Park City, UT (June 5, 2023) - U.S. Ski & Snowboard is thrilled to announce the roster of 40 athletes nominated to represent the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team in both halfpipe and slopestyle for the upcoming 2023-24 season. These nominations have been based on predetermined selection criteria. 

The freeski and slopestyle roster consists of a talented group of athletes, combining experienced individuals who have proudly represented the United States on the global stage for years, as well as promising newcomers. 

The halfpipe team boasts an abundance of talent, featuring two-time Olympic champion David Wise, 2022 Crystal Globe winner Birk Irving, 2023 World Champion Hanna Faulhaber, and emerging star Svea Irving. On the slopestyle side, the talent pool includes 2022 Olympic champion Alex Hall, 2022 Olympic silver medalist Colby Stevenson, 2023 X Games gold medalist Mac Forehand, three-time Olympian Maggie Voisin, and 2022-23 U.S. National Champion Grace Henderson.

Previous members of the halfpipe rookie team Svea Irving and Tristan Feinberg were promoted to the pro team. Svea Irving had a remarkable season, securing an X Games bronze medal and the National Champion award. Meanwhile, Colorado native Feinberg made a successful transition to the pro team after an impressive 2022-23 season and is eager to showcase his unique style at a higher level.

The slopestyle pro team has added a few new names to its roster, including Troy Podmilsak, the 2023 World Champion in big air. Podmilsak had an outstanding season, highlighted by a World Cup podium in Chur, Switzerland and his World Champs gold. Joining him is Konnor Ralph, who is excited to take the next step by joining the pro squad. 

Nick Goepper, a three-time Olympic medalist, will be making his return to the slopestyle team after announcing his retirement from slopestyle competition. He plans to compete in a new discipline—freeski halfpipe.

The freeski rookie halfpipe team will see the debut of Colorado athlete Nick Geiser, who will represent the national team for the first time in the 2023-24 season.

On the rookie slopestyle team, James Kanzler, Henry Townsend, Walker Woodring, Tanner Blakely and Ellie DeRosier will make their Stifel U.S. Freeski Team debut, proudly representing their country on the biggest stage of their careers. Kate Gray is also a newly named athlete to the slopestyle team as well as a returning member of the halfpipe team.

"We are incredibly excited to welcome numerous young, up-and-coming athletes to complement our already successful team," said Freeski Sport Director Skogen Sprang. "I look forward to seeing the entire team come together, learning from each other and pushing one another on and off the slopes."

The 2023-24 World Cup calendar is packed with excitement, featuring a total of 15 FIS Freeski World Cup competitions, including five halfpipe, six slopestyle and four big air events. Three World Cups will be held in the United States: the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain, the Visa Big Air presented by Toyota at Copper Mountain and the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain.

2023-24 STIFEL U.S. FREESKI TEAM

(Hometown; club; USASA series; birthdate)

HALFPIPE 

Pro Team 

Women

• Hanna Faulhaber (Carbondale, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/04/2004)
• Svea Irving* (Winter Park, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 2/27/2002)
   

Men

• Aaron Blunck (Crested Butte, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/12/1996)
• Lyman Currier (Boulder, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/28/1994)
• Tristan Feinberg* (Aspen, CO; Rocky Mountain Series; 4/23/2003)
• Alex Ferreira (Aspen, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen/Snowmass Series; 8/14/1994) 
• Hunter Hess (Bend, OR; Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation; Central Oregon Series; 10/01/1998)
• Birk Irving (Winter Park, CO; Winter Park Freeride Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 7/26/1999) 
• Cassidy Jarell (Aspen, CO; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/31/1999)
• Dylan Ladd (Lakewood, CO; Winter Park Freeski Team; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/29/2001) 
• David Wise (Reno, NV; 6/30/1990)

Rookie Team

Women

• Kate Gray (Crowley Lake, CA; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series, 06/29/2006)
• Riley Jacobs (Oak Creek, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; Rocky Mountain Series; 8/14/2003)

Men   

• Ben Fethke (Boise, ID; Big Mountain West Series; 04/14/2006)
• Nick Geiser*** (Carbondale, CO; Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club; Aspen/Snowmass Series; 10/4/2004)
• Connor Ladd (Lakewood, CO; Rocky Mountain Series; 9/26/2003)
• Matt Labaugh (Avon, CO; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail; Rocky Mountain Series; 01/05/2004)
• Eugene (Kai) Morris (Aspen, CO; Pro Team Foundation; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/22/2004) 

