U.S. Moguls Team skiers, Casey and Jesse Andringa (Boulder, Colo.) are not your average athletes. These brothers have a unique story on how they were named to the U.S. Ski Team, as well as a unique mode of transportation en route. 

Growing up in Boulder, Colo., and traveling to Winter Park and Vail to train, Casey and Jesse have been passionate about skiing for as long as they can remember.

“We have been balancing skiing and school our whole lives. Last year was our first full year off school to just focus on skiing.”
    - Jesse Andringa 

In May 2017, the Andringas’ father bought them a pop-up camper which they promptly drove to Steamboat Springs where they lived in their new pop-up home. Casey and Jesse trained intensely at Steamboat Resort in hopes of making the U.S. Ski Team. “Our dad bought us a popup camper to save money,” said Jesse, “so really we were just camping up in the mountains and training the whole summer.”  
 
Yes, you read that right. These two were so dedicated to moguls skiing that they lived in a pop-up camper during the entire summer of 2017.  

“The hard thing about skiing is it’s so time-consuming, but there isn’t a lot of money in it,” admitted Casey. “Our parents were going to help us with rent wherever we were going to live and to offset those costs I jokingly said ‘You know, what about instead of renting a place somewhere we just get a popup camper and we just live in the woods for free…’ I was 80-percent kidding and then, like, three weeks later my dad calls me up and told me he found our home for the summer.”     

Determined, Casey and Jesse trained throughout the summer in Steamboat with Ski & Snowboard Club Vail’s moguls team. They also “went rogue” by adding their own training regimen into their schedule. “We would go to the high school track, run sprints and do obstacle courses for hours,” said Casey.  

With a diet of oatmeal for breakfast, showering in the gym they paid a membership at whenever they could (with no towels), and going to bed at 9:30 p.m. each night, the Andringa brothers lived a rugged life in the summer of 2017.

But all that hard work paid off when both Andringa brothers were officially named to the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team in April of 2018. Jesse has been on the Freestyle team for a year and podiumed in NorAm events during the 2018 season. Casey has been on the team for a year and a half, and competed in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, Korea, coming close to the podium with a fifth-place finish. 

The two brothers have been working hard this summer as well, but their living and training conditions are slightly different. “We have an apartment in Park City now, which is a new thing for us,” laughed Casey. “We still do the camper living on road trips, but we have upgraded a bit.”  

In addition to an actual home, these two are overwhelmed with the facilities they are provided as U.S. Ski Team members. “We have PTs with us all the time, and strength coaches who are arguably the best in the world,” said Casey. 

“We have a nutritionist, a cook, and a structured regimen,” added Jesse.  

With state-of-the-art facilities and staff, the Freestyle Ski Team’s training is vigorous: strength training at the Center of Excellence, summer training camps in Mount Hood, Ore., and water ramping sessions at the Utah Olympic Park. “Essentially you have four weeks of hard work at a time, then a week off, and you repeat that all summer,” reflected Jesse.  

When they aren’t hitting the gym or shredding the slopes, Jesse and Casey can be found surfing the coasts of Oregon and California. The brothers got into surfing about three years ago and get in at least 20 days a year. 

“Every day off we have when we are up at Mount Hood, we drive two and a half hours to go to the beach and surf,” commented Casey. “Instead of sitting there and dwelling on what you did wrong or right in training, we just go to the beach and totally let go of it all and surf. When you come back you are fresh and ready to work hard again.”  

In addition to being seasoned campers, surfers and skiers, the Andringa brothers also have a passion for sharing their experiences visually through photography. “I realized that we are going to the most beautiful and incredible places in the world, so I might as well try to document it,” said Casey. He hopes to continue with photography and is currently pursuing capturing photos for different companies in order to help offset expenses. He is selling prints to the public as well, in an effort to raise more funds for them both. Jesse also has a talented eye and takes his film camera wherever he goes.   

With summer training winding down and winter training gearing up, these two have high goals for this upcoming season. “My goal would be to get all the World Cup starts and make some finals and super finals,” noted Jesse. 

Casey wants to “get to the podium. Fifth place is cool and all but I’m ready for more.” With new tricks up both of their sleeves, Casey and Jesse are hoping to impress everyone this season.

The Adventurous Casey and Jesse Andringa are two names to watch out for. Follow along in their adventures on Instagram: Casey @butteredt0ast and Jesse @jesse_barre. 

