With Monday’s announcement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarding the 2026 Olympic Winter Games to Milano-Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, current and future U.S. Ski & Snowboard Olympic Champions are reacting with excitement toward competing in Italy.

“A huge congratulations to Milano-Cortina for winning the 2026 Olympic Winter Games,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes have a history of success in Cortina d’Ampezzo, most notably Lindsey Vonn’s 12 World Cup wins there, a record for the venue, and most recently when Mikaela Shiffrin won her third career World Cup victory there this past January. The Olympics are the pinnacle of our sports and what drives each of our elite athletes across our seven teams to put in the hard work to train and compete towards being Best in the World. We are already well underway preparing for Beijing 2022, and look forward to competing in three new events: Freeski Big Air, Mixed Team Aerials and Mixed Team Snowboardcross.

“The Olympic movement pushes athletes to the best of their abilities to progress their sports and we are hopeful for even more opportunities for our fans to watch them in action, perhaps with the addition of a dual moguls event for 2026. Italy is a nation steeped in winter sports tradition and as Cortina d’Ampezzo will also play host to the 2020 FIS Ski World Cup Finals and the 2021 FIS Alpine World Championships, we look forward to bringing our athletes, staff, and supporters there leading into and in 2026.”

    - Tiger Shaw, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO

The 2026 Olympics will mark the return to the European continent of the Games last held in the small Italian city of Turin in 2006.

The Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will see U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes compete at a number of venues that have previously hosted FIS Ski & Snowboard World Cup competitions. The women’s alpine skiing events will take place at Cortina d’Ampezzo, site of the 1956 Olympic Winter Games, and a highly-anticipated annual stop on the women’s FIS Ski World Cup circuit with downhill and super-G events. Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) took her third career World Cup super-G victory at Cortina this past January.

“A big congratulations to Milano-Cortina on winning the 2026 Olympic bid!” exclaimed Shiffrin. “From the first moment I saw the Olympia delle Tofane track, I knew it was going to be one of my favorites. First of all, the Dolomites are a sight for sore eyes - the landscape is absolutely stunning, and the Cortina organizing committee does an incredible job prepping the surface. The sun always seems to be shining, and the Italian fans are among the most passionate on the tour. In my first World Cup super-G start at Cortina in 2017 I was fourth, and what stands out most about that day is that I just had SO much fun. Last year I won my third career super-G victory there. It’s a pure joy to ski on that track.”

Cortina d’Ampezzo is also scheduled to host the 2020 FIS Ski World Cup Finals and the 2021 FIS Alpine World Championships as a lead up to the 2026 Games. Bormio will host the men’s Olympic alpine events - featuring the Stelvio, one of the most spectacular, technical and difficult tracks in the world - having twice hosted the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 1985 and 2005 and many editions of the FIS World Cup.

Cross country, nordic combined and ski jumping will all take place at Val di Fiemme where Jessie Diggins (Affton, Minn.) and Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, Alaska) won the first-ever FIS Cross Country World Championships gold medal for the United States in 2013.

“I have so many fond memories of racing in Val di Fiemme, so I’m thrilled to see the Olympics come to Milano-Cortina!” said Diggins. “Italy is one of my favorite countries to live, train and race in, so this will be an exciting Games!”

Livigno will host snowboard, freeski, and freestyle competition, providing the small Italian village the opportunity to host international competition for the first time leading up the 2026 Games.

“Thinking all the way to 2026 seems a bit hard for me to grasp. I’m still enjoying my Olympic experience from 2018 in South Korea and have my eye’s set for 2022 in Beijing,” said 2018 Olympic snowboard slopestyle gold medalist Red Gerard. “It’s hard to get too much further than that for my goals, but I am sure Italy will be a cool change and it’s nice to see the Winter Olympics back to another part of the world. I hope to have the chance to represent the U.S. in Italy and look forward to the opportunity.”

The 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games will provide an inspirational urban setting of a modern metropolis united with the uplifting and traditional mountain-setting of the spectacular Italian Alps: the Dolomites. Athletes, spectators and the Olympic Family will experience Italy’s passion and enjoy the cultural and social pleasures that draw millions of visitors to Milano and the Dolomites every year. Milano’s storied 80,000-seat Stadio Giuseppe Meazza soccer stadium is slated to host the opening ceremony, with the closing ceremonies taking place in a Roman amphitheater in Verona.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced today that Riley Campbell will join the U.S. Moguls Team as World Cup Coach. Campbell starts his new position with the organization on July 15.

