest combined time from both runs combined wins the event. 

TEAM COMBINED PAIRS 
Women
USA Team 1: Breezy Johnson (downhill) & Mikaela Shiffrin (slalom)
USA Team 2: Jackie Wiles (downhill) & Paula Moltzan (slalom) 
USA Team 3: Bella Wright (downhill) & Nina O’Brien (slalom) 
USA Team 4: Keely Cashman (downhill) & AJ Hurt (slalom) 

Men
USA Team 1: Kyle Negomir (downhill) & River Radamus (slalom)

HOW TO WATCH (All times ET)

Monday 2/9
4:30 a.m. - men's team combined downhill - Streaming: Peacock & Broadcast: USA Network
8:00 a.m. - men's team combined slalom - Streaming: Peacock & Broadcast: USA Network
12:45 p.m. - men's team combined - Broadcast: NBC (tape delay)

Tuesday, 2/10
1:00 a.m. - men's team combined - Broadcast: USA Network (tape delay)

Industry-first video-analysis tool turns smartphones into high-precision motion capture sensors for Team USA skiers and snowboarders

PARK CITY, Utah, and SUNNYVALE, Calif. – Feb. 5, 2026  – U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body for skiing and snowboarding in the United States, and Google today announced a collaboration on an industry-first AI video-analysis tool built on Google Cloud for skiing and snowboarding. Led by the high-performance needs of world-class athletes, including U.S. Olympians, this experimental AI tool is designed to enhance training precision and mountain safety by delivering near real-time, data-driven insights.  

To develop the AI tool, Google Cloud engineers worked side-by-side with the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team and Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team in extreme environments in Austria and Colorado to tackle a long-standing data blind spot in winter sports. For decades, elite coaching has been a choice between two extremes: subjective human observation on the mountain or high-precision data inside a laboratory. Traditional motion-capture requires athletes to wear specialized suits covered in sensors, which are impractical for outdoor training and often fail in sub-zero, high-velocity conditions. This AI tool replaces fragile, wearable hardware with cutting-edge AI from DeepMind that can map a human body in 3D using only video. By leveraging spatial intelligence to "see" through bulky winter gear without the need for sensors.

“This new AI tool is a major coaching development,” said Anouk Patty, chief of sport, U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Video is the most commonly used and effective coaching tool, but analyzing it used to be a manual, time-consuming process. By working to create an AI tool that works with a smartphone, we can now analyze competition-grade footage with an extra layer of insight. This isn't just about winning medals; it’s about providing our athletes with the safest and most advanced training environment in the world.”

The tool is built with Google Cloud’s full-stack AI capabilities to achieve near real-time analysis on the mountain. From custom TPUs in Google data centers, to the reasoning engines of Gemini, to leveraging spatial intelligence research from Google DeepMind, the collaboration resulted in a system that understands human motion with precision. Unlike traditional motion capture that requires specialized suits, wearable sensors, or multi-camera laboratory setups, the new AI tool turns a standard smartphone into a high-precision sensor, with features including:

• On-mountain analysis: Using a smartphone, coaches are able to capture video from the sidelines or the bottom of a run. The footage is uploaded to a dashboard, where the tool processes it.
• No wearable gear required: With the new tool, athletes can train in their standard gear. The AI uses markerless motion capture to identify skeletal points through clothing and equipment, ensuring natural movement without the weight or distraction of sensors.
• Conversational insights: Using the multimodal power of Gemini, coaches and athletes can then interact with their data using natural language. Instead of scrolling through spreadsheets, a coach can simply ask the tool, “Based on that airtime, how much faster did the rider need to spin to complete the rotation?” The AI then estimates the angular velocity needed to land the trick.
• Long-term improvements: Each session is stored in a centralized content database, allowing for deeper analysis over time and across disciplines. Coaches and athletes can then better understand why a trick was successful, how it was scored, and where targeted improvements can be made.

“Our collaboration with U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the blueprint for a global shift in how humans move, train, and recover, moving beyond historical data to provide athletes with near real-time, prescriptive coaching,” said Oliver Parker, vice president, Global Generative AI, Google Cloud. “By using our full-stack AI, we’re helping democratize elite coaching—proving that if we can solve for the world’s best athletes in the most extreme conditions, we can help anyone from a physical therapy patient to an amateur golfer improve their games.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard freeski and snowboard athletes and coaches are continuing to prototype this AI tool ahead of the Olympic Winter Games.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, including the Stifel U.S. Ski Team: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, freeski, nordic combined, Para alpine and ski jumping, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team and Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. 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. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is supported by various partners including; Stifel, Cloudflare, Hydro Flask, Toyota and Visa, in addition to many generous donors.

For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org. 

About Google Cloud
Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.

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U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the U.S. Army, which entered a partnership in October 2025, have expanded their relationship to include national commercial placements during the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter & Paralympic Games. The original partnership made the U.S. Army the official armed forces partner of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, honoring the force’s 10th Mountain Division and its distinguished legacy, which led to the creation of America’s modern ski and snowboard industry. 

The partnership includes social content highlighting the historical connection between the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division and the ski industry, featuring Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team athletes Breezy Johnson and Bella Wright and Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athlete Rosie Brennan, as well as three current 10th Mountain Division Soldiers. 

Following strong storytelling and production quality led by U.S. Ski & Snowboard and supported by Highlanders Creative, the U.S. Army and U.S. Ski & Snowboard selected the pieces to be adapted into official U.S. Army commercials. The spots will now air as part of Olympic and Paralympic broadcast programming during the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.

“The expanded media placement marks a significant milestone in our partnership,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Being able to broadcast the stories captured between our athletes and 10th Mountain Division Soldiers during the world’s largest winter sports event is fantastic, and with it, we’re able to show the shared history of our military service and elite winter sports to new audiences.” 

"We are proud to bring awareness to the Army's legacy in elite alpine combat at a time when all eyes are on Italy and winter sports," said Brig. Gen. Matthew W. Braman, Army Chief Marketing Officer, who served as the Deputy Commanding General for the 10th Mountain Division from 2022-24. "As we celebrate the Army’s past achievements, we also cheer on our Soldier athletes who qualified for the Games as they seek to make history in this region once again."

The placements will air across major NBC broadcasts for the Milano Cortina Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. 

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard 
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams, including the Stifel U.S. Ski Team: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, freeski, nordic combined, Para alpine and ski jumping, the Toyota U.S. Para Snowboard Team and Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team. 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 the Army Enterprise Marketing Office
AEMO is the U.S. Army's national marketing, marketing research and analysis, and accessions analysis organization. AEMO develops innovative and effective ways to connect with the American public to make the Army more accessible and understood, increase awareness of both the benefits and value of Army service, and motivate the most qualified candidates to choose the Army as their service of first choice. For more information on Army careers, visit: www.goarmy.com