Seventeen clubs across the USA have achieved certifications in 2019 in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s podium certification process, a key element of the work done by U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s sports education department. Seven clubs achieved recertification and 10 earned new certifications. Club certification is a process of self-assessment, peer-evaluation, certification committee review and organizational improvement in partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body (NGB) of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, to assist its clubs through assessing club leadership, operations, and athletic programming and performance. The seventeen clubs will be recognized May 13 at the annual U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Excellence Conference, held in Park City, Utah.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard offers three tiers of certification: bronze, silver, and gold. All certifications involve a comprehensive organizational assessment that places clubs on the path of continual improvement with ongoing club development resources and opportunities provided by the NGB. Through the podium certification process, U.S. Ski & Snowboard works in close collaboration with member clubs to recognize excellence and to understand the challenges and opportunities that exist for clubs in every corner of the country.

“Judging by the caliber of the clubs we worked with this year, it is clear the future of our sport is in good hands,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Club Development Manager, Ellen Adams. “The demonstration of professionalism and commitment to a culture of excellence was apparent to our certification team, and the delivery of a vast array of programs in line with best principles and practices was evident in the clubs we visited. We are excited to see that clubs who were part of the inaugural program four and five years ago have used the program to work toward established goals, and embraced the experience of applying for recertification in their effort to always be improving. The record number of new clubs starting the process with Bronze certification this year is a true cause for celebration. Congratulations to all for their achievements.”

Member clubs represent a vital component of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s talent pipeline, where many Olympians first put feet to snow. Club Certification is a rigorous process designed for the clubs that want to verify and demonstrate their understanding of the best principles and implementation of best practices of their club. Not included in this year’s count are two clubs whose recertification applications are in progress (one gold and one bronze) and three clubs who are on track for new bronze level certifications.

COMPLETED QUADRENNIAL RECERTIFICATION
GOLD
Green Mountain Valley School
The Loppet Foundation
Bridger Ski Foundation
Winter Park Competition Center
Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows
Sugar Bowl Academy and Ski Team

BRONZE
Snowbird Snowsports Education Foundation

ADVANCED FROM SILVER TO GOLD
Team Gilboa
Team Summit

NEW BRONZE LEVEL CERTIFICATIONS
Attitash Alpine Educational Foundation
Bogus Basin Ski Education Foundation
Granite Peak Ski Team
Loveland Ski Club
Madison Nordic Ski Club
Mount Sunapee Alpine, Freestyle and Snowboard Programs
Silver Run Ski Team
Wy’East Mountain Academy

Record-setting alpine ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) headlined a host of athletes and coaches honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard for the 2019 season. Shiffrin was named the winner of the Beck International Award as the top athlete across all sports. U.S. Ski & Snowboard snowboardcross coach Jeff Archibald (Salt Lake City) was named Coach of the Year while freeski coach Ryan Wyble (Park City, Utah) was recognized as the Development Coach of the Year.

Shiffrin had yet another historic season with 17 World Cup wins in 26 starts, bringing her career victory total to 60. She won season titles in the overall FIS World Cup as well as slalom, giant slalom, and super-G - the first skier ever to accomplish that feat.

“While we had some tremendous athletic success across our sports, Mikaela’s accomplishments this past season were truly unprecedented,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport Luke Bodensteiner.

“This past season still feels like a dream to me,” said Shiffrin. “Winning one World Cup is no small feat – but sustaining that level of excellence 17 times wouldn’t have been possible without the tirelessly hardworking and supportive group of people I am honored to call my team.”

One of Shiffrin’s fondest memories of the season was the huge outpouring of support with 35,000 fans on home snow at Killington where she picked up a slalom win.

“A special thank you goes out to all of the club coaches and volunteers out there who pour themselves into their work for the love of the sport, in order to make dreams come true,” she added. “I was one of those kids in the past and I wouldn’t be here without all that kind of support.”

Archibald, a former international competitor himself, has built one of the strongest snowboardcross teams in the world leading his athletes to 112 World Cup podiums including 40 wins, plus four Olympic medals. This past season his athletes rode to five World Cup podiums and won double gold at the World Championships with Mick Dierdorff taking men’s gold and then teaming with Lindsey Jacobellis to win the first mixed gender team event.

“I knew I was stepping down from my coaching position after the season so to do so well at World Championships on home snow and getting nominated as coach of the year is extra special,” said Archibald.  

Wyble, the head freeski coach at Park City Ski & Snowboard, has developed athletes at all levels in his eight years coaching. This past season he had six athletes named to Junior World Championship teams. Most notably, he has distinguished himself by extending his leadership on the regional and national level.

"There are many coaches working at this level who all do an incredible job so it’s an honor to be recognized amongst that group," said Wyble. "I have a unique job, where I get to work with a lot of great athletes at different levels, and it's always rewarding to watch these kids progress as athletes and as people in general.”

“Recognition of coaches for their accomplishments is a vital part of our education and certification process,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Sport Education Gar Trayner. “Our overall and sport coaches of the year have set an outstanding example for others as role models.”

U.S. Ski & Snowboard recognized the top athlete, international coach, and development coach in each of its sport programs. The awards will be presented Thursday, May 16 during the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress in Park City, Utah.
 

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Adaptive - Thomas Walsh
Paralympian Thomas Walsh had a strong season on the Para Alpine World Cup with four podiums including a win, along with two Para Alpine World Championship bronze medals. He is a strong five-discipline skier who also lead Team USA to bronze in the first-ever World Cup team event. Walsh capped his strong season with national titles in slalom and giant slalom.

Alpine - Mikaela Shiffrin (see above)

Cross Country - Junior Worlds Men’s Relay Team
In a storybook ending to a very successful Junior World Championships, the men’s 4x10k relay team took gold - the first ever gold won by the USA at the FIS Junior World Cross Country Ski Championships. Three of the four athletes had set the stage a year earlier winning silver. The team included: Gus Schumacher (Anchorage/Alaska Winter Stars), Ben Ogden (Landgrove, Vt./Stratton Mountain School), Johnny Hagenbuch (Ketchum, Idaho/Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) and Luke Jager (Anchorage/Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center)

Freeski - Aaron Blunck
Two-time Olympian Aaron Blunck had a standout season, claiming a repeat gold in halfpipe at the World Championships and winning the opening Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain and finishing second a week later at the Dew Tour.

Freestyle - Bradley Wilson
Olympian Bradley Wilson is known for his sportsmanship, work ethic and orientation to goals. This past season he led the men’s moguls team winning his second consecutive World Championships silver medal in dual moguls.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined - Tara Geraghty-Moats
Nordic combined skier Tara Geraghty-Moats (W. Fairlee, Vt.) played a vital role in the rapidly-growing women’s nordic combined international field, winning 10 Continental Cups and taking the season title in a year where the international field more than doubled. Geraghty-Moats also took the U.S. title and landed a berth as a special ski jumper on the U.S World Championship Team. As an athlete advocate, she served an important pioneering role with women’s nordic combined which will join the World Championships in 2021.

