The best freestyle aerials skiers in the U.S. took to the air at the Utah Olympic Park on Saturday, Aug. 23rd, in front of an incredible hometown crowd, where Kaila Kuhn and Quinn Dehlinger both stood at the top of the podium. 

This year's event featured over 40 athletes from around the country, ranging from Olympic champions to the best up-and-coming development athletes. The day started with the qualification round, where each athlete had two chances to put down their best jump, and their top score was used to rank them toward the final. The top 12 men and women advanced to the final round. Kuhn qualified in the top spot for the women, and Chris Lillis led the way for the men. 

Despite the wind, the Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes stayed strong in the finals. Kuhn threw a beautiful full full full, scoring 107.32 to put her ahead of teammate Winter Vinecki to maintain her winning position. Vinecki finished second, followed by Dani Loeb in third. On the men’s side, Lillis stepped up the difficulty, throwing a full double full double full to earn a huge 130.05 points, a huge improvement from qualifications. However, Dehlinger came out swinging in the finals and threw a hurricane, a full triple full full to take the lead and finish on top. Teammate Connor Curran completed the podium in third place. 

“This is one of the best summers of training I’ve had to date, and right now I’m just working on increasing my degree of difficulty,” said Kuhn. “The plan we have set is working, so I’m just going to try to keep moving in that same direction.”

“I’m feeling good,” said Dehlinger after his win. “It [the win] is showing that the work that I’ve been putting in earlier in the summer has been paying off.”

Next up, the team has a few weeks off from the pools for some relaxation and a focus on strength and conditioning before they start jumping again in September. 

Hydro Flask U.S. Snowboard Team’s Cody Winters has steadily risen through the ranks of international competition on the FIS World Cup circuit in both snowboard cross and alpine snowboard disciplines. The Steamboat Springs native made his Olympic debut at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in the men’s parallel giant slalom and has his eyes set on making history in 2026 by becoming the first American to compete in both alpine snowboard and snowboard cross disciplines in one Olympic Winter Games.

The 2024-25 season was the strongest of Winter’s career thus far, earning his first World Cup podium in both parallel slalom and snowboard cross events only a few weeks apart. At the 2025 FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships in Engadin, Switzerland, Winters delivered solid individual performances in both disciplines, placing fifth in parallel giant slalom and advancing through the snowboard cross qualification rounds.

Winters’ is the latest athlete featured in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s “On the Rise” series, presented by Zions Bank. Through community service, sponsorships and charitable donations, Zions Bank is committed to fueling economic growth and enhancing quality of life in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.

We caught up with Winters to dive into his background, reflect on a season of milestones, and look ahead to his goals for 2025-26.

Q: What initially drew you to the sport?
CODY WINTERS: Family, snowboarding started out as a family adventure for me. My dad and brother are the ones who taught me to do it. It’s how we spent our winter weekends as a family.

Q: When you were younger and getting into the sport, what were your goals?
CW: My only goal was to be better than my older brother 😂 still working on that one and he retired 7 years ago. 

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment?
CW: Getting a podium in and two different disciplines within a month of each other. 

Q: What is your ultimate goal?
CW: To be a true professional snowboarder and make a living off of my true passion 

Q: Who are your heroes? Both in & out of the sport.
CW: Inside the sport of snowboarding, I draw inspiration across all the different disciplines. Some of my heroes include Jeremy Jones, Terii Hawkinson, Danny Davis. Benjamin Carl, and Eliot GrondIn. Outside of the sport, some of my heroes include Kobe Bryant, David Goggins, & the Dwane the Rock Johnson.

Questions sponsored by Zion's Bank.

Q: You win $5,000 in prize money: What do you do with it?
CW: I invest it all  back into snowboarding from buying flights paying for hotels, ski passes and hiring a coach. I can make $5000 move pretty quick.

Q: Do you budget or follow any structure related to spending?
CW: No but I want to start, one of my new years resolutions was too have better organization of my spending. 

Q: What’s one money habit you follow?
CW: "Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” - Benjamin Franklin ... and "Don't spend money you don't have"

Keep up with Cody on Instagram HERE!

The best freestyle aerial skiers in the U.S. will battle it out at the 2025 U.S. Freestyle Ultimate Airwave at the Utah Olympic Park on Aug. 23rd.

The competition will take place at the UOP water ramps, where freestyle athletes learn to progress their skills in the warmer months to prepare for on-snow training. 

The free event, running from 12:45 pm-5 pm on Aug. 23rd, will feature the majority of the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team aerials athletes, including Olympic gold medalists Chris Lillis and Justin Schoenefeld, along with 2025 world champions Kaila Kuhn and Quinn Dehlinger. 

Qualification begins at 12:45 pm, where the top 12 finishers for men and women will advance. Finals are set to begin at 4:10 pm. 

