A promising group of 16 talented athletes – eight women and eight men – have been named to the 2018 FIS Alpine Junior World Championships Team. The team, led by three-time Youth Olympic Games gold medalist River Radamus (Edwards, Colo.), will represent the U.S. in Davos, Switzerland in six events from January 29-February 8, 2018.

Chosen athletes come from the U.S. Ski Team C, D, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Training Group, as well as top U.S. Ski & Snowboard club programs across the nation. Headlining the team and joining Radamus will be fellow 2016 Youth Olympic Games participant Keely Cashman (Strawberry, Calif.), and frequent Alpine FIS Ski World Cup participants AJ Hurt (Carnelian Bay, Calif.), Tricia Mangan (Derby, N.Y.), Nina O’Brien (Edwards, Colo.), and Katie Hensien (Redmond, Wash.).

"I'm fired up about how the front half of the season has gone, and look to show out at world juniors next week," Radamus said. "I've been feeling very good in my preparation, and collected a few strong results in Cortina, so I'm entering Davos with complete confidence in my ability to contend. We're bringing a strong team this season, and everyone is excited to show what America's got on the world stage." 

The team will have a good chance at the prestigious Marc Hodler Trophy, awarded to the team with the best overall performance. Last season, the U.S. finished fifth.

“Top five was a goal of ours last year, after only managing ninth in 2016,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Development Director Chip Knight. “We still have a lot of work to do as a country to challenge for the title, so we’re keeping the same top-five team focus this year while aiming for more individual top-10 results.”

The 2018 Junior Worlds will include men and women’s downhill, super-G, alpine combined, slalom, giant slalom and a mixed team event. Live timing will be provided by FIS.

2018 FIS ALPINE JUNIOR WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM
Name, Hometown; Team Affiliation; Club (Birthdate)
Women

• Keely Cashman, Strawberry, Calif; Squaw Valley Ski Team (4/4/1999)
• Katie Hensien, Redmond, Wash.; Rowmark Ski Academy (12/1/1999)
• AJ Hurt, Carnelian Bay, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team (12/5/2000)
• Abi Jewett, Ripton, Vt.; Green Mountain Valley School (1/10/2000)
• Patricia Mangan, Derby, N.Y.; Holimont Race Team (3/7/1997)
• Abigail Murer, Wildwood, Mo.; Team Summit Colorado (1/18/1997)
• Nina O’Brien, Edwards, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy/Squaw Valley Ski Team (11/29/1997)
• Isabella Wright, Salt Lake City; Aspen Valley Ski Club (2/10/1997)

Men

• Jimmy Krupka, Waitsfield, Vt.; Green Mountain Valley School (7/15/1998)
• Matthew Macaluso, Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (6/29/1999)
• Andrew Miller, Park City, Utah; Park City Ski Team (12/18/1998)
• Kyle Negomir, Littleton, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (10/03/1998)
• River Radamus, Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (2/12/1998)
• Jett Seymour, Steamboat, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and University of Denver (11/5/1998)
• George Steffey, Lyme, N.H.; Stratton Mountain School (8/8/1997)
• Luke Winters, Gresham, Ore.; Sugar Bowl Academy (4/2/1997)

HIGHLIGHTS

• A strong and deep team of 16 rising stars – eight women and eight men – will represent the U.S. at the 2018 FIS Alpine Junior World Championships in Davos, Switzerland from January 29-February 8, 2018.
• Chosen athletes come from the U.S. Ski Team C, D, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Training Group, as well as top U.S. Ski & Snowboard club programs across the nation.
• Medals will be awarded in six events – downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom, alpine combined, the team event – with top ten results counting towards the Marc Hodler Trophy for overall team performance.
• Last year, Sam Morse (Sugarloaf, ME) and Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) were crowned double World Juniors downhill champions.
• Two years ago, at the Youth Olympic Games, held in Lillehammer, Norway, River Radamus (Edwards, CO) grabbed a hat-trick of victories across super G, giant slalom, and combined disciplines and became the first skier or snowboarder in history to win three individual gold medals.
• AJ Hurt made her World Cup debut at 16 years old on American soil in Killington, VT in November 2017.

QUOTES
Chip Knight, Alpine Development Director
“The World Junior Championships is an important benchmark for us in developing athletes on the road to the World Cup.  This year we are bringing a talented group that has shown great promise at the NorAm level.  I am looking forward to seeing what they can do against international competition on the championship stage in Davos!”

COMPETITION SCHEDULE
Jan. 30 – Women’s giant slalom
Jan. 31 – Women’s slalom
Feb. 1 – Men’s downhill
Feb. 2 – Men's and women’s super-G
Feb. 3 – Men’s and women’s team event
Feb. 4 – Men’s alpine combined
Feb. 5 – Ladies’ alpine combined
Feb. 6 – Men’s giant slalom
Feb. 7 – Men’s slalom
Feb. 8 – Women’s downhill

MORE INFORMATION
Davos 2018

The integration of technology and sport has a long, rich history. This is especially true in snowsports where equipment and technological innovations have helped increase speed, performance, pure spectacle and safety in all snowsports disciplines.

