The initial freeski and snowboard athlete entry list is in for the Visa Big Air World Cup in Atlanta, and it serves as a true illustration of quality without sacrificing quantity for the two-day event at SunTrust Park. 

The Olympic spirit will return to Atlanta this December with an impressive roster of international competitors for the Visa Big Air slated for Dec. 20 and 21. SunTrust Park will host 27 nations represented by an estimated 164 athletes across men’s and women’s snowboard and freeski big air competition. To put that in context, at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games 30 nations competed in snowboarding and 27 nations competed in freeski and freestyle disciplines. Since founding the event, organizers have stressed the goal of attempting to bring back the Olympic spirit of competition to Atlanta and this elite athletic field sets the scene for exactly that.

Note. Initial athlete entries are subject to change. The list below does not contain all athletes or countries represented on the entry list. 
 

    UNITED STATES

• Two-time Olympic medalist Nick Goepper, two-time X Games gold medalist Alex Hall, 2018-19 FIS Slopestyle Crystal Globe Winner Mac Forehand, the Fagan Brothers (Deven and Kiernan), Colby Stevenson, and Willie Borm. 
• For the women, 2019 FIS World Championship big air silver medalist Julia Krass, Olympian Caroline Claire, and potentially Maggie Voisin making her debut back from injury.
• Olympic gold medalists Red Gerard and Jamie Anderson, Olympic silver medalist Kyle Mack, and six-time Crystal Globe winner and current FIS World Cup Big Air points leader Chris corning.
• 2016 Fenway Big Air World Cup winner Julia Marino and X Games gold medalist Hailey Langland. 
   

   CANADA

• Olympic bronze medalist Alex Beaulieu-Marchand, Dew Tour champion Evan McEachran, inaugural Olympic slopestyle gold medalist Dara Howell, and Megan Oldham.
• Mark McMorris, one of the most decorated competitive snowboarders in history, Darcy Sharpe, Michael Ciccarelli, and six-time X Games medalist and inaugural Olympic big air gold medalist Sebastian Toutant. 
• X Games gold medalist Laurie Blouin, Olympian Brooke Voigt, and rising star Sommer Gendron. 
   

   SWITZERLAND

• Three-time FIS Crystal Globe winner Andri Ragettli, Kai Mahler, Luca Schuler, and Fabian Boesch
• Swiss female double-cork freeski triple threat of Sarah Hoefflin, Mathilde Gremaud, and Giulia Tanno.
• Snowboard Olympian Michael Schaerer. 
   

   NORWAY

• Six-time X Games medalists Johanne Killi and Oystein Braaten, as well as Ferdinand Dahl, Christian Nummedal, and two-time X Games gold medalist Birk Ruud. 
• Two-time X Games medalist Mons Roisland. 
   

   SWEDEN

• Fan-favorite Henrik Harlaut alongside teammates Jesper Tjader and Oscar Wester.
• X Games gold medalist Sven Thorgren and Niklas Mattsson.
   

   GREAT BRITAIN

• 2019 FIS Freeski Slopestyle World Champion James Woods as well as Olympic bronze medalist Isabel Atkin.
• Snowboard Olympian Katie Ormerod. 
   

   AUSTRIA

• Anna Gasser, the first female snowboarder to land a triple cork and is also the inaugural Olympic big air gold medalist. Also, snowboard olympian Clemens Millauer.
• Freeski Olympian Lukas Muellauer.
   

 JAPAN

• Japanese riders Ruki Tobita and Ryoma Kimata. 
• 2018-19 FIS Snowboard Big Air Crystal Globe Winner Reira Iwabuchi, Miyabi Onitsuka, Kokomo Murase. 
   

   NEW ZEALAND

• Freeski Olympian Finn Bilous and Margaux Hackett.
   

  Tickets on sale now at Braves.com/visabigair  

  More information at usskiandsnowboard.org/visabigair

EVENT SCHEDULE
Visa Big Air
SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga., USA
Snowboard & Freeski Big Air FIS World Cup
December 18-21, 2019
*Subject to change

Friday, Dec 20
12:00 - 10:00 p.m. - Sponsor Village/Entertainment - The Battery
5:30 p.m. - Gates Open
6:00 - 6:45 p.m. - Men's and women's snowboard big air finals practice
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. - Men's and women's snowboard big air finals          

Saturday, Dec 21
12:00 - 10:00 p.m. - Sponsor Village/Entertainment - The Battery
5:00 p.m. - Gates Open
5:30 p.m. - Teton Gravity Research Premiere - “Fire on the Mountain” 
6:00 - 6:45 p.m. - Men's and women's freeski big air finals practice
7:00 - 8:30 p.m. - Men's and women's freeski big air finals

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

SNOWBOARD
Friday, December 20
7:00 p.m. - Visa Big Air World Cup - SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga. - NBCSN

Saturday, December 21
4:00 p.m. - Visa Big Air World Cup - SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga. - NBC Sports**

FREESKI
Saturday, December 21
7:00 p.m. - Visa Big Air World Cup - SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga. - NBCSN

Sunday, December 22
3:00 p.m. - Visa Big Air World Cup - SunTrust Park, Atlanta, Ga. - NBC Sports**
 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Athletic Development staff works hard to improve the ways athletes train. One of their most recent initiatives, which centers specifically around female athletes, takes a unique approach towards improving athletic training and progression. 