Following the FIS event will be the Flying Ace Allstars show on the water ramps - a unique opportunity to watch the U.S. athletes showcase world-class tricks to the public, in a thrilling show format. Come to the U.S. Freestyle Ultimate Airwave competition and stay for the Flying Ace Allstars! 

Tickets are required to attend the Flying Ace show. More information on the U.S. Freestyle Ultimate Airwave competition and the Flying Ace show can be found on FIS and the UOP.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard and USPA to offer High Quality Flexible Education to U.S. Ski & Snowboard Athletes

Elkins, N.H. – US Performance Academy is thrilled to announce that it has become an Official Online Academic Partner of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding.

"Our athletes spend a lot of time on travel and competition,” said Trisha Worthington, Chief Revenue & Philanthropy Officer at U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “USPA's high quality, rigorous and flexible education aligns perfectly with their needs. In addition to USPA’s excellent education, this partnership offers our members exclusive discounts on tuition, collegiate eligibility guidance, and lifetime college counselling.”

USPA will offer online seminars to U.S. Ski & Snowboard members and attend select U.S. Ski & Snowboard events to provide in-person expert guidance from Family Advisors.

“USPA is thrilled to partner with U.S. Ski & Snowboard. We have many junior skiers and snowboarders that currently attend USPA, and we know that our flexibility and custom support are a great benefit to competitive skiers and snowboarders. At USPA, school goes wherever your travel schedule goes, and our accredited program and experienced learning coaches ensure student athletes don’t have to choose between pursuing their dreams and pursuing their education,” said Aileen Hawkins, CEO of Inspired Online Schools USA.

USPA Elite’s unique online learning model empowers motivated student-athletes to train, travel, and compete at the highest levels in their chosen sport. Unlike other online schools, USPA is fully accredited and NCAA approved. It offers flexible school schedules, academic calendars, and a comprehensive support system for students in grades 6-12. Through this partnership, young athletes can pursue their goals in sport without compromising their education.

To learn more about USPA, visit www.gouspa.org/USSS.

Register for a virtual Open House or Connect with a USPA Family Advisor.

Follow USPA on social media:
Instagram: @usperformanceacademy
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USPerformanceAcademy

Media Contact: Esther Clark, [email protected]

About US Performance Academy
USPA Live is open for enrollment with online classes starting August 2025, beginning with grades 6-10. USPA Elite is open for enrolment for middle and high school athletes and performers in grades 6-12. Through a comprehensive educational support program, USPA's teachers, learning coaches, counselors, and coaches create a community where online education and performance intersect with a human connection. For more information, visit: www.gouspa.org

About U.S. Ski & Snowboard
U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the Olympic and Paralympic National Governing Body of ski and snowboard sports in the USA, based in Park City, Utah. Started in 1905, the organization now represents nearly 240 elite skiers and snowboarders competing on 10 teams: alpine, cross country, freestyle moguls, freestyle aerials, snowboard, freeski, nordic combined, ski jumping, Para alpine and Para snowboard. In addition to the elite teams, U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides leadership and direction for tens of thousands of young skiers and snowboarders across the USA, encouraging and supporting them in achieving excellence. By empowering national teams, clubs, coaches, parents, officials, volunteers and fans, U.S. Ski & Snowboard is committed to the progression of its sports, athlete success and the value of team. For more information, visit www.usskiandsnowboard.org

Prep Period Conditioning!

Our inaugural East “RDP” Conditioning Project this week was awesome! Big thanks to:

• GMVS for hosting, housing us, letting us use their high performance facilities

• BMA Coach Brennan Smith for coming and helping support the project

• Burke, GMVS, Waterville Valley, and Bretton Woods for letting us steal (and support!) a few of our region’s top male and female athletes for a few days

• The ATHLETES!!! for attending, putting in the effort, and asking fantastic questions and soaking it all in!

• Barbara Ann Cochran (Olympic Gold medalist!) for an awesome sport psychology session - such incredible, authentic perspective!

• Paula Moltzan for leading by example, putting in the work! … and also pointing us to a killer hike on a beautiful Vermont day!

• Professor Ryan Cochran Seigle for sharing his experience through an honest, organic conversation with these promising development athletes

Short, sweet, local. In three days we got a lot done with a group of young up and coming Eastern men and women from YOB 2006 through 2009. Fitness testing, volleyball, trunk and mobility, gorgeous and intense Green Mountain hiking, sport psychology, weight lifting education and application, force plate testing, and interactive, personal conversation with Olympic and World Cup wisdom.

Our East staff collaborated to organize this project and make it happen “on the ground”.

Whether you are part of one of our regional high performance centers or a grass roots program, take from this summary what you will, but in general I (RK) encourage the following:

• We have a LOT to offer within our region.

• Enjoy and make the most of your time ON snow. Volume on two planks on white frozen crystals of H20 adds value. And is FUN!!!