Now, in 2018, Virtual Reality is the latest technological innovation to be introduced to the sporting world, especially for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the Olympic organization that is the governing body for ski and snowboard sports in the USA.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard, based in Park City, Utah, have been working in the VR field with STRIVR in a project funded by U.S. Ski & Snowboard partner Visa and the United State Olympic Committee. STRIVR are the California-based VR specialists whose work in VR helps to improve the performances of individuals, corporations, and sports teams. In the case of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, this work is specifically with their High Performance division, under the leadership of Troy Taylor, High Performance Director at U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

“We first started working with STRIVR around two years ago,” explains Taylor. “Since then, we have seen that the value of the work we do with STRIVR is confirmed in the feedback we have from our athletes and their coaches taking part in World Cup and Olympic events. They feel that 360 video and VR increases both the confidence and performance of the athletes in events.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes are using 360 videos and VR in multiple ways in competition, from inspections of the race course, helping athletes learn the lines they will race through, to helping athletes rehabilitate from injuries.

“Our athletes have very limited time and opportunities to train on race courses when they are competing in World Cup or Olympic events,” Taylor said. “The clear advantage of VR is that it is a great way to help athletes get more used to and learn specific courses, which is an obvious performance benefit. The implementation of VR is also part of a larger strategy of US Ski & Snowboard’s High Performance department to embrace the leading edge of technology and innovations to equip our athletes with the latest tools to aid their performance.

“The feedback we have from our athletes suggests that the biggest benefit of using VR is building confidence,” Taylor continued. “They feel they know the courses they will race on better, so when they come to ski on it during a race they enter the start gate with an increased confidence level. That is a big part of competition, having the confidence to attack parts of the course where you can find time, so that’s a clear benefit.”

In simple terms, through the work U.S. Ski & Snowboard is doing with STRIVR in VR, the organization now has “mental access” to each course their athletes compete on, meaning they can mentally prepare for the race they are going to ski: the positions of the gates, the terrain, the way the turns appear—all this mental preparation and visualization is crucial to this sport at the highest level. Before STRIVR, it was impossible to get these repetitions unless you just closed your eyes. Now it’s completely possible and very advantageous for athletes competing right across the U.S. Ski & Snowboard sport spectrum.
 

A strong and deep U.S. Olympic Freeskiing Team is headed to PyeongChang for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced the selection of 15 halfpipe and slopestyle freeski athletes who will compete at the Games beginning February 9. Highlighted among the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team athletes are defending halfpipe gold medalists David Wise (Reno, Nev.) and Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.), defending slopestyle silver medalists Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, Colo.) and Devin Logan (W. Dover, Vt.), and defending bronze medalist Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.). The selections will be confirmed by the United States Olympic Committee when it formally names Team USA this Friday (January 26).
 
Athletes qualified for the team through a series of five selection events beginning in February 2017 and concluding at Mammoth Mountain, California this past weekend. Athletes qualifying by objective criteria were honored at Mammoth Mountain as a part of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Nomination Ceremony presented by Visa.

Logan, who won silver in slopestyle at Sochi, will return in both slopestyle and in halfpipe.

Of the 15 athletes named to the team, 10 were members of the debut Olympic squad at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, including six of the eight halfpipe team members named.

The Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games is set for February 9. The U.S. Olympic Freeskiing Team will have its first competition on Saturday, February 18, with women's slopestyle qualifications. Finals are on Sunday, February 19. 
 
NBCUniversal will present more than 2,400 hours of coverage across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network, NBCOlympics.com, and the NBC Sports app - the most ever for a Winter Olympics.
 
Team Facts

• David Wise and Maddie Bowman return for their second Olympics to defend their halfpipe skiing Olympic gold medals from the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.
• Maggie Voisin will be returning to the Olympics with redemption on her mind. She injured her ankle in Sochi during training and was unable to compete. This will be her second chance to make an Olympic podium.
• Devin Logan, who competed in slopestyle at Sochi, will be representing Team USA for the first time in halfpipe - the only dual event Olympians for the U.S. Freeskiing Team. 
• After nearly missing the 2014 U.S. Olympic Team, Alex Ferreira found redemption by locking in an objective position in halfpipe at Mammoth Mountain.
• Torin Yater-Wallace will be returning to the Olympics, this time healthy and as an objectively qualified athlete vs a discretionary pick in 2014.
• 2014 slopestyle medalists Gus Kenworthy and Nick Goepper qualified for the 2018 Games on the final day of the selection period, with Kenworthy coming from behind in dramatic style, winning in Aspen-Snowmass and then taking second in the Mammoth Mountain finale.