Excitement is building for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and staff as the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships presented by Toyota gets set to take place Feb. 1-10, in the USSA’s own backyard in Park City, Utah. With 10 days of competition at three of the best resorts in the country - including Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain, and Solitude Mountain Resort - this will be the biggest winter sports event to be held in Utah since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.

Find some interesting facts that speak to the significance of the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships below:

World Championship Success

Five individual U.S. Ski & Snowboard champions from the 2017 FIS Sierra Nevada World Championships will look to defend their titles: Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, Colo.), McRae Williams (Park City, Utah), Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, Vt), Jonathon Lillis (Rochester, N.Y.) and Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, Va.). Also, Hagen Kearney (Norwood, Colo.) and Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, Mich.) are defending team snowboardcross champions.

There are three returning U.S. Ski & Snowboard 2018 FIS Crystal Globe winners: Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.), Chloe Kim (Torrance, Calif.) and Alex Ferreira (Aspen, Colo.). Corning claimed the snowboarding titles in slopestyle, big air and overall.

Size and Scale

More than 1,800 athletes and team officials will attend the Championships.

29 competitions including qualifying and final rounds with 13 FIS events showcased, and $750,000+ in prize money.

Three new Olympic events will be hosted for the first time at a FIS World Championships: freeski big air, mixed team snowboard cross, and team aerials.

55,000 spectators are expected across the 10 days of competition.

An international TV audience of more than 270 million viewers are expected to tune in on television and stream on digital devices. This estimated TV audience size has in turn caused TV coverage to exponentially increase: 28 hours of coverage on NBC and NBCSN will be broadcasted, a number that has almost doubled since the 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships in Beaver Creek.

Athletes

PyeongChang Olympic freeski gold medalists expected to compete include Cassie Sharpe (Canada), Oystein Braaten (Norway) and Sarah Hoefflin (Switzerland).

PyeongChang Olympic Snowboard gold medalists expected to compete include Chloe Kim (Torrance, Calif.), Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.), Sebastien Toutant (Canada) and Anna Gasser (Austria).

Notable aerial athletes expected to compete include 2018 PyeongChang Olympic gold medalists Oleksandr Abramenko (Ukraine) and Hanna Huskova (Belarus).

Moguls competitors heading to Park City include 2018 Olympic medalists Michael Kingsbury (Canada), Matt Graham (Australia), and Sierra Nevada 2017 double world champion Ikuma Horishima (Japan).  For the women, Olympic medalists include Perrine Laffont (France), Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Canada) and Yulia Galysheva (Russia).

Park City, Utah

The mayor and City Council of Park City have made it a mission to put environmental sustainability a priority during the 2019 FIS World Championships. The Environmental Sustainability Team has partnered up with Park City resorts to ensure that the execution of each World Championship event puts environmental sustainability as a top priority.  

Park City, Utah hosted the FIS Freestyle World Championships in 2003 and 2011 at Deer Valley Resort, but 2019 will be the first time a U.S-based World Championship will include all events across the snowboard, freestyle and freeski disciplines.

Volunteer Efforts

Amongst staff, there will be about 900 people working the events; 650 people will be volunteers, equating to a combined 25,000 hours of both working shifts and volunteer commitment.

Featuring the best athletes in the world, world-renowned venues, and several brand-new events, you will not want to miss the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships presented by Toyota. In fact, there are many ways to get involved, with over 650 volunteer opportunities for anyone 15 years of age and up. Volunteers will be able to experience events up close and contribute to making the World Championships the best it can be. If you have an interest in joining the team, Click Here to Sign Up.
 

Twenty-year-old U.S. Freeski Team member Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah) wrapped up the FIS Freeski World Cup big air in Modena, Italy, with a second-place finish Sunday. Norway’s Birk Ruud won the event, while Swiss Andri Ragettli rounded out the podium in third.

“I’m so hyped to get on the podium today,” said Hall, who scored his second career World Cup podium. “The level of riding was insane, so it’s an honor to be on the podium. Also, the vibes were all time!”

For the women, the gold and silver medalists from PyeongChang Olympics wasted no time getting back on the podium this season with Swiss freeskiers Mathilde Gremaud and Sarah Hoefflin first and second respectively, while Germany’s Kea Kuehnel was third.

