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Tour de Ski: ‘The Most Exciting Week of The Entire Season’

By Reese Brown
December, 27 2018
Sophie Caldwell Sprint
Sophie Caldwell skied to a second-place finish in the FIS Cross Country World Cup sprint in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this month. (U.S. Ski & Snowboard - Reese Brown)

The 13th edition of the FIS Cross Country World Cup Tour de Ski begins Saturday in Toblach, Italy. The Tour spans seven stages over nine days and includes stops in Toblach; Val Mustair, Switzerland; and Oberstdorf, Germany, and finishes with a hill climb in Val di Fiemme, Italy on Sunday, Jan. 6.

“The Tour de Ski is one of the most exciting events on the calendar”, said U.S. Cross Country Team Coach Matt Whitcomb. Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) will be looking to improve upon her third-place overall finish from last year when the 2019 Tour de Ski opens with a freestyle sprint Saturday and continues with stage 2 featuring a 10k freestyle for the women and a 15k freestyle for the men Sunday.

The U.S. is starting a lean team of seven athletes for the 2018-19 edition of the Tour as many athletes are choosing to use the early January L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships in Craftsbury, Vt. as a qualifier for the FIS Cross Country World Championships in February.  

The excitement level and strategy for the upcoming Tour are captured in what each U.S. starter has to say about the event:

“The Tour de Ski is, for me, the most exciting week of the entire season! With a race almost every day, it’s one huge adrenaline ride. I’m excited for this year’s challenge of doing the entire Tour once again, and also looking to use these races and building blocks as part of my preparation for the World Championships! “

 - Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.)

“I love the Tour format, with the craziness of all the travel, and day after day work. It has been nice to have a few weeks off of racing to recover and get my muscles ready to take on the intensive racing. I plan to only do the first part of the Tour this year and follow it with a training block to help me be in the best shape for World Championships in February. “

 - Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wa.)

“We have had a relaxing break in Seefeld (Austria) and I'm feeling good and looking forward to racing the first few stages of the Tour de Ski before dropping out to come back to Seefeld and prepare for Dresden (Germany). I'm excited to do two skate sprints and my first skate distance race of the year in Toblach and Val Mustair and then I will be screaming at the TV to cheer on my teammates finishing the Tour!”

 - Sophie Caldwell (Stratton Mountain, Vt.)

“I’m excited to start the Tour De Ski. I skipped the Davos (Switzerland) world cup weekend, so I’ve had a nice long training block to prepare for these races.”

 - Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop Wa.)

“Coming off a solid period 1 with my form going in the right direction, I was looking forward to a Christmas Break to relax, but also to really sharpen my shape! Coming into my first Tour De Ski I feel strong and confident, my strategy will be like going into any other race, now I’m just looking forward to throwing down some top results! Looking forward to getting back together with the team and putting together a solid Tour!”

 - Kevin Bolger (Sun Valley, Idaho)

“I’m really excited for my eighth Tour de Ski. Even though my plan is to only race through the two sprints, we’ll be heading to some pretty amazing venues and towns in Central Europe and the team vibe during the Tour is always so awesome. It’s such a unique format for ski racing, and it’s just really fun to be a part of the wild traveling show.”

 - Simi Hamilton (Aspen, Co.)

“I am really excited and honored to be able to participate in the Tour de Ski. I want to just stay focused and relaxed because it’s a lot of racing and hectic environment. I think if I can stay relaxed I hopefully can finish the Tour with some good and fun results!”

 - Ben Lustgarten (Burlington, Vt.)

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Preliminary schedule, subject to change
*Same-day delayed broadcast

Saturday, Dec. 29
8:20 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 1 men and women’s sprint - Toblach, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 1 men and women’s sprint - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV

Sunday, Dec. 30
6:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 2 women’s 10k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 2 men’s 15k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Tuesday, Jan. 1
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 3 men and women’s sprint - Val Muestair, SUI - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Wednesday, Jan. 2
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 4 women’s 10k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 4 men’s 15k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Thursday, Jan. 3
7:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 5 men’s 15k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
9:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage 5 women’s 10k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Saturday, Jan. 5
8:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 women’s 10k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
9:10 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 men’s 15k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
2:00 p.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 6 men’s 15k mass start - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV*

Sunday, Jan. 6.
7:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 women’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:45 a.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 men’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
2:00 p.m. - Tour de Ski Stage Stage 7 men’s hill climb - Val di Fiemme, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV
 

Hunter Bailey in Alaska

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
December, 26 2018
U.S. Freestyle Ski Team member Hunter Bailey skiing in Alaska
U.S. Freestyle Ski Team member Hunter Bailey skiing in Alaska

During the holiday break, moguls athlete Hunter Bailey (Vail, Colo.) reflects on his annual ski trip to Alaska, which always provides perspective in why he loves doing what he does, both on skis and behind the camera.