2018 U.S. OLYMPIC FREESKIING TEAM
Slopestyle 
Men

• Nick Goepper, Lawrenceburg, Ind. (3/14/1994) *
• Alex Hall, Salt Lake City, Utah (09/21/1998)
• Gus Kenworthy, Telluride, Colo. (10/01/1991) *
• McRae Williams, Park City, Utah (10/23/1990)

Women

• Caroline Claire, Manchester Center, Vt. (02/02/2000)
• Devin Logan, W. Dover, Vt. (02/17/1993) *
• Darian Stevens, Missoula, Mont. (10/29/1996)
• Maggie Voisin, Whitefish, Mont. (12/14/1998) *

Halfpipe
Men

• Aaron Blunck, Crested Butte, Colo. (04/12/1996) *
• Alex Ferreira, Aspen, Colo. (8/14/1994)
• Torin Yater-Wallace, Basalt, Colo. (12/02/1995) *
• David Wise, Reno, Nev. (6/30/1990) *

Women

• Maddie Bowman, South Lake Tahoe, Calif. (1/10/1994) *
• Annalisa Drew, Andover, Mass. (05/28/1993) *
• Devin Logan, West Dover, Vt. (02/17/1993)
• Brita Sigourney, Carmel, Calif. (1/17/1990) *

QUOTES
Jeremy Forster, Freeski Program Director
The selection process was challenging for the athletes but it resulted in a truly remarkable team of athletes ready to challenge for Olympic medals. Our selection event resorts, including Mammoth Mountain, Aspen-Snowmass, Copper Mountain and Breckenridge, did a great job in providing world-class venues. This is a veteran team that knows how to win, with a great mix of youth.

David Wise
My first trip to the Olympic Games was a true lifetime highlight. If anything, qualifying for the team this time was even harder. It is an unbelievable honor to be among this great team of Americans going to South Korea to represent our country.

Maggie Voisin
Going into the Olympics I am just super excited to represent Team USA, but also I'm just so excited to go out and ski for myself. Being one of the few freeskiing athletes who get to showcase what our sport is about on the world stage is just a huge honor as well. I am so grateful to be headed back to my second Olympics and to get another opportunity to redeem myself and show my love for skiing!

Gus Kenworthy
The biggest advantage of our selection process is it motivates all of the U.S. guys to really be on their game. Right beforehand, it really incentivizes us to be good going into the Games. Skiing is at the highest level it’s ever been. The depth of the field is so much greater than it’s ever been before. In Sochi, our three runs were pretty standout from the field. But now a 90 score isn’t a podium run, maybe you just make finals.

Torin Yater-Wallace
This year has been stressful. To be here and get it done has been an amazing ride. I’m happy to be feeling good and healthy and go into this next Olympics.

Devin Logan
It’s been a long road for me but making it in both slope and pipe has been my biggest goal for the longest time and I’m thrilled.

McRae Williams
Not making the Olympic team back in 2014 was absolutely devastating. Thinking of having to wait four years to try again and wondering if I’d even still be at the top of my game was hard. To get that redemption now is beyond a dream come true. I can’t even begin to describe the feeling of accomplishment I’m experiencing. It was an extremely difficult battle with many unexpected obstacles but I powered through and it all paid off. Still can’t believe it.

Veteran Olympians Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, Va.), Mac Bohonnon (Madison, Conn.) and Bradley Wilson (Butte, Mont.), plus current World Cup leader Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.) headline a team of 14 athletes named to the 2018 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Ski Team that will compete at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 beginning February 9. The selections will be confirmed by the United States Olympic Committee when it formally names Team USA this Friday (January 26).

The moguls and aerials teams were selected based on results from seven Olympic qualification events during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

“This is one of the strongest freestyle teams we’ve seen in recent Olympic years,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard freestyle program director Todd Schirman. “Every single one of these athletes have podium potential and have demonstrated that leading up to this season and throughout our qualification process. We are extremely proud of this team and look forward to seeing what they can do in PyeongChang.”

The moguls team will open its Olympic competition with qualifying and medal events Feb. 9, 11 and 12. Aerials will compete Feb. 15-18.

NBCUniversal will present more than 2,400 hours of coverage across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network, NBCOlympics.com, and the NBC Sports app - the most ever for a Winter Olympics.

TEAM FACTS

• At 24 years old, Ashley Caldwell carries the most Olympic experience on this team, having competed in both Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. The reigning World Champion has progressed from double jumps to throwing some of the highest degree of difficulty triple-twisting triple flips on the women’s World Cup tour. In 2017, she becomes the first woman to successfully land a quadruple-twisting triple flip called “The Daddy.”
• Mac Bohonnon and Kiley McKinnon grew up in the same town. Both have seen success at the World Cup and World Championship level. McKinnon brought home a World Championship silver medal in 2015. She and Bohonnon shared overall World Cup titles that same season.
• Bohonnon has trained “The Hurricane,” a quintuple-twisting triple flip that won Jeret “Speedy” Peterson a silver medal at the 2010 Games. It hasn’t been completed since Speedy and Bohonnon could potentially compete with it in PyeongChang.
• After proving her prowess in dual moguls, Jaelin Kauf has dominated single moguls competitions this season with four podium finishes, including two wins. Her parents both competed on the pro mogul tour. The course in PyeongChang will play to Kauf’s strengths of clean, fast skiing.
• 20-year-old Morgan Schild spent 22 months recovering from an ACL injury. She returned to competition in January 2016 and has been one of the strongest U.S. women’s mogul skiers ever since.
• Casey Andringa burst onto the World Cup scene just one month ago, placing in the top 10 in his first two starts. He and his brother lived in a tent in Steamboat Springs, Colorado this summer to supplement costs and train on the water ramps there.