SLOPESTYLE / BIG AIR

Pro Team

Women

• Caroline Claire** (Manchester Center, VT; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 2/2/2000)
• Rell Harwood** (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 6/1/2001)
• Marin Hamill** (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 4/5/2001)
• Grace Henderson (Madbury, NH; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 4/28/2001)
• Maggie Voisin** (Whitefish, MT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 12/14/1998)

Men

• Mac Forehand (Winhall, VT; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/4/2001)
• Nick Goepper (Lawrenceburg, IN; Cork Technologies and Consulting; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/14/1994)
• Alex Hall (Salt Lake City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 9/21/1998)
• Hunter Henderson (Madbury, NH; Waterville Valley BBTS; New Hampshire Series; 12/28/2002)
• Cody Laplante (Truckee, CA; Olympic Valley Freestyle and Freeride Team; North Tahoe Series; 2/15/2002)
• Troy Podmilsak* (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 8/23/2004)
• Konnor Ralph* (Helena, MT; Wy’East Mountain Academy; Mt. Hood Series; 1/27/2003)
• Colby Stevenson (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 10/3/1997) 

Rookie Team 

Women

• Bella Bacon** (Ellicottville, NY; Agenda Freeski; Western New York Series; 1/29/2004)
• Ellie DeRosier*** (Bend, OR; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 10/24/2006) 
• Kate Gray*** (Crowley Lake, CA; Mammoth Mountain Freeski Team; Unbound Series, 06/29/2006)
• Jay Riccomini (he/him) (Port Matilda, PA; Team Summit Colorado; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/12/2004) 

Men

• Tanner Blakely*** (Coeur d’Alene, ID; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Mount Hood Series; 5/24/2003) 
• Charlie Gnoza (South Londonderry, VT; Stratton Mountain School; Southern Vermont Series; 8/2/2003) 
• James Kanzler*** (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 10/15/2003) 
• Henry Townshend*** (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; Big Mountain West Series; 2/16/2006) 

• Walker Woodring*** (Sun Valley, ID; Rocky Mountain Series; 3/13/2010) 

*promoted to Pro Team

**nominated by Injury Discretion

***newly named to the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team

STAFF

Freeski Sport Director: Skogen Sprang

Pro Team Head Coach, Halfpipe: Mike Riddle 

Pro Team Head Coach, Slopestyle/Big Air: Dave Euler 

Pro Team Coach, Halfpipe: Matt Margetts 

Pro Team Coach, Slopestyle/Big Air: Ryan Wyble

Rookie Team Coach, Halfpipe: Ryan Carey  

Rookie Team Coach, Slopestyle/Big Air: TBD 

Team Manager: Erin Doyle

FOLLOW THE STIFEL U.S. FREESKI TEAM

Instagram: @usfreeskiteam

Facebook: @usskiandsnowboard

TikTok: @usskiandsnowboardteam

Twitter: @usskiteam 

Here’s a breakdown of the events and the classifications featured in Para snowboarding.

By Luke Hanlon

Red Line Editorial

While you won’t see the halfpipe event at the Paralympics, Para snowboarding shares multiple events and a lot of the same skills that are showcased at the Winter Olympics every four years.

Snowboarding officially became a Paralympic sport for the Sochi Games in 2014. Now every four years, athletes from three different classifications compete in two different events to try to earn a spot on the podium.

Here’s a breakdown of the events and classifications that make up a Para snowboarding competition.

Events

Banked Slalom

The banked slalom is a race down a designed course that features one athlete competing at a time. Each snowboarder gets two runs on the course, with their best run being the time that is used to determine the winner.

Like the name implies, banked slalom courses feature wide, U-shaped turns, along with plenty of dips and bumps along the way.

While banked slalom is featured at the Paralympics, other variations of the race can be seen during the world cup circuit and at the world championships. Dual banked slalom follows almost the exact same structure as banked slalom except it features two athletes competing at the same time on adjacent courses. The competition acts as a bracket, as the winner of each race moves on until two are left to compete for the gold medal.

There is also a dual banked slalom team event, where two athletes from the same country compete together against a duo from another country. The times of the two athletes are combined to determine a winner.