Bailey and several friends take some sleds and "rent an RV or two and park wherever the snow seems best." This past summer marked the third of this annual expedition. Skiing in Alaska has always been a dream for Bailey and he finds these trips to be "incredibly fun and rewarding."

Read the full story of Bailey's skiing and photography pursuits in Alaska on the Ilford blog

 

Semmering World Cup, Tour de Ski Highlight This Week’s NBC Coverage

By Tom Horrocks
December, 26 2018
Shiffrin, Semmering
The last time Mikaela Shiffrin completed in Semmering, Austria, in 2016 she won all three races - two giant slalom and slalom. She's shooting for another giant slalom win Friday and the all-time slalom victories record of 36 Saturday. (Getty Images/ESPA - Michael Gunn)

Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) continues on her record-setting quest in Semmering, Austria, with FIS Ski World Cup giant slalom and slalom events Friday and Saturday to highlight the final competition week of 2018. After becoming the youngest alpine skier to win 50 World Cup races, Shiffrin can become the World Cup record holder for victories in a calendar year with just one win this week. In addition, she can also take sole possession of the World Cup slalom win record from her childhood idol Marlies Schild, of Austria.

Shiffrin is currently tied with Austria’s Marcel Hirscher with 14 wins each in 2018. Hirscher had the opportunity to extend that total to 15 but straddled a gate Sunday in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. With Hirscher’s next race coming on New Year’s Day, the door is wide open for Shiffrin to grab the calendar year victory record this week. Both Semmering events will be streamed live exclusively on NBC Sports Gold. NBC will broadcast a recap show of the slalom on Saturday at 5 p.m. EST, as Shiffrin goes for slalom win No. 36 and the World Cup slalom win record.

Semmering also kicks off 12-day stretch that includes five races and continues with a city event Jan. 1 in Oslo, Norway; slalom in Zagreb, Croatia Jan. 5; and wrapping up with a slalom on Jan. 8 in Flachau, Austria.

“It’s a big block of races for sure,” Shiffrin said. “It was like this last year as well, so we’ve been expecting it. But it’s always tough to do these races, have success, refocus and move forward again. I just try to keep the ball rolling.”

On the men’s alpine World Cup side, downhill and super-G are on tap this week in Bormio, Italy, with downhill training on Wednesday and Thursday, downhill race Friday and super-G Saturday. Both the downhill and super-G will be broadcast on the Olympic Channel, and streamed on both OlympicChannel.com and NBC Sports Gold. NBC Sports Network will also broadcast a recap show both Friday and Saturday.

The seven-stage Tour de Ski kicks off Saturday in Toblach, Italy, and Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.) will be looking to improve upon her third-place overall finish from last year. The 2019 Tour de Ski opens with a freestyle sprint Saturday, and continues with stage 2 featuring a 10k freestyle for the women and a 15k freestyle for the men. Both stages will be broadcast on the Olympic Channel and streamed on OlympicChannel.com and NBC Sports Gold.

The 67th running of the 4-Hills Tournament opens Saturday with men’s HS137  qualifying for Sunday’s HS137 event in Oberstdorf, Germany. The 4-Hills Tournament continues through January 6th with events in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Innsbruck, and Bischofshofen, Austria. More than 100,000 fans expected at this year’s tournament, which will be streamed live on OlympicChannel.com and NBC Sports Gold.

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST.
Preliminary schedule, subject to change
*Same-day delayed broadcast
**Next-day broadcast


ALPINE
Friday, Dec. 28
4:30 a.m. - Women’s giant slalom run 1 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
5:15 a.m. - Men’s downhill - Bormio, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
5:30 a.m. - Men’s downhill - Bormio, ITA- Olympic Channel-TV
7:30 a.m. - Women’s giant slalom run 2 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
12:00 p.m. - Men’s downhill - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*

Saturday, Dec. 29
4:30 a.m. - Women’s slalom run 1 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
5:15 a.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
7:30 a.m. - Women’s slalom run 2 - Semmering, AUT - NBC Sports Gold
2:30 p.m. - Men’s super-G - Bormio, ITA - NBCSN*
5:00 p.m. - Women’s slalom - Semmering, AUT - NBC*

Tuesday, Jan. 1
10:30 a.m. - Men and women’s city event - Oslo, NOR - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

CROSS COUNTRY
Saturday, Dec. 29

8:20 a.m. - Tour de Ski men and women’s sprint - Toblach, ITA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski men and women’s sprint - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV

Sunday, Dec. 30
6:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski women’s 10k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:30 a.m. - Tour de Ski men’s 15k interval - Toblach, ITA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Tuesday, Jan. 1
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski men and women’s sprint - Val Muestair, SUI - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Wednesday, Jan. 2
6:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski women’s 10k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
8:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski men’s 15k mass start - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Thursday, Jan. 3
7:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski men’s 15k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
9:00 a.m. - Tour de Ski women’s 10k pursuit - Oberstdorf, GER- Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

SKI JUMPING
Saturday, Dec. 29

10:20 a.m. - Four Hills Tournament men’s HS137 qualifier - Oberstdorf, GER - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold

Sunday, Dec. 30
10:20 a.m. - Four Hills Tournament men’s HS137 - Oberstdorf, GER - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
5:00 p.m. - Four Hills Tournament men’s HS137 - Oberstdorf, GER - Olympic Channel-TV*

Moguls: A Family Tradition

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
December, 25 2018
Olivia and Frankie Giaccio
Olivia and Frankie Giaccio at U.S. Freestyle Selections in Winter Park, Colo.

Siblings that ski together, stay together… or something like that.

Families around the world have family traditions they honor during the holiday season and the moguls athletes of the U.S. Freestyle Team are no exception. Skiing moguls seems to run in the family.

Olivia Giaccio (Redding, Conn.) and her younger brother, Frankie (Wasatch Freestyle) started skiing moguls around the same time. “I competed first, but Frankie followed shortly after,” said Olivia. “We started in ski school and once we were past Ministars (ages 4-6) at Killington (Vermont) they told us to go to the ski club. My mom just signed us up for the moguls program.”

Casey and Jesse Andringa (Boulder, Colo.) also got into moguls together. “I started when I was eight years old and Jesse started right around the same time. He got to do everything I got to do, but two years earlier in life,” explains Casey.

Both brothers point to watching moguls competitions as the reason for getting into the sport.

“I watched Jonny Moseley skiing and he did the Dinner Roll. I think I was about five when I saw it and I thought, ‘That’s the coolest thing ever!’ And then we saw a bunch of kids at Winter Park (Colorado) at a DEVO competition skiing. I told my parents I wanted to do it. So they signed me up for a competition later in the week. I got dead last, but with a screamin’ run. I was very excited about it."

- Casey Andringa

Jack Kariotis (Tiburon, Calif.) has two sisters, Ali and Kylie, who compete in moguls.

“Jack and I started skiing moguls at about the same time. It’s always been a family sport for us. My dad watched the 2002 Olympics, saw Jonny Moseley, and fell in love. We all skied moguls from there after. Moguls has always been something important to our family. We all started as young as we could and it’s been a lot of fun.”

- Ali Kariotis (Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride)

Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.) and older brother, Bryon (Butte, Mont.), competed on the National Team together for a number of years.

“We spent a lot of time together on the road so we would get on each others nerves quite a bit. That being said, we both had someone who we could completely trust would always have each other’s back. I would get more nervous watching Bryon than I would for my own competition runs. We both genuinely cared for each others’ well being. I would be so stoked when he did well, even if that meant he beat me.”

- Brad Wilson

Sibling moguls skiers means having opposite schedules most of the year. But Olivia was able to cheer on her brother at U.S. Selections at Winter Park, Colorado, recently. “It’s great having her out here watching me,” said Frankie. “Everyone here knows her, and I know everyone here through her.”

For the Giaccio’s the December holiday period is a unique opportunity when brother and sister can enjoy spending time together.

“We get to ski a bit together over the holidays when I’m home. Usually I’m chasing him down the mountain. We ski on Christmas morning as a family. It’s a pretty simple tradition, but the one thing I love most about the holidays every year!"

- Olivia Giaccio

Kylie Kariotis (Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride), younger sister to Ali and Jack, concurs, “Jack and Ali are usually off competing and my younger brother and I are at school and just skiing Squaw. But then at Christmas, they both come home and we all can ski together.”

Being home for Christmas is important for the Wilson household. “Christmas is a special time of year because it is the only time we could spend more than a week at home in the winter. We weren’t traveling to competitions or camps. On Christmas day our tradition is to go to mass in the morning, then go skiing in the afternoon,” said Brad.

For Casey and Jesse Andringa, being on the National Team means a lot of time well spent together. “It’s awesome [to be on the Team together], we’ve been living and training together every day since we’ve been old enough to live by ourselves, around 16 years old. We work well together, we push each other,” says Jesse.

“It’s fun competing with your siblings. Growing up in a family of mogul skiing makes you push each other. Having a brother helped me so much in my career, someone to watch, push me in training, all of the time. It’s been a great experience.”