2018 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Skiing Team

Men’s Moguls
Casey Andringa - Boulder, Colo. (10/6/1995)
Troy Murphy - Bethel, Maine (06/13/1992)
Bradley Wilson - Butte, Mont. (06/05/1992)*
Emerson Smith - Dover, Vt. (12/13/1997)

Women’s Moguls
Tess Johnson - Vail, Colo. (06/12/2000)
Jaelin Kauf - Alta, Wyo. (09/26/1996)
Keaton McCargo - Telluride, Colo. (07/10/1995)
Morgan Schild - Rochester, N.Y. (08/25/1997)

Men’s Aerials
Mac Bohonnon - Madison, Conn. (08/20/1994)*
Jon Lillis - Rochester, N.Y. (08/20/1994)
Eric Loughran - Pelham, N.H. (12/04/1995)

Women’s Aerials
Ashley Caldwell - Ashburn, Va. (09/14/1993)*
Kiley McKinnon - Madison, Conn. (09/01/1995)
Madison Olsen - Park City, Utah (04/07/1995)

*Competed in past Olympics

QUOTES

Matt Gnoza, Head Moguls Coach
Our Olympic moguls team has a great blend of experience and youth. For many athletes, this will be their first time competing at the Games. I couldn’t be more pleased with what we have in the way of a team. This is a very solid group of athletes that are strong, prepared and focused and has a ton of potential to execute in PyeongChang.

Todd Ossian, Head Aerials Coach
Our aerials Olympic team has experienced a huge level of success at the World Cup and World Championship levels and is fully capable of replicating that success in PyeongChang. We’re coming into these Games with more on snow time than we’ve ever had and are primed for our best performances.

Jaelin Kauf
Representing my country in the Olympics is something I have been dreaming of for such a long time and I cannot wait to finally make it a reality. Not only am I accomplishing this huge goal but I am able to share this experience and compete in my first Olympic Games alongside my closest friends and teammates. To be able to share this with them will make the whole experience so much more special. Knowing that the whole country is supporting us and cheering us on as we represent the United States in Korea is incredible. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the realness of it.

Bradley Wilson
To get the call that I qualified was huge. There’s so much that goes into this process, all the training and intense, high-pressure competition, so to finally get that confirmation is amazing. I am just as excited as I was when I made the team in 2014.

Ashley Caldwell
I never thought that I would be going to my third Olympic games at 24, and being the veteran is wild to me. I’ve been training with this team since I was 13 years old. We all started the sport at the same time and it’s really cool that we get to go to the Olympics together. We’re a strong team and I’m excited for the camaraderie we’re going to have this Games.

Mac Bohonnon
I could not be more excited to have made my second Olympic team. It was the greatest experience of my life going to my first Olympics in 2014 and since I got a taste I’ve wanted to get back. I spent the past four years training to not only get back to the games but to go and win a gold medal. I am so excited to have the opportunity to represent myself, my family, my team and most importantly Team USA in PyeongChang.

The Toyota U.S. Grand Prix wrapped up Sunday at Mammoth Mountain, Calif. with final objective criteria selections for the Olympic Team announced for slopestyle skiing. Three athletes were recognized as Olympic selections at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team Nomination Ceremony presented by Visa at the base of Mammoth's Unbound Terrain park. All three achieved their team status through objective selection criteria.

The entire freeski team, including any additional selections based on team quotas, will be announced this coming week.
The team will be headlined by Sochi medalists Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, Colo,) and Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) It will also be the second Olympics for Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.), who was injured in the days leading up to the start of the Sochi Olympics four years ago. She was the only objective criteria qualifier for the women.
 
NBCUniversal will present more than 2,400 hours of coverage across NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, USA Network, NBCOlympics.com, and the NBC Sports app - the most ever for a Winter Olympics.
 
All members of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team will be confirmed by the United States Olympic Committee when it formally names Team USA this Friday (January 26).
  
2018 U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM (SLOPESTYLE SKIING)
Men's Slopestyle
Nick Goepper, Lawrenceburg, Ind. (03/14/1994) *
Gus Kenworthy, Telluride, Colo. (10/1/1991) *
 
Women's Slopestyle
Maggie Voisin, Whitefish, Mont.  (12/14/1998) *
* Past Olympian

PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES

Nick Goepper
Yes, I felt like I was still going to be in my prime and skiing well and going to another games and hopefully another one after this. Nice to meet my goals.

Gus Kenworthy
I don’t know if I have another one in the tank. But I felt that at 26 it was still age appropriate. 30 is young in life but old for a freeskier .
 