After failing to make the big air finals in the opening World Cup of the season in Cardrona, New Zealand, Hall was on a mission in Modena. He landed a switch double cork 1440 with a very unique seatbelt cuban double grab that was rewarded by the judges. Hall was in the top spot going into their second round of three jumps. After a fall and a jump not scored in the second round, Hall landed a double cork 1620 opposite tail grab which put him in second place where he would remain to close out the competition.

First-year U.S. Pro Freeski Team member Colby Stevenson (Park City, Utah) finished ninth overall and put up some incredible highlights when he pulled a double cork 1440 with two grabs, which he learned in training the day of the competition. He landed this trick flawlessly but unfortunately missed his grabs slightly on both attempts. Although Stevenson didn’t end up on the podium with a fall on his third run, it was a positive step in the right direction moving into the 2018-19 season.

“I just learned that trick today, so I’m really happy to put it down,” said Stevenson. ”I learned it right here on the scaffolding before finals so I’m blown away.”

U.S Freeski Team members Caroline Claire (Manchester Center, Vt.) finished ninth, and just missed advancing to the finals, while U.S. Rookie Team member Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.) finished 22nd overall. Americans Quinn Wolferman (Missoula, Mont.) and Ryan Stevenson (Washington, N.J.) finished 31st and 41st respectively.

The crowd was not disappointed in Modena. With technical and innovative tricks including multiple triple corks, a nose butter takeoff from Sweden’s Henrik Harlaut; pre grab take-offs from Kai Mahler (Switzerland); double grabs and even a mid-air inverted pretzel from Jesper Tjader (Sweden) - as described by freeskiing legend and U.S. Freeski Team Ambassador Tom Wallisch. Also, Alex Beaulieu-Marchand (Canada) kept it fun throwing it back to freeskiing roots with a huge corked Cossak on his third and final run.

Competition continues for the U.S. Freeski Team at the Stubai, Austria, World Cup slopestyle Nov 22-24. The U.S. Snowboard Team athletes will move onto Beijing, China, for the air & style big air World Cup event Nov 23-24. Both teams then head to Copper Mountain, Colo. for the first halfpipe competition of the season at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix Dec. 6-8, which also serves as a FIS World Cup event.

RESULTS
Men’s big air finals
Women’s big air finals
 

Editor's Note:
​Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID) recently sustained an ACL tear that has sidelined her for the 2019 season. Throughout Johnson's road to recovery, she'll be sharing the ups and downs of rehabilitation here in a column of her own, entitled "Patient Notes," in hopes that you will follow along for the journey to learn how challenging it is both physically and mentally to return to snow at the elite level. Being an injured athlete can be challenging and lonely, and we're hoping that by writing this column, Johnson will be able to stay connected to the community and her sponsors.

Johnson kicked off her series with a poignant pre-surgery piece and with Patient Notes: Volume 2, she brought you all the post-op nitty gritty. She's thankful for your support and invites you to follow along on her Instagram. All of the words below are Johnson's thoughts, straight from her journal to your computer screen.

Enjoy the journey,

Megan Harrod 
Alpine Communications Manager

------------------

10/30/18: 57 days post-injury, 40 days post-op, 6 days post-second op

Ferocity and Frustration

When I announced my injury, I stated that the coming months would be excruciating—excruciating in the mental sense. Thinking back now, I didn’t know all of the ways that this would test me. I still can’t say if I will be better for it. It’s been a while since I’ve written; almost six weeks to be exact. But I have faced tests I couldn’t even imagine. Have those tests made me better? Only time will tell.

Those who know me know I have a force of willpower unmatched in the average person. I do know others with this force. Many of my fellow competitors also have this ferocity. Perhaps that seems like an insult, but I argue otherwise. “Ferocity” doesn’t have to be directed at other beings in a negative manner—and the ability to be ferocious in the face of obstacles and adversity, is perhaps what distinguishes the great from the good. I have, for many years, approached ski racing with this ferocity. We often teach children—especially girls—to be kind, wait, ask for permission. But in elite level sport, as in much of life sometimes, we cannot be herbivorous. We must, like a cheetah on the Savanna, chase down and kill our prey. We must take what we need because if we wait until it is given, we will never get it.

I have lived much of my career in this manner: move forward, work harder than anyone thought possible, and then go take what you have earned. When my doctor told me my diagnosis, I resolved myself to do so again. I thought to myself ‘Go work harder on your recovery than anyone thought possible and take back your health, your speed and your sport.’ It has been more exhausting and frustrating than I thought possible.