• Enjoy and make the most of your time OFF the snow. Attention to fitness and athleticism in the gym and in other sports helps you build a foundation for success ON SNOW. It helps not only physically, but also mentally. When you do the work, when you are prepared (with your conditioning, your tuning, your nutrition, your sleep, etc.), it builds your confidence and helps you face the variables that are outside your control. Apply it to what you love (skiing) and it will become intuition for life in other contexts.

Keep making the most of your summer months!

Cheers,

Roger, Martin, Daniel and Spencer

Stifel U.S. Ski Team alpine skier Hunter Salani is making his mark on the professional circuit. A Colorado native and standout from Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, Salani had a breakout 2024-25 season with the national team, highlighted by a bronze medal in the Team Combined event at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships.

A rising star in multiple disciplines, Salani continues to push the limits of his potential. This fall, he will take the next step in his journey both academically and athletically, enrolling at the University of Colorado Boulder and joining the CU Buffs ski team.

Salani is the latest athlete featured in U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s “On the Rise” series, presented by Zions Bank. Through community service, sponsorships and charitable donations, Zions Bank is committed to fueling economic growth and enhancing quality of life in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming.

We caught up with Salani to dive into his background, reflect on a season of milestones, and look ahead to his goals for 2025-26.

Q: What initially drew you to this sport?
HUNTER SALANI: During my first couple of years at the ski club, we would freeski in the mornings and begin to train gates in the afternoon. I loved free skiing, but when I would train gates, I fell in love with it. I thoroughly enjoyed skiing around the gates with my small giant slalom skis on and I became obsessed really fast. 

Q: When you were younger and getting into the sport, what were your goals?
HS:  After I realized I was very talented on skis I started to think about goals. When you are young doing a sport you don't think about goals you are just doing it and having fun. When it hit me that I could go places in skiing, I set out goals. A huge goal of mine is to race on the World Cup. The World Cup is the pinnacle of ski racing and to compete would be amazing.

Q: What is your biggest accomplishment?
HS: My biggest accomplishment came last year at the Junior World Championships. During the super-G and slalom combine Stanley Buzek and I earned bronze. This was such an amazing experience and to do it with my teammate Stanley was special. 

Q: What is your ultimate goal?
HS: My ultimate goal is to win World Cups. Aside from that, I would love to grow the sport and be a good mentor to the next generation. I looked up to ski racers when I was young and they were a huge part in my success. I want to be the person young skiers look up to and get inspired to race. 

Q: Who are your heroes?
HS: My heroes are Anthony Edwards and Bode Miller. Anthony Edwards has the mindset I strive to gain, he wants to be the best and he wants to beat everyone he goes against. He also does not care what other people think - he is just being himself. What  I loved about Bode was he was also fearless when it came to skiing, especially downhill.

Q: You win $5,000 in prize money: What do you do with it?
HS: I would save the money and spend it very carefully. I also have stocks right now so I would probably put some of it into those. 

Q: Do you have a budget or follow a spending structure?
HS: I don't have a budget, but I try to spend my money carefully. Since I am not working right now it is important to not blow through all my money. My grandfather is very good at saving his money and I have learned a lot from him. 

Q: What’s one money habit you follow?

HS: I try not to spend a lot of money on food, especially when it is not necessary. Food can add up very quickly, so I try to eat in when I can.

Follow Hunter on social media here

FIS News

• For Season 2025-26, to be implemented starting with the Base List for Season 2026-27:

  • An 8-point adder will be applied to the calculated penalty of Level 2, 3, and 4 FIS events

  • An athlete’s FIS seed points in SL and GS will be calculated by the average of the best three results in that event

• Additional shin pads are not allowed to be worn inside the boot. To treat medical issues, additional protection pads, as soft padding, can be approved by FIS.

• For season 2025-26, using an Airbag is mandatory in DH and SG at World Cup, Olympic Winter Games, and Europa Cup events. Airbags are strongly recommended in DH and SG at South America Cup, NorAm Cup, Far East Cup, and World Junior Championship events.

• Cut resistant lower-body underwear, rated three stars or higher, are required for all Level 0 and 1 FIS events.

Regional Development Team qualified athletes 2025-26

The following athletes have met the high level criteria to be named to the Regional Development Team for the 2025-26 season.  These athletes will be invited to all regional and most national projects (depending on their age), and they will be eligible to receive 50% funding support for their continued development toward the U.S. Ski Team.