Snowboard - Mick Dierdorff
Veteran Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) rode to a pair of stunning gold medals in the 2019 World Championships at Solitude Mountain Resort. Dierdorff opened the championships with the men’s gold then came back to pair up with teammate Lindsey Jacobellis to win the first ever mixed gender team event title.

SPORT INTERNATIONAL COACHES OF YEAR

Alpine, Paul Kristofic, Head Women’s Alpine Coach
Working at the international level for over two decades, Paul Kristofic has gained the respect of peers around the world. This past season he provided leadership to support Mikaela Shiffrin in her record-setting season with 17 World Cup wins and four crystal globes, as well as the women’s team’s four World Championship medals between Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn.

Cross Country - Jan Buron, Alaska Winter Stars
A veteran club coach, Jan Buron of the Alaska Winter Stars program has developed many top athletes. This past season his work with junior skier Gus Schumacher, whom he has coached for the athlete’s entire career, led to the USA winning gold in the men’s relay at the Junior World Championships.

Freestyle - Caleb Martin, U.S. Ski Team Moguls Coach
Olympian Caleb Martin’s leadership, professionalism, and commitment to a winning culture have led to strong success of his U.S. Ski Team moguls athletes over his years as a coach.

Freeski - Dave Euler, Freeski Rookie Team Coach
In his first season at the helm of the Freeski Rookie Team, Dave Euler brought in an inspiring enthusiasm and positivity which quickly translated to his athletes. It was a strong season at every level, led by Mac Forehand’s overall World Cup title plus a dominating performance at Junior World Championships.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined - Jan Druzina, Junior/Continental Cup Ski Jumping Coach
Jan Druzina came to USA Nordic as a Junior Team and Continental Cup coach for men’s ski jumping a year ago. Since then, he has visited every club to speak with coaches and parents, working together to build a strong junior program. The result was a definitive step up this year with Andrew Urlaub and Patrick Gasienica qualifying for their first World Championships and Urlaub taking a top-30 at Junior Worlds plus three top-30 Continental Cups.

DOMESTIC COACHES OF THE YEAR

Alpine - Matt Underhill, Independent
A longtime Ski & Snowboard Club Vail coach, Matt Underhill (Minturn, Colo.) branched out on his own this past season as an independent coach. Two of his athletes established themselves as best in their age class and qualified for nomination to the U.S. Ski Team.

Cross Country - Alasdair Tutt, Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks
Kendall Kramer, coached by Alasdair Tutt,  was 4th in the 15km mass start classic in her first time at Junior World Ski Championships.  Kendall will also represent USA at the 2020 Youth Olympic Games.

Freeski - Ryan Wyble (see above)

Freestyle - Bryon Wilson, Wasatch Freestyle
Olympian Bryon Wilson has transformed from bronze medalist to an outstanding moguls coach for Wasatch Freestyle. His athletes are benefiting from his ability to translate his own experience as a successful athlete into leadership and skills he is passing on.

Ski Jumping - Karl Denney, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
Karl Denney is having a strong impact on junior ski jumping and nordic combined athletes. In his tenure, two of his ski jumpers and three nordic combined skiers have made the national team. An additional six athletes were named to the Junior National Team and seven qualified for Junior Worlds. His athletes took 15 podiums at Junior Nationals including seven wins.

Snowboard - Chris Waker, Kirk’s Camp
A level 200 coach with over six seasons coaching, Chris Waker of Kirk’s Camp had multiple Rev Tour podiums this season and graduated two athletes to the Rookie Team.

Adaptive

Lane Clegg - Team Utah Snowboarding/National Ability Center 

Lane Clegg (Salt Lake City) has taken an innovative approach integrating his adaptive athletes into his able-bodied program to raise their level of competitiveness. Clegg works with a host of athletes including Paralympic champion Brenna Huckabee and 2019 Para World SBX Champion Noah Elliott, as well as a host of rising stars in his partnership between Team Utah Snowboarding and the National Ability Center.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced nominations for the U.S. Snowboard Team snowboardcross, halfpipe, slopestyle/big air, and alpine disciplines for the 2019-2020 season. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on published selection criteria in the prior season.

The U.S. had a strong 2018-19 season, earning seven podiums at the 2019 FIS Snowboard World Championships, five podiums across two Junior World Championships, 20 podiums at a variety of World Cup events, and 12 podiums at elite level events including the US Open, Dew Tour and X Games. Moving into the 2019-20 season, the U.S. Snowboard Team will field 33 pro level and 15 rookie and development level riders.

Each athlete accepting their nomination to U.S. Snowboard Team receives world-class program support, along with access to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, and high performance staff, and education opportunities.

An official U.S. Snowboard Team announcement will be made in the fall.

U.S. Snowboard Team
2019-20 Team Nominations
(Hometown; Club; USASA Series; Birthdate)

HALFPIPE
PRO TEAM
Men
Chase Josey (Hailey, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation; Big Mountain West Series; 3/31/95)
Jake Pates (Eagle, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/30/98)
Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; North Tahoe Series; 2/14/00)
Taylor Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/17/93)
Chase Blackwell (Longmont, Colo.; Jim Smith Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/27/99)
Ryan Wachendorfer (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/3/98)

Women
Chloe Kim (Torrance, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 4/23/00)
Arielle Gold (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 5/4/96)
Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 2/22/00)

ROOKIE TEAM
Men
Jack Coyne (Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 01/17/2002)
Jason Wolle (Winter Park, Colo.; Jim Smith Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/30/99)
Lucas Foster (Telluride, Colo.; Telluride Ski and Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/17/99)

Women
Tessa Maud (Carlsbad, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 10/10/03)

SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR
PRO TEAM
Men
Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/7/99)
Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.; Rocky Mountain Series; 6/29/00)
Judd Henkes (La Jolla, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 4/3/01)
Lyon Farrell (Haiku, Hawaii; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/22/98)
Kyle Mack (West Bloomfield, Mich.; Great Lakes Snow Series; 9/6/97)
Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, Alaska; Auburn Ski Club; Big Alaska Series; 10/23/92)
Brock Crouch (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 8/22/99)
Luke Winkelmann (Blowing Rock, N.C.; Kirk’s Camp; Rocky Mountain Series: 12/18/00)
Sean Fitzsimons (Hood River, Ore.; Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation; Central Oregon Series; 9/22/00)