Snowboardcross

The original Para snowboarding event, snowboardcross is a race that’s all about head-to-head racing, with no shortage of air, speed and exciting maneuvers as riders make their way to the bottom. The courses in snowboardcross feature ramps, bumps and turns that riders must navigate at high speeds — and against other competitors. During qualification, each snowboarder completes three runs down the course, with their best time determining their spot in the second round. From there, each heat features two to four snowboarders at a time.

The Paralympics includes the traditional snowboardcross event for individual athletes, but other competitions such as the world championships also feature a snowboardcross team event. In the team event, riders from opposing teams compete on the course at the same time. The rider who finishes first carries the amount of time they won by to the second rider on their team. The second rider then gets a head start based on that margin in the second run. Whoever crosses the finish line first wins. 

Classifications

To ensure that competitions are fair, each athlete is assigned a classification based on their level of impairment. There are three different classifications for Para snowboarding: UL, LL1 and LL2.

Athletes with any upper limb impairments compete in the UL classification. Two-time Paralympic medalist Mike Minor was born missing his right forearm, so he competes in the UL class.

LL1 is for athletes with slightly affected movement in the knees or legs, which can be caused by muscle deficiencies or nerve damage. Athletes with an above the knee amputation to one leg, or below the knee amputations to both legs, also compete in this classification. LL1 athletes have impairments that affect their balance and their ability to absorb the terrain they compete on. Three-time Paralympic gold medalist Brenna Huckaby regularly competes in the LL1 class because she had her right leg amputated. 

LL2 is designated for athletes with slight coordination impairment on one side of their body or in both of their legs. This classification is also for athletes with affected movement in one leg or both feet, as well as having one leg amputated below the leg. LL2 athletes can usually generate a lot of force onto the board to create speed, but their impairments can throw off the timing of their turns. Two-time Paralympic medalist Keith Gabel had his left leg amputated below the knee, so he competes in the LL2 class.

Luke Hanlon is a sportswriter and editor based in Minneapolis. He is a freelance contributor to USSkiandSnowboard.org courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

Here’s a breakdown of the events and the classifications featured in Para alpine skiing.

By Luke Hanlon // Red Line Editorial

When the first Winter Paralympics took place in 1976 in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, alpine skiing was one of two sports on the program, along with cross country skiing. Only standing skiers competed and they raced only in slalom and giant slalom at those Games.

Over the years, events were added for sit skiers and visually impaired skiers, and the program was expanded to include the five races familiar to fans of alpine skiing at the Olympic or World Cup level. As in Olympic skiing, the goal is to navigate a course by skiing around gates and crossing the finish line in the fastest time.

Here’s a breakdown of the events and classifications that make up Para alpine skiing competitions. 

Events

Slalom

The most technical of all alpine events, the slalom is all about having the agility to make quick, tight turns. Slalom features the shortest courses, but it has the most gates to pass through. Skiers compete over two runs on two differently set courses over one day to determine the winners.

Giant Slalom

It’s the slalom, but bigger and faster. However, even though the course is longer than a slalom course, it features fewer gates to pass through. Skiers like Thomas Walsh, who won silver in the giant slalom at the 2022 Games, compete in two runs on two different courses. The times are combined to determine the winner.

Super-G

Considered a speed event, super-G is faster than giant slalom while a little more technical than the downhill. Laurie Stephens showed her elite combo of speed and technical ability when she won gold in the super-G at the 2006 Paralympics. There is just one run in super-G and athletes can only inspect, or “slip,” the course prior to the race. 

Downhill

The fastest of the alpine races, skiers can reach speeds over 60 miles per hour while competing in the downhill. Downhill courses are steep and long and feature wide turns, all of which allow skiers like 2018 Paralympic downhill gold medalist Andrew Kurka to really get moving. Skiers complete one run down the course, with one training run down the course prior to the race.

Alpine Combined

Intended to test athletes for both their speed and technical ability, this event is made up of two runs — one run of either downhill or super-G and one run of slalom. The two times are combined to determine the winner.

Classifications

Alpine skiers are separated into three groups: sitting, standing and visually impaired skiers. There are additional classifications within each group that skiers compete under.

Those classifications are in place because there are athletes with varying severity of impairments competing in the same race. Times are adjusted accordingly based on classifications to make sure each race is fair for all the athletes.

Standing skiers have nine different classifications, since there are athletes with either upper or lower limb deficiencies. There is even one classification for athletes that have impalements to upper and lowers limbs.