The educational system from Orecco and the FitrWomen app will be used by U.S. Ski & Snowboard to help female athletes track their hormone levels and menstrual cycles. Female athletes will gain more knowledge about their personal physiology, know how to better fuel their bodies, and make better-informed decisions on their training schedules and intensity levels. With research-based advice, the educational programs and app will educate athletes on how to best prepare and rest their bodies for performance by advising them on how much sleep to get, when to schedule intense training sessions, what to eat, and more. 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Athletic Development Manager, Tschana Schiller, primarily works with the cross-country and snowboard-cross teams and initiated the early stages of building knowledge around female athletes. For the past couple of months, Tschana has worked with physiologist Dr. Georgie Bruinvels - one of the leading experts involved with Orecco and creator of FitrWomen App - to help develop educational plans for female ski and snowboard athletes. 

“For right now, knowledge is power and I think that’s the first step,” said Tschana. Her ultimate goal is to educate female athletes so that they are able to do their sport in the best possible physical and mental state. “It has been proven that there are times when women will be able to optimize their performance based on fluctuating hormone levels,” she continued. “If we aren't paying attention to that, we are missing a huge chunk that could really help athletes understand how they recover or optimize their training better.”   

U.S. Ski & Snowboard plans to start with educational sessions, not only for female athletes but for the entire athletic development and medical teams. These educational sessions will teach staff how hormones can affect performance and how different stages of the menstrual cycle can impact a variety of other body functions, such as heart rate or respiratory rate. The benefit of these educational sessions is mainly directed towards athletes, but there are positive impacts on U.S. Ski & Snowboard staff as well. 

“We have mainly male coaches and athletic development staff,” says Tschana. “They work directly with these female athletes and yet don't experience the things a female experiences.” 

With this new opportunity, staff and athletes can develop even stronger relationships and understanding, which could translate to even stronger results. Another beneficial aspect of the initiative is the flexibility of participation amongst athletes. There will be some initial educational sessions for everyone, as well as questionnaires for the athletes about their cycle, but from that point on all involvement in the programs or projects is voluntary. “It is totally up to them if they are interested in learning more,” says Tschana. “If there are further questions they have or the coaches have, they can ask and if it’s just education, then that’s great as well and is still beneficial.”  

Two-time Olympian and five-time World Championship cross country team member Sadie Bjornsen, is excited to partake in this new initiative. “I have never tracked my period or hormones and have never really thought about doing it,” she says. “I believe in understanding what is going on in your body and finding coping mechanisms will help me as an athlete. I find the app as something that will further empower me and help me further utilize my body.” 

The Athletics Department is thrilled to start this female-oriented initiative. “There is certainly a female movement going on in the world right now and so for me, it’s empowering our athletes to understand, learn more, and take advantage of their unique physiology so they can use it to help them in any way,” says Tschana. “It’s a cool opportunity because it's not only teaching them how to be better athletes, but how to be healthier people in general.”  

With a strong team, eager athletes, and a high-performance legacy to uphold, this initiative is likely to be another helpful step towards having the best and healthiest athletes in the world. 

With the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Season in full swing and heading to Levi, Finland this weekend, Outside TV is thrilled to release its original series, A Matter of Time, across their entire digital footprint, available November 20, 2019. The series is now streaming on the Outside TV app, Outside TV+, and OutsideTV.com.  

This seven-part documentary series chronicles the accomplishments of the most dominant alpine skier on the planet, Mikaela Shiffrin. From breaking onto the World Cup scene at the age of 15 to amassing three medals - including two golds - at the World Championships in Åre, Sweden in 2019, Mikaela quickly became the face of the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team and one of the top female athletes on the planet.

The series gives the audience a glimpse inside Mikaela's training over this summer in Colorado, as she reflects on last season’s shattering of the record books. While trying to prioritize her requirements to stay on top, Mikaela has learned to embrace her fame and obligations. Always radiating with authenticity and focus, she desires to be a role model to youth around the globe and help bring the sport of ski racing to new heights.

Stream A Matter of Time on outsidetv.com or head to watch.outsidetv.com to download on your favorite streaming device and find additional ways to watch Outside TV for FREE through your connected TV and streaming platforms.

See the A Matter of Time Microsite for details on all episodes and additional assets.

Release courtesy of Outside TV. 

VERNON, N.J. – Winter4Kids at the National Winter Activity Center, the nation’s first and only fully dedicated youth winter sports facility, announced today a partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and the International Federation of Skiing (FIS) to host the first ever NorAm Cup parallel event in the United States. Taking place in Vernon, New Jersey at Winter4Kids, the NorAm Cup will offer a new format with head-to-head competition featuring some of the best alpine athletes in the world.