Women
Jamie Anderson (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.; South Tahoe Series; 9/13/90)
Julia Marino (Westport, Conn.; Southern Vermont Series; 9/11/97)
Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.; Tahoe Select Snowboard Team; Tahoe Series; 8/2/00)

ROOKIE TEAM
Men
Jake Canter (Evergreen, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen Snowmass Series; 7/19/03)
Dusty Henricksen (Mammoth Lakes, Calif; Mammoth Mountain Snowboard Team; Unbound Series; 2/2/03)

Women
Nora Healey (Plymouth, N.H.; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 6/16/98)
Jade Thurgood (Salt Lake City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 1/27/02)
Ty Schnorrbusch (Monroe Township, N.J.; Tom Anderson, Rocky Mountain Series 5/15/02)
Courtney Rummel (West Bend, Wisc.; Adam Junio; Midwest Best Series; 11/12/03)
Addie Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.; Maine Mountain Series; 2/19/2002)

SNOWBOARDCROSS
Men
Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/30/91)
Jake Vedder (Pinckney, Mich.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/16/98)
Nick Baumgartner (Iron River, Mich.; Superior Series; 12/17/81)
Alex Deibold (Manchester, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 5/8/86)
Hagen Kearney (Norwood, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 11/6/91)
Senna Leith (Vail, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/8/97)
Nate Holland (Sandpoint, Idaho; North Tahoe Series; 11/8/78)

Women
Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, Vt.; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/19/85)
Faye Gulini (Salt Lake City, Utah; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/24/92)
Rosie Mancari (Anchorage, Alaska; Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club; Big Alaska Series; 1/22/94)

DEVELOPMENT GROUP
Men
Mikey LaCroix (Shrewsbury, Mass.; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Maine Mountain Series; 7/12/98)

Women
Meghan Tierney (Edwards, Colo.; International Snowboard Training Center; Rocky Mountain Series; 1/15/97)
Stacy Gaskill (Golden, Colo.; Winter Park Snowboard Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 5/21/00)
Livia Molodyh (Hubbard, Ore.; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Mt. Hood Series; 6/30/99)

ALPINE
AJ Muss (Rumson, N.J.; Rocky Mountain Series; 12/15/1994)
 

As a very successful competition season comes to a close, U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes take to the off-season, each with their own unique programs. In a three-part series, we caught up with Olympian and X Games freeski gold medalist Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.) and teammates Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) and Hailey Langland (San Clemente, Calif.) from the U.S. Snowboard Pro Team to find out how they will mentally and physically regroup for the season to come. Whether battling back from injuries, an inevitable part of performing at the highest level of action sports, or tackling hobbies that are simply impossible to participate in when traveling across the world to compete, every rider has a different outlook on what is the most beneficial approach to their time off snow.

Next up, Toby Miller who takes us through his plans for the summer ahead.

U.S. Snowboard Pro Team – Toby Miller

Although Miller has collected a handful of podiums at FIS sanctioned events in previous years, the 2018-19 season will surely be considered his breakout season. Looking back, the stars aligned for Toby to excel this past season. In the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic season, the young rider was shadowing the legend that is Shaun White (Carlsbad, Calif.), not only attending major events with White and fellow Olympian and coach JJ Thomas, who recently completed his first season as a member of the U.S. Snowboard Team coaching staff, but also trained alongside White whenever he had the opportunity. This experience clearly reaped benefits for Miller, both physically as a rider and mentally as a competitor.

Toby kicked of his 2018 season by claiming the title of 2018 Junior World Champion in halfpipe in Cardrona, New Zealand. Carrying momentum from this victory, he wasted no time earning his first FIS World Cup podium finish with a second-place at the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain in Colorado and, if that wasn’t enough, he stepped up at one of the biggest snowboarding events of the season at the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colo. finding the podium once again with a third-place finish in the inaugural modified superpipe event.

Miller’s success can be tied to a complete shift in his mindsight coming into the season, quickly realizing that to succeed at the highest level of any sport, it takes full dedication.

“After the 17/18 Winter season, I decided to take the approach of turning snowboarding into a year-round sport and try to be on snow as much as possible,” said Toby when we caught up with him. “When the winter in North America started coming to an end, I would travel to Japan, New Zealand, Mt. Hood and finally travel to glaciers in Switzerland and Austria in the fall. When I go to these places, it’s not just to ride the groomers. Every place I travel to has a well maintained 22-foot halfpipe so I can keep working on all of my current tricks and start learning new ones. I can say with confidence that doing this allowed me to have the best season I’ve ever had.”

This approach boded well for the young prodigy. While some athletes look to alternative sports and activities to keep things fresh and avoid burnout, Miller’s top off-season priority happens to be snowboarding. What’s refreshing to Toby is the different mindsight riding outside of competition allows.

“My favorite offseason activity, as crazy as it might sound, is snowboarding,” he said. “I see in-season snowboarding and off-season snowboarding as very different. During the contest season, you are very focused on competing and landing your runs when it counts. When I’m not competing there is less pressure to do these big tricks at a specific time. You go into training with a plan of what tricks you want to learn going into the next competitive season and have roughly seven months to perfect them. In between camps, I do my best to do summer activities like going to the lake or the beach, but when it all comes down to it, my number one priority is snowboarding. If I have an opportunity to snowboard and train, I take it.”

One common theme that we continue to find when speaking with U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes is the importance of family. Unfortunately, the reality is that the families of elite level athletes often do not have the luxury of traveling the world from competition to competition. Whether due to schedule, finances, or logistical challenges, it’s simply not the reality for most.

“The greatest moments in life are not concerned with selfish achievements, but rather with the things we do for the people we love and esteem.”
 - Walt Disney

Miller echoed this sentiment, highlighting the important role his family serves in his career and his life.

“My family and friends play a huge roll in my offseason and in season as well,” said Miller. “They have always been so supportive of me ever since I started snowboarding. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them by my side. The time I get to spend with the people I love is priceless.”

Miller’s upbeat and positive approach to life and snowboarding makes him a truly special athlete at U.S. Ski & Snowboard. At only 19 years old, Miller has the world at his feet and limitless possibilities ahead of him.

“Toby is definitely going places,” said U.S. Snowboard Team National Development Team Coach JJ Thomas. “He has a work ethic and love for the sport that is unmatched and which has gotten him to where he is right now. If he stays on track and stays hungry, the sky's the limit! “

Don’t miss your opportunity to follow Miller through his year-round snowboarding journey on social media (see accounts below).  As the rest of us find solace on the beach, in the sun, and soaking up the warm weather, Miller will be striving to prepare for the next season of competition on snow in his pursuit to be best in the world

That’s our insight into what one of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s premier athletes will be up to this summer. Stay tuned for more of the same from Hailey Langland, and if you aren’t already following Maggie Voisin and Toby Miller, make sure you do so now by taking a look at the links below.