Sitting and visually impaired skiers each have three separate classifications. Sitting skiers only have lower limb deficiencies. Like the name suggests, sit skiers compete in sleds — also called monoskis — in a seated position.

Visually impaired get classified based on their levels of vision. These skiers each compete with a sighted guide that verbally communicates to navigate them down a course.

Luke Hanlon is a sportswriter and editor based in Minneapolis. He is a freelance contributor to usskiandsnowboard.org courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.

Park City, UT (May 23, 2023) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the National Governing Body for skiing and snowboarding in the United States, is proud to announce the official integration of the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team and U.S. Para Snowboard Team onto its roster. This historic move marks a significant step forward in promoting inclusivity and equal opportunities within winter sports and underscores the One Team mindset. 

Since the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) took over the management of Para alpine skiing in 2010, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard organization has been committed to creating a more unified approach to snow sports. The integration of the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team and U.S. Para Snowboard Team into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard landscape further solidifies the organization's dedication to providing comprehensive support and resources to all athletes, including elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, high performance staff and education opportunities, along with access to the USANA Center of Excellence.

With this move, the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team welcomes a remarkable group of Para athletes who have excelled in their respective disciplines. Among the key athletes on the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team are seven-time Paralympic medalist Laurie Stephens and two-time Paralympic medalist Andrew Kurka. In the realm of Para snowboarding, some of the winningest athletes in the sport will continue to represent the United States, including three-time Paralympic champion Brenna Huckaby, three-time Paralympic medalist Mike Schultz and two-time Paralympic medal winners Keith Gabel and Evan Strong.

“The integration of our internally managed Para alpine and snowboard teams within U.S. Ski & Snowboard is a monumental step for inclusion, development and growth of the sports,” said Julie Dussliere, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Chief of Paralympics & Internally Managed Sports. “We believe the governance transfer will serve as an important model for more National Governing Bodies to follow in the years to come.”

“These individuals have consistently showcased their extraordinary talent on the international stage, earning admiration and respect within the snow sports community and I am thrilled to welcome them onto our team here at U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “With these athletes on the team, we will continue to see more success on the world stage.” 

The U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team has consistently brought home numerous medals from the Paralympic Games and annual World Championships, showcasing their excellence on the slopes year after year. In 2018, the United States won a dominating six total medals, one gold, three silver, two bronze, and picked up another medal at the Beijing Paralympic Games. 

The U.S. Para Snowboard Team has also achieved remarkable success, with its athletes earning numerous Paralympic medals. At the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, Team USA won 13 medals, five gold, five silver and three bronze, showcasing their dominance on the world stage. In 2022, the U.S. grabbed four medals, one gold, two silver and one bronze, with Brenna Huckaby tying the record for the most career Paralympic snowboard golds.

The teams will be helmed by newly named Para Sport Director Erik Leirfallom. Leirfallom comes to U.S. Ski & Snowboard from Park City’s National Ability Center, where he has been the High Performance Para Alpine Race Coach since 2016. Prior to the NAC, he was the Alpine World Cup Race Director for the International Paralympic Committee and was a coach for the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team from 2007-10, working with the team that won 11 Paralympic medals in Vancouver and the team’s first Nations Cup victory.   

“The integration of the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team and U.S. Para Snowboard Team into the U.S. Ski & Snowboard organization's roster signifies a significant milestone in advancing inclusivity within winter sports,” said Anouk Patty, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport. “By combining the management and resources for both the able-bodied and Para teams, we aim to enhance training programs, talent identification and grassroots development initiatives for all athletes.”

The U.S. Ski & Snowboard organization officially integrates the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team and U.S. Para Snowboard Team onto its roster effectively immediately, fostering a new era of unity and excellence in winter sports. 

FOLLOW THE U.S. PARA ALPINE SKI TEAM & U.S. PARA SNOWBOARD TEAM

Instagram: @usparaskisnowboard

Facebook: U.S. Para Alpine Ski & Snowboard Team

Twitter: @usskiteam

TikTok: @usskiandsnowboard

DAY 3

REGIONAL SUBCOMMITTEE

There were reports from a number of different groups including each region and Masters.

There was a proposal to establish a $5 universal entry fee for entry level non-scored USSS races, with day-of registration available, and including USSS membership as part of the fee, while waiving sanction fees for the ROC, This may require modifying the rules for certified officials, and would attract participants and capture participant information to facilitate further participation. Currently, for a kid to enter a race it requires a minimum of $100 license or a short-term daily $35 membership plus an entry fee of $20-$35 per day. This proposal was tabled pending more research by the entry fees task force.

