ASPEN, CO (Nov. 29, 2015)—Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) did it again on Sunday, winning her second Aspen Winternational slalom in two days.

After dominating the field in Saturday’s slalom by over three seconds, Shiffrin showed that she wasn’t letting off the gas. On the first run, she came through the lights 1.99 seconds ahead of the next fastest female, and would eventually win the run by 1.69 seconds. She came out attacking on the second run and bobbled on the second gate, before calming down and ripping to the bottom. She took the win by 2.65 seconds and her teammates Paula Moltzan (Lakeville, MN), Katie Ryan (Aspen, CO) and Resi Stielger (Jackson, WY) hoisted her on their shoulders to celebrate.

Shiffrin celebrates with teammates Ryan, Stiegler and Moltzan. (USSA-Tom Kelly)

“It was really exciting. I had three great races, really,” said Shiffrin. “The GS was disappointing, but still a great race. And today was awesome; yesterday was awesome. I’m walking away from my U.S. part of the World Cup tour very happy this year.”

Stiegler also had a fantastic day, skiing into the top 10 for the first time since a ninth-place finish in Zagreb in 2013—a race that Shiffrin also won. Stiegler’s 10th place finish solidified her comeback, showing her hard work after a knee injury paid off.  “It was cool to get in the gate and be that strong and solid,” said Stiegler after her run.

Resi Stiegler skied her way into 10th place. (Getty Images-Doug Pensinger)

Saturday’s win was the first time since 1981 that an American woman won in Aspen, when Tamara McKinney was victorious in a giant slalom. 34 years, 8 months and 20 days later, Shiffrin broke the record. One day after that, Shiffrin won again. With Shiffrin’s victory and Resi Stiegler’s top 10 and top 15 results from the 2015 Aspen Winternational, the Americans are looking sharp for Aspen’s World Cup Finals in 2017.

Paula Moltzan (Lakeville, MN) and Lila Lapanja (Alpine Village, NV) raced first run, but did not qualify for second. Still, Lapanja was excited to finish her first World Cup. “I’m ready to keep racing World Cups,” said Lapanja. “This lights a fire in me.”

Shiffrin packs up to head to Lake Louise to race super G with the speed team, while the rest of the teach team heads to Are, Sweden.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Mikaela Shiffrin won first run by 1.69 seconds and took the overall by 2.65 seconds.
• Stiegler finished 10th, her first top-10 result since 2013.
• This was Shiffrin’s fifth World Cup slalom win in a row and her 17th World Cup win.
• Shiffrin was the first American woman to win a slalom in Aspen.
• Next up, the speed women race in Lake Louise, while the tech team heads to Are, Sweden.

QUOTES
Mikeala Shiffrin
It was really exciting. I had three great races, really. The GS was disappointing, but still a great race. Today was awesome; yesterday was awesome. I’m walking away from my U.S. part of the World Cup tour very happy this year.

I woke up this morning and I thought, oh my gosh! What if everyone was just joking [about my result yesterday]! What if they were just faking it and I wasn’t that fast? I thought, you have to attack today—don’t go any slower, try to pick it up. I think everybody else pushed it a little harder too. I tried to push it hard, too. I was happy with that.

[The second run] was really rough. Once again, it was a fight. After the GS and yesterday, I learned that I can still be fast in the second run going last and I just have to really attack. Maybe making that mistake on the top part wasn’t fast, but it’s not necessarily the worst thing in the world if I’m pushing it. I was and I picked it up pretty soon after that.

I’m really excited to go to Lake Louise! I’ve never been there. I hear the hotel is really nice and the hill is even better. I’m really excited to debut in speed.

Resi Stiegler
It was awesome, actually. I was pretty nervous and getting a little tired. We’ve had an incredibly amazing time here in Colorado, but it’s long. It’s a lot of interviews, people, family, skiing, high elevations. Just coming to the end, you’re like whoa! I have to focus all the way to the finish. Obviously the last couple of runs the finish part was the hardest for me. I just got in the gate and was like, you’re working that ski as hard as you can all the way to the bottom! You don’t have to go crazy; you just have to push harder. I’m pretty happy with how it ended.

It was cool to get in the gate and be that strong and solid.

RESULTS
Women's slalom results

ASPEN, CO (Nov. 28, 2015)—It was a historic day at the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational, as Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) dominated her competitors by over three seconds to take the first American women's win at Aspen since 1981.

It had been a high and dry 34 years, with no American standing on top of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup podium at Aspen since Tamara McKinney won in 1981. And Shiffrin didn’t just break the record; she annihilated it, winning the race by 3.07 seconds. That margin broke yet another record—it was the largest women’s slalom win margin since 1968.

“It’s a special day. I was a little bit nervous, but I handled it well,” said Shiffrin. “My skis were great. Everything set up perfectly. I don’t know if the stars will ever align like that again.”

Tamara McKinney came to the race and cheered on Shiffrin from the finish. She posed with Shiffrin on the podium after the race. (USSA-Tom Kelly)

Shiffrin finished ahead of Veronika Velez Zuzulova of Slovakia and Frida Hansdotter of Sweden. “I really charged! I fought hard in the second run,” said Shiffrin, who crashed two gates from the finish in yesterday’s GS. “[Yesterday] was a big disappointment, so I had some anger. I took that into today.

Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) was the only other American to make the flip, taking 15th place. It was her first race back after her knee injury. “I was really nervous today. It was my first World Cup back and I did some intense coming back this time! I wasn’t really sure where I was standing,” said Stiegler. “I just went for it and tried to learn a lot since luckily we have two World Cups. We can really take something from today into tomorrow.”

Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV)—who was racing her first World Cup—and Paula Moltzan (Lakeville, MN) did not finish first run.

Shiffrin and her teammates will race slalom again on Sunday before she heads to Lake Louise for the super G. The race will air live in NBC at 3 p.m. ET.

Shiffrin races in the Aspen Winternational slalom on Saturday. (Getty Images-Doug Pensinger)

Highlights

• Mikaela Shiffrin won the Aspen Winternational slalom on Saturday, the make-up race for the cancelled Levi slalom.
• It was the first American women's victory at Aspen since 1981, when Tamara McKinney won a giant slalom on March 8, 1981. The last American men’s win was Bill Johnson winning a downhill in 1984 (AJ Kitt ‘won’ two World Cups in Aspen which were both later annulled).
• Shiffrin won by 3.07 seconds—the largest winning margin in women’s slalom. Previously, the largest margin was three seconds in 1968 set by French racer Florence Steurer on March 1, 1968 in Abetone, Italy.
• Sunday’s slalom will air live on NBC at 3 p.m. ET.

QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
I really charged! I fought hard in the second run. [Yesterday] was a big disappointment, so I had some anger. I took that into today.

My teammate Resi Stiegler gave a pretty epic course report. She said ‘this thing is a ripper.’ When you get through that flush and come over the breakover to the last pitch, she said, ‘that’s your section!’  

It’s a special day. I was a little bit nervous, but I handled it well and I definitely had a lot of support—my coaches, my parents and everybody were like, you know what, you know how to ski slalom. Forget about the nerves and just do your thing. They all said the right stuff. My skis were great. Everything set up perfectly. I don’t know if the stars will ever align like that again.

I’m really excited to get back on this hill tomorrow. We don’t ever get a chance to do two slaloms in a row and I often feel after a slalom race, I want to ski another race the next day. Hopefully, I can get back to my room, get a little nap in, get some rest time and come out tomorrow and attack again.

Resi Stiegler
I was really nervous today. It was my first World Cup back and I did some intense coming back this time! I wasn’t really sure where I was standing. I did a couple NorAms coming into this and I had good sections, but I didn’t have what I wanted to see in confidence. But I was like, ‘nobody can beat me on that top section, I know it!’ So I just hammered out of the gate. The bottom on both runs—especially on that first run—caught me a lot. I just went for it and tried to learn a lot since luckily we have two World Cups, we can really take something from today into tomorrow.

It’s just incredible, it’s hard to explain, the comebacks. I can come back from anything, obviously, but you never know if you’re going to get hurt on your way to the course or if you’re going to get hurt for some stupid thing—like walking on ice. When you get back in the gate, that’s your only time to shine. That’s the moment where I try to push myself as hard as I can. When I have a good moment or feel good, it’s the most unbelievable feeling in the world.

RESULTS
Women’s slalom results 

LAKE LOUISE, Alberta (Nov. 28, 2015) – After a solid three days of training, Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) threw down a fast run on Saturday to grab third place at the Lake Louise downhill.

The downhill track at Lake Louise was yet again the creator of a comeback fairytale as Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway claimed victory by the narrowest possible margin, just 0.01 seconds, in his first World Cup speed race since an Achilles injury kept him off tour all of last season. He edged out Italian Peter Fill, who held the lead from his bib 4 start all the way until Svindal came down 16 skiers later.

In the final spot on stage, Ganong rounded out the podium at an unlikely venue for the 27 year old. He was the first U.S. Ski Team athlete on course, and his time held up for third place despite numerous attacks from the top 7 skiers.

“I’ve really struggled here at Lake Louise in the past. I really didn’t do well here when I was at the NorAm level, kind of figuring it out. This year the snow is just so perfect that I was able to push hard and ski like I want to ski and be competitive. So I’m really happy with how it worked out,” said Ganong, whose best finish at Lake Louise prior to Saturday was a 10th place. “On a day like today it’s the best day to be a racer – it’s perfect conditions, perfect weather, sunny. It’s a good start to the winter.”

Travis Ganong grabbed a podium spot at the Lake Louise downhill - his first podium at Lake Louise. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alexis Boichard)

Pre-race favorite Kjetil Jansrud was going for broke on the hill, and his aggressive movements and direct line cost him the tenths that Svindal managed to hold. Jansrud ultimately finished ninth, 0.77 seconds off his teammate, after a rough and ragged run.

“On race day people get really over-amped sometimes. You saw that today, like Jansrud had some mistakes and some of the other favorites had mistakes because they were pushing really hard,” remarked Ganong. “For me it’s all about staying relaxed and skiing within myself and having fun and trusting in my ability.”

Ganong holds onto the American Downhillers’ denim vest this week after Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) finished tied for 16th with Patrick Kueng and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY), who had to take a rerun after being flagged off course, finished tied for 24th with Bostjan Kline. Vermont native Drew Duffy (Warren, VT) made his World Cup debut but lost his outside ski on the bumpy terrain. He slid toward the fences but was able to get up and ski down without injury. Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA) finished 38th, Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) was 41st and Wiley Maple (Aspen, CO) was 49th.

“Hopefully next week my teammates are knocking at the door with me. I’d be proud to hand (the vest) off to the next guy or hold onto it for another week,” said Ganong.

The men will race a super G at Lake Louise on Sunday morning with the start set for 11 a.m. local time. NBC Sports Live Extra will live stream the race starting at 1 p.m. ET.

Highlights

• Travis Ganong landed on the podium at the Lake Louise downhill, taking third place.
• Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway won the event. He has a total of seven wins at Lake Louise, including six super G victories, which may prove fortuitous on Sunday. Peter Fill of Italy was second.
• Steven Nyman had a few mistakes and finished 16th. Andrew Weibrecht was 24th. Bryce Bennet was 38th, Marco Sullivan 41st and Wiley Maple 49th. Drew Duffy DNFed.
• The men will race a super G at Lake Louise on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. MT. NBC Sports Live Extra will live stream the race.

QUOTES
Travis Ganong
I’ve really struggled here at Lake Louise in the past. I really didn’t do well here when I was at the NorAm level, kind of figuring it out. This year the snow is just so perfect that I was able to push hard and ski like I want to ski and be competitive. So I’m really happy with how it worked out. On a day like today it’s the best day to be a racer – it’s perfect conditions, perfect weather, sunny. It’s a good start to the winter.

Hopefully I learned something about how this whole thing works, build through the training runs and be able to do it on race day. It’s a matter of just not pushing too hard, skiing within yourself. On race day people get really over-amped sometimes. You saw that today, like Jansrud had some mistakes and some of the other favorites had mistakes because they were pushing really hard. For me it’s all about staying relaxed and skiing within myself and having fun and trusting in my ability.

Steve Nyman last year, he ended with the [American Downhillers] vest after World Cup Finals. So that was my goal all summer was to get the vest back, and I think I got it today so I have the American Downhillers vest back for this week at least. Hopefully next week my teammates are knocking at the door with me. I’d be proud to hand it off to the next guy or hold onto it for another week.

