PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 19, 2015) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and NBC Sports are once again partnering to showcase alpine ski racing in America with live coverage of the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational and Audi Birds of Prey at Beaver Creek. In addition to full HD live stream coverage on NBC Sports Live Extra, NBC and NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will broadcast 6.5 hours between the two TV networks.

Last season, NBC reached 3.4 million viewers with its coverage from Aspen and Beaver Creek, which featured U.S. Ski Team stars Mikaela Shiffrin, Steve Nyman and Ted Ligety, who won the giant slalom. Fans experienced the excitement of the famed Birds of Prey downhill course again in February at the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships where U.S. Ski Team athletes brought home five medals, including golds from Ligety and Shiffrin. Exposure was at a record high with 30 hours of live coverage.

“The coverage and engagement we experienced last season at the World Championships was unlike anything we’ve seen surrounding alpine ski racing in our country,” stated USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “We see a similar atmosphere in Aspen and Beaver Creek, with our athletes skiing in front of their biggest supporters. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of the sport.”

The Audi FIS Ski World Cup tour in Colorado is part of an overall plan by the USSA to raise the profile of alpine ski racing in America. Aspen and Beaver Creek have been remarkable early season races for the tour, with great consistency of racing conditions. The USSA’s investment in broadcast has dramatically increased viewership in America.

Next season the USSA will take another big step, with Aspen playing host to the March 2017 Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals. The tour will also travel to the heavily populated eastern USA in November 2016 with women’s races in Killington, VT.

In addition to seeing their favorite athletes, fans will hear a familiar voice emanating from their TVs. U.S. Ski Team athlete Bode Miller will join Dan Hicks, plus former World Cup downhillers Steve Porino and Todd Brooker, as an analyst during NBC Sports’ coverage of Audi Birds of Prey. For nearly two decades, Miller has been one of the most successful skiers in the world and one of the sport’s most unique personalities. Steve Schlanger will also join the call from Aspen.

“We’re looking forward to Bode bringing his go-for-broke style from the slopes to the booth,” said NBC Sports Alpine Skiing Coordinating Producer John McGuinness. “In addition to being one of the world’s most exciting and colorful skiers, Bode may be the most knowledgeable skier in the world. His outspoken style combined with his ability to articulate the technical aspects of the sport is a powerful combination that will benefit viewers.”

The USSA, in conjunction with its partners at NBC, has pioneered domestic coverage of the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup, showcasing the organization’s Olympic stars to viewers across the United States. The 2014-15 season was the first of a five-year deal that extends through 2019, including the media rights for the 2017 FIS Audi Ski World Cup finals in Aspen.

“Providing fans with the opportunity to watch or stream events for all of USSA’s sports continues to be a high priority for our organization,” said USSA Chief Marketing Officer Michael Jaquet. “We’ve made great progress in raising the profile of alpine skiing here at home and we will take advantage of every opportunity to do so in the future.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• The USSA, in partnership with NBC and NBCSN, has announced the TV schedule for the 2015 Nature Valley Aspen Winternational and Audi Birds of Prey World Cups.
• In addition to full HD live stream coverage on NBC Sports Live Extra, NBC and NBCSN will broadcast 6.5 hours between the two TV networks.
• The NBC broadcasts of the Aspen and Beaver Creek World Cups reached 3.4 million viewers.
• U.S. Ski Team athlete Bode Miller will join Dan Hicks, Steve Porino and Todd Brooker as an analyst during NBC Sports’ coverage of Audi Birds of Prey.

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 *

2015 Audi Birds of Prey TV Schedule
Fri. Dec. 4 – 12:30 p.m. – Men’s Downhill – NBCSN – LIVE *
Sat. Dec. 5 – 1:00 p.m. – Men’s Super G – NBCSN – LIVE *
Sun. Dec. 6 – 5:00 p.m. – Men’s Giant Slalom – NBC

* Live streaming coverage on NBC Sports Live Extra

PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 18, 2015) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) is mourning the loss of one of its veteran officials and leaders. Bob Dart, 64, passed away from a reported heart attack on Nov. 17 while working on the mountain at Winter Park Resort where he served as director of mountain maintenance. UPDATE: A celebration of Bob's life will be held beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6 at Winter Park's West Portal Station. His family is suggesting donations in his name to the Winter Park Sports Education Foundation, which he helped to establish. 