While my sport has always been grueling, occasionally taking time off or hanging with friends rejuvenated my brain and my body. Days off, relaxing with teammates, served to both make me happy and provide a critical piece in allowing me to progress. Now it feels as if some of that has turned against me. I traveled home [to Victor, Idaho] two weeks ago; my first trip home since surgery. While the time in the Tetons gave me mental rejuvenation, that came with immense physical pain and swelling. Going out to movies with friends did the same. Even sleep, which I have loved all of my life, has turned against me. I am mostly a stomach sleeper, but in my work to lower the swelling in my knee joint I sleep on my back now, with my knee up on six pillows and my ice machine running on and off through the night. Everything that once healed me and helped me progress, is now seemingly my nemesis.

This is hard. Really hard.

A young ski racer recently messaged me and asked how we get through these setbacks. It’s difficult; I won’t lie. I think we just do what we can every day. While unfortunate to say, I think in some ways we simply must resolve ourselves to months of pain and frustration. We must hunker down and endure the storm. Some might call it resilience...but it isn’t really. We simply have no other option; no other road to take. It’s survival. The body has a remarkable ability to heal. It truly awes me every day. Your body can, in its infinite wisdom, take a piece that is broken and fix it. During times of injury, some of what we must do is simply wait for our body to do its job. No amount of will or ferocity can help. And so we wait, frustrated and lost, until our amazing cells and nerves and ligaments figure out how to deal with the problems we have caused.

While my ferocious attitude has helped me in my recovery, I am slowly realizing that I must adapt and be less aggressive in my return to sport. As many know, I recently had to go back under the knife to deal with a skin infection in an incision. I was frustrated, for weeks, having to deal with setbacks that were not my own creation. I felt that I didn’t deserve to deal with the extra setbacks. I’m sure many of you—and many of my U.S. Ski & Snowboard teammates—have felt the same way. I’m not perfect, and I’m not there yet, but I’m beginning to realize that it doesn’t matter. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t my fault. The problems were mine nonetheless, and I have the choice to either solely have problems with my body or problems with my body AND my mind. But as I turn the corner (hopefully) toward putting this infection behind me, I’m beginning to let go of what I wish I was doing and simply focus on what I can do now.  I vow not to lose my ferocity, but I have to be able to be more fluid about the obstacles in front of me.

If not for my body’s sake, certainly for my mind’s sake.

U.S. Snowboard Team member Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) kicked off the FIS Snowboard World Cup big air in Modena, Italy, with a second-place finish in front of a huge crowd Saturday. Takeru Otsuka (Japan) won the event, as Kalle Jarvilehto (Finland) was third.

On the women’s side, the podium mimicked an impressive Japanese performance at the first Big Air World Cup of the season in Cardrona, New Zealand with Reira Iwabuchi (Japan) and Miyabi Onitsuka (Japan) taking the top two spots, followed by PyeongChang big air gold medalist Anna Gasser (Austria) in third.

Corning was the lone American in the top 10 for finals and he came out firing with a flat spin frontside 1440 melon. As Corning’s U.S. Freeski Teammates Caroline Claire (Manchester Center, Vt.) and Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.) were cheering relentlessly from the crowd, he watched as he posted the highest score in the first round. Many riders took a relatively safe run on their second jump, but Corning took a very different approach, performing a backside triple cork 1440 melon landing almost at the flat bottom. His perfect landing matched his first run score of a 92.50 putting him in second place. Heading into the third and final round, Corning hinted at the fact he may go for the quad cork 1800 if it was necessary to claim the top spot.

After qualifying first overall moving into finals, Corning had the chance to watch the entire field before dropping in on his third and final jump. Trying to overtake Otsuka and holding nothing back, Corning went absolutely massive going for his signature quad cork 1800 which won him the opening World Cup big air of the season in Cardrona, but he simply ran out of real estate on the landing and settled for his is his second-consecutive World Cup big air podium.

U.S. Freeski athletes Claire, Colby Stevenson (Park City, Utah), Alex Hall (Park City, Utah) and Forehand, the 2018 Freeski Big Air Junior World Champion, will battle for podium positions Sunday as the SkiPass Modena big air continues. Other American athletes competing include Quinn Wolferman (Missoula, Mont.) and Ryan Stevenson (Washington, N.J.).