Women - East

Kira Hiebert - 2010 (BMA)

Beatrice May - 2006 (DAR) 

Abby Olson - 2007 (BMA) 

Katie Rowekamp - 2009 (BMA) 

Women - Rocky/Central

Paige Dehart - 2005 (CU)

Men - East

Julian Arthur - 2005 (MID) 

Cameron Blatz - 2009 (SMS)

Troy Boissonneault - 2007 (BMA) 

Tor Borgia- 2007 (WMR) 

Colin Hanna - 2004 (BC) 

Sawyer Reed - 2005 (DAR) 

Harper Sargent - 2006 (BMA) 

Men - Rocky/Central

Adrian Beauregard - 2007 (SSWSC) 

Caman Beauregard - 2007 (SSWSC) 

Stewart Bruce - 2006 (SSCV) 

Carson Hume - 2005 (SSCV) 

Fletcher Hutto - 2007 (AVSC) 

Alex Krupka - 2006 (SSCV) 

Aksel Lindenmeyr - 2005 (APEX) 

Jevin Palmquist - 2007 (SUM) 

Trevor Palmquist - 2009 (SUM)  

Men - West

Finnigan Donley - 2005 (UU) 

Carl Ottosson - 2006 (SBSTA)
 

Eastern Region coaching staff update

I would like to introduce our new Eastern Regional Team Men's coach- Daniel Sanz! 
 [email protected]

Dani hails from Spain and has an impressive resume well suited to our Regional & National Development alpine athletic program.  
Most recently Daniel has been 2 seasons with USST WC Men's speed team as assistant coach and lead Strength and conditioning coach. 
He has coached at the U14/U16 club level, coached FIS level athletes with the International Racer Program and was Head Olympic coach for the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee at the Beijing Winter Olympics. 
Daniel holds an MBA in Sports Management from the Universidad Europea - Real Madrid Graduate School;
A Bachelor's Degree in physical activity and sports science and;
A Level 3 ISIA  alpine ski instructor (TD3 Alpine skiing Spanish qualification) certification.

Daniel will be in the East July 20-23 for a (3) day Regional Team conditioning camp hosted by GMVS- Green Mountain Valley school alongside Women's coach Roger Kimball and Regional Alpine Director (me) in attendance. 

Welcome Dani!

Insightful and educational podcast to listen to by Arc City- 
Highly recommend!  (link below)

Dane Spencer, Former World Cup Racer and Coach, on... Everything
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dT64kzb0w9vbyOdYIAg9K?si=9ZjdOJIARUqlC4kNnICLnw

That's all for now. Look for the next late Summer update and news soon. 

Please keep in touch and keep chasing the dream! 

Sincerely,
Martin (Spencer, Roger & Dani) 

The Eastern Region is excited to share the 2025-26 Calendar Re-Design.

See below for details.

U.S. Ski Team legend Bode Miller was inducted into the United States Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame as a part of the class of 2025 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO. Miller is a six time Olympic medalist and five time World Championships medalist, and has 33 World Cup wins and two overall World Cup titles. 

“We’re proud to welcome the Class of 2025 into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame and to honor the extraordinary accomplishments they’ve made as representatives of Team USA. This induction celebrates not only their remarkable performances and lasting impact but also acknowledges the essential contributions of those who supported their journeys every step of the way,” Sarah Hirshland said, CEO of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), in a press release.

Miller’s induction marks his ascension into a select echelon among 210 inductees since 1983 with the 2025 inductees including Olympic greats Serena Williams, Allyson Felix and Gabby Douglas. 

Miller's story reflects more than medals—it’s about innovation, individualism and a relentless pursuit of speed. He is the most successful men’s alpine skier for the United States, having collected the most Olympic medals of any American skier and was the only U.S. man to win in all five major alpine disciplines (downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom and combined). He was also labeled as a rebel, consistently pushing the limits both in the sport and outside of it.

Miller officially hung up his race skis in 2017, but continues to have a massive impact on the sport, with many current champions saying they continue to idolize the skier. 

On July 5 in Vail, Colorado, the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team held its annual alpine fundraiser hosted by longtime supporters Karen and John Arnold. The annual event raised over $200,000 with more than 40 guests and seven Stifel U.S. Ski Team athletes in attendance.  

"The event was great! It was fun to meet everyone and chat with the people that help us in so many ways," said Stifel U.S. Ski Team athlete Camden Palmquist.

Athletes in attendance included two-time World Champion Breezy Johnson, World Cup winner Lauren Macuga, 2022 Olympian Bella Wright, along with younger athletes Jay Poulter, Camden Palmquist and sisters Kjersti and Liv Moritz. There was also a strong alumni presence, including two-time Olympian Alice McKinnis Duran. 

"We don’t always get to say thank you directly, and these events make it possible. It is great to see the backbone of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team and how much belief there is in the athletes. I am beyond grateful for all the support and I am super excited for this season," said Palmquist. 

The alpine program is one of the biggest sports under the U.S. Ski & Snowboard umbrella; therefore, support from donors is essential as the athletes work to be the best in the world. It is a very important season, with the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games on the horizon, and the skiers are ready to lay it all on the line for a chance at Olympic medals.