• U.S. Ski & Snowboard and its partner Winter4Kids have signed an agreement to host the NorAm Cup parallel event in Vernon, NJ on February 14, 2020.
• This partnership brings the competition to the NorAm Cup in the United States for the first time.
• The NorAm Cup will feature the parallel format twice this year with head-to-head competitions featuring some of the best alpine athletes in North America.
• This NorAm Cup event at Winter4Kids will feature more than 60 male and 60 female athletes competing for $75,000 – the largest prize offering yet.

The NorAm Cup strives to prepare athletes for the FIS Ski World Cup, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard is promoting this format at the grassroots level, in an effort to develop future World Cup parallel champions. The event features a head-to-head slalom with a knockout format each round. It is an exciting event for spectators and a unique opportunity from a broadcast standpoint, showcasing multiple world class athletes from North America. Winter4Kids is the nation’s only nonprofit dedicated winter activity program and facility for youth only, serving school age children of all economic backgrounds.

“Head-to-head parallel competition is an exciting event and we are thrilled to host with U.S. Ski and Snowboard to showcase the sport under the lights of our state-of-the-art facility,” stated Schone Malliet, Founder and CEO of Winter4Kids. “By hosting the NorAm Cup parallel event, we have been granted a unique opportunity to utilize our facility as an international stage for winter sports. In addition to introducing winter activities to children throughout the tri-state area, our goal is to bring top-notch competitive events to the NY Tri-State area and help grow the sport.”

“U.S. Ski and Snowboard is very excited to team up with Winter4Kids at the National Winter Activity Center to bring this Cup event to the NY Tri-State area,” stated Tiger Shaw, President and CEO at U.S. Ski and Snowboard. “It’s exciting to partner with a like-minded organization dedicated to increasing the visibility of our sport as we lead up to the 2022 Olympics in China.”

“I’m psyched to hear that Winter4Kids and the National Winter Activity Center will be hosting this NorAm parallel event,” said double Olympic champion Ted Ligety. “Winter4Kids’ mission is great, and accessibility to skiing is super important for the future health of the sport of alpine ski racing. The parallel format makes for an exciting spectator event, and the prize purse is an added bonus that should draw elite-level athletes and create some good, healthy competition.”

“This NorAm event sounds like so much fun!” exclaimed three-time Olympic medalist and three-time reigning World Cup overall champion Mikaela Shiffrin. “I’ll be competing on the World Cup tour in Europe, otherwise I’d for sure be there. It is vital that we find ways to make the sport more accessible, and the mission of Winter4Kids and the National Winter Activity Center is just what our sport needs in order to grow and thrive. On top of that, fans love the head-to-head atmosphere and that dual format will be showcased more and more in the coming years, so this should be a great event for both athletes and spectators!”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has had a long relationship with the National Winter Activity Center and Winter4Kids since its first season in 2015.

We Are Winter4Kids!
Winter4Kids is a youth-focused, nonprofit organization that changes lives through winter activities. We provide mentor-based, experiential learning and encourage kids to have FUN while mastering Snowboarding, Nordic and Alpine skiing. Our programs deliver incremental physical activity and have been designed to inspire our participants and build confidence in an educational environment. Winter4Kids is located at the National Winter Activity Center in Vernon, NJ. This facility is totally dedicated to making unimaginable dreams inevitable opportunities for youth.  For more information about Winter4Kids, please visit www.winter4kids.org.

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 has announced today a two-year agreement with Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows to host the U.S. Freestyle Moguls Championships. The nation’s top freestyle moguls skiers will descend on Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows for the next two springs in the season-culminating events confirmed for March 21 & 22, 2020 and tentatively for March 20 & 21, 2021.

“We are so excited to end the next two competitive seasons for moguls at beautiful Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows,” said Jeremy Forster, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Freestyle/Freeski/Snowboard. “We look forward to partnering with the resort to produce a high-quality event for the American moguls community. Squaw has a rich history of freestyle skiing and we are excited to be among friends and family to wrap up the season.”

The U.S. Freestyle Moguls Championships brings the nation’s top freestyle moguls skiers together for two days of intense competition in moguls and dual moguls events. National team members and divisional athletes will face off on the renowned Red Dog ski run—a venue that’s hosted elite ski competition as far back as the 1960 Olympic Winter Games—to compete for U.S. titles. U.S. Ski Team members Jaelin Kauf and Jesse Andringa will both look to defend their double titles of current reigning 2019 moguls and dual moguls national champions.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is no stranger to freestyle skiing, and last hosted a Freestyle Nationals event in 2010, on the 50th anniversary of the Olympic Winter Games at Squaw. Some of freestyle skiing’s most decorated skiers hail from Squaw Valley and the Lake Tahoe area. Squaw Valley has had more than 25 athletes qualify for the U.S. Ski Team, including Olympic champion Jonny Moseley and Olympic silver and bronze medalist Shannon Bahrke. An official training site of the U.S. Ski Team, The U.S. Moguls Freestyle Ski Team takes advantage of one of the longest ski seasons in the U.S. and has made the resort an annual stop during spring training.

