WINTER PARK, CO (March 28) - World Cup Rookie of the Year Mikeala Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO/Burke Mountain Academy) cracked open the 2012 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships by defending her slalom gold in sun soaked Winter Park. Shiffrin, who became the youngest U.S.

LAKE LOUISE, AB. (Dec. 21) – Olympic silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) made her overdue return to the podium Saturday with her first snowboardcross World Cup victory in nearly two years in Lake Louise, AB. Jacobellis has been absent from the sport since Jan. 2012 because of a knee injury. In the men’s race, Alex Deibold (Manchester Center, VT) finished third, while Australian rookie Jarryd Hughes took the victory in his eighth World Cup start. The FIS snowboardcross tour continues in Vallnord-Arcals, Andorra, with a double header January 10-12.

VAL D’ISERE, France (Dec. 14) – For the first time since 2009, Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) missed an Audi FIS Alpine World Cup giant slalom final. The two-time giant slalom world champion and four-time World Cup title winner was the first racer out of the gate, but slid out on his left hip on the lower portion of the steep and icy Face de Belvarde. Ligety won the opening two giant slalom races of the season, including a 1-2 finish with Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) last weekend in the Audi Birds of Prey giant slalom in Beaver Creek, and hadn’t missed a giant slalom podium since March of 2012.

PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 4) – Following on the heels of slopestyle skiing included in the 2014 Olympic program, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has announced another progressive addition to the Team with the formation of the inaugural U.S. Freeskiing Slopestyle Pro Team.

PARK CITY, UT (May 17) – Four-time World Champion and giant slalom title winner Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) was honored by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association with the Beck International Award, the organization’s highest athlete honor. The USSA also recognized Barry "Bear" Bryant of the Sunday River Ski and Snowboard Club with its Julius Blegen Award, the highest volunteer service honor, for years of service to the sport. The awards were presented May 17 in Park City at the annual USSA Congress at the Park City Marriott.