Maggie Voisin
I’m just super grateful to make it to another Games. I was injured in Sochi and wasn’t able to compete. But this is nice redemption to be able to show what I can do. There was a lot of emotion when I called my mom. I told myself that day four years ago I would do whatever it took to get back. It’s been a roller coaster four years but I did what I wanted to do.

Gus Kenworthy
I haven’t talked to anyone yet. My boyfriend is here and my agent. It was more emotional not making the pipe this time. I definitely cried some tears in my hotel room. It’s nice redemption to make it in slope.

Nick Goepper
Thanks to social media, before I even knew my phone was blowing up. I was surprised but my mom’s here, a childhood friend and my girlfriend. It’s nice to be able to celebrate it with them.

Nick Goepper
I’m going to get more sleep - that’s the learning tool I’ll take to Korea. I didn’t get much sleep in Sochi - my heart was racing.

Gus Kenworthy
The last Olympics went by in a flash, a whirlwind. This time I want to soak up the experience, really be there for it and make memories that will las t a  lifetime. 

Maggie Voisin
Last Olympics I was able to soak it up after I got hurt. I stayed to closing ceremony. I’m going in with the same mindset - I’m doing it because I love it.

Gus Kenworthy
The biggest advantage of our selection process is it motivates all of the U.S. guys to really be on their game.

Right beforehand, it really incentivizes us to perform well going into the Games. 

Nick Goepper
It’s grueling on the athletes - a lot of stress, sleepless nights. But it’s positive as the U.S. always has the strongest team performing right up to the 11th hour. Hopefully Korea will be a walk in the park.

Maggie Voisin
Choosing the team weeks prior to going to the games really shows who’s best. Yes, it’s stressful. But it shows who’s on top of it just before we go.

Nick Goepper
To be healthy and stay on top of my game I try to eat healthy meals, spend time with my friends , fly some RC helicopters  and play a lot of poker which has kept m y competitive edge sharp.

I have an amazing support system behind me. As much as I wanted to make the team, if God forbid I hadn’t made it, I have family and great p eople in my life. It’s a huge deal but it’s not everything.
 
Maggie Voisin
Having a strong support system is important. Going home for the holidays and where skiing started for me, mentally gets me ready. Physically it’s not easy getting ready to do what we do - stay strong in the gym and keep the head from going crazy.

Gus Kenworthy
I just felt tremendous relief. I had such a roller coaster qualifying process. I had a lot of pressure in pipe. It came down to the last run and I really had to put one down. Just landing a run today and knowing I was through to the finals was a new chapter. It was a sigh of relief.

I came out a little over two years ago. When I did I had no idea what to expect. My close friends and family had been super supportive. But I didn’t know how the industry would react. I painted the worst scenario in my head. It wasn’t like that at all. I had so much encouragement. Last Olympics I had no expectations on me - I had no Olympic sponsors. This time around I’ve signed around 15 Olympic sponsors - partly because of my skiing but also because I’m out. Brands want to get behind someone who is living authentically and I think it’s great.
 
I think the only way to break down stereotypes and homophobia is to have visibility. Having Adam and I at the Games being out and proud - hopefully if there’s one kid who comes out of the closet it will be a success.

Maggie Voisin
It’s crazy. The sport of free skiing is a family. Gus was there for my last Olympic experience. The last four years we’ve traveled around the world to contests. Just to see Gus and Nick do well - we’re all going through it - its a family.

Nick Goepper
Switzerland, Norway, Canada - McEacharn, B raaten are all at the top level. I think the competition will be much higher this time around than in Sochi as the depth of the field has increased.   the 9th place run compared to Sochi will be much better.  

Gus Kenworthy
Skiing is at the highest level it’s ever been. The depth of field is so much greater than it’s ever been before. In Sochi our three runs were pretty standout from the field. But now a 90 isn’t a podium run, maybe you make finals.

Nick Goepper
I’m grateful that my family and friends have the opportunity to go over and experience the Olympics. So I’m looking forward to that and sharing the experience with them.

Gus Kenworthy
None of my family was able to be in Sochi. My mom definitely kicks herself for missing that. One of the things I’m most looking forward to is that my family is going. I’m most looking forward to the karaoke.

Maggie Voisin
PyeongChang hosted such a wonderful test event - they were just in awe of what we did. It’s going to be greater this year. I’m excited for my family to be there. Round two - let’s do it!

An Olympic selection process that began a full year ago in Mammoth Mountain came full circle Sunday. On the final day of a hotly-contested battle for slopestyle skiing Olympic berths, Olympic silver medalist Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, Colo.) and bronze medalist Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) finally sealed their spots to return. Gold medalist Joss Christensen (Park City, Utah), who made a valiant effort in returning from a late-season knee injury, came ever so close to vying for a return ticket.

Coming into the final two selection events for the men, none of the three objective spots had been claimed. Goepper and Kenworthy needed only a podium in one of the two men's competitions to clinch outright. After he missed qualifying for the morning World Cup, Kenworthy came back in the afternoon to make a statement on his first run with a 94.8, holding on to finish second and gain a ticket to PyeongChang.