“We are very excited to work together with U.S. Ski & Snowboard to host U.S. Freestyle National Championships,” said Jimeel Ferris, program director for the Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride Team (SquawFree). “Mogul skiing is the most exciting show on snow, and hosting this event again on such a historic venue that’s right near the base area will make it easily accessible for all to enjoy the high-flying action! It’s an amazing opportunity for our young athletes to be able to see this level of competition up close, and watch the athletes they idolize ski the same course they ski every day. Squaw Valley has a rich history of freestyle champions who trained and competed on this exact venue, and we hope this event will inspire young athletes to dream big and continue the tradition of freestyle champions here at Squaw Valley.”

On the tail-end of a long and productive week of on-hill training at the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain and off-hill responsibilities, including media and sponsor activities - featuring the Spyder uniforming unveiling, Team autograph signing, and more - the alpine team held their annual fundraiser in Vail, raising a record of nearly $200,000. 

Every year, athletes use this fall fundraiser as a means to raise funding to defray travel costs. Once again, Randy and Heather Viola and Chalie and Ariane Viola have generously hosted at Yama, providing sushi for the athletes and supporters. This year, there was a record crowd, filling the space with good energy and great conversation.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO, Tiger Shaw, thanked attendees for their support, followed by alpine athlete Thomas Biesemeyer, who took the lead from the athletes' side to organize the fundraiser. Thomas introduced teammates Olympian and Junior World Downhill Champion Alice Merryweather and local Vail Valley double Junior World Champion River Radamus, who each shared powerful storytelling about their careers with the crowd. 

Attendees were encouraged to give a donation, while those who were unable to physically attend had the option to donate online and/or bid on unique auction items, including double Olympic champion and five-time World Champion Mikaela Shiffrin's historic gold medal-winning Spyder slalom suit as well as two pairs of her signature Oakley goggles. Through donations and the silent auction, the Team had a record year, raising nearly $200,000. These gifts have a direct impact on our mission of supporting athletes in achieving excellence and becoming Best in the World. 

The Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team will finish up their final prep period camp at Copper Mountain, with tech athletes traveling to Levi, Finland for the FIS Ski World Cup slalom kickoff on Nov. 23-24 followed by Killington, Vt., while the speed teams put the final touches on their downhill and super-G skiing as they prepare for North American tour in Lake Louise, Canada and Beaver Creek, Colo. 

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation is the non-profit fundraising arm of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. To support our athletes on their quest to become the Best in the World, please click the donation button below. 

Donate today!

U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Slopestyle and Big Air National Development Coach Nichole Mason is back at it again, hosting a total of five USASA freeski and snowboard Level 100 and 200 coaching clinics, including two all-female clinics in Aspen Snowmass, Colo., Dec. 2-3 and Vail, Colo., Dec. 11-12. 

“I am truly looking forward to kick-starting the season with another set of USASA coach clinics,” said Nichole. “I always enjoy getting to know all the coaches from around the region and capturing a healthy dose of mental stimulation to set us up for a successful season. The aspect I enjoy most is learning from the participants and helping to strengthen the voices of our female community. If we can continue to learn and train with each other, we will grow stronger as a community.”

The all-female coaching clinics are a result of a deeper U.S. Ski & Snowboard focus to increase participation amongst women throughout the organization. 

“As in most other sports, gender ratios in ski and snowboard coaching do not reflect the ratios of athletes,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Development Manager Ellen Adams. “On the athlete side, gender ratios are nearly 50/50. On the coaching side, the total number of women in ski and snowboard coaching is far below the number of men. Less than 24% of coaches at the grassroots level are women, and as you move up through the phases of athlete development to the elite level, that percentage falls significantly. In an effort to recruit, develop and retain more women in coaching, we must work both from the top-down and the bottom-up. This means increasing opportunities for engagement and development at the grassroots level, like the all-female coaches clinics being led by Nichole, where women can share and learn from each other, as well as lead by example with more women coaching at the highest levels. We are committed to making progress on both ends of the spectrum.”

The Level 100 clinic will target intro-level coaches who will be working with Phase 1 and Phase 2 athletes. The Level 200 Clinic targets more experienced coaches who have been working with athletes for a number of years and whose goals are to expand their knowledge and skillset to better work with Phase 3, 4 and 5 athletes. Each clinic contains both on snow and course-based work. In addition, prerequisites differ for the Level 100 and 200 clinics. Click here for more detail on course prerequisites.

The USASA Coaches clinics have been so beneficial, some clubs have chosen to make attendance mandatory for their coaches, including Tori Koski, the Snowboard Program Director at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. 