Campbell comes to the U.S. Ski Team with 10 years of moguls coaching experience. He was most recently with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail where he served as moguls coach for seven years. Prior to that, he coached for Team Breckenridge. He has also served as the head coach for the Bermuda Ski Team, traveled to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games to help coach U.S. Moguls team member Casey Andringa (Boulder, Colo.) and has been a private coach for U.S. Ski Team member Morgan Schild (Pittsford, N.Y.). His work with these two current team members, as well as co-coaching Tess Johnson (Vail, Colo.) and Kai Owens (Vail, Colo.), has put him in concert with U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Head Moguls Coach, Matt Gnoza over the years, helping make his transition to the U.S. Ski Team a smooth one.

"With Riley's Campbell’s past successes with many members of the U.S. moguls team, his name quickly surfaced as a top candidate, and that did not change throughout our thorough search process,” said Gnoza. “It is with great enthusiasm that I welcome Riley, a familiar and respected member of our sport to join my staff as a U.S. Ski Team Mogul Coach."

Born and raised in Frisco, Colo., Campbell learned to ski at a young age and joined Team Summit’s alpine program when he was eight, but eventually made the switch to moguls. “I fell in love with freestyle skiing at a young age. Looking back I think it was the culture that grabbed me. The freestyle culture is one of passion, fun, toughness and hard work.” Campbell competed in moguls with Team Summit and later Team Telluride, until sustaining a career-ending injury at age 19. A year after his competitive career ended, Campbell’s Team Summit coach John Dowling brought him on staff and Campbell has been coaching ever since.

Ski & Snowboard Club Vail consistently produces a large contingent of skiers that are named to the U.S. Ski Team. Campbell has worked with current and past National Team members such as Dylan Walczyk, Hunter Bailey, Kaitlyn Harrell, Emerson Smith, Casey Andringa, Jesse Andringa, Johnson, Schild, Owens and Nessa Dziemian. Campbell himself was teammates with Walczyk on Team Summit and with newly appointed Moguls World Cup Coach Joe Discoe on Team Telluride.

Campbell’s coaching philosophy is to empower athletes in their training program. “Including the athlete in their own planning and giving them a voice in their own training environment helps them stay engaged, create ownership of their training, and helps me operate as a coach. I tend to operate with two lines of communication.” He brings a high level of expertise in technical ski skills, aerials and competition strategy which he believes will enhance the overall early technical preparation and build confidence for when they get in the gate.

“The essence of coaching is simply supporting an athlete in their endeavors. Ultimately, it’s about taking care of them, keeping them as safe as possible and helping them grow. Supporting athletes, helping them in any way I can, and acting as a trustworthy reference for them is what drives me as a coach. It is incredibly rewarding to be there to support an athlete and then to see them succeed.”

Campbell rounds out the coaching roster for the U.S. Moguls Team, joining coaches Gnoza and Discoe. He looks forward to forging relationships with his new team and building off of the 2018-19 season’s successes as they prepare for 2019-20.

“I am extremely familiar with each of the current U.S. Ski Team members and have witnessed their entire careers, I believe there is a lot of potential. It will be an honor to represent the nation on the world's stage.”

Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho) was feeling stronger than ever, returning to snow and tackling 2019-20 prep period camps, when she sustained a left knee injury during a training camp at official training site Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California, forcing Johnson to once more rehab before she can return to the FIS Ski World Cup circuit.

On June 13, Johnson tore her left posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) after catching an edge and crashing hard in giant slalom training. Johnson missed the 2019 season due to a right anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear sustained in September 2019, working tirelessly in the gym to get strong and return to snow.

Throughout her rehab, she chronicled the highs and lows of the experience in a series entitled “Patient Notes.”

During the 2018 season, Johnson had more success than ever. Of her 15 downhill and super-G starts, she was in the points 10 times, top-15 five times, top-10 four times, and narrowly missed her first podium in Garmisch, Germany, finishing in fourth place. At her first Olympic bid in  PyeongChang, South Korea, she grabbed a solid 14th-place result in super-G and a seventh in the downhill. Incredible results for the first-time Olympian.