Goepper joined Kenworthy on the podium, finishing third. Alex Hall (Park City, Utah) was fifth as Canada's Evan McEachran took the win with a giant 96.40 on his second run.

In the opening FIS World Cup event Sunday morning, Canada's Teal Harle took the men's win. No Americans cracked the podium, but Goepper clinched his Olympic spot by virtue of two earlier podiums with only one event remaining. Tiril Sjaastad Christiansen of Norway took the women's win with Caroline Claire (Manchester Center, Vt.) finishing third. 

Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.), who was the only American to clinch a women's Olympic spot by objective criteria, sat out the competition.

The athletes will now head to the X Games in Aspen before winging their way to South Korea in early February for the Olympic Winter Games. The remainder of the Olympic Freeski Team will be announced this coming week.

RESULTS
Men's Slopestyle #1
Women's Slopestyle #1

Men's Slopestyle #2

David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, Colo.) led the way for the U.S. Ski Team, finishing 15th in Sunday’s FIS Ski World Cup slalom in Kitzbuehel, Austria, to secure his place on the U.S. Olympic Team for next month’s Games in PyeongChang. Nolan Kasper (Warren, Vt.), who returned to the World Cup circuit after nearly three years battling injuries, also qualified for his third Olympic Team based on his World Cup ranking in slalom.

“After the rough January that I had, I’m really happy,” Chodounsky said about putting together two solid runs Sunday. “I stuck to my game plan and did what I wanted. I definitely could have pushed a little more in that second run. But I had a solid run. Fifteenth place, not bad.”

Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen took the victory over Austria’s Marcel Hirscher. Switzerland’s Daniel Yule was third. Chodounsky was the lone American to qualify for the second run and will lead the U.S. Ski Team into Tuesday’s evening slalom in Schladming, Austria.

“There is another race coming up, so this is just a little confidence boost,” Chodounsky said. “The plan is to get some World Cup points, make sure I stay in the top 30, then I can go hammer.”

RESULTS
Men’s slalom

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Sunday, Jan. 21
9:00 p.m. - Women’s super-G; Cortina – NBCSN Encore (same day broadcast)
10:00 p.m. - Men’s slalom; Kitzbuehel – NBCSN Encore (same day broadcast)

Tuesday, Jan. 23
6:30 a.m. - Women’s giant slalom; Kronplatz – Olympic Channel TV
2:30 p.m. - Men’s slalom; Schladming – Olympic Channel TV
12:00 a.m. - Men’s slalom; Schladming – NBCSN Encore (same day broadcast)

Jan. 21, 2018 - On the final day of Olympic selection for most sports, several new spots were clinched based on objective criteria. Olympic medalists Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, Colo.) and Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) took it right down to the wire on the last day of Olympic selection to claim objective spots in men's slopestyle skiing.

Just 10 months after a significant knee injury, Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore.) confirmed her Olympic spot after the final event Sunday in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Ross scored a top-10 finish in Val d'Isere in December that held up to put her on the team. Also qualifying in super-G were Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.). After the final men’s slalom, David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, Colo.) and Nolan Kasper (Warren, Vt.) qualified based on World Cup ranking in slalom. Kasper returned to the World Cup after nearly three years battling injuries earlier this week to earn his spot in his first World Cup back.

All of the objective qualifiers from snowboarding halfpipe and slopestyle/big air plus freeski halfpipe were honored Saturday night at Mammoth Mountain during the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix.

Team announcements are scheduled for this coming week and will be sequenced whenever final team sizes are known.
 

Jan. 20, 2018 - Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) earned a shot at repeating her 2010 Olympic downhill gold as she clinched an Olympic Team spot with a win in the final downhill at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Jackie Wiles (Bend, Ore.) was third to make her second Olympic Team. Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.) also qualified with her two downhill podiums this season. A fourth downhill position may be added this week. In Kitzbuehel, Jared Goldberg (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, Calif.) sealed their downhill spots on the Olympic Team.

Jonathan Cheever (Saugus, Mass.) claimed his Olympic spot when no other athletes were able to unseat him in selection events. Cheever scored a podium in the season opener last summer.

At Mammoth Mountain, the day kicked off with the final slopestyle snowboarding contest of the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix. Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.) and Julia Marino (Winchester, Mass.). Kyle Mack (West Bloomfield, Mich.) took the men's win to claim the final remaining objective criteria spot. Closing out the evening, Kelly Clark (Mt. Snow, Vt.) and Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, Calif.) claimed halfpipe snowboarding nominations.

Jan. 19, 2018 - In a hotly contested Toyota U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe skiing finale, final objective spots for the Olympic Team were claimed. Brita Sigourney (Carmel, Calif.) sealed a return Olympic berth with a win. Devin Logan (W. Dover, Vt.) also sealed a return, but this time in halfpipe. Logan is still in contention for a slopestyle spot. In the men's halfpipe, Alex Ferreira (Aspen, Colo.), who narrowly missed in 2014, earned a spot finishing second. Torin Yater-Wallace (Aspen, Colo.) claimed a return spot. Defending gold medalists David Wise (Reno, Nev.) and Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.) had already clinched spots. Additional fourth spots for men and women may be named next week.