Steven Nyman
I was pretty bummed. I skied really well on some sections, but I had a pretty good mistake coming off of the fallaway. I lost connection with that ground and was pretty low. That’s pretty key to carrying speed down here. I had some really fast skis on today. I was obviously going for it and it’s a hill you can’t make mistakes like that on. I was kind of bummed. My skiing’s good and I’m in a good place. It’s just a matter of cleaning that up. I’m pretty stoked for Travis. Our team is fast right now. As a group, we’ve been training well and training well with the Norwegians. We know we have the speed, it’s just a matter of us performing.

RESULTS
Men’s downhill results

On site reporting provided by Ski Racing.

LAKE LOUISE, Canada (Nov. 28, 2015) – It’s downhill day in Lake Louise and the men have been looking strong. With Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) and Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) racking up a series of top-10 results in training runs, the American Downhillers are ready to kick off the speed season.

Nyman and Ganong have been leading the American charge with Nyman taking a fifth, eighth and a fourth in training runs, and Ganong a ninth, a second and a sixth place. And you can’t count out Marco Sullivan, who took fifth in last year’s Lake Louise downhill and has had two podiums there in the past. They’ll be up against Norwegians Kjetil Jansrud and Aksel Lund Svindal, who traded off wins in training, and Canadian Erik Guey, who returns to the World Cup after injury.

Also look out for Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY), Wiley Maple (Aspen, CO) and Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA), who have all been skiing fast and are looking for solid results to start off the World Cup season. There will also be a fresh face out there: Drew Duffy (Warren, VT), 2015’s super G national champion, will be skiing his first-ever World Cup at Lake Louise. Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT) and Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) will sit out this weekend and shift their focus towards Birds of Prey next week.

Steven Nyman rips in downhill training at Lake Louise. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alexis Boichard)

Live stream the men’s downhill on NBC Sports Live Extra starting at 1:30 p.m. ET or catch it on Universal HD at 7 p.m. The super G will stream Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Live Extra.

QUOTES
Steven Nyman
It’s always nerve-wracking the first [training run]. You’re like, ‘Ugh. Where do I stand?’ We’ve been training with the Norwegians this fall and I’ve been right there with them, so that’s nice to know. And then the first training run, they just let us have it.  But I had a lot of mistakes and then yesterday, I tried some new skis and skied really well, actually, but the skis weren’t that fast. Today I went back on a similar set up to my race set up and had two big mistakes and still was pretty fast. I’m happy with the way I’m skiing. I need to clean those mistakes up and I know I can push for the top.

Travis Ganong
We’ve been training really well as a team, but we’ve been missing that pace everyday in training. Now that we’re training with the Norwegians, we know where to gauge ourselves and how we’re skiing. It makes us relaxed come race day; we know we’re fast and competitive… Everything works really well. They’re really knowledgeable and our coaches are really knowledgeable and everyone is working together and everyone is skiing fast on team Norway and USA.

It’s getting smoother and better snow every day. It’s not slick anywhere—it’s just really nice compact, firm winter snow. It’s a fun surface to ski on and it’s going to be a good race tomorrow.

TRAINING RESULTS
Men’s downhill training, day one
Men’s downhill training, day two
Men’s downhill training, day three

ASPEN, CO (Nov. 27, 2015)—It was a crushing day at the Aspen Winternational, as both Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) and Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) both crashed and did not finish.

As the snow fell early during the second run of giant slalom, Shiffrin looked poised to take the first American victory in Aspen since Tamara McKinney won the same race in 1984. Lara Gut of Switzerland sat in third after the completion of the first run, a distant 0.96 seconds behind Shiffrin’s opening pace. Undaunted by the increasing snowfall, Gut took to the course and executed a fearless and aggressive second run, coming through the finish with a slim 0.10-second lead over last year’s GS winner, Eva Maria Brem of Austria. After Italian Frederica Brignone was unable to hold her leading margin from the start, slipping to third, one racer stood between Gut and another World Cup win.

Even with a commanding 0.96-second lead after run one, Shiffrin wasn’t about to hold back. Her lead was cut to 0.68 seconds at the final interval, but she appeared destined for the win by a respectable margin with the finish line in sight and just a few gates across the flat left to navigate.

Shiffrin, however, never made it across the finish line on her run. Getting caught going too straight on the final gates and trapped with her weight too far inside, her feet were swept out from beneath her as she slid downhill on her side. Shiffrin’s crash just before the finish effectively handed the victory to Gut with Brem finishing second and Brignone third.

After her uncharacteristic exit, Shiffrin was understandably disappointed yet also optimistic. “I felt kind of scrappy that run. I definitely didn’t feel great, but I was fighting really hard and I’m proud of that. Two gates from the finish, I was like ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe I made it this far!’” said Shiffrin. “You should never, ever think that because immediately something bad will happen.”

However, the always-positive Shiffrin was still confident about future GS races. “As heartbreaking as it is to know that my times were so fast and that I was so close to the finish, it’s a confidence-booster,” said Shiffrin. “It’s not like I skied conservatively and lost two seconds and lost the win—I’ve done that before and that’s really hard to get over. It was a stupid mistake and I know I’m skiing well and when I bring out my best skiing. It was really good practice today.”

While Vonn was seen as another contender for the GS win, her ski popped off part way down the course. “My ski came off! I don’t know. It wasn’t even really bumpy, so I’m kind of perplexed on how it actually happened. It’s never happened to me in a race before, so to have it happen in Aspen is definitely disappointing,” said Vonn. “Next week is Lake Louise, so I’m just going to move on and focus on that.”

The only other American competing was Megan McJames (Park City, UT), but did not qualify for a second run.

The women will contest the make-up slalom from Levi tomorrow at Aspen with the first run starting at 10:15 a.m. MT. U.S. fans can tune into NBCSN to watch the second run live starting at 3:30 p.m. ET.

HIGHLIGHTS

• After leading first run by .11 seconds, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) crashed just before the finish on her second run at the Aspen Winternational GS.
• Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) fell first run after losing her ski.
• Lara Gut of Switzerland took first, Eva-Marie Brem of Austria was second and Federica Brignone of Italy was third.
• Megan McJames (Park City, UT) did not qualify for a second run.
• The women will race the make-up slalom from Levi tomorrow at Aspen with the first run starting at 10:15 a.m. MT. Fans can tune into NBCSN to watch the second run live starting at 3:30 p.m. ET.

QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
I’m going to look at the video and I’m sure I’ll see what I could have done better—like second to last gate, stay on your outside ski! Some of the basics. But I think I’m starting to feel in my GS that survival-mode, where you’re going as hard as you can. Normally I’m thinking so much about everything, I don’t make silly mistakes or mindless mistakes, but at the same time I’m not that fast. I’m starting to substitute speed for being able to ski perfect all the time. Now, it’s about getting used to that speed and being able to handle it. I’m not going to make that mistake ever again…It was an inexcusable mistake for somebody that’s able to win and going for it. But at the same time, it’s a good lesson.

It was definitely dark, but it was more of a brainfart and then the darkness played a role. Whereas, if it was great visibility, maybe I would have pulled it off. Or if I didn’t have the brainfart, maybe I wouldn’t have made the mistake in the first place.

As heartbreaking as it is to know that my times were so fast and that I was so close to the finish, it’s a confidence-booster. It’s not like I skied conservatively and lost two seconds and lost the win—I’ve done that before and that’s really hard to get over. It was a stupid mistake and I know I’m skiing well and when I bring out my best skiing. It was really good practice today.

Lindsey Vonn
My ski came off! I don’t know. It wasn’t even really bumpy, so I’m kind of perplexed on how it actually happened. It’s never happened to me in a race before, so to have it happen in Aspen is definitely disappointing. But shi*t happens! Next week is Lake Louise, so I’m just going to move on and focus on that. I’m fine—just super annoying.

I felt really good. I haven’t trained a lot of GS in the last couple of weeks because I missed Chile. I’ve been focusing more on speed. But yesterday training in Vail with the Austrian guys, I was really fast. I felt really good, really confident. I think I was a little bit nervous—GS isn’t my strongest event. I’m not quite as confident in myself as I should be maybe, and it took me a couple gates to really get into it. But once I hit the flat, I got into a good rhythm and was starting to attack and then my ski came off.

RESULTS
Women’s GS results

On site reporting courtesy of Ski Racing.

ASPEN, CO (Nov. 26, 2015)—The snowflakes are lightly descending upon Aspen as the sun works its way through the clouds. It’s Thanksgiving Day in Aspen and it’s no surprise it feels magical here. This year, when the Audi FIS Ski World Cup swings through America, Aspen will feature one women’s giant slalom and two slaloms—one rescheduled from Levi.

This added slalom gives reigning World Cup slalom champion and Soelden World Cup giant slalom opener second place finisher Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) a very good chance to land on the podium multiple times. It also gives the winningest female in ski racing history, Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), a chance to snag some early season World Cup points that will set her up for a season in which she’s the favorite for the overall. Vonn recently told Pat Graham of the Associated Press that her ankle is ‘100 percent’ ready for the World Cup in Aspen. With last year’s overall champion Austria’s Anna Fenninger on the sidelines with an injury and runner-up Tina Maze of Slovenia taking the season off, Vonn and Shiffrin are poised to contend for the overall title.

At Soelden, Shiffrin told reporters that Vonn as the “best bet” for the overall, and in a recent interview with USA Today she echoed that sentiment. “For sure, I see Lindsey as leading the charge because she has the experience and knows how to attack,” Shiffrin said of her veteran teammate. “She has that killer instinct—you look at her in the starting gate and it’s like everybody get out of the way.” Both athletes have noted their excitement about the American battle for the overall and how great it is for the sport of alpine ski racing domestically.

The crew of promising young athletes is also super exciting. “I’m also very excited about the young crew. They’re going into their season with a strong focus on the Europa Cup, Junior World Championships,” notes Alpine Director Patrick Riml. “We had two strong performances last year [at the Junior World Championships] with a gold and a bronze medal, so hopefully we can step it up and take it to the next level with a couple additional medals from the Junior World Championships.”

Riml was referring to Junior World slalom champion Paula Moltzan (Lakeville, MN), as well as 2014 NorAm slalom champion Lila Lapanja—who will be making her maiden voyage on the World Cup circuit with Aspen. Lapanja is fresh off a third place finish behind Canada’s World Cup regulars Erin Mielzynski and Marie-Michele Gagnon in the NorAm slalom held earlier this week at Snow King in Jackson, WY.

Last but certainly not least, Resi Stiegler (Jackson, WY) will be making her comeback at Aspen after sustaining a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in her right knee while training in Flachau last season, and she looks stronger than ever. Stiegler entered the 2015 season as an independent, after not meeting criteria for the first time in her long career. This didn’t stop Stiegler, who skied more disciplined and refined than ever before and crushed. With five top-30 finishes and two top-15 finishes including an 11th place finish at Aspen, Stiegler made it clear that she was back and she was a fighter.

While the women take on Aspen, the men’s speed team is braving the cold up in the north at Lake Louise. They tackled their first downhill training run yesterday, with the Attacking Norwegian Vikings, Aksel Lund-Svindal and Kjetil Jansrud, leading the charge. Top Americans were Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) in fifth, Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) in ninth and Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) 21st. Today Jansrud once again set the pace, but he's got an American Downhiller on his heels—Ganong finished in second, just .13 out, while Nyman finished ninth and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) 23rd. The men’s action continues with the third and final downhill training run tomorrow before downhill day kicks off on Saturday followed by super G on Sunday.

ASPEN STARTERS
Lindsey Vonn, giant slalom
Mikaela Shiffrin, giant slalom and slalom
Megan McJames, giant slalom
Resi Stiegler, slalom
Paula Moltzan, slalom
Lila Lapanja, slalom

TV COVERAGE
2015 Nature Valley Aspen Winternational TV Schedule (times EST)
Fri. Nov. 27 – 2:30 p.m. – Women’s Giant Slalom – UniHD  LIVE *
Sat. Nov. 28 – 3:30 p.m. – Women’s Slalom – NBCSN – LIVE *
Sun. Nov. 29 – 3:00 p.m. – Women’s Slalom – NBC – LIVE *

COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO (Nov. 21, 2015) - The naming of the 2015-16 U.S. Alpine Ski Team during Nature Valley First Tracks at Copper Mountain was a time of celebration, with 58 athletes having their names read and proudly marching on stage. Some of the biggest applause came for two athletes who were not there to make that walk onto the stage – Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle. The two promising young stars were killed in an avalanche last January. Athletes, coaches and families all agreed – they should be honored for their athletic achievements with a place on the team.

It was a special weekend. Ronnie’s ashes were spread on the dyeline of Copper’s speed center and friends, family and teammates had a chance to share some of their favorite stories about the boys. Addison Dvoracek—who wears a necklace with Bryce’s ashes in it—and Erik Arvidsson laughed about Ronnie and Bryce’s brash confidence in their skill. Mikaela Shiffrin remembered Ronnie’s sweet note to her when she was only 13. Jackie Wiles and Michael Ankeny mused on what it means to have the boys on their team.