Never one to mince their words, Johnson’s feelings about the injury are poignant and powerful.

Devastated, gutted, shattered. These adjectives don’t do justice to how I’m feeling right now. Training GS last week I randomly caught an edge, crashed hard, and tore my PCL and MCL. This was not the leg that sustained an ACL tear last September. I honestly do not believe that it had anything to do with my injury from last year. I just had some absolutely sh*t luck. Again.

I’ve already said I don’t believe everything happens for a reason. This injury disproves that hard work always pays off. I am lucky enough to have the resources to help me overcome this injury. But trying to find meaning in what happened doesn’t do justice to the awfulness of the situation. It sucks; I won’t lie.

I just returned from my ACL. I put everything I had into that recovery. I don’t mean this as a brag; I don’t mean this to criticize anyone else rehabbing, but I feel a bit like I worked harder on that ACL recovery than anyone ever has. And let me tell you it was NOT easy. And this one will require even more. I already know this. And though I know everyone wants to say ‘you’ve already done this, you can do it again!’ To be honest this doesn’t help me, it even terrifies me a bit. Because I was, I am, still worried I can’t. I just had a somewhat miraculous ACL recovery, I was back on snow at four months, skiing gates at five and a half, skiing downhill 7 months after surgery. And more than that I felt good doing it. I knew I was stronger and hungrier than ever. And though I hope beyond hope I can do it again I will make no guarantees about returning quickly or well (at least in the short term). I learned from this injury that there‘s a lot of work involved, there’s a lot to do with the amazing staff and the great support, but there’s also a bit of luck involved.

But what I do know is that there’s no going back. There’s only through. And I love this sport so I’ll give it everything I have, and more. And I ask that rather than telling me that I will do it again, say, ‘when you feel like you can’t, I’ll be here. When you need that extra bit of strength, take some of mine.’ And maybe, maybe then, I can, we can, defy the odds one more time, and set new records on what can be accomplished.

Johnson will undergo surgery next Tuesday, and then will begin the long, arduous road to recovery. Again, she is incredibly thankful to the community for the support and wants everyone to know - from sponsors to fans and beyond - that she will return. Stay tuned here and to Johnson’s Instagram for frequent updates from Johnson as she experiences the highs and lows of returning to the mountain.

BRADFORD, VT/VAIL, CO – World Cup Supply and 1to3go are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018-19 Berlack/Astle Memorial Fast Skier Awards. NYSEF/Northwood School athlete Madison Kostoss and Jonathan Davis from the Green Mountain Valley School were each awarded the prize for U16 racers.

Madison Kostoss is a U16 out of Wilmington N.Y., where her passion for skiing was born on Whiteface Mountain. A top racer in New York, her coach Patrick Purcell describes Kostoss' “I can do it” attitude that puts her in a special league. “She is self-driven, willing to take chances and knows clearly that her path is one of success” noted Patrick.

“Ski racing has taught me the importance of a balanced lifestyle along with many other lessons," said Kostoss. "Ronnie and Bryce captured the essence of this during their lives. I am honored to be a recipient of this award and will continue to be inspired by their charisma throughout my ski racing career.”

Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS) skier Jonathan Davis from Waitsfield, Vt. knows adversity. Last year he suffered a life- threatening ski edge laceration and has been very active in raising awareness for this ever-increasing problem facing many ski racers. Like the Berlack and Astle families, Davis has learned to turn a tragic situation into a way to help others.

“I am both excited and humbled to win the Berlack/Astle award," reflected Davis. "Everything I have heard or read about each of them, tells me they learned at an early age to live their life with a passion for their sport, their family and their community. I hope to live up to the honor of this award by, working hard, constantly challenging myself, staying positive even in tough times, and just being the best person I can be.“

Both athletes will receive a $1,000 cash award, race products from SYNC and a backpack and t-shirt from World Cup Supply.

This is the 10th year the “Fast Skier Award” has been awarded and the fourth year that the award has been presented in memory of Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle, two up-and-coming U.S. Ski & Snowboard alpine athletes whose lives were lost tragically in an avalanche in Soelden, Austria in January 2015. The award is based on race results, academic excellence, coach’s recommendations and community involvement...the type of qualities that both Ronnie and Bryce exhibited. This award gives us a chance to recognize excellence in the U16 community and also continue to remember Ronnie and Bryce, two gifted athletes whose character on and off the hill was an inspiration to others.”