Happy summer!

TOBY MILLER ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @TobyMillerReal
Instagram:  @tobymiller
Twitter: @itstobymiller

MAGGIE VOISIN ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: @maggiervoisin
Instagram: @maggie_voisin
Twitter: @maggie_voisin

Part 1: Off-Season With Maggie Voisin
 

The Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard Team has been named the 2018-19 Club of the Year by U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Mammoth Mountain is one of over 400 clubs across the country that provide opportunities for aspiring athletes to achieve their dreams. The award will be presented May 16 at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Congress in Park City, Utah.

In making its selection, the national organization looked at clubs that provided a strong introduction to multiple ski and snowboard sports, as well as development opportunities for advancement. As a Best in the World athletic organization, U.S. Ski & Snowboard provides opportunities for aspiring athletes to achieve their dreams at all levels. But the ability to meet that goal depends on the support and leadership provided at grassroots clubs across the country. Clubs are an essential resource for parents and an introductory point for young athletes to engage in competitive skiing and snowboarding, and clubs provide an invaluable service in helping young athletes take vital steps along the pathway to the top.

Mammoth Mountain, under the leadership of Director of Athletics Pete Korfiatis, has developed one of the premier ski and snowboard programs worldwide, producing both Olympic champions and weekend rippers, continually placing top athletes on U.S. teams. The program provides fundamental skills in a supportive team environment with a focus on personal goals both on and off the snow. One of the keys to the success of the program is the unique partnerships it has developed with the community, including the Mammoth Mountain Community Foundation and Mammoth High School. Additionally, Mammoth Mountain is an official training venue partner of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, further strengthening the ties between Mammoth Mountain and U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

“As a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Gold Club and High Performance Center, the Mammoth Team is on a continual quest for excellence as we are aware the other clubs and teams across the country are pushing just the same," said Mammoth Director of Athletics Pete Korfiatis. "Mammoth has had a longstanding history of supporting the Olympic movement, whether it’s our home team or U.S. national team athletes. It was a philosophy of our founder, Dave McCoy, and one that still remains within Mammoth Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company. We, as a team, a resort and as a company is honored to receive the award as it’s a first for Club of the Year and Snowboard Club of the Year.”

The program is noted for its depth of tenured coaches with significant competition experience and high level of certification. Mammoth Mountain is a gold level podium club. The program is a past recipient of both Alpine and Freeski Club of the Year, as well as this year’s Snowboard Club of the Year, but it is the first time it has achieved the overall U.S. Ski & Snowboard honor. It is also a regular host for national Project Gold camps as well the National Coaches’ Academy plus both the national team and club training.

“We are fortunate to have so many great clubs providing opportunities for young ski and snowboard athletes. Mammoth Mountain has truly distinguished itself with a high-level program that embraces sport at all levels.”
 - U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club Development Manager Ellen Adams.

 

Adaptive: National Sports Center for Disabled

The National Sports Center for the Disabled is one of the largest therapeutic recreation agencies in the world, with deep roots in adaptive skiing. The Center hosted two major races for Para-Alpine Skiing this past season. The Winter Park Open is an early season development race that the national team uses to identify the next generation of athletes while tuning up their performances to be prepared for World Cup and World Championship competition. It also played host to the U.S. and Canadian National Championships for super-G, giant slalom, and slalom. Under the leadership of Competition Director Erik Peterson, the Center has a reputation for hosting great races and supporting athletes.

Alpine: Burke Mountain Academy

Vermont’s Burke Mountain Academy, under the leadership of Head of School Willy Booker, was recognized not only for its own programs but for its partnership with regional and national programming. Burke has aligned its programming with U.S. Ski & Snowboard to extend value across a wide swath of athletes. The club played host to over 44 races this season including Speed Week and other regional training projects, the Eastern Cup Finals and the January U16 National Championships National Performance Series (NPS) including early training for all three national regions. Burke expanded the knowledge of its staff with professional development opportunities as well as maintaining a strong commitment to both coach and official certification.

Burke athletes distinguished themselves with results at U14 and U16 levels regionally and nationally. At the FIS level, Burke had multiple athletes participating in D Team projects with a strong showing in FIS events.

Cross Country: Stratton Mountain School SMS T2

The Stratton Mountain School T2 Elite Team, under the direction of Nordic Program Director Sverre Caldwell and coach Patrick O’Brien, comprises seven members of the U.S. Ski Team including A Team members Jessie Diggins, Sophie Caldwell and Simi Hamilton, along with 2019 U.S. SuperTour overall winner Julia Kern plus Ben Ogden who contributed to the first-ever Junior Worlds gold medal in U.S. history. First-year team member Alayna Sonneysn took a strong win in the American Birkebeiner. SMS T2 has continued to elevate ski performance at every level from the junior through World Cup and has been a strong partner that demonstrates the importance of common goals and collaboration.

Freeski: Waterville Valley BBTS

The fabled Waterville Valley BBTS program has been a longtime strong partner with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and has now become a rising star in freeski. Under the leadership of  Shuffleton, the club now has five freeski athletes in the top 10 on the NorAm tour with four podiums including two wins across NorAm and Rev Tour events this season and two athletes invited to Junior Worlds. The club has shown a commitment to the sport as a regular event site and a dedicated U.S. Ski & Snowboard training center with a four-season airbag and trampoline center and a dedicated partnership with its host resort. One of the most prestigious clubs in the Eastern USA over the decades, it currently has nearly 400 members with programs for kids up through international competition.

Freestyle: Killington Mountain School

A longtime strong program in freestyle under the leadership of Kris Pepe, Killington Mountain School offers programming for athletes from six years old up through post-graduate with a track record in delivering athletes to the World Cup level. This year Killington enlarged its opportunities for age and ability level training with the addition of youth sessions to summer on-snow and airbag training camps. Killington also stepped up to organize a wide range of events including the Eastern Championships, Killington Klassic Moguls, KMS Four Season Airbag Extravaganza, Bear Mountain Mogul Challenge and more. Killington had three athletes earn spots at Junior Worlds plus five separate moguls athletes with top-10 finishes at U.S. Freestyle Championships among 14 who qualified to compete. The team also had a strong presence in NorAm and divisional competitions. Thanks to its broad programming reach, Killington saw impressive growth in 2019 with 25 new athletes coming into the program.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined: Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

A long established nordic club program under the leadership of Olympian Todd Wilson, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports saw its program grow to record levels in 2019 - the largest jumping and nordic combined club in the country. Most notably, the club is showing a strong gender balance with the onset of women’s nordic combined in addition to women’s ski jumping. Steamboat women took titles in U20 ski jumping, U16 men’s and women’s nordic combined as well as men’s and women’s team sprint at U.S. Championships. Steamboat also qualified seven athletes for Junior Worlds. The club also played host to a successful men’s and women’s FIS Nordic Combined Continental Cup in December - the first women’s event ever held in the USA.