The weekend also included an important avalanche awareness education session Friday night to help athletes better understand the risks of the mountains and prevent similar accidents. Read below to see what Ronnie and Bryce’s 2015-16 teammates took away from the weekend and some of their favorite memories of the boys.

ON NAMING RONNIE AND BRYCE TO THE U.S. SKI TEAM

Mikaela Shiffrin
I think it totally made sense that Bryce and Ronnie were named. They were great skiers—full attack all the time and totally embodied the U.S. Ski Team spirit. We all miss them a lot and it made it feel like they were there with us.

Michael Ankeny
I think that [naming Ronnie and Bryce to the U.S. Ski Team is] a great idea. They’re such a strong and important part of the U.S. Ski Team community that it means so much to everyone and they’re going to forever be a part of the U.S. Ski Team community. It was inevitable that they would have been named to the team again. They were moving up in the ranks because they were skiing so fast and love the sport so much. It was very appropriate and a good way to honor them.

Jackie Wiles
I think Ronnie and Bryce being named to the team is very important for the camaraderie of our group. They are a special part of our team and it was a really hard, tragic loss. For them to be there with us on stage was really important. It was great that they could do that for the families.

Bryce Astle

ON MEMORIES OF RONNIE AND BRYCE

Erik Arvidsson
Last year, Ronnie was forerunning Birds of Prey and he was riding up the lift and he goes ‘Man! I should be racing right now!’ Ronnie, at the time, didn’t really have the accolades to be starting a World Cup, but that’s the kind of person he was. He was so happy to be forerunning, but he could talk up a mean game. He would tell anyone that he was doing the training runs. He was sure of what he wanted and he wasn’t afraid of talking about it.

Addison Dvoracek
We had gotten to Panorama and it was during the GS days after the Aspen NorAms. Bryce had done well and was going to be starting first. He blew it the first day—I think he hipped out seven times in the course—and ended up starting super deep the next day. We got out and inspected and after, Bryce was like, ‘Dude, I’m going to get a top five today.’ We laughed. He was starting in the 40s or 50s. I was like, ‘OK, Bryce.’ After first run, he ripped and ended up in 11th or 12th and then sent it second run and got fifth. I came down after my run and he was just sitting on this bench outside with this big ole grin on his face. That was one of the coolest things.

Mikaela Shiffrin
I think one of my favorite memories of Ronnie was at Burke. We were doing a secret Santa my first year with the whole school—70 kids—and Ronnie was my secret Santa. He gave me a hair tie, like a really rainbow-colored scrunchie, and wrote a note. I think his parents wrote the note for him because he was nervous and the note said the scrunchie was for me to tie back my beautiful hair! It was so sweet. It was honestly one of my really awkward phases of life—I had braces and felt terrible about myself—I was probably 13 or 14. But it the first time someone else made me feel actually beautiful. It was just Ronnie to make other people feel good.

Michael Ankeny
I remember the first time I ever saw Ronnie in the [Center of Excellence]. He and the younger boys were doing rope climbs in the gym. The rope is probably 25-30 feet tall. You get the big, muscly guys like AJ Ginnis up there going up and doing it no problem and other guys were struggling with it. Ronnie comes in and slaps on work out gloves and gives it his best shot. Everyone was giving him crap for putting on the gloves, but he made it up to the top and it was awesome. He was loving it. He was a goofy guy and was fun to be around. He didn’t care what other people thought—he was going to do it anyways.

Jackie Wiles
My favorite memory of Ronnie was before we made the U.S. Ski Team, we were in the same rookie class. We had a camp in Mammoth and he did a stand-up comedy act for the whole group. He was really, really good, but it caught us all off guard and it was hilarious. He told some good jokes and just showed you the type of person he was—loving life and having fun all the time, not caring what people thought. It’s a great lesson everyone can learn from. He was a great friend of mine. It still hits hard; it’s sad. We learned a lot from him and I think that’s most important.

I didn’t get to know Bryce that well as he was quite a bit younger, but I met him a couple times at the COE before the season. He was very friendly—always smiling and would come up and say hi. You could tell his character right when you first met him. They’re both heavily missed and we hold them close to our hearts everyday when we’re on the hill.

Ronnie Berlack.

ON AVALANCHE SAFETY

Michael Ankeny
I think that one of the biggest takeaways was that there are a lot of resources to be aware of before we go out into a potentially dangerous situation. There are websites where people are logging snow conditions and there are avalanche forecasters going out and checking the snow all the time, which is great. I guess the biggest thing is that it’s on us to be aware of what’s happening and make sure it’s safe for us and everyone around us.

Erik Arvidsson
This is an important event for numerous reasons—but it’s really important this year because back in January, we lost two of our teammates to an avalanche in Soelden, Austria. It’s really important for us to prepare ourselves so this doesn’t happen again. I really enjoyed learning about the other things we could do—as far as classes and safety equipment that can help us in avalanches. You never know where you’re going to be or what you’re going to be doing. I definitely wasn’t expecting what happened to happen, and it happened to me. It can happen to anyone.

Jackie Wiles
I’ve never done an avalanche course, so I think it was great for the whole team to do that. I think it’s an important topic that’s not talked about enough. A lot of us are at a pretty high level of skiing, so we tend to think we’re invincible. But you have to respect the mountain; that was my big takeaway. You never know when you can enter the wrong zone. I think it’s great for us to have that—a little bit of awareness so we can be safer on the hill. It’s a good lesson for us and I know we will all try to keep learning about avalanches. 

Ski racer Auden Pankonin clicked into his Head skis, pulling his goggles down over his Shred helmet. He nervously moved towards the starting wand, placing his Leki pole tips into the snow. His young mind was racing, thinking about the advice Olympic champion Ted Ligety had just given him. 

The Welch Village racer from Hudson, WI, who skis with legendary coach Jim ‘Bubba’ Coyne, had been in this position before at the Nature Valley NASTAR Nationals. But this was different. It was the Putnam Investments NASTAR Pacesetting Trials at Copper Mountain. There was a lot on the line for the number two-ranked seven-year-old in America.

Last month, nearly a thousand racers sent in their view of ‘What Makes a Champion,” all for an opportunity to ski with Ted Ligety. Auden’s talked about his love for practice, the importance of sportsmanship and having fun. Ligety picked the winner himself.