World Cup Supply and 1to3go congratulates Madison and Jonathan and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors. We’d also like to thank SYNC and Atomic, N.A. for their generous donations and help recognizing Madison’s and Jonathan’s achievements.

Learn more about the award at www.berlackastleaward.com.

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About World Cup Supply
Founded in 1991, World Cup Supply is a respected supplier of ski racing, ski area and event supplies. Located in Bradford, Vermont the company is the exclusive North American distributor of the SPM line of hill supplies for alpine ski racing, resorts and events. http://www.worldcupsupply.com/

About 1to3go
1to3go is a consultancy started by Barry Levinson, founder of SYNC Performance and SRD/Ski Racing Development. 1to3go provides a variety of marketing and creative services to the ski and outdoor industries. http://www.1to3go.com/

Release courtesy of Barry Levinson, founder of SYNC Performance, SRD/Ski Racing Development and 1to3go.

Double Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) and Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim (Torrence, Calif.), who each dominated their competition this past season, are nominated for the 2019 ESPY Awards. 

Shiffrin is fresh off a record-smashing 2019 season, making history with a whopping 17 FIS Ski World Cup victories, four World Cup titles and three World Championship medals - two golds and one bronze - including becoming the only athlete in the history of ski racing to win four successive World Championship gold medals in a single discipline (slalom). With what is her best season yet (at a mere 24-years-old), she established herself among the upper echelon of athletes as arguably the most dominant athlete in the world. Shiffrin joins three powerhouse female athletes in the "Best Female Athlete" category: soccer star Alex Morgan, gymnast Simon Biles and basketball player Breanne Stewart. 

Kim cleaned house at the 2018 ESPYS, winning the Best Female Athlete, Best Female Action Sports Athlete and Best Female U.S. Olympic Athlete awards. She dominated her competition this past season, winning her first halfpipe World Championships title in Park City, Utah, and walking away with an 83% winning percentage on the season. Kim is up for Best Female Action Sports Athlete, joining skier Kelly Sildaru, snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and surfer Stephanie Gilmore. 

The award show gathers top celebrities from sports and entertainment to commemorate the past year in sports by recognizing major sports achievements, reliving unforgettable moments and saluting the leading performers and performances. The 27th ESPYS will be hosted by Tracy Morgan and will broadcast live on ABC Wednesday, July 10, at 8 p.m. ET from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Voting for the awards is open at www.espn.com/espys, and fans can vote multiple times - so vote for your favorite U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete, and then vote again and again. And again. 

The guiding vision of U.S. Ski & Snowboard is to be the “Best in the World” in international snow sports competition. In order to become the best of the best, it is imperative to have a strong foundation. U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the education and development of its athletes and talent pipeline, and through its Sports Education department, focuses on regional club-level needs.

Thanks to U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Sports Education department, clubs, coaches, parents, and most importantly, athletes, receive sports education necessary for enhancing the quality of athletic success. Through its Sports Education Program, the department aims to provide aspiring athletes across the country with the best possible experience. U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sports Education Director Gar Trayner explains, “Sports Education is a critical part of us ensuring that each and every athlete has the best possible opportunity to fulfill their potential, their goals, and their dreams.”

The program is based on a long-term athlete development model that ensures the expertise, information, and assets of the organization are disseminated to clubs throughout the country to enhance the development of all athletes. “We provide resources to all clubs to ensure delivery of world-class operations and programming,” says Ellen Adams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s club development manager. With a club-level focus, the department not only supports future skiing and snowboarding Olympians but also advances the educational and professional practices of coaches and club leadership.

The Sport Education Program’s main goal is to address athletes’ educational needs in athletics and improve upon them. One way the department achieves this is by prioritizing great athletes first and great competitors second. Although competitive skills are necessary for elite level athletes, fundamental skill is key. The program also emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking. The initiatives and values implemented into the program establish long-term impact for the athletes who desire to become professional. Its foundational principles establish the future success of athletes that grew up in this educational system. Finally, the program prioritizes the standardization of information and practice. With a replicable and unified program, the department hopes to deepen and widen the talent pool within the United States.