Snowboard: Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard Team

In addition to its overall Club of the Year title, Mammoth Mountain Ski & Snowboard Team was also recognized as Snowboard Club of the Year. With some of the best training facilities in the world in its innovative Unbound Terrain Parks, Mammoth Mountain has consistently produced some of the top riders in the world including Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim and U.S. Open champion Maddie Mastro, as well as current Rookie Team members Tess Maud and Dusty Hendrickson. It holds a major USASA event each year, providing a proving ground for young riders. Under the leadership of Program Director Ben Wisner, a level 300 coach, the club has a strong focus on coach certification.

The U.S. Snowboard Team had nothing short of an extraordinary 2018-19 competition season. Earning seven podiums at the 2019 FIS Snowboard World Championships, five podiums across two Junior World Championships, 20 podiums at a variety of World Cup events, and 12 podiums at elite level events including the US Open, Dew Tour, and X Games, the United States proved themselves once again to be a force to be reckoned with at the highest level of competitive snowboarding.

Once dubbed the future of women’s snowboarding, the current Olympic and World Champion Chloe Kim (Torrance, Calif.) is clearly the “now” of women’s snowboarding. Kim had herself a record season topping the podium at five out of six events she entered, winning at a rate of 83%. Kim is not just winning at elite level events against the best riders in the world, but she is doing so consistently, winning every major competition she entered from the 2018 X games to the 2019 FIS World Championships, completing over a full year of victories. At only 18 years old, the sky is the limit for this snowboarding champion. The 18-year-old all-star still has yet to land her frontside double cork 1080 in competition, which will take her to a level of riding to a level which is unheard of in the sport of women’s snowboarding. Kim has proven to be one of the best female athletes in the world, a fact summed up as she came into the season as the 2018 Best Female Athlete ESPY award winner.

Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, Calif.) is another U.S. rider who made huge strides this season. Mastro finished third in the World Championships halfpipe competition, earning her first World Championship medal of her career and she made history at the Burton U.S. Open by landing the first ever double cork in halfpipe competition with a double crippler. This trick led her to her victory at the U.S. Open, with Chloe Kim in second place. “I can’t even express how happy I am,” Mastro remarked directly after that win. “This is the first contest I have won and for it to be at the U.S. Open is an incredible feeling!”

The men of the U.S. Snowboard Team have also proven themselves this season. Olympic Gold Medalist Red Gerard took the gold at the 2019 Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain, as well as at the 2019 Burton U.S. Open Slopestyle finals. Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) also earned his fifth and sixth FIS Crystal Globes in March by winning the snowboard slopestyle and overall titles. In addition, he also landed the first quad cork 1800 in World Cup competition to kick off the season at the Cardrona, New Zealand World Cup big air. Corning’s teammates, Judd Henkes (La Jolla, Calif.), Lyon Farrell (Haiku, HI), and Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, AK), finished in second, third, and fourth respectively in the FIS World Cup slopestyle rankings. Henkes also earned his first World Cup podium to close out the season when he finished in second-place at the Mammoth Grand Prix slopestyle event. To top it all off, Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) earned his first World Cup podium by placing second at the Copper Mountain Grand Prix, proving there’s plenty of runway for the U.S. Snowboard Team as young riders start to break out.

Moving onto snowboardcross, the success of U.S. athletes this season proved the strength and balance of the skilled American Team as both veterans and rookies exceled. 20-year-old B Team athlete Jake Vedder (Pickney, Mich.) claimed second-place and his first World Cup podium in Cervinia, Italy. Pro Team rider Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) won the individual snowboardcross title at the FIS World Championships at Solitude Mountain Resort, becoming World Champion and also grabbing his first top-level international competition victory. He soon became a two-time World Champion when he and Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, Vt.) won the inaugural mixed team snowboardcross event, which ultimately led them to earning the “Best of February” title from Team USA. This was Jacobellis’ sixth World-Championship title, but if becoming a six-time World Champion wasn’t enough, Jacobellis also achieved and surpassed the milestone of 30 World Cup victories, securing her position as the most dominant female snowboardcross athlete in the history of the sport.

The 2018-19 season offered two different FIS Junior World Championship events: the 2018 Snowboard and Freestyle Junior World Championships in Cardona, New Zealand, and the 2019 Snowboard and Freestyle Junior World Championships, which took place across five European venues. Combined, U.S. Snowboard athletes earned five medals with Jake Vedder (Pickney, Mich.) and Toby Miller claiming the titles of 2018 Junior World Champion in their respective disciplines of snowboardcross and halfpipe. As previously mentioned, Miller and Vedder went on to earn their first World Cup podiums after succeeding on the proving grounds that is the Junior World Championships. Their performances contributed to the U.S. Junior World Championship Team taking home the 2018 Marc Hodler Trophy, awarded to the best overall nation.

Overall, the U.S. Snowboard team had a total of 45 podiums this season, with 19 of those podiums being first place, among the big air, slopestyle, halfpipe, and snowboardcross disciplines. U.S. riders met and exceeded expectations this season, and had fun while doing it. The U.S. Snowboard Team will only continue to improve as they prepare for the 2022 Olympics In Beijing, China.
 

The 2018-19 international competition season has come to a close for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes, and what a season it has been. Since elite level competitions began back in August U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes have won a staggering 136 medals in competitions around the world.

There have been a number of standout moments from the season, including Mikaela Shiffrin (Avon, Colo.) setting the standard for the entire U.S. Ski & Snowboard team, and her competitors in all forms of alpine ski racing. Mikaela’s record-breaking season has seen the 24-year-old become the first ski racer, male or female, to win four FIS Alpine Ski Crystal Globes in overall, super-G, giant slalom, and slalom. That in itself is astonishing - it is the equivalent of a track and field athlete winning the 100 and 200 meters, then seamlessly switching disciplines and winning 800 and 1,500-meter titles. The difference in the skills needed to win ski racing’s tech events, slalom, and giant slalom, from the speed events, super-G and downhill, is as acute as the differences between winning sprint events and middle distance races in track and field.

On her way to dominating the sport of ski racing, Shiffrin also broke the 30-year-old record for the most World Cup wins in a season (Shiffrin’s 17 wins beat the previous benchmark of 14 set by Vreni Schneider in 1988-89). She won two World Championship titles - super-G and slalom - in Åre, Sweden, and her chances of reaching the podium in any race she contested were a remarkable 83%. Most impressive of all, Shiffrin posted an astonishing 66% win ratio which is practically unheard of in any form of elite level sport today and reinforces the widely held notion that she is the most dominant athlete competing worldwide in any sport.