- Ali Kariotis (Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride

“I would agree it’s a lot of fun to have someone to train with. Having someone you know on the road is nice for those long stretches,” explains Jack.

Whether competing apart or traveling together, having a shared passion for skiing moguls has certainly brought these families closer together.

 

What do the 2019 FIS World Championships Mean to You? - Brad Wilson

By Andrew Gauthier
December, 25 2018
Deer Valley World Champs

When the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships kick off Feb. 1, it will mark the first time since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games that Utah - The State of Sport - has hosted so many athletes for a World Class event. In this three-part series, we talk to a number of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes expected to compete in the upcoming World Champs, and their thoughts on competing on home soil, in front of family and friends, the pressure to exceed expectations, and their overall view of what the World Championships mean to them.

Aerials and Moguls at Deer Valley Resort

“The World Championships are only a small step below the Olympics. As athletes, we look at it as almost as big as the Olympics, it will have the same competitors there as Pyeongchang. Because Deer Valley is the greatest venue in the world, the World Championships events there will be some of the biggest competitions I’ve ever competed in.

   - Brad Wilson (Butte, Mont.), 2017 World Championships moguls silver medalist

However, it’s not just about accommodation, but rather in an in-depth knowledge of the actual field of play that athletes will be battling it out on that can pay dividends. Wilson has had the pleasure of competing on the Deer Valley moguls course numerous times as it is a regular stop on the FIS World Cup tour. This offers advantages, but they are not necessarily exclusive to U.S. athletes. One thing is for sure, Deer Valley Resort knows how to do it right.

“I have a lot of experience on this course for sure,” said Wilson. “But with Deer Valley being a constant stop on the World Cup tour, so do many other athletes. Deer Valley showcases our sport better than anyone in the world, so they will showcase FIS World Champs better than anyone!”

In freestyle, keep an eye out on Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury who is the winningest moguls athlete in the history of the sport. Also, for the women, Olympic gold medalist Perrine Laffont of France and Yulia Galysheva from Kazakhstan are strong contenders.

The anticipation is building and there is a clear consensus among athletes. The host venues have what it takes to host the top snowboard, freestyle and freeski competitors for ten days of world-class competition. Brad Wilson certainly think so!

“I’m super excited for World Champs at Deer Valley and on our home soil,” he said. “So is the rest of the world. Deer Valley is definitely the majority favorite place to compete for all the competitors. Already, on a normal season the Deer Valley World Cup is top tier, now with it being World Champs, it makes it that much better.”

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Preliminary broadcast schedule, subject to change
Streaming schedule TBA
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

Friday, Feb. 1
1:00 p.m. - Men and women's snowboardcross finals - NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 2
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - Olympic Channel
8:30 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - NBCSN*

Sunday, Feb. 3
1:00 a.m. - Men and women’s freeski big air finals - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Team snowboardcross - Olympic Channel
4:00 p.m.-  Team snowboardcross - NBCSN*

Monday, Feb. 4
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - Olympic Channel
7:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - NBCSN*

Tuesday, Feb. 5
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard slalom - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard big air - NBCSN

Wednesday, Feb. 6
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s freeski slopestyle finals - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - Olympic Channel
11:30 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - NBCSN*

Thursday, Feb. 7
9:00 p.m. - Team aerials - NBCSN

Friday, Feb. 8
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard  halfpipe - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s moguls - NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 10
2:00 a.m. - Men and women’s dual moguls - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - Olympic Channel
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - NBC*

Monday, Feb. 11
10:30 p.m. - Women’s freeski halfpipe finals - NBCSN**
 

What do the 2019 FIS World Championships Mean to You? - Devin Logan

By Andrew Gauthier
December, 24 2018
Park City World Champs

When the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships kick off Feb. 1, it will mark the first time since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games that Utah - The State of Sport - has hosted so many athletes for a World Class event. In this three-part series, we talk to a number of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes expected to compete in the upcoming World Champs, and their thoughts on competing on home soil, in front of family and friends, the pressure to exceed expectations, and their overall view of what the World Championships mean to them.

Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Big Air at Park City Mountain

Freeski legend, the Sochi Olympic Games freeski slopestyle silver medalist Devin Logan (West Dover, Vt.) looks forward to another opportunity to ski on a big international stage. “The World Champs in Park City are huge for me,” she said. “It’s like the Olympics again, it’s another chance to present my best skiing and hopefully stomp the run of my life.”

Logan has been skiing the slopestyle course and halfpipe at Park City Mountain since moving to Park City in 2011. Most international freeskiers and snowboarders cannot say the same. “The Park City halfpipe is always so nice, cut perfectly, the jumps are always great in the park,” Logan commented. “It’s where I ride when I’m not in competition.”