In the final men's super-G of the selection period, Tommy Biesemeyer (Lake Placid, N.Y.) and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, N.Y.) claimed Olympic spots based on World Cup rankings. Weibrecht has medaled in super-G the last two Olympics.

Jan. 14, 2018 - Olympic selection continued on Sunday, but there were no new athletes achieving objective criteria for selection. In men's slopestyle skiing Sunday in the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Aspen-Snowmass, Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, Colo.) took the men's win over Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, Ind.). It was Kenworthy's first podium of the selection period, second for Goepper. But it was not enough for either to mathematically clinch one of the three objective criteria spots. It will now come down to the final two slopestyle contests at Mammoth Mountain.

Jan. 13, 2018 - Shaun White (Carlsbad, Calif.) led three Americans to PyeongChang Saturday at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen-Snowmass with all three clinching Olympic berths. White will make his fourth Olympic team, first for Ben Ferguson (Bend, Ore.) and Jake Pates (Eagle, Colo.), who won Youth Olympic Games gold two years ago.

Earlier in the day at Aspen, Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.) nailed a repeat spot in slopestyle skiing.

Cross country ended its World Cup selection with a freestyle sprint in Dresden, Germany. New team qualifiers with a top 50 World Cup sprint ranking included Ida Sargent (Orleans, Vt.), Simi Hamilton (Aspen, Colo.) and Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, Vt.).

Jan. 12, 2018 - Teen Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.) rocketed to his second Olympic qualifying win at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen-Snowmass Friday to claim a slopestyle snowboarding spot in PyeongChang. Olympic champions David Wise (Reno, Nev.) and Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.) claimed their halfpipe skiing spots and will defend their Sochi titles. At the Visa Freestyle International in Deer Valley, aerials skier Kiley McKinnon (Madison, Conn.) sealed her first Olympic Team spot.

Jan. 11, 2018 - Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.) and Morgan Schild (Rochester, N.Y.) clinched Olympic berths with their finishes in the Visa Freestyle International World Cup moguls events in Deer Valley. With just one event remaining in the Olympic selection period, both have achieved two top three World Cup finishes and have mathematically sealed a spot.

Jan. 9, 2018 - Resi Stiegler (Jackson, Wyo.) clinched her spot on a third Olympic team after the final slalom of the selection period. Stiegler qualified based on her World Cup ranking behind slalom leader Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.).

Dec. 31, 2017 - Bryan Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) earned a spot on his second Olympic Team with a win in nordic combined. Mike Glasder (Cary, Ill.) clinched his first Olympic berth with a ski jumping victory while Sarah Hendrickson (Park City, Utah) claimed a return trip with her women's ski jumping win.x

Olympic selection continues in most sports through next weekend with full teams being announced the week of January 22.

Selection Notes
This update is as of the noted date and subject to change through the selection period. Update includes only those athletes who have achieved the top levels of objective selection criteria, which does not guarantee a spot on the team. Final team announcements will be made the week of Jan. 22, subject to USOC approval.
 
Alpine (selection period runs through Jan. 22)
Bryce Bennett (top 10 alpine combined; World Cup ranking downhill) ^
Tommy Biesemeyer (World Cup ranking SG) ^
Ryan Cochran-Siegle (World Cup ranking alpine combined) ^
Tommy Ford (World Cup ranking GS) ^
Jared Goldberg (top 10 downhill) ^
Ted Ligety (top 5 giant slalom) ^
Megan McJames (World Cup ranking GS) ^
Laurenne Ross (top 10 super G) *
Mikaela Shiffrin (top 3 downhill, top 5 super G, top 3 giant slalom, top 3 slalom) ^
Resi Stiegler (World Cup ranking SL) ^
Lindsey Vonn (top 3 downhill) ^
Andrew Weibrecht (World Cup ranking SG) ^
Jackie Wiles (top 3 downhill) ^
^ Qualified for U.S. Olympic Team
* Achieved objective qualification criteria

Cross Country (selection period runs through Jan. 15)
Erik Bjornsen (top 50 World Cup ranking in distance, sprint) ^
Sadie Bjornsen (top 8 in designated selection event) ^
Rosie Brennan (top 50 World Cup ranking in distance, sprint) ^
Sophie Caldwell (top 8 in designated selection event) ^
Jessie Diggins (top 8 in designated selection event) ^
Simi Hamilton (top 50 World Cup ranking in sprint) ^
Andy Newell (top 50 World Cup ranking in sprint) ^
Kikkan Randall (top 50 World Cup ranking in sprint, distance) ^
Ida Sargent (top 50 World Cup ranking in sprint) ^
Liz Stephen (top 50 World Cup ranking in distance) ^
^ Qualified for U.S. Olympic Team
* Achieved objective qualification criteria as of rankings on Jan. 6 (rankings subject to change through Jan. 15)
 