“We want to be able to provide support to our coaches and clubs to give them resources to provide positive experiences for young athletes that will promote a lifelong love of snow sports and athletic success,” says Anna Hosmer, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s sports education coordinator.

Multiple goals of the program also revolve around teaching the coaches and staff how to most effectively teach youth athletes. U.S. Ski & Snowboard provides consistent collaboration with the coaches and staff of both national, regional, and divisional teams to ensure all developing athletes are receiving consistent support. The Sport Education Program desires to strengthen that collaboration through communication, not only with U.S. Ski & Snowboard clubs, coaches, and sports staff, but with the high-performance staff, the national team coaches, regions, divisions, and partner organizations such as the United States Amateur Snowboard Association (USASA).

“What we often do is share practices and processes from our different clubs to help navigate through challenges,” says Trayner. “We also have club development consultants which can be sent to work with any specific club that has any challenges they need help getting through in terms of governance or best practices.”

Communication with all of these entities allows U.S. Ski & Snowboard to share the best possible practices, have consistent messaging, combine resources, and stay updated in the ski and snowboard world.

The Sport Education Program also has a hand in sport progression by motivating coaches and club leaders to take part in growing their knowledge base of the ever-evolving sports world. Ski and snowboard sports, as well as sports science, is constantly changing with new advances in technology and practices. It is imperative that the Sports Education Program is up-to-date with these changes and in turn inspire coaches to implement them into their teaching techniques. At every level of development, the Sports Education Program desires to teach coaches about how to properly communicate with athletes, understand and measure their teaching outcomes, and fully comprehend the content of their work.

“When we are putting the best principles in place, at the youngest ages and in the earliest moments of development, we can affect the most amount of athletes within our populous,” explains Trayner. These goals will lead to the most effective teaching of the nation’s future snowsport professionals.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is fortunate to not only have a structured and developed plan but to have previous athletes and coaches within the Sports Education Department staff.

“I have spent my life in the snowsports industry; as an athlete, coach, leader of for-profit and nonprofit organizations, volunteer and parent of an alpine athlete and it is an amazing world in which to learn and grow,” says Adams. “The opportunity to give back in a meaningful way that can truly make a difference for our clubs, coaches, athletes, and their families is a dream come true.”

Trayner has also been heavily involved in snowsport competition, being both an Olympian in the alpine discipline and an international-level coach for multiple National Governing Bodies. “My past experience is a large part of the contextual fit I have in all of this, both from my experience as a sports coach and as an athlete,” he says. “But also my experience with managing coaches has helped me understand what tools would be helpful for me to build professional development plans for coaches.”  

With a strong sports education staff, structured goals, and an organization-wide passion for improvement, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Sports Education Department will make monumental steps in the current and future development of athletes. Without the Sports Education Program, the organization would not be able to achieve its vision to be the best at all levels and would lack a strong foundation of skilled U.S. skiers and snowboarders. Through the program, athletes receive the best opportunities to improve and succeed in the future, ultimately driving U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s vision of being the “Best in the World.”

Approximately 100 of the top U.S. junior freeski and snowboard athletes took to the amazing spring conditions at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in California and Timberline Lodge and Ski Area on Mt. Hood, Ore. from June 6-15 for Project Gold, where the country’s top coaches and world-class terrain offered the perfect atmosphere for progression and good times. U.S. Snowboard and Freeski Project Gold Camp bring together the top young skiers and riders in the country for a progressive talent development camp. Project Gold athletes are selected from the Revolution Tour, Hole Shot, Race to the Cup and USASA Nationals. The camp bridges the gap between regional competitors and Olympic level programs.

Spearheaded by former U.S. Snowboard and U.S. Freeski Sport Development Manager, Abbi Nyberg, Project Gold was started in 2006. Starting as just a halfpipe focussed camp, today Project Gold serves as a critical element to the freeski and snowboard development pipeline for slopestyle, halfpipe, and big air as well as the largest snowboardcross camp of the year for U.S. riders.

“Project Gold provides an opportunity for future U.S. Olympians to ski and ride for a week with the full national team staff at Mammoth," said U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Head Freeski and Snowboard Coach Mike Jankowski. “It’s a great opportunity for the coaches and athletes to start making connections that will last throughout their careers.”