There was a proposal that the published race entry fees be separate from competitor lift ticket costs for non-passholders. There was a significant amount of discussion on this, and it was ultimately passed 11-3. Ultimately its not clear that this changes anything directly with the fees, just that there would be some transparency and a difference in how the information is published.

There was discussion about a proposal coming to the ASC which is resulting from a USOPC audit to reduce the size of the Alpine Sport Committee. The notable proposed changes are:

1. Utilize regional subcommittee chair as the representative of the regions, thereby reducing the number of regional reps from 6 to 1.
2. Include the possibility of industry or resort representation through At-Large representatives
3. Remove the verbiage describing an Executive Committee, since the proposed new committee would have the same makeup

ASC MEETING

There was a proposal from Technical Subcommittee to impose adders on two races that were flagged as exceptional. A women’s GS had 75% of the field improve their points by about 50, and a men’s SL had similar, though slightly lesser, metrics. This was approved unanimously and both events will have adders of about 30 imposed to the penalty, bringing the average point improvement to approximately 30. Still a good score. It was for a women’s GS at Sugarbush, and a men’s SL at Gunstock.

The Technical Subcommittee brought their proposal to allow TRS seeding at scored events, with the new minimum start intervals discussed previously. There was a proposal to split the proposal into two pieces: one to approve the use of TRS for scored races, and one to assess the minimum start intervals. After significant discussion and clarification, the TRS method was approved for scored racing, and the increased start intervals were not approved. THEN there was discussion about adding some education around start intervals and good communication with coaches at the start so that ROC’s, Juries, coaches, and athletes are aware of the fact that there can be conflicts on course if the start interval isn’t a good match for the different abilities on course.

FIS Subcommittee reported on a handful of topics covered above, plus some information about airbag systems and their use in ski races.

The Regional Subcommittee brought a proposal for a recommendation that lift+entry not exceed $75/day and that lodging not exceed $75/bed/night for all championship events (regional and national). The ASC passed this unanimously.

They also brought a proposal that the lift ticket be documented separately from the entry fee on race announcements and through the entry process. The ASC discussed the proposal at length and it ultimately passed with two no votes.

The Regional Subcommittee reported on the pending dissolution of the USSS Online Registration platform. That service will be supplanted by skireg.com, which is part of Outside Media - a brand partner with USSS. This is kind of a shock to West and R/C, but doesn’t really have an impact on the East. There was discussion of the headtax and a possible reduction to headtax now that we don’t have to support the online registration platform, but no action was taken.

There was discussion of the restructuring of the ASC, noted above. No action was taken.

The Development Subcommittee was a bit rushed but brought forth the slate of proposals noted in their section above, and they were all approved as a slate unanimously.

Athletes Subcommittee reported and had some discussion and kudos for changes to committee structures and memberships, and national staff. 

Park City, Utah (May 22, 2023) – U.S. Ski & Snowboard has announced its U.S. Ski Jumping Team and U.S. Nordic Combined Team for the 2023-24 competition season, as well as the hiring of Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Sport Director Anders Johnson. Nominations include those active athletes who qualified based on U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s selection criteria. 

“We are delighted to be reintegrating the nordic combined and jumping national teams within U.S. Ski & Snowboard,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “Both these teams have a storied history and we’re excited about what the future holds under the leadership of newly announced Sport Director Anders Johnson. We also look forward to continuing to work closely with USA Nordic Sport throughout the coming seasons to see these athletes achieve top results.” 

“I am excited for the upcoming year, and we are looking forward to building off of the success from last season,” said USA Nordic Sport CEO Adam Provost. “We have a great group of athletes on both nordic combined and ski jumping and believe that this team will be very competitive this season.”

The ski jumping team is highlighted by Annika Belshaw, who scored individual World Cup points nine times throughout the 2022-23 season and took home two national titles at the USA Nordic National Championships, and her brother Erik Belshaw, who had his best season with three individual World Cup point scores. Belshaw, along with his teammates Decker Dean, Casey Larson and Andrew Urlaub were also part of a historic eighth place finish at the 2023 World Championships—the best World Champs finish for the U.S. since 1985.