RESULTS
Men
Women

HOW TO WATCH
*All times EST

FREESKI
SUNDAY, NOV. 4
11:00 a.m. - World Cup big air, Modena, ITA - The Olympic Channel
 

Tess Johnson, the youngest moguls skier to ever be named to the U.S. national team in 2014, dishes on juggling school, family, friends and her sport. Park City Magazine caught up with Johnson during training in Zermatt, Switzerland, to find out how she finds balance, stays motivated and what it takes to push herself to new heights. 

Read the full story on Park City Magazine's website

U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Team athletes will compete in their second FIS World Cup big air this week in Modena, Italy, on Nov 3-4. Among the athletes competing is the 2018 New Zealand Winter Games FIS World Cup snowboard big air winner, Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.), as well as the 2018 Freeski Big Air Junior World Champion Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.).

In addition, the U.S. athletic field will include U.S. Snowboard Pro Team members Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, Alaska), Lyon Farell (Haiku, Hawaii) and Grant Giller (Salt Lake City, Utah). The U.S. Freeski Team of heavy hitters includes Caroline Claire (Manchester Center, Vt.), Colby Stevenson (Park City, Utah), Alex Hall (Park City, Utah), and Americans Quinn Wolferman (Missoula, Mont.) and Ryan Stevenson (Washington, N.J.).

U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes have a chance to make history as this is the first ever FIS World Cup in Modena on the largest jump of its kind ever built in Italy, according to FIS. This Modena event replaced the originally scheduled Milan competitions. Also, the atmosphere should be something special with the Italian Metropolis Skipass Winter Sport and Tourism Festival happening simultaneously. Snowboard competition will take place on Nov 3, while freeski competition will take place on Nov 4.

HOW TO WATCH
*All times EST

SNOWBOARD
SATURDAY, NOV. 3
1:30 p.m. - World Cup big air, Modena, ITA - The Olympic Channel

FREESKI
SUNDAY, NOV. 4
11:00 A.M. - World Cup big air, Modena, ITA - The Olympic Channel

Temperatures are dropping and resorts have flipped the switch on their snow guns. Most importantly, we are only one month out from the world’s best halfpipe freeskiers and snowboarders descending on Copper Mountain, Colo., for the 2018 Toyota U.S. Grand Prix.

The Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain will kick off the 23rd year of the Grand Prix with four back-to-back days of international freeski and snowboard competition in the resort’s 22 foot superpipe Dec. 5-8. Since 2008, the Grand Prix at Copper has welcomed the world and traditionally served as the season opener for FIS World Cup freeski and snowboard halfpipe competition in the northern hemisphere. Halfpipe athletes consider Copper Mountain as a staple on their early season competition tour.

“It has become a routine to start the season off in Copper. But that is not something that we take for granted. It is a privilege to be able to start the season off and get our momentum going on home soil in a state of the art superpipe.”
    - David Wise, 2017 Copper Grand Prix Winner.

The Copper Mountain Resort Grand Prix partnership is one that is incredibly important to U.S. Ski & Snowboard. By creating a world-class venue for freeski and snowboard halfpipe competition in early December, athletes are able to train and launch their competition season in an environment that fosters progression and a high level of competition. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Copper Mountain.

“This year is a milestone for the Copper and U.S. Grand Prix partnership as we’ve been collaborating and working together for a decade,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Event Director Nick Alexakos. ”In those 10 years, we have included Olympic Qualifiers and FIS World Cups in both halfpipe and big air, the Paul Mitchell Progression Sessions, and witnessed both freeskiing and snowboarding develop to the insane level they’re at today. If the past is any representation, we all have a lot to look forward to this December.”

Jesse True, Interim President and General Manager of Copper Mountain also believes this year’s event will be something special.

“Copper continues to pride itself on being the premier resort for progression and with the earliest superpipe opening in the country,” said True. ”We’re thrilled to welcome home Olympians Chloe Kim (Torrence, Calif.), Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and David Wise (Reno, Nev.) for the annual Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain. It’s a privilege to be one of the first U.S. ski areas to showcase world-class competition in halfpipe freeskiing and snowboarding especially coming off the legendary PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.”

In addition to Kim, Gold, and Wise, returning Olympic halfpipe medalists include freeskiers Maddie Bowman (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.) and Brita Sigourney (Carmel, Calif.). The U.S. Freeski and Snowboard Halfpipe Teams are coming off of an incredibly successful training camp in Saas-Fee, Switzerland and are getting ready to take advantage of their time at Copper in the superpipe.