At Timberline, the U.S. snowboardcross staff is keeping a close eye on the future.

“Project Gold is a great chance for myself and the other World Cup coaches to get to know and work with the next generation of rippers,” said U.S. Snowboardcross Head Coach Peter Foley.  “It’s cool to see the next generation’s enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. In addition, it’s amazing to watch them improve from one day to the next. This comes at the time of year when we can really concentrate on technique without the pressure of racing and that’s very valuable for allowing the athletes to get into the right headspace to make big changes.”

Not only do U.S. junior athletes get to experience working with U.S. National Team coaches at official U.S. Ski & Snowboard training sites, but they also get to experience the benefits of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard High Performance staff, including experts in strength training, flexibility, nutrition, and recovery. Project Gold is truly a dream come true for young skiers and riders who wish to compete at the highest level of their sport.

Project Gold is a one-of-a-the kind experience that can offer a very positive trajectory for young athletes. By giving youth skiers and riders a chance to work with the best of the best at two of the best ski areas in the country, it conveys a message that reaching the top is very much attainable. This year, Hunter Carey (Winter Park, Colo.) was nominated to the U.S. Freeski Halfpipe Rookie Team and his success was no accident. Alongside a serious amount of hard work, Carey’s progression can be linked directly to Project Gold.

"Project Gold was instrumental for Hunter's skiing progression,” said Hunter’s father Tom Carey. “Hunter was tapped for Project Gold at age 13 after his first podium finish at USASA Nationals in 2016. The Unbound Terrain Parks at Mammoth Mountain, Hunter’s club and the U.S. Freeski Team coaches all work in harmony to help the athletes learn new tricks in a fun and supportive environment. Hunter's nomination to the U.S. Freeski Rookie Team this season can be traced back to the progress he made at Project Gold camps each spring and the synergies with other athletes and coaches forged in this camp environment."

Carey is not the only athlete to benefit from Project Gold. The opportunities it has created for up and coming junior athletes is undeniable.

2018 PyeongChang Olympic snowboard halfpipe bronze medalist Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) felt she benefited not only from working with Olympic caliber coaches but also riding with her peers.

“I think the biggest opportunity that Project Gold created for me was a place to not only ride with some of the best developing snowboarders in the country but to also be coached by arguably the best coaches in the world,” said Gold. “At the time, many of the younger female snowboarders who I absolutely loved to ride with lived in different parts of the country, so I rarely saw them during the competitive season. Project Gold gave us all an opportunity to come together and ride as a group, catering to a level of progression (and fun) that was unparalleled when I was that age.”

Gold also touched on the quality of training venues available to her at such a young age.

“Many athletes at the developmental level in competitive snowboarding often have limited access to adequate training venues, if they have access to any whatsoever,” she said. "Every year that I attended, Project Gold created an incredible venue for all of us to ride together allowing us to learn tricks and progress in a way that likely would not have been possible otherwise. I can still remember how excited I got every year when I had the opportunity to ride in front of the U.S. Team coaches. It felt like it was my chance to prove myself as a potential candidate for the future, which pushed me to work harder than I ever have before.

U.S. Freeski Halfpipe Pro Team member Hunter Hess (Bend, Ore.) felt Project Gold was the catalyst to his blossoming freeski career. As a Rookie this season, Hess earned his first ever FIS World Cup podium in Secret Garden, China with a third-place finish. His performance throughout the 2018/19 season earned him a spot on the Pro Team this coming season.

“Gold opened up doors for me,” said Hess. “It was my first camp with the U.S. Team. I think seeing that you could be apart of an organization like U.S. Ski & Snowboard makes you want it more. In the long run, it was really the first opportunity I had to prove that I could compete at that level one day. My favorite part was being able to learn so much. It's at the perfect time of year to try the tricks you have been thinking of all season. I always learned the most I did all year at Gold. It helped me go into the next season strong and confident.”