“As both a volunteer and a ski area professional, Bob was the quintessential USSA supporter, dedicating much of his life to serving athletes as a competition official, mountain manager, committee leader and technical delegate,” said USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw. “His vast experience and wisdom will be missed. He embraced the USSA wholeheartedly early in his career at Winter Park, and was tireless in his work for athletes and support of alpine ski racing.”

A native of Southern California, Bob moved to Denver in the mid ‘70s. He began his 37-year tenure at Winter Park in 1978, starting on race crew and quickly moving into a management role at the Winter Park Competition Center. He rose through the company to become director of mountain maintenance.

He began his USSA career on the Rocky Mountain Division Board as well as serving as commissioner of the USSA’s Great American Ski Chase cross country ski marathon series in the ‘80s. In 1989, he began a long career as a FIS technical delegate, which saw him serve as TD for the 2005 World Championships in Bormio as well as the 2011 Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuehel, among many other assignments.

As a volunteer committee and board leader, he served 16 years as head of USSA Rocky Mountain Division Board and led the FIS NorAm Cup subcommittee for nearly two decades, alternating with Canadians. He was on the USSA Board of Directors from 1992-97 and again from 2005-14, when he also played a vital role in the McKinsey Study, which has helped change the face of USSA governance.

In his role at Winter Park Resort, he oversaw over a dozen U.S. Championship events and played an important role in bringing the U.S. Alpine Championships together with the NASTAR National Championships.

Over the years he received many of the USSA’s top service awards including the John Clair Award (service to U.S. Ski Team), Bud and Mary Little Award (service to FIS), Westhaven Award (service as technical delegate) and Paul Bacon Award (service to event organization).

BOB DART CAREER SUMMARY

Current Roles
Director Mountain Maintenance, Winter Park Resort
Chairman, FIS Committee for Alpine Skiing - Intercontinental Cups
Chairman, FIS Subcommittee for Nor-Am Cup
Member, Alpine Sport Committee (since at least 1999)
Member, USSA Awards Working Group
Member, USSA Rocky Mountain Division Board

Career
2005-2014 - Alpine Skiing Representative, USSA Board of Directors
1990-present - Member, USSA Alpine Sport Committee
1993-present - Member, FIS NorAm Committee
1992-97 - Member, USSA Board of Directors
1990-2006 - President, USSA Rocky Mountain Division
1989-present - FIS Technical Delegate
1983-present - Board member, USSA Rocky Mountain Division
1980s - Commissioner, USSA Great American Ski Chase
1978-present - Winter Park Resort (started on race crew; took over leadership of Comp Center in 1982)
1977 - Moved to Winter Park
1975 - Moved from Southern California to Denver

Key Accomplishments
Early commissioner of the USSA Great American Ski Chase (cross country ski marathon series)
Managed over a dozen USSA national championships in alpine and freestyle
Played pivotal role with USSA’s McKinsey study
Leadership role as longstanding competition official and technical delegate regionally, nationally and internationally.
Leadership role for NorAm Cup within International Ski Federation
Technical Delegate, Audi FIS Ski World Cup, Kitzbuehel, Schladming, Lake Louise, Panorama and others
2005 - Technical Delegate, Men, FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, Bormio

Honors
2011 - USSA John Clair Award (recognizing service to U.S. Ski Team)
2007 - USSA Bud and Mary Little Award (recognizing service to FIS/USOC)
2006 - USSA Westhaven Award (recognizing USSA/FIS TD)
1992 - USSA Paul Bacon Award (recognizing service to USSA events)

PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 16, 2015) – Ski and snowboarding fans will have their greatest opportunity in history to watch competitive skiing and snowboarding this winter. NBCUniversal announced Monday that it has formally acquired Universal Sports Network assets from World Championship Sports Network, including the rights to nearly all International Ski Federation World Cup events. It is expected that NBC Sports will air the complete global schedule of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup alpine ski racing tour this winter, along with a significant calendar of World Cup cross country, ski jumping, nordic combined, freestyle and snowboarding.

NBC Sports Group will utilize NBCUniversal’s family of networks, including NBCSN and Universal HD, to televise events. NBC Sports Live Extra -- NBC Sports’ live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs -- will live stream events, including some digital-only programming. Universal Sports Network has ceased operations.

SEE FULL SCHEDULE: NBC Olympic Sports Schedule

One of the key channels for skiing and snowboarding will be Universal HD, a network that began in 2004 and presently carries replays of skiing events, as well as NBCSN, which is presently home to many U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association major domestic events. Universal HD is available on most cable and satellite systems and will bring ski and snowboarding events to much larger audiences than in the past.