WATCH: AUDEN'S #WHATMAKESACHAMP VIDEO ENTRY

“Auden’s video was awesome,” said Ligety on stage at Copper Mountain. “I chose him because I really liked his answer about passion, practice and perseverance."

“Ted Ligety is my favorite skier,” said Auden, now a whopping eight years old. “I’ve watched him on TV a lot."

At eight years old, Auden is a bit young to be starstruck. So he and Ted fit together well. “I was really happy when I first met him,” said Auden. “We met up at the race course. He told me to keep practicing and to always have fun."

There’s a lot to be said about that simple advice. It has to be fun.

As the start click clicked down, Auden looked pensively down the course on Lower Bouncer. At the bottom, Copper Center Village was filling with skiers. He began to focus. “I was just thinking about going down the course.”

Then he was off, arcing turns like a mini-Ted, gate after gate, before crossing the finish line to the cheers of his hero. But there was little time for high fives as Ted and Auden were whisked away for interviews with NBC. Team press chief Megan Harrod helped Auden wipe the snow off his skis and get his gear set for the cameras, standing next to one of the greatest ski racers of all time.

With their NASTAR runs in the books, it was time to go. But, not so quickly. “Hey, Auden,” shouted Ligety, “let’s go and check out the super G.” So Ted and Auden went back up American Eagle, skiing down to the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center where the two slipped the super G course and wrapped up the storybook morning with hot chocolate at Copper Station.

WATCH AUDEN LEARN THAT HE WON THE #WHATMAKESACHAMP CONTEST

There’s a lot to be said about the impact of heroes and role models. Auden Pankonn came to Copper with dreams. When Ted Ligety was Auden’s age, he had dreams, too. He was a young kid rubbing shoulders with the likes of Alberto Tomba and Michael Von Gruenigen at Park City’s America’s Opening. Who knows if Auden will point back to this day when he’s in the starting gate at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

It was a whirlwind day. Auden met fellow Minnesota native racers Lindsey Vonn and World Junior Champion Paula Moltzan. He met Champ the U.S. Ski Team mascot.

But, most of all, this was Auden’s day to truly learn What Makes a Champion. Ted Ligety was that champion - as a ski racer and as a role model. He helped create a perfect day for a young ski racer. And he helped create a dream.

COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO (Nov. 21, 2015) – There’s no question that winter has arrived at Copper Mountain, home of the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center.

Copper acted as host to a day of festivities on Saturday, kicking off with the Putnam Investments NASTAR Pacesetting Trials followed by the annual Nature Valley First Tracks team naming announcement. With Olympic gold medalists Ted Ligety (Park City, UT), Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) and rising stars such as AJ Ginnis (Waitsfield, VT), Hig Roberts (Steamboat Springs, CO) and Paula Moltzan (Lakeville, MN) present, 58 athletes were officially named during a public celebration to kick off the start of the 2016 Audi FIS Alpine World Cup tour. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• The 2016 U.S. Alpine Ski team was publicly introduced on Nov. 21 during Nature Valley First Tracks, a public celebration at Copper Mountain, CO – home of the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center. 
• Olympic medalists Ted Ligety, Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) were among 43 athletes named to the 2015 A, B and C Team, with another nine to the Development team and six to the National University Team.
• Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) will miss the 2015-16 season, but remain on the team.
• Mancuso will miss the 2015-16 season due to hip surgery, but has her sights set on PyeongChang in 2018.
• Bryce Astle (Sandy, UT) and Ronnie Berlack (Franconia, NH) were named to the team posthumously. The two were poised at the start of their U.S. Ski Team career when they were killed last January in an avalanche in Austria. It is the first time the U.S. Ski Team has named an athlete to the team posthumously.
• Six athletes were named to the new National University Team (N-UNI), led by Coach Peter Lange. These athletes have had the opportunity to train alongside A, B, C and D teams in strength and conditioning programs and at on-snow camps.
• Inspired by the official U.S. Ski Team mascot Champ, the Team kicked off a content series asking athletes and fans about the moment they truly felt like a champion. Auden Pankonin (Welch Village Ski Club), winner of the #WhatMakesAChamp contest, joined Ligety at the Putnam Investments NASTAR Pacesetting Trials and the team on stage alongside Champ.
• The team is coming off a five-medal World Championships, with both Vonn and Shiffrin winning Audi FIS Alpine World Cup overall titles. 
• After securing the title of winningest female in alpine skiing history with a total of 67 victories, Vonn is again making a return to snow after an ankle fracture sustained in training at New Zealand this summer. She will make her return to snow debut at Aspen for the giant slalom. 
• Copper Mountain is home to the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center, which provides U.S. skiers with a World Cup-level training course. 
• The Audi FIS Ski World Cup swings through America Nov. 28-29 with a women’s giant slalom and two slalom races – one rescheduled from Levi – in Aspen, followed by men’s downhill, super G and giant slalom Dec. 4-6 at Beaver Creek, CO.

Huge crowds gathered at First Tracks at Copper Mountain. (Copper Mountain Resort - Tripp Fay)

QUOTES 
Patrick Riml, U.S. Ski Team Alpine Director
It’s an off year—no big event like a World Championships or an Olympics—but it’s an important year for us. I think we have very high goals. A lot of our World Cup-level athletes have very high goals for globes or world titles. On the women’s side with Mikaela and Lindsey, Lindsey has a comeback and Mikaela is tapping into the speed side. We’re hoping to be competitive there. There are definitely a couple of strong girls out there. It’s going to be a very exciting season. We’ve had a good start so far—Soelden was good. On the men’s side, Ted is in good shape. Hopefully he can compete and content for the overall World Cup.

I’m also very excited about the young crew. They’re going into their season with a strong focus on the Europa Cup, Junior World Championships. We had two strong performances last year [at the Junior World Championships] with a gold and a bronze medal. So hopefully we can step it up and take it to the next level with a couple additional medals from the Junior World Championships.

It’s going to be a great season. The preparation was good. Colorado is great right now with lots of snow and good training. We’re all excited about getting going.

Mikaela Shiffrin
Racing on home soil is always special, just the feeling of being home is so wonderful and it puts me at ease. When I’m racing in Europe there’s this constant edgy feeling like I’m doing something wrong or not following the rules! Don’t get me wrong, it’s spectacular in Europe, but when I come home after being in Europe all winter I can actually take a deep breath and really relax for the first time since the start of the season. It’s huge that we get to spend most of November training in Colorado—with the men racing in Beaver Creek and the women racing in Aspen. It’s probably my favorite time of the season.