She notes her advantage in one of life’s simple pleasures, “I get to sleep in my own bed,” said Logan. “I will get to come back to my home without having the stress of traveling or sleeping in a strange place. It makes you feel as comfortable as possible. I think all that adds up to being confident and skiing well.”

Logan has put roots down in the Park City area which in many ways offers a sense of confidence going into the competition. She recently purchased two acres of land in Tollgate Canyon on the outskirts of town.

“Being able to make Park City my home and have a future here is really exciting,” she said. “I love Park City, from the mountains to the summer activities there’s always something to do. Also, given I travel a good amount, the airport being right down the hill is very convenient.”

It’s very clear that Logan isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, but does knowing everyone and having loved ones around create unwanted pressure or responsibility?

“It’s definitely an advantage, I consider my friends my family in Park City. Most of my family is back east and my brothers are traveling, but I have been taken in by a lot of good people and spend all the holidays with them and it really has become home. The fact that I will have the chance to compete in front of this extended family gives me goosebumps. You want to do well in order to show them their support is making it happen and helping me reach my goals.”

    - Devin Logan, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team

Logan believes the U.S. will improve on the team’s performance at the past Olympics. “I think the U.S. will do better than in PyeongChang,” she said. “We came away with a lot of medals on the snowboard and freeski teams but I think that coming off of that success with momentum, plus having the World Champs in Park CIty, that will all be really beneficial.”

Confidence is high, but there are serious international competitors in every discipline and U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes are aware of what lies ahead. Despite the fact that U.S. athletes are familiar with the host venues, the terrain and will generally feel at home throughout the 10-day competition, international competitors are coming to win. Logan listed off some international rivals, but thinking out loud and being a true team player, she had a rebuttal for each of her own comments.

“In big air, the Norwegians are really impressive, but we are also really good and have people like Alex Hall, Mac Forehand and Caroline Claire who keep getting better. In slopestyle, the Norwegians and the Swedish are very talented, but we also have Nick Goepper coming off a silver in slopestyle in (PyeongChang). Also, McRae Williams is hungry after not having the best result in PyeongChang. Colby Stevenson and Joss Christensen are also from Park City and will be looking to do well in their hometown. On the girls’ side, Maggie Voisin and Julia Krass are doing doubles now, they are going to bring the heat.”

Logan’s thoughts on international competition reference Norway’s Oystein Braaten, Birk Ruud, and Johanne Killi as well as Sweden’s Henrik Harlaut, Jesper Tjader, Oscar Wester and Emma Dahlstrom. Not to mention the Switzerland powerhouse including PyeongChang Olympic gold and silver medalists Sarah Hoefflin, Mathilde Gremaud and Andri Ragettli. Isabel Atkin from Great Britain is also very much a contender. In addition, U.S. athletes can’t forget their friends to the north with Canadian phenoms Alex Beaulieu-Marchand and Evan McEachran gunning for medals.

Speaking to halfpipe, Logan said, “Canada is also very strong as well as the French, but so is the U.S. with Aaron Blunck, Alex Ferreira, David Wise, Brita Sigourney, and Maddie Bowman.”

Strong Canadian competitors in the halfpipe include Olympic gold medalist Cassie Sharpe, as well as Simon D’Artois and Noah Bowman.

One thing that is clear from Logan’s comments is that like the Olympics, the World Championships are bigger than just one athlete. It’s about the team and even the sport as a whole. Logan not only recognized this, but has taken it upon herself to make the bright future of her teammates and the sport of freeskiing priority one. While she wants to perform, there is a much bigger goal on her mind.

“I put pressure on myself to do well,” she said. ”Who doesn’t want to win and stand on top of the podium? But, regardless if I make the team or not, I’m going to be there cheering on my teammates. I like to help mold the young athletes because now I’m the veteran and I have been through this for so long. If I can pass on some wisdom and experience to help others be successful in their career, that’s even better. It’s all about pushing the sport and making it grow. That’s what I want to see.”

Although Logan is looking out for her teammates and freeskiing, her love of competition will always shine through. “As much as I feel I can provide to these young athletes, they return the favor,” she said. “They push me and light that fire because I know I have more in the tank and feel I have more to offer. Another World Champs medal would definitely be nice and I will do my best to make that happen.”