“In the past, none of our coaches ever really pursued their USASA certification unless they were coaching at USASA events,” said Tori. “We did our own in-house training. Then we really saw the importance of working with Nichole and USASA Executive Director Mike Mallon. The snowboard department agreed that everyone needs to be certified and we will figure out a way to pay for it to make it easier on our coaches. Immediately after implementing mandatory coaches clinics, we noticed faster progression with the kids. In addition, the clinics also gave the coaches the tools to continue to progress. We even had some level 200-300 coaches have some strong takeaways.”

The benefits of attending USASA Coaching clinics extend far beyond understanding core concepts and continuous learning. The ski and snowboard industry is one that thrives on networking and these clinics provide coaches an opportunity to not just learn from Nichole, but also the coaches around them. This dynamic can create relationships that last throughout a coach’s career. 

“Nichole keeps the connection alive with all the coaches that participate,” Tori added. “It’s cool to see our community grow with such strong relationships,” 

Amanda Poindexter, a coach working out of Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club, echoed Tori’s sentiment. “It’s not only very inspirational being surrounded by other rad women who coach, but it was really helpful to see other’s coaching strategies, drills, and approaches to coaching,” she said. “Nichole has so much knowledge, experience, and a great coaching philosophy. I can say with certainty that you will leave the clinic a much better coach.”

If you are a coach, it’s fair to say that the pure fun of snowboarding is what initially attracted you to the sport and probably what keeps you giving back to the community. Nichole has not forgotten this important philosophy when leading these clinics. 

“It’s a very friendly open atmosphere, with a lot of laughs,’” said Tori. “Frankly, it’s a blast to talk about snowboarding and be surrounded by like-minded people who are all very good at what they do. In addition to Nichole’s expertise, I think a lot of it is us learning from each other.”

USASA has over 25 clinics currently scheduled across the United States. For additional information or to register for another clinic visit the full clinic schedule here. 

MASON’S CLINIC SCHEDULE
Full USASA Clinic Schedule and Registration

Nov. 23-24: Steamboat Springs, Colo. -  level 100 - co-ed
Dec. 2-3: Aspen Snowmass, Colo. -  level 200 - all-female
Dec. 4-5: Aspen Snowmass, Colo. - level 100 - co-ed
Dec. 9 -10:  Vail, Colo. - level 100 - all-female
Dec. 11-12: Vail level 200 - co-ed
 

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."

STAMFORD, Conn. – NBC Sports will showcase over 150 hours of 2019-20 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup programming across NBC, NBCSN, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, OlympicChannel.com and the Olympic Channel app.

The season will kick off in 10 days in Levi, Finland, with the Women’s Slalom on Saturday, Nov. 23. Live coverage will air at 7 a.m. ET on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, which will televise 100+ hours of FIS Alpine coverage this season, and will re-air later in the day at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Additional FIS Alpine Skiing coverage will also be available on NBC Sports Gold’s “Snow Pass” and the Olympic Channel digital platforms. Among the events exclusive to NBC Sports Gold are the Giant Slalom and Slalom events in Lienz, Austria, on December 28-29, and the Hahnenkamm downhill race from Kitzbühel, Austria, on January 24. “Snow Pass” can be purchased here.

U.S. Olympic gold medalists Mikaela Shiffrin and Ted Ligety, as well as Steven Nyman, Travis Ganong, Bryce Bennett and Tommy Ford headline the U.S. Ski Team this season. Shiffrin, the three-time defending overall World Cup champion, returns to World Cup competition following a dominant performance last season in which she captured a record 17 victories, becoming the first skier to win the overall, super-G, giant slalom and slalom World Cup titles in a single season.

NBC Sports’ 2019-20 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup schedule spans three continents and is highlighted by events in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada (Nov. 30–Dec. 1, Dec. 6–8); Killington, Vermont (Nov. 30 – Dec. 1); Beaver Creek, Colorado (Dec. 6–8); Wengen, Switzerland (Jan. 17–19); and the concluding event of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup season in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (Feb. 17–22), which will also host the 2021 World Championships and 2026 Winter Olympics.

Over the course of the 2019-20 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup season, a number of NBC Sports Olympics commentators will call the action including Dan Hicks, Steve Porino, Steve Schlanger, Cara Banks, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard alumnus and Olympic medalist Andrew Weibrecht.

STREAMING COVERAGE OF FIS ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming platforms for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will provide streaming coverage of the 2019-20 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup events airing on NBC, NBCSN and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms.

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are powered by Playmaker Media and available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.

All linear coverage on NBCSN will stream on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. All linear coverage on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA will stream on OlympicChannel.com and the Olympic Channel app, in addition to NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app.