“Favorable early season snow is making for excellent pipe building in anticipation of the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix,” said Woodward Copper Terrain Park and Progression Manager Noah Schwander. The 22-foot high, 68-foot wide superpipe, positioned front and center of Copper’s base area offers spectators easy access to watch some of the world’s elite freeskiers and snowboarders.”

In snowboarding, look out for Kim and Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, Calif.) coming out of camp as the only two girls competing right now who have landed frontside double corks on snow. For the men, Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) is coming in hungry after successfully linking a front double cork 1260 to back double cork 1260 in Switzerland. Toby had more on his to-do list for Saas-Fee, but mother nature forced Miller to hold off until Copper. This should make for an exciting debut for World Cup halfpipe competition this season.

"My number one goal heading to the Saas Fee camp was to link two tricks together that I learned last spring," said Miller. "I was able to accomplish that and I can't wait to add them to my run at the Grand Prix."

Joining the athletes at Copper Mountain is a new addition to U.S. Ski & Snowboard coaching staff - Sochi Olympic Halfpipe Silver Medalist and now U.S. Freeski Halfpipe Pro Team Coach Mike Riddle. As a former athlete, Riddle offers an interesting perspective on early season competition.

"I'm really excited to be coaching the U.S. squad heading into the 2018-2019 competition circuit,” said Riddle. “The Grand Prix in Copper always sets the tone for the season. It's the event where everyone gets to see what all the other athletes have been working on all summer and see where you stack up against the competition. As a coach, my role will be to help the athletes get up to speed on their runs as quickly as possible and make the transition into comp season as seamless as possible."

The Toyota Grand Prix’s second and final stop will be at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area March 4-9, 2019. Mammoth Mountain’s Unbound Terrain Park consistently delivers a world-class slopestyle and halfpipe venue for both training and competition. Freeski and snowboard competition will commence on March 6 and finish on March 9. 

TOYOTA U.S. GRAND PRIX - COPPER MOUNTAIN
Event Schedule
*subject to change

Dec. 6: Freeski Halfpipe qualifications
Dec. 7: Snowboard Halfpipe qualifications
Dec. 8: Freeski Halfpipe Finals
Dec. 9: Snowboard Halfpipe Finals

HOW TO WATCH
*All Times EST

FREESKI
December 7, 2018
1:00 p.m. - U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe, Copper Mountain - NBC Sports - Live

December 8
4:30 p.m. - U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe, Copper Mountain - NBC - Next-day broadcast

SNOWBOARD
December 8, 2018
1:00 p.m. - U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe, Copper Mountain - NBC Sports - Live

December 9
12:30 p.m. - U.S. Grand Prix halfpipe, Copper Mountain - NBC - Next-day broadcast
 

Temperatures have fallen, snow is coming down, and the snow guns have been blasting at Copper Mountain for the last few weeks. Winter is here! That means it's almost time for the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain to open its doors to the best alpine ski racers in the country. Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Ted Ligety are among the Olympic champions, World Cup winners and World Champions that plan to descend on the amazing facilities Copper Mountain provides.

En route to the World Championships in Are, Sweden, the Team is amped for the 2019 season. To celebrate the upcoming season, and for the second year in a row, we're opening the doors for 50 fans to come to a private meet-and-greet with the U.S. Alpine Ski Team athletes training at Copper. For each winner, we'll provide bibs to be signed, as well as U.S. Ski Team stickers and pins. 

To enter:

1. Like @usskiteam and @coppermtn on Instagram (we’ll be checking!)
2. Like this photo we've posted
3. Tag a friend you’d like to join you for the event, and share a question you have for your favorite U.S. Ski Team athlete.

We’ll pick the winners and see you at Copper Mountain!