“Building off the achievements of our team during last season’s Olympic Games, our athletes have carried forward a drive to perform at the highest levels of our sport. Our athletes worked relentlessly to get the most from their talents, and have achieved at levels that put them amongst the best of the best.  Mikaela Shiffrin has been a prime example.  Her achievements have been truly extraordinary, in the fullest sense of that word, and are the result of talent meeting drive and tenacity. Her exploits are already the stuff of legend, and efforts like hers have fueled a strong performance culture across our team.”
     - U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport Luke Bodensteiner

Chloe Kim (Torrance, Calif.) also reinforced her status as both a dominant competitor and a fan favorite around the world. Kim’s run of wins, which extended back to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and the 2018 X Games, was only hindered by injury, but not before she landed her first-ever World Championship snowboard title at Park City Mountain, Utah in February 2019. Kim had already secured yet another X Games, and Dew Tour gold medals and two World Cup wins in the 2018-19 season before adding the title of World Champion to her ever-growing resume with a first run score in the finals of 93.5. Despite a stellar 2018-19 season and an 83% win rate, this is by no means the peak of Kim’s performance. The 18-year-old all-star still has yet to land her frontside double cork 1080 in competition, which will take her to a level of riding which is unheard of in the sport of women’s snowboarding.

“Overall our athletes won 136 elite level medals, and that is an outstanding end to our season,” Bodensteiner added. “From Chloe Kim to Toby Miller, Jessie Diggins and David Wise, Lindsey Jacobellis and young Eileen Gu starting to fulfill her promise, we have had an incredible season. However, we cannot sign it off without saying thank you to Lindsey Vonn. Lindsey had planned to come back this season and attempt to win the outright World Cup victories record from Ingemar Stenmark, but it was not to be. Injuries played their part in preventing that, but not before Lindsey signed off her astonishing career with a final podium in the World Championships in Sweden, and I don’t think anyone but Lindsey could have written the script that way. On behalf of everyone at U.S. Ski & Snowboard I want to say thank you, Lindsey, for your inspiration, your hard work, your successes and your battles back to the top, you have set the standard which is now the benchmark for all our athletes. Be best in the world. It is that simple.”

From Shiffrin to Kim, Vonn and beyond, it was a tremendously successful season for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes, including many notable performances and results, including the following...
 

ALPINE

Veteran and winningest female alpine skier of all time Vonn (Vail, Colo.) capped off a legendary career with a storybook ending, grabbing a gutsy bronze medal at the World Championships in Åre. Then, at FIS Ski World Junior Championships in Val di Fassa, Italy, River Radamus (Edwards, Colo.) won gold in both super-G and giant slalom, while Ben Ritchie (Waitsfield, Vt.) grabbed silver in slalom. In the team event, Radamus, Ritchie, Katie Hensien (Redmond, Wash.) and AJ Hurt (Squaw Valley, Calif.) brought home silver. This was America’s strongest showing at Junior Worlds in years, and the team finished third in the Marc Hodler Trophy standings - awarded for overall team performance throughout the series.

“Mikaela isn’t the only success story we have in our alpine team this year,” Bodensteiner said. “Bryce Bennett deserves special mention, finishing his season in seventh place in the world in downhill is a very good step forward, and now we want him to use that as a springboard to go even bigger and better next season and with one eye on Beijing 2022. Similarly, River Radamus has established himself as one of the great up-and-comers, winning two Junior World Championship titles and scoring his first World Cup points. The pipeline is strong but we are not getting carried away - we still have a clear focus on bringing athletes through to the Olympic Winter Games in 2026 and beyond, but we will rightly celebrate the successes enjoyed by the alpine team this year.”

SNOWBOARD

The success enjoyed by the snowboard team was not limited to Kim. Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), the Colorado-based snowboardcross athlete, had not climbed onto a World Cup level podium before he took to the snow at Solitude Mountain Resort in the snowboardcross World Championships finals in February. That record was quickly rewritten as Dierdorff won the World Championship title on day one of the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships, presented by Toyota. Just two days later and Dierdorff was back in action, this time with teammate and snowboardcross legend Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, Vt.) who, together, were competing in the inaugural mixed team snowboardcross World Championship finals ahead of the sport’s Olympic debut in Beijing 2022. Despite a technical glitch holding up Jacobellis’ final run, the duo won the final, making Dierdorff an instant two-time World Champion and Jacobellis a six-time World Champ, rubber-stamping her status as the doyen of the snowboardcross community.

Dierdorff and Jacobellis’ U.S. Snowboard Team compatriot Chris Corning (Silverthorne, Colo.) was another U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete celebrating a stellar season as the 2018-19 competitive calendar came to a close as he secured his fifth and sixth FIS Crystal Globes in March by winning the snowboard slopestyle and overall titles. Red Gerard (Silverthorne, Colo.), 2018 Olympic gold medalist was incredibly excited to win his first-ever Burton US Open title in February, an invitation-only competition that features the best riders from around the world competing in Gerard’s home state of Colorado. Another notable achievement coming out of the Burton US Open was Maddie Mastro (Wrightwood, Calif.) making history landing the first-ever double cork in women’s snowboard halfpipe competition.

The 2018-19 season offered two different FIS Junior World Championship events: the 2018 Snowboard and Freeski Junior World Championships in Cardona, New Zealand, as well as the 2019 Snowboard and Freeski Junior World Championships, which took place across five European venues. Combined, U.S. Snowboard athletes earned five medals with Jake Vedder (Pickney, Mich.) and Toby Miller (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) claiming the titles of Junior World Champion in their respective disciplines of snowboardcross and halfpipe. Also, The U.S. Junior World Championship Team took home the 2018 Marc Hodler Trophy awarded to the best overall nation.
 

FREESKI

In freeski there were notable performances from a range of halfpipe athletes starting with Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado where Olympic silver medalist Alex Ferreira (Aspen, Colo.), Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, Colo.) and double-Olympic gold medalist David Wise (Reno, Nev.) swept the podium, proving that the U.S. Freeski Halfpipe Team is nothing short of a powerhouse. Next, Ferreira continued his success and completed a lifelong dream by winning X Games gold in front of his hometown crowd. Following X Games, Aaron Blunck stepped up to defend is World Championships halfpipe title at Park City Mountain on home soil.