On the nordic combined side, Annika Malacinski headlines the women’s squad, scoring nine times on the World Cup tour last season and winning a national title. 2022 Olympian Steven Schumann and two-time Olympian Ben Loomis showed consistency throughout the season with multiple points scores.

With the integration of ski jumping and nordic combined into U.S. Ski & Snowboard, the organization has announced the hiring of new Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping Sport Director Anders Johnson. A three-time Olympic ski jumper, Johnson was the youngest U.S. Olympic ski jumper in history when he qualified for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games at 16 years old. He has been coaching for the USA Nordic Sport women’s ski jumping team and now will head up both sports as they return under U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

"I am very excited and proud to be named the Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Sport Director,” said Johnson. “Over the past several years, our teams have done some amazing things internationally and I believe that with my skill set, passion and determination, I will be able to bring our athletes to the top of the podium. The ski jumping and nordic combined community has been in my life since I was a child, so to be put in this position is a huge honor."

“These athletes are really progressing and starting to make a move on the World Cup,” said Anouk Patty, Chief of Sport at U.S. Ski & Snowboard. “With Anders as Sport Director, I am excited to see the leaps these teams will make.” 

After a successful 2022-23 season, athletes are motivated, training hard and looking forward to the upcoming FIS Summer Grand Prix circuit. The official U.S. Ski Jumping Team and U.S. Nordic Combined Team will be announced in the fall. 

2023-24 SKI JUMPING NATIONAL TEAM
(Hometown; club; birthdate)

Women

• Annika Belshaw (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 6/13/2002)
• Anna Hoffmann (Madison, WI; Blackhawk Ski Club; 3/28/2000)
• Josie Johnson (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 10/3/2006)
• Paige Jones (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 8/30/2002)
• Sam Macuga (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 2/17/2001)

Men

• Erik Belshaw (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 8/23/2004)
• Decker Dean (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 8/8/2000)
• Casey Larson (Barrington, IL; Norge Ski Club; 12/16/1998)
• Andrew Urlaub (Eau Claire, WI; Flying Eagles Ski Club; 4/12/2001)

2023-24 NORDIC COMBINED NATIONAL TEAM
(Hometown; club; birthdate)

Women

• Alexa Brabec (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 10/8/2004)
• Annika Malacinski (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 5/9/2001)

Men

• Grant Andrews (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 12/3/1997)
• Carter Brubaker (Anchorage, AK; Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage; 12/21/2003)
• Ben Loomis (Eau Claire, WI; Flying Eagles Ski Club; 6/9/1998)
• Niklas Malacinski (Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; 12/7/2003)
• Stephen Schumann (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 3/14/2000)
• Jared Shumate (Park City, UT; Park City Ski & Snowboard; 3/6/1999)

For those that like to push their skiing to the absolute max, the Masters National Speed Series is a highlight of every season. Sponsored by A Racer's Edge, the 2023 National Speed Series included 21 DH and SG races at 11 venues across the country. As per usual, a few were lost to mother nature with the final results including 14 completed races at 7 different venues. A total of 355 racers pulled out their long boards with ages ranging from 18 to 87 years old. 

After the final 2 SG races at Mt. Bachelor, the 2023 A Racer's Edge National Speed Series age class belt buckles were awarded to the top three competitors based on total world cup points accumulated in the 14 races of the series. Competitors must have at least three starts to be eligible for series awards. Group Champions also claimed their overall champions awards for Group D (men 65+), Group B (men under 65), and Group C (all women).

See full results at usalpinemasters.org/2023/nss

Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athlete Novie McCabe has been honored with the 2023 Gold Rush Award. The U.S. NOW Gold Rush Award is given annually to a Nordic Olympic woman who has represented the U.S. in cross country skiing and has demonstrated outstanding qualities of grit and grace throughout the year.

"I am very honored to be a part of such a great group of women who have recieved this award in the past, as I have looked up to so many of them for so long," said Novie McCabe. 

McCabe was selected for this award from previous winners, including current Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team athletes Rosie Brennan, Jessie Diggins, Julia Kern and retired athletes, Sadie Maubet Bjornsen and Sophie Caldwell Hamilton,

Release courtesy of U.S. NOW

Selecting the Gold Rush Award Recipient

The past recipients of the award are tasked with choosing this year's recipient.  They include: Rosie Brennan, Sadie Maubet Bjornsen, Sophie Caldwell Hamilton, Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern and have chosen Novie McCabe, along with writing the following.