It’s always been a dream of mine to win the overall globe, but I think this year is a little bit of a gauge to see where I can stack up…if my slalom keeps going well then I feel really strong and I can make points. But it’s a little too early to tell right now. I don’t want to focus too much on that right now. It’s just race by race right, so we’ll see if I can win some races.

Ted Ligety
I think winning the overall title is my biggest career goal – I think it’s every ski racer’s biggest career goal. I never really wanted to be a specialist growing up. I’ve done well in all of the disciplines at some point or the other, but haven’t pieced together a full season. I am definitely an outside contender…I wouldn’t consider myself anywhere near one of the favorites for the overall, but it’s definitely a goal. And trying to get the GS globe back is definitely a goal.

Athletes pose on stage at First Tracks. (Copper Mountain Resort - Tripp Fay)

2015-16 U.S. ALPINE SKI TEAM
Name (hometown; home club) (skis, boots, bindings, poles, helmet, goggles, glasses, protection) birthdate
* denotes Olympian
**denotes posthumous team naming

Men's A Team

David Chodounksy (Crested Butte, CO; Crested Butte Ski Team) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Swix, Briko, Briko, Briko, Slytech) 6/25/1984 *
Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, POC, POC, POC, Leki/Ortema) 7/14/1988 *
Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV; Park City Ski Team) (Stoeckli, Lange, Atomic, Leki, Bolle, Bolle, Bolle, Leki/Ortema) 1/11/1985 *
Ted Ligety (Park City, UT; Park City Ski Team) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 8/31/1984 *
Bode Miller (Franconia, NH; Carrabassett Valley Academy) (Bomber Skis, Leki, Dainese, Dainese) 10/12/1977 *
Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT; Park City Ski Team) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Komperdell, POC, POC, POC, Ortema) 2/12/1982 *
Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, POC, POC, POC) 4/27/1980 *
Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation) (Head, Head, Head, Komperdell, Briko, Briko, Briko, Slytech/Ortema) 2/10/1986 *

Women's A Team

Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA; Mammoth Mountain Ski Team) (Stoeckli, Marker/Volkl, Komperdell, POC, POC) 7/3/1984 *
Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Stoeckli, Stoeckli, Lange, Swix, POC, POC, POC) 3/9/1984 *
Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO; Rowmark Academy) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, Briko, Briko) 8/19/1989 *
Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation) (Volkl, Lange, Marker, Briko, Briko) 8/17/1988 *
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO; Burke Mountain Academy) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, Atomic, Oakley, Oakley, Leki) 3/13/95 *
Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH; Mt. Washington Valley Ski Team) (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol, Swix, POC, POC, POC, Slytech) 11/28/1987 *
Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY; Jackson Hole Mountain Resort) (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred) 11/14/1985 *
Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club/Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, Briko, Oakley, Oakley, Leki) 10/18/1984 *

Men's B Team

Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club/Dartmouth College) (Nordica, Nordica, Nordica, Leki, Briko, Briko) 1/17/1991
Thomas Biesemeyer (Keene, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Swix, Briko, Briko, Ortema) 1/30/1989
Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT; Cochrans Ski Club/Mt. Mansfield Ski and Snowboard Club) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Komperdell, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 3/27/1992
Tommy Ford (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation) ((Head, Head, Head, Swix, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 3/20/1989 *
Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, POC, POC, POC, Leki/Ortema) 6/15/1991 *
Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT; Burke Mountain Academy) (Volkl, Lange, Marker, Swix, Briko, Briko, Ortema) 3/27/1989 *
Kieffer Christianson (Anchorage, AK; Burke Mountain Academy/Dartmouth College) (Blizzard, Tecnica, Marker, Swix, POC, POC) 8/11/1992
Hig Roberts (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club/Middlebury College) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Leki, Daniese, Daniese, Daniese) 3/15/1991
Wiley Maple (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Komperdell, Briko, Oakley) 5/25/1990

Women's B Team

Paula Moltzan (Lakeville, MN; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Swix, POC, POC) 4/7/1994
Katie Ryan (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club) (Head, Head, Head, Swix, POC, POC) 1/3/1993
Jacqueline Wiles (Aurora, OR; White Pass Ski Club) (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol, Swix, Shred, Shred) 7/13/1992 *

Men's C Team

Erik Arvidsson (Woodside, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Head, Head, Head, Swix, POC, POC, POC, Ortema) 9/3/1996
**Bryce Astle (Sandy, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation) 1/16/1995
Bryce Bennett (Olympic Valley, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Fischer, Tecnica, Marker, Leki, POC, POC, POC, Leki/POC) 7/14/1992
**Ronnie Berlack (Franconia, NH; Burke Mountain Academy) 4/21/1994
Drew Duffy (Warren, VT; Green Mountain Valley School) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Swix, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 6/1/1995
Samuel DuPratt (Dixon, CA; Park City Ski Team) (Head, Head, Head, Swix, POC, POC) 11/28/1993
Mark Engel (Truckee, CA; Sugar Bowl Academy) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Komperdell, Bolle, Bolle, Bolle, Ortema) 10/1/1991
AJ Ginnis (Waitsfield, VT; Green Mountain Valley School/Dartmouth College) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred, Ortema/Slytech) 11/17/1994
Tim Kelley (Burlington, VT; Cochrans Ski Club) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 5/20/1986
Nicholas Krause (Northboro, MA; Stratton Mountain School) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, POC, POC, Leki/Ortema) 5/12/1993
Brennan Rubie (Salt Lake City, UT; Snowbird Sports Education Foundation) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Bolle, Bolle, Bolle, Slytech) 5/8/1991
Kipling Weisel (San Francisco, CA; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) (Stoeckli, Rossignol, Marker, Swix, POC, POC, POC, Slytech/Ortema) 3/26/1995

Women's C Team

Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV; Sugar Bowl Academy/Diamond Peak) (Fischer, Lange, Fischer, Leki, POC, POC, Leki) 12/3/1994
Anna Marno (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club) (Stoeckli, Stoeckli, Marker, Swix, Uvex, Uvex) 11/23/1992
Nina O’Brien (Edwards, CO; Burke Mountain Academy) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Leki, POC, POC) 11/29/1997