***

Below is NBC Sports’ telecast schedule for the 2019-20 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup season:
(All times EST)

11/23/19
7 a.m., Women’s Slalom – Levi, Finland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
6 p.m., Women’s Slalom – Levi, Finland*, NBCSN

11/24/19
7 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Levi, Finland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

11/30/19
9:40 a.m., Women’s Giant Slalom (Run 1) – HomeLight Killington Cup, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
12:30 p.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – HomeLight Killington Cup, NBCSN
2 p.m., Men’s Downhill – Lake Louise, Alberta, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
3:30 p.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – HomeLight Killington Cup*, NBC
5 p.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – HomeLight Killington Cup*, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
9 p.m., Men’s Downhill – Lake Louise, Alberta*, NBCSN

12/1/19
9:40 a.m., Women’s Slalom (Run 1) – HomeLight Killington Cup, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
12:30 p.m., Women’s Slalom – HomeLight Killington Cup, NBC
2 p.m., Men’s Super-G – Lake Louise, Alberta, NBC
5:30 p.m., Women’s Slalom – HomeLight Killington Cup*, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
7:30 p.m., Women’s Slalom – HomeLight Killington Cup*, NBCSN
10:30 p.m., Men’s Super-G – Lake Louise, Alberta*, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

12/6/19
12:30 p.m., Men’s Super-G – Xfinity Birds of Prey, NBCSN
2:30 p.m., Women’s Downhill – Lake Louise, Alberta, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
7:30 p.m, Men’s Super-G – Xfinity Birds of Prey*, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
11 p.m., Women’s Downhill – Lake Louise, Alberta*, NBCSN

12/7/19
1 p.m., Men’s Downhill – Xfinity Birds of Prey, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
2:30 p.m., Women’s Downhill – Lake Louise, Alberta, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
11 p.m., Men’s Downhill – Xfinity Birds of Prey*, NBCSN

12/8/19
11:40 a.m., Men’s Giant Slalom (Run 1) – Xfinity Birds of Prey, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
1 p.m., Women’s Super-G – Lake Louise, Alberta, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
2:30 p.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Xfinity Birds of Prey, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
5 p.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Xfinity Birds of Prey*, NBC
6 p.m., Women’s Super-G – Lake Louise, Alberta*, NBCSN

12/13/19
4:30 a.m., Women’s Super-G – St. Moritz, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

12/14/19
7 a.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Val d’Isere, France, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
9:30 p.m., Women’s Super-G – St. Moritz, Switzerland*, NBCSN

12/15/19
6:30 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Val d’Isere, France, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
7:30 a.m., Women’s Parallel Slalom – St. Mortiz, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
8 p.m., Women’s Parallel Slalom – St. Mortiz, Switzerland*, NBCSN

12/17/19
7:30 a.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Courchevel, France, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

12/18/19
6 p.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Courchevel, France**, NBCSN

12/19/19
5:30 a.m., Men’s Super-G – Val Gardena, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

12/20/19
4:30 a.m., Women’s Downhill – Val d’Isere, France, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
5:45 a.m., Men’s Downhill – Val Gardena, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

12/21/19
8:30 p.m., Men’s Downhill – Val Gardena, Italy*, NBCSN

12/22/19
7 a.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Alta Badia, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
8 a.m., Women’s Combined – Val d’Isere, France, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
7:30 p.m., Women’s Combined – Val d’Isere, France*, NBCSN

12/23/19
12 p.m., Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom – Alta Badia, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

12/27/19
5:30 a.m., Men’s Downhill – Bormio, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

12/29/19
7:30 a.m., Men’s Combined – Bormio, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

1/4/20
10 a.m., Women’s Slalom – Zagreb, Croatia, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
2 p.m., Women’s Slalom – Zagreb, Croatia*, NBCSN

1/5/20
11:30 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Zagreb, Croatia, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
1 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Zagreb, Croatia*, NBCSN

1/8/20
2:30 p.m., Men’s Slalom – Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

1/11/20
7:30 a.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Adelboden, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
11:30 p.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Adelboden, Switzerland*, NBCSN

1/12/20
7:30 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Adelboden, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
1 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Adelboden, Switzerland*, NBCSN

1/17/20
8 a.m., Men’s Combined – Wengen, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

1/18/20
6:30 a.m., Men’s Downhill – Wengen, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
8 a.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Sestriere, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
8 p.m., Men’s Downhill – Wengen, Switzerland*, NBCSN
9 p.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Sestriere, Italy*, NBCSN
5:30 a.m. Women’s Parallel Slalom – Sestriere, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

1/19/20
7 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Wengen, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
8 p.m., Women’s Parallel Slalom – Sestriere, Italy*, NBCSN
9 p.m., Men’s Slalom – Wengen, Switzerland**, NBCSN

1/24/20
3:30 a.m., Women’s Downhill – Bansko, Bulgaria, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

1/25/20
9 a.m., Women’s Downhill – Bansko, Bulgaria*, NBCSN
3 a.m., Women’s Super-G – Bankso, Bulgaria, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

1/26/20
12:30 p.m., Women’s Super-G – Bansko, Bulgaria*, NBCSN

1/27/20
1 p.m., Men’s Downhill & Men’s Super-G – Kitzbuehel, Austria**, NBCSN
3 p.m., Men’s Slalom – Kitzbuehel, Austria**, NBCSN