Freeski (selection period runs through Jan. 21)
Maddie Bowman (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in halfpipe) ^
Alex Ferreira (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in halfpipe) ^
Nick Goepper (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in slopestyle) ^
Gus Kenworthy (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in slopestyle) ^
Devin Logan (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in halfpipe) ^
Brita Sigourney (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in halfpipe) ^
Maggie Voisin (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in slopestyle) ^
David Wise (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in halfpipe) ^
Torin Yater-Wallace (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in halfpipe) ^
 
Freestyle (selection period runs through Jan. 21)
Jaelin Kauf (2 top 3 moguls) ^
Kiley McKinnon (2 top 3 aerials) ^
Morgan Schild (2 top 3 moguls) ^
* Achieved objective qualification criteria
 
Nordic Combined (selection period runs through Jan. 22)
Bryan Fletcher (winner Olympic Trials) ^
^ Qualified for U.S. Olympic Team
 
Ski Jumping (selection period runs through Jan. 21)
Mike Glasder (winner Olympic Trials) ^
Sarah Hendrickson (winner Olympic Trials) ^
^ Qualified for U.S. Olympic Team
 
Snowboard (qualifying through Jan. 21)
Jamie Anderson (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in slopestyle) ^
Jonathan Cheever (top 3 in designated snowboardcross selection event) ^
Kelly Clark (clinched objective spot in halfpipe in qualifying series) ^
Ben Ferguson (clinched objective spot in halfpipe in qualifying series) ^
Red Gerard (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in slopestyle) ^
Chris Corning (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in slopestyle) ^
Faye Gulini (top 3 in designated snowboardcross selection event) ^
Lindsey Jacobellis (top 3 in designated snowboardcross selection event) ^
Chloe Kim (clinched objective spot in halfpipe in qualifying series) ^
Hailey Langland (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in slopestyle) ^
Maddie Mastro (clinched objective spot in halfpipe in qualifying series) ^
Julia Marino (mathematically clinched qualifying series points in slopestyle) ^
Jake Pates (clinched objective spot in halfpipe in qualifying series) ^
Shaun White (clinched objective spot in halfpipe in qualifying series) ^
^ Qualified for U.S. Olympic Team
* Achieved objective qualification criteria

Battling headwinds, crosswinds and blowing snow, Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) salvaged a sixth-place finish to lead the U.S. Ski Team at the FIS Ski World Cup super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday.

“I’m not mad, I’m just a little bit frustrated,” Vonn said after her run where midway down the course strong winds blew up clouds of snow, reducing visibility and changing the snow surface. “Sometimes this happens in ski racing, where the races aren’t really fair and the wind comes, the light comes, the clouds come, but I tried my best and I’m happy with my skiing. But unfortunately, I just wasn’t very lucky today.”

Swiss Lara Gut picked up her 24th career World Cup victory, with Italy’s Johanna Schnarf in second and Austria’s Nicole Schmidhofer in third. Jackie Wiles (Aurora, Ore.) was 19th; Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore.) 21st; and Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) was 23rd. Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.) had an uncharacteristic DNF after getting low and late on a gate midway down the course. 

Sunday’s event was the final opportunity for athletes to achieve Olympic Selection Criteria. Based upon results this season, Ross, who suffered a significant knee injury last March, met the criteria after scoring a top-10 super-G finish in Lake Louise. Vonn and Shiffrin also qualified.

Despite Sunday’s super-G results, the weekend was very successful for the U.S. ladies with Vonn and Shiffrin going 2-3 in Friday’s downhill, and Vonn and Wiles going 1-3 in Saturday’s downhill.

“I’m still very happy with the weekend,” Vonn said. “I’m happy with the way I’m skiing and I have a lot of confidence now going into February. We still have some more races before the Olympics, but this is a good place for me to be and yesterday’s win was amazing.”

Shiffrin continues to lead the overall World Cup standings heading into Tuesday’s giant slalom in Kronplatz, Italy.

RESULTS
Women’s super-G

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST 
Sunday, Jan. 21
9:00 p.m. - Women’s super-G; Cortina – NBCSN Encore (same day broadcast)
10:00 p.m. - Men’s slalom; Kitzbuehel – NBCSN Encore (same day broadcast)

Tuesday, Jan. 23
6:30 a.m. - Women’s giant slalom; Kronplatz – Olympic Channel TV
2:30 p.m. - Men’s slalom; Schladming – Olympic Channel TV
12:00 a.m. - Men’s slalom; Schladming – NBCSN Encore (same day broadcast)

Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) capped of a strong classic weekend with a top 10 in a 10k classic at Planica, Slovenia. Diggins was 10th behind first time race winner Krista Parmokoski of Finland. A day earlier Diggins was fourth for her best ever classic sprint. The upcoming Olympic sprint will be classic technique.

Caitlin Patterson (Anchorage), who just swept all four titles at the L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships, was a strong 20th with Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) 23rd.

Scott Patterson (Anchorage) led the U.S. men in 43rd as Alexeyk Poltoranin of Kazakhstan took the win.

The World Cup now heads to Austria for a pre-World Championships visit to Seefeld.

RESULTS
Men's 15k Classic 
Women's 10k Classic