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Preliminary broadcast schedule, subject to change
Streaming schedule TBA
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

Friday, Feb. 1
1:00 p.m. - Men and women's snowboardcross finals - NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 2
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - Olympic Channel
8:30 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - NBCSN*

Sunday, Feb. 3
1:00 a.m. - Men and women’s freeski big air finals - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Team snowboardcross - Olympic Channel
4:00 p.m.-  Team snowboardcross - NBCSN*

Monday, Feb. 4
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - Olympic Channel
7:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - NBCSN*

Tuesday, Feb. 5
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard slalom - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard big air - NBCSN

Wednesday, Feb. 6
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s freeski slopestyle finals - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - Olympic Channel
11:30 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - NBCSN*

Thursday, Feb. 7
9:00 p.m. - Team aerials - NBCSN

Friday, Feb. 8
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard  halfpipe - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s moguls - NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 10
2:00 a.m. - Men and women’s dual moguls - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - Olympic Channel
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - NBC*

Monday, Feb. 11
10:30 p.m. - Women’s freeski halfpipe finals - NBCSN**

What do the 2019 FIS World Championships Mean to You? - Alex Deibold

By Andrew Gauthier
December, 23 2018
Solitude

When the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships kick off Feb. 1, it will mark the first time since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games that Utah - The State of Sport - has hosted so many athletes for a World Class event. In this three-part series, we talk to a number of U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes expected to compete in the upcoming World Champs, and their thoughts on competing on home soil, in front of family and friends, the pressure to exceed expectations, and their overall view of what the World Championships mean to them.

Snowboard and Skicross at Solitude

Fifteen-year snowboardcross veteran and Sochi Olympic bronze medalist Alex Deibold (Manchester, Vt.) knows the World Champs are special. “Outside of the Olympics, I think it is the most prestigious and most important event we have,” he said. “Being able to call yourself a World Champion is a lifelong title. If you look at some of the names that have achieved that title, it really is pretty elite. The fact that it only happens every two years definitely adds some mystique and pressure to it and just makes it that much more special.”

As a Park City local, Deibold has an edge over his international competitors. “It’s something as simple as being in your own time zone that can be a huge advantage for sleep and preparation,” said Deibold. “Also diet. It sounds silly to some people, but just being able to have food you are used to and are comfortable with is just one of those small things that can definitely add to your success.”

Deibold believes Solitude Mountain Resort’s snowboardcross facilities play well to the team’s strengths and may offer a unique advantage. “I do think we really have a home-field advantage,” he said. “If the test event for us at Solitude was any indicator, we had a lot of success there. I was able to get on the podium and I really felt like I could have won that race. It was one of the first times in my career that I felt a little disappointed with a podium that wasn’t a win. For snowboardcross, the build and the style we have over here really suits our riders. Nate [Holland] and I were third and fourth. I really think we have an advantage, not only being at home but also with the style of course at Solitude.”

“The fact that we are having World Champs on home soil is a big advantage to us and it being in my backyard is even better. It will be great to have friends and family be able to come up, and watch, and support, and the fact that we have so much history and such a great community here, I think it’s really going to make it that much more special. World Champs is always an important event and it’s fiercely competitive and really prestigious, but the thought of being able to compete in an event like that at home… we are just so fortunate."

    - Alex Deibold, U.S. Snowboard Team

“But, you certainly have to be careful” Deibold continued. “Luckily I have been doing this a long time and I know it’s easy to get distracted and get pulled in a lot of different directions. People wanting to see you and spend time with you, whereas if you are overseas you just buckle down. But no, having them there is just a bonus, regardless of how things go. It will be great to have them here and have that support.”

Another common thread between the athletes and the World Championships is having a generally positive outlook on expected performance. “It’s a little too early in the season to say, but I think our team is riding as strong as it has in years,” said Deibold. “We have a really good group dynamic right now. There are some younger kids on the team that are pushing us to be better and there are some of us who are a little bit older with more experience so we have been guiding and leading. I feel really confident for the team going into the World Champs this year.”

On the snowboardcross side, Deibold mentions a very clear and focused rival. “As far as our main rival goes, the reigning world champ Pierre Vaultier from France, the two-time Olympic champion, is certainly the man to watch,” he said. “But there are a lot of different people from other countries riding well.”

Both domestic and international snowboard and skicross athletes will descend on Utah and converge at Solitude Mountain Resort to open World Champs Feb. 1-3 with snowboardcross, skicross, and mixed gender team snowboardcross. With three opportunities for podiums, these athletes will leave everything on snow.