Men's Development Team

Addison Dvoracek (Truckee, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Leki, POC, POC) 1/27/1996
Patrick Kenney (Hingham, MA; Burke Mountain Academy) (Nordica, Nordica, Marker, Leki, Dainese, Dainese) 2/13/1997
Sam Morse (Carrabassett Valley, ME; Carrabassett Valley Academy) (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer, Swix, Uvex, Uvex, Uvex, Ortema) 5/27/1996
River Radamus (Edwards, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail/TEAM Academy) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Swix, POC, POC) 2/12/1998

Women's Development Team

Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID; Rowmark Ski Academy) (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic, Leki, Shred, Shred, Shred, Slytech) 1/19/1996
Stephanie Lebby (Big Bear Lake, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team) (Head, Head, Head, Leki, POC, POC, Leki) 2/19/1997
Galena Wardle (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski Club) (Volkl, Lange, Marker, Leki, POC, POC) 4/28/1998
Patricia Mangan (Derby, NY; HoliMont Race Team) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Leki, Briko, Briko) 3/7/1997
Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA; Stratton Mountain School) (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol, Leki, POC, POC) 10/5/1996

National University Team

Alex Leever (Vail, CO; University of Denver) 7/6/1995 
Brian McLaughlin (Topsfield, MA; Dartmouth College) 6/24/1993
Garret Driller (Tahoe City, CA; Montana State University) 8/24/1996
Griffin Brown (North Fayston, VT; University of Vermont) 2/8/1995
Sandy Vietze (Warren, VT; University of Vermont) 7/16/1993
Tanner Farrow (Ketchum, ID; Westminster College) 5/21/1993

2016 ALPINE STAFF
Alpine Director: Patrick Riml
Men’s Team Manager: Kate Avrin
Women’s Team Manager: Chelsea Steinbach
Alpine Press Officer: Megan Harrod

Men’s World Cup Overall
Head Coach: Sasha Rearick
Physio Coordinator: Chris Antinori  

Men’s World Cup Speed
Head Coach: Alex Hoedlmoser
Assistant Coach: Scott Veenis
Assistant Coach: Pete Anderson
Strength & Conditioning Coach, Assistant Coach Speed: Chris Beckmann
Pool Ski Service: Sylvain Munsch
Fischer Ski Service: Leo Mussi
Atomic Ski Service: Thomas Graggaber
Rossignol Ski Service: Shawn Gaisford
Head Ski Service: Guntram Mathis
Physical Therapist: Tiitu Romar

Men’s World Cup Technical
Head Coach: Forest Carey
Assistant Coach: Ian Garner
Assistant Coach: Parker Gray
Assistant Coach: Adam Cole
Head Ski Service Ted Ligety: Alex Martin
Pool Ski Service: Matej Cujes
Pool Ski Service: Alex Petitdemange

Men’s C Team
Head Coach: Ian Lochhead
Assistant Coach: Brad Saxe
Speed Ski Service: Vittorio Boggian
Tech Ski Service: Nicolo Concari

Development Team
Head Coach: Randy Pelkey
Assistant Coach: Justin Johnson
Ski Service: Eric Holmer

Women’s World Cup Overall
Head Coach: Paul Kristofic
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, Assistant Coach Speed: Eirik Hole

Women’s World Cup Speed
World Cup Speed Head Coach: Alberto Senigagliesi
Assistant Coach: Chris Knight
Assistant Coach: James Pollock
Assistant Coach: Martin Gray
Ski Service: Ales Sopotnik
Ski Service: Miha Dolinar
Head Ski Service Lindsey Vonn: Heinz Haemmerle
Stoeckli Service Julia Mancuso and Stacey Cook: Andrea Vianello
Physical Therapist: Martina Wegscheider

Women’s World Cup Technical
Head Coach: Brandon Dyksterhouse
Assistant Coach: Jeff Lackie
Atomic Ski Service Mikaela Shiffrin: Kim Erlandsson
Physical Therapist: Lyndsay Young

Women’s Europa Cup and Development
Europa Cup Head Coach: Frank Kelble
Assistant Coach: Kris Shampeny
Assistant Coach: Karin Harjo
Ski Service: Jeff Wagner
Ski Service: Stephane Musial
Ski Service: Eric Dasko  

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PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 18, 2015) – When the 2015 U.S. Alpine Ski Team is formally named Saturday, Nov. 21 at Copper Mountain Resort in Colorado, two members will be missed but not forgotten. The U.S. Ski Team has announced that it will name ski racers Bryce Astle (Sandy, UT/Snowbird Sports Education Foundation) and Ronnie Berlack (Franconia, NH and Burke Mountain, VT/Franconia Ski Club and Burke Mountain Academy) to the team posthumously. The two were poised at the start of their U.S. Ski Team career when they were killed last January in an avalanche in Austria.

The annual naming of the U.S. Ski Team will take place at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Copper’s Burning Stones Plaza as a part of the Nature Valley First Tracks festival. It is open to the public. The team has been training at the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper since early November. Athletes will also take part Saturday morning in the Putnam Investments NASTAR National Pacesetting Trials – the first time since 1993 the popular recreational racing program will hold its national trials with U.S. Ski Team athletes.

Astle and Berlack will be formally added to the Team’s 2016 roster. There will be a recognition of them during the team naming stage presentation. It is the first time athletes have been named posthumously to the U.S. Ski Team.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The U.S. Alpine Ski Team plans to name Bryce Astle and Ronnie Berlack to the team posthumously when the 2016 squad is formally unveiled Saturday Nov. 21 at Colorado’s Copper Mountain.
• Astle and Berlack were killed in an avalanche in Austria last January.
• It is the first time the U.S. Ski Team has named an athlete to the team posthumously.

SCHEDULE
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. – Putnam Investments NASTAR National Pacesetting Trials
11:30 a.m. – Nature Valley First Tracks festival
1:30 p.m. – U.S. Ski Team naming stage presentation in Copper’s Burning Stones Plaza
3:00 p.m. – U.S. Ski Team autograph session

QUOTES
Tiger Shaw, President and CEO, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
All of us have felt great pain at the loss of Bryce Astle and Ronnie Berlack during the last 10 months. It means a lot to our team, to our athletes and to the families that we remember these young athletes as a part of our 2016 U.S. Alpine Ski Team.

Sasha Rearick, Men’s Head Coach, U.S. Alpine Ski Team
Ronnie and Bryce were tremendous young men and talented athletes. Recognizing them in this way will help us all remember what they meant to us and help to bring a small bit of closure to us all.