The freeski slopestyle team also had an outstanding season including Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah) earning his first ever X Games medal by topping the podium with one of the most creative and technical rail sections seen at elite level slopestyle competition. Another notable moment coming out of the 2019 X Games includes Maggie Voisin (Whitefish, Mont.) earning her fourth X Games medal with a bronze, but also stomping her left side double cork 1260 in competition. Between Voisin and Julia Krass (Hanover, N.H.) each locking in their double cork rotations this season, the U.S. women remain at the forefront of women’s freeski progression.

U.S. Rookie Team member Mac Forehand (Winhall, Vt.) completed a breakthrough season including numerous milestones starting with earning the title of 2018 Big Air Junior World Champion in Cardrona New Zealand back in August. Forehand continued his impressive performance into November where he earned his first-ever World Cup podium with a second-place finish in Stubai, Austria. Furthermore, only a few weeks ago, he earned his first-ever World Cup victory at Mammoth Mountain, California. His long list of impressive results allowed Forehand to lock in the coveted title of 2019 FIS World Cup Slopestyle Champion.

U.S. freeski athletes also found their fair share of success across the 2018 and 2019 FIS Freestyle Junior World Championships. As previously mentioned, Forehand earned the title of Junior World Champion in big air in New Zealand, followed by a team effort in 2019 where the U.S Freestyle Junior World Championship Team earned the Marc Hodler Trophy. Freestyle and Freeski athletes collected eight medals across the 2018 and 19 Junior World Championship events.

CROSS COUNTRY

Moving on to cross country, a sport which was still enjoying the feelgood factor of the U.S. Team securing their first-ever Olympic Gold in PyeongChang, there was another strong season across the whole U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. In particular, Jessie Diggins (Afton, Minn.), Sophie Caldwell (Peru, Vt.), Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wash.) and Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, Wash.) had some notable successes throughout their season, collectively stepping up to the podium 10 times, and the whole team were celebrating the return of cross country World Cup action to the USA with the announcement that Minneapolis would hold a round of the 2020 FIS Cross Country World Cup Calendar in March 2020.

At the Cross Country Junior Worlds, the men’s relay team of Luke Jager (APU/Anchorage, Alaska), Ben Ogden (UVM/Landgrove, Vt.), Johnny Hagenbuch (Sun Valley SEF/Sun Valley, Idaho) and Gus Schumacher (Alaska Winter Stars/Anchorage, Alaska) claimed gold, an historical moment for the U.S. Team.

FREESTYLE

The U.S. Freestyle team, comprised of both moguls and aerials athletes, had another terrific winter, especially for Jaelin Kauf (Alta, Wyo.) who finished second overall in women’s World Cup moguls standings. Teammate Ashley Caldwell (Ashburn, Va.), still recovering from major shoulder surgery in summer, 2018, finished her season in style with two trips to the podium in her final events of the season. Arguably, the real highlight of the team’s year was the four nights at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, during the 2019 FIS Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships in February 2019. Tens of thousands of fans braved the cold weather to watch the U.S. athletes take on the rest of the world, and it all culminated with three medals for the home team in front of one of, if not the, most passionate crowd worldwide in the freestyle calendar.

NORDIC COMBINED

Also noteworthy was the outstanding season-long performance by USA Nordic athlete Tara Geraghty-Moats (West Fairlee, Vt.) whose domination of the women’s Nordic Combined Continental Cup saw the American win 10 of the season’s 11 events. That incredible run resulted in Geraghty-Moats becoming the first-ever American women’s Continental Cup overall champion in only the second year of international competition for the young women’s sport.
 

The 2019 FIS Junior World Snowboard and Freeski Championships in Klappen, Sweden came to a close on Saturday and brothers Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) and Deven Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) led the way for the Americans earning the freeski big air silver and bronze medal. Also, a strong performance from the entire U.S. Freestyle Junior World Championships Team secured the Marc Hodler Trophy, awarded to the best overall nation.

“The Junior Worlds went really well for me,” said silver medalist Kiernan Fagan. “Getting second-place in both slopestye and big air here is a great feeling. It was amazing to see the whole U.S. Team here skiing so well and it’s great to see the U.S. take home the prize for the best overall nation, winning the Marc Hodler Trophy!”

Fagan will add his Junior World Championship accolades to an already successful year. Fagan went two for three earning podiums in the first two slopestyle World Cups he competed in this season. He then earned a third-place finish at the Seiser Alm, Italy World Cup and another third-place at the Mammoth Grand Prix.

Other notable U.S. finishes include 14 year-old Troy Podmilsak (Park City, Utah) finishing sixth and also earning the Next Gen Award. In addition, Zane Zeverson (Park City, Utah) and Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H.) finished in ninth and tenth respectively. Ulrik Samnoey of Norway won the event. 

For the women, U.S. Rookie Team members Rell Harwood (Park City, Utah) and Grace Henderson (Madbury, N.H.) finished in fourth and fifth respectively. Estonian prodigy Kelly Sildaru won the event, Megan Oldham of Canada took second-place, and Kirsty Muir of Great Britain finished in third.

For the snowboarders, U.S. Rookie Team member Jake Canter (Evergreen, Colo.) took to the big air jump and was the leading American finishing in tenth-place. Ryoma Kimata and Aoto Kawakami of Japan finished in first and second respectively, followed by Canada’s Buffey William in third-place.

For the women, U.S. Rookie Team member Courtney Rummel (West Bend, Wisc.) finished just off the podium in fifth-place and American Addison Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.) finished 10th. Sommer Gendron of Canada added another 2019 Junior World Championship gold medal to her collection topping the podium as she did earlier in the week in slopestyle. Annika Morgan of Germany finished second and Poppe Evy of Belgium finished in third.

The U.S. freestyle athletes dominated the race for the Marc Hodler Trophy, finishing with 142 points ahead of Canada with 89 points. The U.S Junior World Championship snowboard team finished fifth overall. It was a hugely successful Junior World Championships with Americans taking home seven medals in addition to solid overall results from the entire U.S. field. The proving ground that is the FIS Junior World Championships tends to unearth future superstars, so keep an eye out down the road as the athletes progress and compete at the highest level of their sport.

RESULTS
Men’s freeski big air
Women’s freeski big air
Men’s snowboard big air
Women’s snowboard big air

MARC HODLER TROPHY STANDINGS
Freestyle
Snowboard
 

Eleven jam-packed days of snowboard and freeski action came to a snowy conclusion on Wednesday at Colorado’s Copper Mountain Resort, as a hugely-successful 2019 USASA National Championships closed out with the final freeski halfpipe, slopestyle, and ski cross competitions despite a deep low pressure system bringing a heavy dose of April snow to the Rockies.

In its 30th year, the Nationals is the largest competition of its kind in the world and is part of a robust pipeline that carries athletes from the USASA Regional events all the way to Olympic level competition. The performances witnessed over the last two weeks provide a sense of confidence that the future of freeskiing and snowboarding competition is a bright one. 