For some athletes, Project Gold served as a significant motivator for aspiring young athletes throughout the season. In addition, Project Gold also served as a platform to build great relationships. This was the case for U.S. Freeski Slopestyle Pro Team member and 2018-19 FIS Freeski Slopestyle Crystal Globe Winner Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.) who now is skiing alongside the same guys he attended Project Gold Camp with. You could say that U.S. Freeski Pro Slopestyle Team Coach Dave Euler had an all-star Project Gold class while coaching at camp including U.S. Freeski Team members Forehand, Richard Thomas (Orono, Minn.), Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H.), Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine), Deven Fagan (Brownfield, Maine), Cody Laplante (Truckee, Calif.), and Connor Ladd (Lakewood, Colo.).

“Going to Gold was my goal for the end of the season when I was 13,” said Forehand. “All I wanted was to be invited to this camp that I’ve heard so much about. At first I only knew Hunter and sort of knew the Fagan brothers but never met Cody or Dicky (Richard Thomas) before. The whole week at camp we skied and had a ton of fun staying together. Now I get to call all these guys my friends and teammates. Every year Gold Camp would be the highlight of the spring. I would get so much out of the one week we were able to meet most of the goals I set for myself.”

According to U.S. Snowboardcross Pro Team rider Jake Vedder (Pickney, Mich.) a four-time Project Gold athlete, the snowboardcross experience has always been something to look forward to.

“When the U.S. Snowboard Team gave me a chance to come to Project Gold when I was 13, it was truly a turning point in my career. At a young age, I was able to ride with some of the best riders in the world and I really opened my eyes to what being on the national team looks like. Fast forward a few years and I have made the national team and I am encouraging today’s junior athletes to attend Project Gold because it really did help shape my career as a professional snowboardcross rider.”

Project Gold will not be the last you see of these young skiers and riders. Keep an eye out for competitors to climb the ranks through FIS Nor-Am, Rev Tour and USASA events. Further down the line like Gold, Hess, Vedder, and Forehand, it’s inevitable that many Project Gold athletes will be the leaders of these sports at the elite international level of competition.
 

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic National Governing Body for ski and snowboard sports in the USA, has announced that Luke Bodensteiner, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Chief of Sport, will leave his post on 15 July 2019.

Bodensteiner has been part of U.S. Ski & Snowboard as both athlete and a highly valued member of staff since 1986 when he was first named to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. At the end of his athletic career in 1996 Bodensteiner transferred to a staff role and was promoted to High Performance Director in 2007, then EVP of Athletics, and then Chief of Sport, a title he has held since 2017. Under his direction, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes won countless Olympic, World Cup, and World Championship medals and he leaves a lasting legacy of sporting success that saw nearly 50% of Team USA athletes who competed in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang come from U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

“On behalf of our whole team, in particular, the hundreds of athletes who have worked with Luke over his decades with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, I want to thank Luke for his hard work, passion, vision, and determination to make our athletes the Best in the World. We wish Luke the very best for his future,” said President, and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard Tiger Shaw. “In light of this news our leadership team has been working on the structure of our athletic department, and I will assume much of Luke’s role as we continue our focus of building on the successes of the past with new opportunities. In particular, we will continue the work being done on improving athlete funding as that is a key step towards improving the experience and environment for all our athletes and teams.”

Chloe Kim (Torrence, Calif.), who dominated the competition this past season, winning her first halfpipe World Championships title in Park City, Utah, and Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) lead the list of four U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes nominated for the 2019 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Sport Awards.

Vonn, who retired from competition following her downhill bronze medal performance at the 2019 World Championships, joins Kim in the “Favorite Female Athlete” category, along with soccer star Alex Morgan; tennis players Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams; and gymnast Simone Biles.

Mikaela Shiffrin (Edwards, Colo.) and Vonn are both nominated in the “Need For Speed” category along with NASCAR stars Joey Logano and Kyle Busch; swimmer Katie Ledecky; and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton. Vonn won the “Need For Speed” category at the 2018 Kids' Choice Awards.

Kim and two-time Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.) are both nominated in the “Favorite Action Sports Star” category along with skateboarders Nyja Huston and Brighton Zeuner; rock climber Alex Honnold; and surfer John John Florence.

Voting for the awards is open at www.kcs2019.com and on the Screens Up App, and fans can vote multiple times - so vote for your favorite U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete, and then vote again and again. And again. 

The awards will be presented on July 11 at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica. The ceremony will be aired Aug. 10 on Nickelodeon. Former NFL defensive lineman-turned-TV host Michael Strahan will return to host the event.