1/31/20
3:30 a.m., Women’s Downhill – Rosa Khutor, Russia, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
5:30 a.m., Men’s Downhill – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

2/1/20
12:30 a.m., Men’s Downhill – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany*, NBCSN
3 a.m., Women’s Super-G – Rosa Khutor, Russia, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

2/2/20
7:30 a.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
4 p.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany*, NBCSN

2/7/20
5:30 a.m., Women’s Downhill – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

2/8/20
7 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Chamonix, France, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
2 p.m., Women’s Downhill – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany*, NBCSN
5 a.m., Women’s Super-G – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

2/9/20
7 a.m., Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom – Chamonix, France, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
4:30 p.m., Women’s Super-G – Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany*, NBCSN

2/14/20
10 p.m., Men’s Downhill – Yanqing, China, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

2/15/20
7 a.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Maribor, Slovenia, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
10 p.m., Men’s Super-G – Yanqing, China, NBCSN
11:30 p.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Maribor, Slovenia*, NBCSN

2/16/20
7:30 a.m., Women’s Slalom – Maribor, Slovenia, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
9:30 p.m., Women’s Slalom – Maribor, Slovenia*, NBCSN

2/21/20
11 p.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Yuzawa Naeba, Japan, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
4:30 a.m., Women’s Downhill – Crans Montana, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

2/22/20
11 p.m., Men’s Slalom – Yuzawa Naeba, Japan, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
11:30 p.m., Women’s Downhill – Crans Montana, Switzerland*, NBCSN

2/23/20
7:30 a.m., Women’s Combined – Crans Montana, Switzerland, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
4:30 p.m., Women’s Combined – Crans Montana, Switzerland*, NBCSN

2/28/20
4:30 a.m., Women’s Super-G – La Thuile, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

2/29/20
12 a.m., Women’s Super-G – La Thuile, Italy*, NBCSN

3/1/20
8 a.m., Women’s Combined – La Thuile, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

3/6/20
5 a.m., Men’s Downhill – Kvitfjell, Norway, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

3/7/20
6:30 a.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Ofterschwang, Germany, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
12:30 a.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Ofterschwang, Germany*, NBCSN
1:30 a.m., Men’s Downhill – Kvitfjell, Norway*, NBCSN
5:30 a.m., Men’s Super-G – Kvitfjell, Norway, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

3/8/20
7 a.m., Women’s Slalom – Ofterschwang, Germany, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
1 a.m., Women’s Slalom – Ofterschwang, Germany*, NBCSN

3/10/20
1:30 p.m., City Event – Stockholm, Sweden*, NBCSN

3/13/20
12 p.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Are, Sweden, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
5 p.m., Women’s Giant Slalom – Are, Sweden*, NBCSN

3/14/20
10 a.m., Men’s Giant Slalom – Kranjska Gora, Slovenia*, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
11 a.m., Women’s Slalom – Are, Sweden*, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

3/15/20
10 a.m., Men’s Slalom – Kranjska Gora, Slovenia*, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

3/17/20
4:30 a.m., World Cup Finals: Men’s Downhill – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

3/18/20
6 a.m., World Cup Finals: Women’s Downhill – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
3:30 p.m., World Cup Finals: Women’s Downhill – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy*, NBCSN
1 a.m., World Cup Finals: Men’s Downhill – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy*, NBCSN
5 a.m., World Cup Finals: Women’s Super-G – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA

3/19/20
6:30 a.m., World Cup Finals: Men’s Super-G – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
11 a.m., World Cup Finals: Women’s Super-G – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy*, NBCSN

3/20/20
6:30 a.m., World Cup Finals: Team Event – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
11 a.m., World Cup Finals: Team Event – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy*, NBCSN

3/21/20
7 a.m., World Cup Finals: Men’s Giant Slalom – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
8:30 a.m., World Cup Finals: Women’s Slalom – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
12 a.m., World Cup Finals: Women’s Slalom – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy*, NBCSN
1 a.m., World Cup Finals: Men’s Giant Slalom – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy*, NBCSN

3/22/20
7 a.m., World Cup Finals: Women’s Giant Slalom – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
8:30 a.m., World Cup Finals: Men’s Slalom – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
12 a.m., World Cup Finals: Women’s Giant Slalom – Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy*, NBCSN

*Same-day delay
**Next-day delay

Note: All televised events to stream across NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, OlympicChannel.com, and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA app

***

Release courtesy of NBC. 

With FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Cup competition already underway in some disciplines, the world’s best halfpipe skiers and riders are gearing up to kick off their northern hemisphere season at the Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain, Colo. Dec. 11-14. The event will serve as the second halfpipe World Cup stop for the freeskiers and the season opener for the snowboarders. 