While the top-level Open class competitions saw some of the best young riders in the country pushing boundaries and egging on progression, there were magical moments to be found in every venue, age group, and category. The images of four Ruggies going head-to-head through the twists of the ski cross course, or a grizzled Methuselah OG grabbing method over a tabletop, or a Breaker class rider stomping a halfpipe run that might have earned her a shot at the podium were she competing in the Open class, showed that the best of the sport was truly on display through the duration of these two weeks at Copper Mountain.

Making this season’s USASA National Championships extra special was that it marked the 30th anniversary of Chuck Allen founding what has now become the biggest snowsports event in the world.

It all began back on March 30th with the opening ceremonies for snowboard week, which kicked off five days of slalom, giant slalom, halfpipe, slopestyle, snowboard cross, and rail jam action that saw over 1300 riders testing their mettle on the prime Copper Mountain venues.

There are far too many notable snowboard performances to catalog here, but whether it was the likes of 7-year-old Ruggie Patty Zhou of China winning gold medals in halfpipe, slopestyle, and the rail jam, Breaker boys rider Connor Cavanagh (Bondville, Vt.) earning the overall title by putting down strong scores and times in all six Nationals competitions, or double Utah 2019 world champion snowboard cross racer Mick Dierdorff (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) finishing in 24th place in the Open category after riding switch from qualies through to his finals heat, there was something awesome happening wherever you turned your attention throughout those first five days of fun and competition.

Freeski events began on April 6th, and the moments kept coming there, whether from Axl Bonenberger (Breckenridge, Colo.) claiming the overall title in the highly-competitive Breaker boys category with a selection of top performances in halfpipe, slopestyle and ski cross, to Ruggie Isa Loge (S. Lake Tahoe, Calif.) winning halfpipe and ski cross gold while throwing in a slopestyle bronze for good measure, to top Open class girls like Riley Jacobs (Oak Creek, Colo.), Hanna Faulhaber (Carbondale, Colo.), and Connie Brogden of Great Britain trading positions on and around the podium through all of their events. For these an innumerable other USASA athletes the future is looking bright indeed.

And, of course, none of it would have been possible without the unyielding support of all the families behind the riders, the tutelage of the coaches and series directors, the dedication of every competition organizer, and the sense of community fostered by all 32 of the series’ that come together to make the USASA what it is.

Of course, all good things must come to an end, and as the snow fell and the last medals and awards were handed out at the closing ceremonies on Wednesday afternoon, another USASA National Champions was entered into the books. And us, we’re already looking forward to next year.
 

Kiernan Fagan (Brownfield, Maine) led three Americans onto the podium with a slopestyle silver medal at the 2019 FIS Junior World Snowboard and Freeski Championships in Klappen, Sweden, Tuesday.

U.S. Freeski Rookie Team member Rell Harwood (Park City, Utah) earned herself a spot on the podium with some impressive company, taking home the bronze medal. On the snowboard side, U.S. Snowboard Rookie Team athlete Ty Schnorrbusch (Monroe Township, N.J.) led the way for the Americans with a bronze medal ride against a stacked slopestyle field.

“My day went pretty well,” said Fagan. “I was stoked to put a run down and find my way to the podium. After reaching the podium at my first two World Cups, I’m hyped to finish off my season with another top-three finish here at Junior Worlds.”

Fagan has put together quite a season and finished it with a bang in Klappen. Right out of the start gate Fagan stomped a lip 450 disaster to continuing blind 450, the stand out trick on that feature for the day.

Edouard Therriault of Canada won the gold, and Ulrik Samnoey of Norway took the bronze. Deven Fagan (Brownfield, Maine), Hunter Henderson (Madbury, N.H.) and Troy Podmilsak (Park City, Utah) finished in fifth, sixth and ninth respectively.

“I am honored to end up with a medal at junior world championships,” said Harwood. “There were a lot of great runs from other competitors today and I am thrilled mine was able to land me on the podium.”

Estonian phenom and reigning World Halfpipe Champion Kelly Sildaru won the gold, and Kirsty Muir of Great Britain took the silver.

Schnorrbusch was very pleased that she was able to finish on the podium and has enjoyed her time at the Junior World Championships.

“Today was super fun,” said Schnorrbusch. “I was able to land my first run and decided to step it up on my second, but sadly fell on the first jump. I had an amazing day and it’s been great to hang out with the whole U.S. Team. Thank you to the organizers here in Klappen, Sweden for putting on such a sweet event. It has been a great trip.”

Schnorrbusch’s’ result seemed to be a fitting end to a whirlwind of a season. U.S. Snowboard Team’s own Slopestyle and Big Air National Development Coach Nichole Mason reflected on the day and the performance of the U.S. Junior World Championships Snowboard Team.

“I am so happy for Ty,” said Mason. “She had a roller coaster of a season and to see the smile on her face when she took third was priceless. I am extremely proud of the squad for putting runs down against a heavy international field. It’s been a great learning experience with ups and downs all around. We are all looking forward to Big Air in the next few days.”

Sommer Gendron of Canada earned the gold and Eveliina Taka of Finland took home the silver. In addition, American Addison Gardner (Riegelsville, Penn.) made the finals and finished in a respectable 11th.

For the men, Canada’s Buffey William took home the gold, Samuel Jaros of Slovakia won the silver, and Rijuto Ohashi of Japan rounded out the podium with a bronze-medal finish. U.S. Rookie Team athlete Jake Canter made finals and finished eighth.

At the end of Junior World Championship competition, the Marc Hodler Trophy will be awarded to the best overall nation throughout the series in both freestyle/freeski and snowboard disciplines. The U.S. is currently in a commanding lead in the freestyle standings with only one event to go in big air. Meanwhile, the U.S. snowboarders have their work cut out for them as they currently sit in sixth.

The Junior World Championships will continue with freeski and snowboard big air competition this April 12-13. Stay tuned to see what young athletes from across the world will come out on top in Klappen, Sweden, and claim the title of Junior World Champion.

RESULTS
FREESKI
Men’s slopestyle
Women’s slopestyle

SNOWBOARD
Men’s slopestyle
Women’s slopestyle

MARC HODLER TROPHY STANDINGS
Freestyle
Leysin, Switzerland: HP - Jan. 26 - Complete
Reiteralm, Austria: SX - Complete
Valmalenco, Italy: MO, AE - Complete
Klappen, Sweden: SS, BA - April 7-13

Snowboard
Leysin, Switzerland: HP - Jan. 26 - Complete
Reiteralm, Austria: SBX - Complete
Rogla, Slovenia: PGS, PSL - Complete
Klappen, Sweden: SS, BA - April 8-13