NEW YORK, NY – Spyder, a leading ski and performance brand, today announces the renewal and expansion of its sponsorship agreement with the U.S. Ski Team. Spyder has been the exclusive official apparel partner of the U.S. Ski Team since 1989. Spyder’s agreement will continue with rights to design and create the exclusive men’s and women’s uniform for the U.S. Alpine Team and under the new agreement will add the U.S. Freestyle Team and the U.S. Freeski Team. The agreement also extends to outerwear and baselayers with non-exclusive rights for headwear, shells, pants, insulators, fleece, training gear, gloves, and eyewear, which will also be provided to athletes as part of the official uniform.  

The exclusive Spyder branded uniforms will be worn during 35+ domestic events each year and more than 100 worldwide events as part of the annual World Cup circuit. Additionally, Spyder uniforms are already being utilized, starting with the World Championships which took place in February 2019, and will continue leading up to and during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. 

The U.S. Ski Team is comprised of over 100 high-profile athletes including World Cup winner Steven Nyman, double-Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin, junior Olympic gold medal winner River Radamus; the U.S. Freeski Team’s X Games gold medalist Maggie Voisin; and the U.S. Freestyle Team’s World Championship winner Ashley Caldwell and World Championship silver medalist Jaelin Kauf. The team also boasts some of the world’s most famous Olympians who are among the most dominant and successful sports stars of all time competing in events worldwide.

“The U.S. Ski Team has been a critical partner for Spyder for more than three decades. As a leader in performance ski wear, extending our partnership was a natural progression in our shared history,” said Nick Adcock, Chief Executive Officer of Spyder, Global Brand Group U.S. “Performance and Innovation is the foundation of everything we do at Spyder and the U.S. Ski Team allow us to continually elevate our product through their insights and feedback. We look forward to the ongoing collaboration with our now expanded family at the U.S. Ski Team.”

“Everyone at U.S. Ski & Snowboard is delighted that we have renewed and grown our partnership with Spyder,” said Dan Barnett, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Chief Marketing Officer. "For over 30 years Spyder has been the perfect partner for our Alpine Team and now we are very pleased to be able to announce that Spyder is adding our Freestyle and Freeski Teams to their roster. Spyder is now the exclusive apparel partner for our Alpine, Freestyle and Freeski teams, a partnership that takes us through 2023 which means Spyder will be worn exclusively by more than 50 world-class athletes competing in Beijing during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.” 

Spyder offers technical ski, fitness, and lifestyle apparel and accessories for men, women, and children on and off the mountain. The U.S. Alpine, Freestyle and Freeski Team uniforms will include race suits, outerwear, hoodies, gloves, facemasks, and beanies. To learn more and stay up to date on Spyder and the U.S. Ski Team please follow @SpyderActive on social media.

About Spyder
Spyder is one of the world’s most recognizable and credible outdoor sportswear brands. Focused on enhancing the ski experience both on and off the mountain, Spyder prides itself on its advanced technical composition and style. Originally founded by David Jacobs, coach of the Canadian Ski Team and Bob Beattie, coach of the United States Ski Team, Spyder’s roots run deep in the ski community. Pioneering its first padded ski sweater in 1978, and sponsoring the U.S. Ski Team since 1989, Spyder offers technical ski, fitness, and lifestyle apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. The highly sought-after brand is available in department stores, sporting goods stores, and specialty retailers throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and South Korea.

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 Authentic Brands Group​
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing, and entertainment company, which owns a portfolio of global entertainment and lifestyle brands. Headquartered in New York City, ABG manages, 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 4,950 branded freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world. ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling product, content, business, and immersive brand 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 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, please visit authenticbrandsgroup.com.

About Global Brands Group Holding Limited
Global Brands Group Holding Limited (SEHK Stock Code: 787) is one of the leading branded apparel, footwear and brand management companies. The Group designs develops, markets and sells products under a diverse array of owned and licensed brands and a wide range of product categories. Global Brands’ innovative design, capabilities, strong brand management focus and strategic vision enable it to create new opportunities, product categories and market expansion for brands on a global scale. In addition, the Group is the global leader in the brand management business through its joint venture, CAA-GBG Global Brand Management Group.