“Copper is always the first event of the year and I have never done well at this location,” said 2018 PyeongChang Olympic silver medalist Alex Ferreira. “For that reason, I am extremely motivated to get my first memorable result at Copper. I have been training like a mad man, so when the time comes, I will see if my preparation pays off!” 

The U.S. Grand Prix is more than just another stop on the World Cup Circuit. This is the 24th season of Grand Prix competition and the 11th year of the Copper Mountain Resort Grand Prix partnership. It’s no coincidence that the relationship between Copper Mountain, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, and athletes from across the globe has been so successful. 

“Copper Mountain’s commitment to producing excellent early season conditions, fostering an environment of progression, and opening their arms to world-class athletes is what makes Copper the ideal venue for World Cup halfpipe competition,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Event Director Nick Alexakos. “Year after year, Copper continues to produce a 22-foot Olympic sized superpipe available for training and competition. This is no small feat. Building a quality superpipe demands significant time, resources, and skilled terrain park staff, but Copper has never shied away from the challenge.” 

In addition to their ongoing dedication to on-snow facilities, in February of 2009, Copper furthered their stance as freeski and snowboard paradise by opening the Woodward Copper Barn. Woodward Copper Barn is a 19,400 square foot indoor training facility with skateparks, Olympic-grade trampolines, foam pit jumps, indoor ski and snowboard training and more. Most recently, Copper and Woodward have taken inspiration from the U.S. Snowboard Team’s own Olympic gold medalist Red Gerard with the creation of the hike-to-jib style terrain park called Red’s Backyard set to debut at the end of 2019.

With elite facilities comes elite athletes. In this case, the “if you build it, they will come mentality” certainly rings true. However, one athlete that won’t be making the trip is 2018 PyeongChang Olympic gold medalist and 2019 FIS World Champion Chloe Kim. Chloe is taking the season off from competition in order to give her mind and my body a break, while also attending her freshman year at Princeton University. Even with Kim’s absence, the field at the Grand Prix is as strong as ever. 

Leading the way for the U.S. Freeski Team are Colorado locals Alex Ferreira and Aaron Blunck. Both Alex and Aaron are coming off strong seasons collecting podiums at last season’s pinnacle events. Alex earned X Games and Dew Tour gold, while Aaron collected a Dew Tour podium in addition to defending his FIS World Championship title. Blunck is also the defending champion from last year’s Copper Grand Prix. In addition, Birk Irving already has a World Cup victory under his belt from September in Cardrona, New Zealand after landing a very unique double-cork 720 to cap off his run.

Furthermore, there is potential for some big names to make their return to snow after suffering injuries last season including double Olympic gold medalist David Wise, Olympic bronze medalist Brita Sigourney, and pro team member Carly Margulies. 

Maddie Mastro will lead the way for the women of U.S. Snowboard Team and is focussed on finally earning what has been an elusive first-place finish. She placed second in 2017 and 2018, but has never come in with this much momentum. Maddie finished the season making history at the U.S. Open by landing the first-ever double crippler in the women’s snowboard halfpipe competition besting Chloe for the gold. 

“I’m looking forward to kicking off the season at Copper,” said Maddie. I have done well there in years past, but have yet to take the top spot. I feel I had a strong season last year and can hopefully continue to put my best snowboarding on display. Copper should be a great competition and I look forward to reconnecting with the halfpipe community.”

For the men, Toby Miller and Chase Josey will be looking to repeat their early-season success from 2018. Last year, Toby earned his first-ever World Cup podium with a second-place finish at the Copper Grand Prix alongside teammate Chase Josey in third place. Both Toby and Chase went on to swap podium positions at the Dew Tour only a week later. Miller and Josey both have proved there is no need to shake off the cobwebs early in the year podiuming at the first two events of the 2018-19 season. However, they have some stiff competition with Australian Scotty James looking to defend his title. 

The Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix’s second and final stop will be at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Jan. 29 - Feb.1. Mammoth Mountain’s Unbound Terrain Park consistently delivers a world-class venue for both training and competition. This season’s Grand Prix will feature both slopestyle and halfpipe competition. 

Join us at Copper Mountain to kick-off your winter with some of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s biggest stars or tune in below to catch the action from home.

Media Accreditation Application

LAND ROVER U.S. GRAND PRIX - COPPER MOUNTAIN
Event Schedule
*Subject to change

Dec. 11: Freeski Halfpipe qualifications
Dec. 12: Snowboard Halfpipe qualifications
Dec. 13: Freeski Halfpipe Finals
Dec. 14: Snowboard Halfpipe Finals

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Preliminary broadcast schedule, subject to change
Streaming schedule TBA
*Delayed broadcast

FREESKI 
December 13, 2019
1:00 p.m. - Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe, Copper Mountain - NBC Sports

December 21, 2019
4:00 p.m. - Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe, Copper Mountain - NBC*

SNOWBOARD
December 14, 2019
2:00 p.m. - Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe, Copper Mountain - NBC Sports

December 21, 2019
4:00 p.m. - Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe, Copper Mountain - NBC*