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.
 

PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 16, 2018) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard has today announced that airweave is the latest world-class brand to join the Olympic sports organization’s growing roster of partners as the Official Bedding Supplier.  As a primary element of the partnership, airweave will supply mattresses to U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s athletes to help them maximize performance throughout the year ahead.

“We are proud to continue our history of supporting U.S. national team athletes and their performance,” said airweave CEO and President Motokuni Takaoka. “We look forward to watching the U.S. Ski & Snowboard teams compete knowing they are well-rested thanks to airweave.”

“Sleeping well is an incredibly important part of an athlete’s preparation and recuperation in training and competition,” said Troy Taylor, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s High Performance Director. “Having airweave on board with our team is a vital part of the intricate planning that we do with our athletes in competition throughout the year and we are delighted to welcome airweave into our U.S. Ski & Snowboard family.”

The Sponsorship includes airweave’s total sleep solution of mattresses, toppers, pillows, duvets, and a limited edition travel blanket for use while U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes are competing internationally and at the Sleep Center at the Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah. In addition, airweave will be utilizing individual athletes from their High Performance Team as brand ambassadors on social media.

Trusted by The World’s Elite
Having fostered relationships with top athletes, businesses and institutions has become a crucial part of airweave’s R&D which includes years of studies with top sleep scientists and IMG Academy on the relationship between sleep quality, bedding, and athletic performance. U.S. Ski & Snowboard joins airweave’s list of global partners which includes The Ritz Paris, Royal Ballet School, and Japan Airlines. 

About airweave
Airweave is the Japanese bedding manufacturer known for their unique mattress core material airfiber® and the belief that “Tomorrow Starts Tonight.”  Offering optimum breathability, even pressure distribution and support airfiber® is the latest in sleep surface technology while also being 100% washable and eco-friendly. Having expanded to a range of bedding, lifestyle and technology products in Japan, airweave Founder and CEO Motokuni Takaoka introduced his line of mattresses to the United States online through airweave.com and select retail partners in 2014. Airweave aims to be recognized as a global sleep solution brand, designing innovative products for use at home, while traveling and everywhere in between.

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic sports organization based in Park City, UT providing leadership and direction for elite athletes competing at the highest level worldwide and for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders in the USA, encouraging and supporting all its athletes in achieving excellence wherever they train and compete. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. One of the oldest and most established sports organizations worldwide, directly tracing its roots back to 1905, U.S. Ski & Snowboard receives no direct government support, operating solely through private donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to fund athletic programs that directly assist athletes in reaching their dreams.