--------

IN ORDER TO ENTER THIS CONTEST YOU MUST AGREE TO ALL THE RULES, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS LISTED BELOW:

1. No Purchase Necessary To Enter Or Win. A Purchase Will Not Increase Your Chances Of Winning.

To Enter: Like the U.S. Ski Team and Copper Mountain’s Instagram pages and submit a comment tagging one other Instagram account, including a question you have for the Team. 1. The sweepstakes is open between October 29 and November 7, 2018. Limit one entry per person. 2. Drawings: 50 winners will be selected in random drawings from among all eligible entries received, by the U.S. Ski Team and Copper Mountain, whose decisions in all matters relating to this sweepstakes are final. Winners will be notified via both public and private message, and instructed on how to receive their prize. Should winner not comply with instructions in a timely manner, alternate winners may be selected. Odds of winning are dependent upon the total number of eligible entries received. 3. Prizes: Entrance into a private autograph signing session with U.S. Ski Team athletes. Prizes may not be transferred or redeemed for cash. No substitution for prizes. Each winner is solely responsible for all applicable Federal, State, and local taxes on the value of his/her prize. 4. Eligibility: the sweepstakes is open to all entrants. If under the age of 18, a parent or guardian must be present at venue. Must provide own transportation to specified venue. Void where prohibited by law or regulation. Not open to employees and their families of U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Copper Mountain, their subsidiaries, affiliates, participating retailers, prize suppliers, advertising and production agencies. All Federal, State, and local laws and regulations apply. 5. Limitation of Liability: sponsor and judging organization are not responsible for typographical errors in any sweepstakes related materials; for technical, hardware, software, or telephone failures of any kind; or for lost or unavailable network connections or failed, incomplete, garbled, or delayed computer transmissions that may limit or interfere with a participant’s ability to take part in the sweepstakes. Entrants agree that the Sponsor, its promotional partners, related companies, agencies, respective employees or officers shall not be liable for losses, injury, death, damages or costs of any kind resulting from participation in this sweepstakes or acceptance of or use or misuse of a prize or parts thereof. By entering, participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules. 6. Disclaimer of Correspondence: we value your privacy. We do not sell or provide any of the information you provide us to unaffiliated companies, marketers, magazines or any other unaffiliated third parties. By officially entering you consent to be contacted by U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Copper Mountain and/or our affiliates to include (but not limited to) the prize providers.
 
If you do not wish to accept these Terms & Conditions do not enter the contest. Your data will not be saved.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes are fortunate enough to personally talk with and thank supporters that change their athletic careers throughout the season. But do they ever have the chance to thank the supporters of the country that make it all possible in the first place?

Eighteen-year-old U.S. Rookie Team snowboarder Jason Wolle (Winter Park, Colo.) was granted that opportunity. Ahead of the winter season, on September 28th Wolle traveled to Fort Carson, Colorado to visit multiple military bases and meet members of AM300 Solutions. He was invited earlier in the summer by retired Army Ranger and former Commander of the Charlie Troop, Task Force 300, Jesse Stewart.

“I interviewed Jason and quickly realized he was special,” reflected Stewart, “I invited him to Colorado Springs to execute a base visit to various military-related facilities and the USOC Headquarters.”  

During the visit, Wolle was able to meet with leaders of the military, complete the Task Force 300 workout, and participate in an entry-level tactical weapons class with Ranger and weapons tactics’ trainer, Seth Lewis. Although Wolle was impressive in his shooting and training skills, his favorite part was being able to talk to the members and veterans of the military.

“Talking with them and sharing our experiences has really motivated me to do better not only as a snowboarder but as a person. Over the course of the weekend I have received amazing advice that I plan to carry with me my entire life.”
    - U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team member Jason Wolle

In addition to sound advice, Wolle enjoyed a perspective athletes often don’t have the chance to experience or try to understand. Not by any fault of their own, but because of the very different environments they inhabit. By tying each individual to a common goal, it resulted in mutual understanding and a catalyst moving forward whether in athletics or serving in the armed forces.

“We sacrificed for this nation in order to see it prosper in every sense. If I can contribute to our Olympic success, then I'm honored for the opportunity to serve my country again,” said former Charlie Troop and Task Force 300 member Seth Lewis.

Wolle was also able to take part in a tour of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) headquarters alongside Stewart and Lewis. The USOC were gracious hosts, showing their guests around their first-rate campus. Wolle left excited for the competition that lies ahead for him after witnessing a high energy USA Wrestling practice before their departure.

Although the trip was only a few days, Wolle was able to learn more about the military, form relationships with some of the most notable military men in the country, and show his appreciation for their service.

“I have met some genuinely impressive and mentally tough people and it is through their efforts in the military that I am able to travel the world and snowboard safely and with peace of mind,” he said.

Alongside his supporters, both from the slopes and from the military, Wolle is ready to take on the season and perform well for his country. “Seth told me that he carried out his duty in the military and represented the United States overseas and that now it was my turn to do my part in the athletic community.”