The planned coverage across NBC Sports Group channels will be greater than ever before for skiing and snowboarding. It comes on the heels of efforts by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association to raise the level of awareness in America through innovative broadcast and streaming packages of its own U.S. events with NBC over the past few years. That resulted in record ratings at last year’s Alpine World Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek and growth in coverage of snowboarding and freeskiing in the U.S. Grand Prix.

QUOTES
Tiger Shaw, President and CEO, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
As America’s Olympic network, NBC Sports Group is well positioned to bring our sports to even larger audiences. We’re thankful to World Championship Sports Network and Universal Sports for elevating the stature of our sports and welcome a new partnership with NBC to continue to bring ski racing to our fans and the American public.

Michael Jaquet, Chief Marketing Officer, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
The global awareness of our stars combined with the pro-active work we have done to raise the profile of our sports in America have helped create much greater value for our content. NBC has been the best partner you can have and a big part of that growth. We now have an opportunity to bring exposure to our sports in America like never before and create a strong path to the Olympics in 2018 and beyond.

Gary Zenkel, President, NBC Olympics, a division of NBC Sports Group.
Acquiring these valuable media rights builds on our long-term investment in the Olympic Games through 2032, and reaffirms our commitment to Olympic sports and the stories of the great athletes who compete in them. We now have a great opportunity to engage with the Olympic-sport audience year round and inspire the next generation of Olympic fans, which is a critical part of our ongoing Olympic strategy.

The cancelled womens' Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom from Levi, Finland will be rescheduled in Aspen.

Aspen was already scheduled to host women’s slalom and giant slalom races as part of the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational and will now host two slaloms and the GS to accommodate the canceled race from Levi. Aspen will host races Friday through Sunday, Nov. 27-29, including the originally scheduled events as well as the make up slalom.

UPDATED ASPEN SCHEDULE (times MT)
Fri. Nov. 27: giant slalom 10:00 a.m./1:00 p.m. 
Sat. Nov 28: rescheduled slalom from Levi 10:15 a.m./1:15 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 29: slalom 10:00 a.m./1:00 p.m.

NATURE VALLEY ASPEN WINTERNATIONAL TV SCHEDULE (times ET)
Sat. Nov. 28 – 3:30 p.m. – Women’s Giant Slalom – NBCSN - LIVE
Sun. Nov. 29 – 3:00 p.m. – Women’s Slalom – NBC - LIVE

BOULDER, CO (November 12, 2015) The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) announced today that is has renewed its long-standing partnership with Sypder, the U.S. Alpine Ski Teams apparel partner, for an additional four years through 2020. As part of the agreement, Spyder will continue to serve as the teams exclusive apparel partner through the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.

We are proud to have established such a strong partnership with the U.S. Ski Team over the past 26 years, and to have launched innovations that have empowered the team through some of the most prestigious competitions and medals, stated Julia Hansen, President of Spyder. Spyder and the U.S. Ski Team truly inspire each other to reach new heights of performance every time, and we are honored to continue powering these elite athletes with products designed to provide a competitive edge.

In the renewed partnership, Spyder will supply its most technical performance products, which fuse proprietary technology, form, function and style, to outfit the U.S. Alpine Ski Team through June 2020.  This includes outerwear, speed suits, base-layers, t-necks, and technical/warm headwear (not including protective headwear). Spyder has served as the official apparel sponsor of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team since 1989, working closely together to design superior functioning apparel for the worlds top athletes. 

Spyder has helped maximize the performance of the U.S. Ski Team throughout seven Olympics and twelve World Championships, said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Tiger Shaw. A key element of our partnership with Spyder is its ability to design the most innovative and technologically advanced products, enabling our athletes to reach unlimited potential.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The USSA announced today that is has renewed its long-standing partnership with Sypder, the U.S. Alpine Ski Teams apparel partner, for an additional four years through 2020.
• Spyder will serve as the teams exclusive apparel partner through the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.
• Technical performance products provided by Spyder include outerwear, speed suits, base-layers, t-necks and technical/warm headwear (not including protective headwear).
• Spyder has served as the official apparel sponsor of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team since 1989.