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Preliminary broadcast schedule, subject to change
Streaming schedule TBA
*Same-day broadcast
**Next-day broadcast

Friday, Feb. 1
1:00 p.m. - Men and women's snowboardcross finals - NBCSN

Saturday, Feb. 2
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - Olympic Channel
8:30 p.m. - Men and women’s skicross finals - NBCSN*

Sunday, Feb. 3
1:00 a.m. - Men and women’s freeski big air finals - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Team snowboardcross - Olympic Channel
4:00 p.m.-  Team snowboardcross - NBCSN*

Monday, Feb. 4
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - Olympic Channel
7:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard giant slalom - NBCSN*

Tuesday, Feb. 5
3:00 p.m. - Parallel snowboard slalom - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard big air - NBCSN

Wednesday, Feb. 6
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s freeski slopestyle finals - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - Olympic Channel
11:30 p.m. - Men and women’s aerials - NBCSN*

Thursday, Feb. 7
9:00 p.m. - Team aerials - NBCSN

Friday, Feb. 8
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard  halfpipe - NBCSN
9:00 p.m. - Men and women’s moguls - NBCSN

Sunday, Feb. 10
2:00 a.m. - Men and women’s dual moguls - NBCSN**
1:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - Olympic Channel
3:00 p.m. - Men and women’s snowboard slopestyle - NBC*

Monday, Feb. 11
10:30 p.m. - Women’s freeski halfpipe finals - NBCSN**

Lake Placid World Cup Moguls Starts Awarded at U.S. Freestyle Selections

By U.S. Ski & Snowboard
December, 23 2018
Ali Kariotis, George McQuinn, Alex Jenson and Haims Kalman
Ali Kariotis, George McQuinn, Alex Jenson and Haims Kalman will join the National Team in Lake Placid in January

Moguls World Cup starts for Lake Placid were on the line at the 27th U.S. Freestyle Selections events held December 19-22, 2018, at Winter Park, Colorado. Three competitions took place over the four days: two moguls and one dual moguls event. Skiers from across the nation competed for FIS points, NorAm starts and the Lake Placid World Cup Starts.

National Team Jackets were awarded Friday, Dec. 21, after the second moguls event. Alex Jenson (Park City Ski and Snowboard Club) and Ali Kariotis (Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride Team) will be joining the women of the U.S. Moguls Team in Lake Placid. And on the men’s side, George McQuinn (Winter Park Competition Center Team) and Kalman Heims (Killington Mountain School) claimed their spots.

"The U.S. Selections in its 27th season still proves to be a proving ground for up and coming U.S. mogul skiers. A few surprises this week with our top finishers but the future looks bright!" said Konrad Rotermund, creator of U.S. Freestyle Selections. 

RESULTS
Men and women's moguls

Vedder, Jacobellis, Second in Cervinia SBX

By Andrew Gauthier
December, 22 2018
Holland and Vedder
Jake Vedder (black) and Nate Holland (yellow) at the Cervinia, Italy FIS World Cup. (Miha Matavz - FIS Snowboard)

Jake Vedder (Pinckney, Mich.) led the way for the U.S. Snowboardcross Team with his first career FIS Snowboard World Cup podium, finishing second in Saturday’s snowboardcross in Cervinia, Italy. In the women’s race, Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, Vt.) pulled off her 51st World Cup podium performance, finishing second.

“My teammates were really encouraging me all day, and when I got to the bottom everyone just started tackling me,” Vedder laughed. “I couldn’t even believe what happened. I’m ecstatic to be here right now and it was a great day of racing. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Vedder, the 2018 Junior World Champion, came back from fifth position in the big final, taking the inside line late in the race to land on the podium to announced himself as a force on the World Cup stage with his second-place performance. Teammate Nate Holland (Sandpoint, Idaho) got tangled up midway through big final, but rebounded to finish fifth. Italian Emanuel Perathoner topped the podium with Germany’s Martin Noerl in third.

In the women’s race, it looked like Jacobellis would pull off the double victory following her win Friday to add to her all-time record in ladies’ SBX World Cup competition. Jacobellis opened up a huge gap between herself and the pack down the demanding Cervinia track.

However, back in the pack was Sochi 2014 Olympic gold medallist Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic, who kept her sights set on Jacobellis despite the seemingly insurmountable gap through the middle section of the course. Outpumping Jacobellis over the final roller stretch, Samkova edge Jacobellis by a board length at the finish line to claim her 11th career World Cup victory and her second podium in as many days after finishing runner-up to Jacobellis on Friday. Third place on the day went to Italy’s Michela Moioli, the reigning Olympic champion and 2017-18 crystal globe winner who earned her first podium of the young season on home soil.

With the runner-up result, and like Samkova earning a victory and second-place result the past two days, Jacobellis and Samkova are tied atop the FIS snowboardcross World Cup leaderboard through two events.

Both Jacobellis and Vedder achieved their minimum U.S Ski & Snowboard World Championship Team criteria with their respective podium results. Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, Mich.) also fulfilled his minimum 2019 World Championship Team selection criteria, finishing eighth.