QUOTES

Julia Hansen, President, Spyder
We are proud to have established such a strong partnership with the U.S. Ski Team over the past 26 years, and to have launched innovations that have empowered the team through some of the most prestigious competitions and medals. Spyder and the U.S. Ski Team truly inspire each other to reach new heights of performance every time, and we are honored to continue powering these elite athletes with products designed to provide a competitive edge.

Tiger Shaw, President and CEO, USSA
Spyder has helped maximize the performance of the U.S. Ski Team throughout seven Olympics and twelve World Championships. A key element of our partnership with Spyder is its ability to design the most innovative and technologically advanced products, enabling our athletes to reach unlimited potential.

Steve Nyman, U.S. Ski Team Athlete
Spyder has been a long-standing partner of the U.S. Ski Team, and Im excited they have renewed their partnership. They are re-establishing their dedication to ski racing technology and I am looking forward to see what they develop to help bring the U.S. Ski Team to the next level.

PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 12, 2015) – The upcoming Putnam Investments NASTAR National Pacesetting Trials at Copper Mountain, CO on Saturday, Nov. 21 will be the first stop in a series of events that will bring past U.S. Ski Team stars to resorts around the nation. The popular NASTAR recreational ski racing program allows skiers of all ages at any participating resort to compare their times to top Olympic stars like Ted Ligety through a sophisticated handicapping structure.

NASTAR and the U.S. Ski Team have named a series of regional pacesetters who will take their times from the National Pacesetting Trials in Copper Mountain out to regional resorts. At those regional trials, pacesetters from each of the 120 participating NASTAR resorts will have their handicaps established so that they can essentially bring Ted Ligety’s par time back to their local resort.

All season long, NASTAR racers at local resorts have an opportunity to ski for platinum, gold, silver or bronze pins based on their own handicaps. Top performers in every age group will have an opportunity to also travel to Steamboat Springs, CO in March for the Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships March 24-27.

Among the U.S. Ski Team stars named as regional pacesetters are Olympic champion Tommy Moe, world champion Daron Rahlves, World Championship medalist AJ Kitt plus Olympians Casey Puckett, Cary Adgate, Heidi Voelker, Kaylin Richardson and more.

“I remember when I was new to the U.S. Ski Team what a boost it was for me to win the NASTAR Pacesetting Trials,” said Rahlves, one of America’s greatest downhill ski racers who won the super G World Championships in 2001. “Today, I get just as excited being involved with NASTAR knowing that my time is being used by young aspiring ski racers to move up in the sport.”

At each NASTAR Regional Pacesetting Trials stop, pacesetters will set three handicaps: giant slalom wearing a coach, giant slalom wearing a racing suit and slalom.

It’s easy to get involved with NASTAR at 120 ski areas nationwide. To learn more, check out NASTAR.com.

2015-16 NASTAR REGIONAL PACESETTING TRIALS SCHEDULE

Far West Region – Daron Rahlves
Dec. 17 – Tahoe Area, CA (TBD)
Dec. 18 – Mammoth Mountain, CA
Dec. 19 – Bear Valley, CA

Northwest Region – AJ Kitt
Jan. 3 – Mt. Hood Meadows, OR – AJ Kitt

Western Region – Heidi Voelker
Dec. 14 – Deer Valley Resort in Park City, UT

Rocky Mountain Region
Dec. 17 – Jackson Hole, WY
Dec. 18 – Aspen Mountain, CO – Casey Puckett

Minnesota/Wisconsin Region – Kaylin Richardson
Dec. 11 – Tyrol Basin, WI
Dec. 12 – Welch Village, MN
Dec. 13 – Spirit Mountain, MN
Dec. 19 – Alpine Valley, WI

Michigan Region
TBD – Boyne Highlands, MI – Cary Adgate
TBD – Alpine Valley, MI – Scott Hoose
Jan. 11 – Crystal Mountain, MI – Jonathan Ballou, PSIA Demo Team

Eastern Region – Ben Drummond
Dec. 18 – Labrador Mountain, NY
Dec. 19 – Roundtop, PA
Jan. 9 – Mount Southington, CT
Jan. 15 – Pat's Peak, NH

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 11, 2015) – The 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships at Vail/Beaver Creek, which attracted record spectators and broadcast ratings for alpine ski racing in America, received top honors Tuesday with presentation of the Best Pro Multi-sport/Multi-discipline Award from SportsTravel magazine at its annual TEAMS conference in Las Vegas. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and the Vail Valley Foundation (VVF) were jointly honored for their innovation in producing an extraordinary World Championships.