U.S. Development Group member Stacy Gaskill (Golden, Colo.) finished in 12th; Anna Miller (Orem, Utah), Livia Molodyh (Hubbard, Ore.) and Danielle Steinhoff (Colfax, Calif.) finished 16th, 28th and 29th respectively.

The 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships snowboardcross program commences Jan. 31-Feb. 3 at Solitude Mountain Resort. Stay tuned for the U.S. Ski & Snowboard World Championships Team announcement to see what U.S. Snowboardcross Team members will compete in the biggest event to hit Utah since the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games.

RESULTS
Men’s Snowboardcross
Women’s Snowboardcross

Another Victory And A Huge Milestone For Shiffrin

By Tom Horrocks
December, 22 2018
Mikaela Shiffrin World Cup Win No. 50
Mikaela Shiffrin celebrates her 50th FIS Ski World Cup victory following Sunday's slalom win in Courchevel, France. (Getty Images/Agency Zoom - Christophe Pallot)

Skiing her best is the most important thing to Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.), but numbers, not so much. Saturday’s slalom victory may not have been her best skiing, but it resulted in a huge win - FIS Ski World Cup victory number 50 in Courchevel, France.

“I was trying as hard as I could not to focus on that today because it’s so distracting to think about those numbers for me and it’s always a mental battle just to focus on my skiing,” Shiffrin said. “I’m really happy, and maybe a bit lucky today with the win again. I was watching the first run - Petra (Vlhova, Slovakia) skied better than I did. I don’t know how I snuck away with the lead on the first run, but it was a big battle with Frida (Hansdotter, Sweden) second run, Petra second run, so I’m lucky and I’m grateful.”

And pretty darn fast too! Shiffrin took slim .04-second first-run over lead over Vlhova. In the second run, she dropped .04-seconds behind Vlhova at the second intermediate split. But in her typical fast-finishing fashion, Shiffrin hit the gas and edged-out Vlhova by .29 seconds for the victory. Hansdotter was third, at .37 back.

How big is her 50th career World Cup victory? Huge! Just look at the stats:

  • She is the youngest racer to ever win 50 World Cup races
  • She tied the great Italian racer Alberto Tomba on the all-time win list with her 50th World Cup victory
  • She has 35 World Cup slalom wins, which equals that of her childhood hero Marlies Schild, whom she now shares the record with for the most World Cup slalom victories
  • Her 50th World Cup win also launched her to a massive 501-point lead in the overall World Cup standings
  • She has won five World Cup races in a row, in four different disciplines (slalom, parallel slalom, giant slalom and super-G) in the last 21 days
  • She is tied with Marcel Hirscher for a record 14 wins in a calendar year

But again, these are just numbers that don’t necessarily motivate Shiffrin but do bring a smile to her face.

“I have to focus on my skiing and those numbers can be a really big distraction for me. It’s not really motivating, it feels more like pressure,” she said. “But now after the race, I can say it’s really an incredible thing, and I’m happy.”

Regardless of the milestones, Shiffrin admits that her success is not hers alone. It belongs to a solid team of supporters, and especially her coaches.

“Behind every athlete is such a big structure of people who are helping, sponsors, and family and friends, and especially the coaches,” Shiffrin said. “And for me when I’m looking at my coaches...I know that they have a one-thousand-percent belief in me. (Friday) and (Saturday) I believed in myself, but I could look at them and say ‘you did your job, now it’s time for me to do mine.’ It’s just the coolest feeling knowing our team is always working so hard. It’s not just me, it’s everybody...and they do their job so well and I’m really grateful for that.”

Paula Moltzan (Burlington, Vt.) may be racing in the shadow of one of the greatest racers of all time in Shiffrin, but the World Cup leader was pretty stoked to see her put down a career-best World Cup result in 15th place. In fact, Moltzan - who skis for the University of Vermont, in addition to representing America on the global stage - posted the fourth-fastest second run, just .16 behind Shiffrin.

“We saw that her skiing was really good in Killington (Vermont), and she always has this style that’s...really athletic,” Shiffrin said of Moltzan. “And today I was watching her second run and...I was thinking ‘that, was amazing, really nice skiing.’ She was smooth, she was accelerating, she was calm...and that’s super cool to see and I’m excited for her.”

Up next, the women’s World Cup circuit takes a few days off for the Christmas holiday, resuming Dec. 28-29 with giant slalom and slalom event.

RESULTS
Women’s slalom

STANDINGS
Women’s World Cup

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


Saturday, Dec. 22
2:30 p.m. - Women’s slalom, Courchevel, FRA - NBCSN-TV*

Sunday, Dec. 23
2:30 p.m. - Women’s slalom and giant slalom, Courchevel, FRA - NBC**

World Cup Victory No. 50