The February, 2015 event attracted more than 200,000 spectators over the 14-day Championships. It set U.S. broadcast records for the sport with live coverage from every event on NBC and NBCSN, plus live streaming on NBC Sports Live Extra, and had a media impact of more than 800 million.

The award was presented to USSA and VVF leadership Tuesday during a gala event at the TEAMS ’15 Conference & Expo in Las Vegas, the world’s largest gathering of event organizers and travel planners from the sports industry. Held on the basketball court of the Thomas & Mack Center, the awards ceremony was emceed by ESPN’s Jessica Mendoza. Receiving the award in Las Vegas was former VVF President and CEO Ceil Folz and USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw.

“A major factor that made the 2015 FIS World Alpine Championships worthy of a SportsTravel Award included the event’s innovative approach to attendee promotion, which resulted in a record number of spectators attending the event,” said Scheider Publishing President and CEO Tim Schneider. “Any time the USA hosts a marquee international sporting event, it goes a long way toward encouraging the community of international governing bodies to consider the U.S. as a potential site for their championships.”

The World Championships won against a host of top international events in America including the Winter X Games in Aspen and summer Dew Tour in Chicago. SportsTravel magazine has been an industry leader since 1997, serving organizations that manage sporting events of all types at all levels. Its annual TEAMS conference is a focal point for the industry, attracting more than a thousand sports industry executives each year.

Under the leadership Folz, the organizers took bold steps to grow the Championships from the past, developing an American festival concept as well as investing in the quality and scope of the live global television broadcast. The USSA, meanwhile, acquired the domestic broadcast rights and brokered a groundbreaking package with NBC and NBCSN to bring live TV and streaming coverage resulting in a record 10 million Americans watching the event, triple the previous World Championships.

The U.S. Ski Team had one of its most successful Championships in history, winning five medals lead by gold from Ted Ligety and Mikaela Shiffrin.

“Bringing the World Championships to America was an opportunity for the USSA to increase the awareness of alpine ski racing in America,” said Shaw. “A key to that success, though, was the performance of our U.S. Ski Team stars with five medals.”

This year’s Audi Birds of Prey World Cup, set for Dec. 1-6 in Beaver Creek, will carry on with many of the successful elements of the World Championships. A new festival, the EverBank America’s Winter Opening, will overlay fan-friendly activities at the resort in conjunction with the three days of Audi FIS Ski World Cup racing. NBC and NBCSN will continue live broadcast coverage, as well as streaming on NBC Sports Live Extra.

QUOTES
Tiger Shaw, President and CEO, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
Bringing the World Championships to America was an opportunity for the USSA to increase the awareness of alpine ski racing in America. A key to that success, though, was the performance of our U.S. Ski Team stars with five medals.

Our innovative investment in domestic broadcast rights, pushing out live TV and streaming coverage daily, brought that story to America. Vail Valley Foundation did an outstanding job in producing a truly remarkable event that showed our global partners how valuable alpine ski racing is in America.

Tim Schneider, President and CEO, Schneider Publishing
A major factor that made the 2015 FIS World Alpine Championships worthy of a SportsTravel Award included the event’s innovative approach to attendee promotion, which resulted in a record number of spectators attending the event. USSA should also be commended on the investment it made in broadcasting the event in America, which resulted in record television ratings.

Any time the USA hosts a marquee international sporting event, it goes a long way toward encouraging the community of international governing bodies to consider the U.S. as a potential site for their championships. One area of potential growth for the U.S. sports-event industry is to successfully bid for and host more international events such as the 2015 FIS World Alpine Championships.

PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 10, 2015) – Olympic champion Julia Mancuso will undergo hip surgery Wednesday at The Steadman Clinic in Vail CO, which will keep her out of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup during the 2015-16 season.

The recovery timeline is uncertain at this point though she hopes to be back on snow in late March, Mancuso will take a conservative approach to recovery that will set her up for success in Korea in 2018.

QUOTES
Julia Mancuso
If I were to try to push through, get more treatments and try to ski this season, I would just be setting myself back towards the real goal, which is PyeongChang 2018. My goal is to be strong enough to freeski at the end of March, but conservatively, it depends on the outcome of the surgery.

Kyle Wilkens, U.S. Ski Team Medical Director
Julia has taken a very smart approach to her hip injury. We used this year’s prep season to exhaust all conservative treatment.  Unfortunately, those efforts were not successful and she has elected to go forth with surgery.