Novie has quickly been climbing the ranks in the cross country ski circuit after many years of hard work, dedication, and humble attitude. We are proud to recognize not only some of her career best results this season, but her grit and grace in bouncing back from many challenges, time and time again over the years and for always being a team player. This season Novie achieved her career best World Cup results near the end of the season with a 14th place, shortly after becoming a double NCAA champion this year.

Novie started her first World Cup last season and proceeded to qualify for her first Olympic team last year, despite having shoulder surgery in the start of the training year. One year later she raced into the Top 15 in a World Cup despite another year of challenges along the way. This winter brought on repetitive illness throughout most of the season that prevented Novie from not only racing, but interacting with the team for a lot of the World Cup season. It was challenging enough to make the smart but tough decision to sit out races, but Novie also put the team first above all else and aired on the side of caution in any moment she felt “on edge”, following our team health protocol in order to protect the team’s health. Novie handled the frustrating situation with grace, always putting the team before herself and keeping a positive attitude despite the challenges. Novie continued to work smart and hard throughout the season, keeping belief that she can be a top collegiate and World Cup skier, finishing strong both on the collegiate and World Cup circuit! Novie’s resilience and humble attitude inspires us to never give up or make excuses, and she brings such a positive and caring atmosphere to the team. 

PARK CITY, UT - May 18, 2023 - U.S. Ski & Snowboard is proud to announce the recognition of several exceptional individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the world of elite skiing and snowboarding. This year's recipients have showcased exceptional talent, dedication and support, furthering the growth and success of skiing and snowboarding worldwide. 

The highest honor of the evening, the Julius Blegen award, the organization’s highest honor and given annually to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard member who contributed his or her outstanding service to the sports of skiing or snowboarding in the United States was received by Spencer Eccles. Eccles is an athlete, business leader, philanthropist and general fan of ski racing and few have provided the magnitude and longevity of support for the sport as himself. A longtime trustee of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation, his contributions were significant to the growth of the sport, the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the development of ski and snowboard training facilities at the Utah Olympic Park that have impacted top U.S. and international skiers and snowboarders. In recognition of both his continual philanthropic and spiritual support of ski and snowboard athletes over a period of more than a half century, Eccles is a rightful candidate for the Julius Blegen Award. In years past, Bruce Crane, Bob Dart, Thelma Hoessler, Dexter Paine, Chuck Heckert and countless others have been recognized with this award. 

The Beck International Award, the highest athletic award, is presented to a competitor based on outstanding performance in international competition during the past season. Mikaela Shiffrin deservedly was awarded the honor. In the 2022-23 season, Mikaela made history as the winningest alpine skier of all time, surpassing Ingemar Stenmark’s World Cup record with her 88th win in Are, Sweden. Along with the Beck International Award, she also took home the 2023 Alpine Athlete of the Year award. 

The 2023 U.S. Ski & Snowboard Coach of the Year Award went to Colin Rodgers, who has been the Nordic Director and Head Coach of Green Valley Mountain Valley School for many years and made an immense impact on the development of ski racers around the country. 

Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club took home the Alpine Club of the Year, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club of the Year and Freestyle Club of the Year based on their holistic approach to coaching and building stronger athletes. 

Other recipients include Hailey Swirbul (2023 Buddy Werner Award), Share Winter Foundation (2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion Award), Jamie Kimball & the Utah Olympic Sports Park (2023 John J. Clair Jr. Award; Russel Wilder Award) and the many incredible people who work to inspire past, current and future generations of skiers and snowboarders around the world. 

Find the full list of winners below. 

Adaptive Athlete of the Year:

• Zach Miller, U.S. Para Snowboard Team: Zach Miller consistently performed at the top of his sport, never leaving the top six and achieving podiums in four of nine events. At the World Championships in La Molina, Spain, he continued this trend with a bronze in snowboardcross, silver in dual banked slalom and a gold in the dual banked slalom team event. Along with a strong season of athletic performance, he continues to be a valued teammate and mentor within the sport.

Beck International Award, Alpine Athlete of the Year 

• Mikaela Shiffrin, Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team: Mikaela Shiffrin is the most decorated alpine ski racer of all time, smashing records in the 2022-23 season, including Ingemar Stenmark’s record for most World Cup career wins. She now has 88 World Cup victories, and this year she took home the overall World Cup title, becoming the first American to win five overall World Cup globes.

Cross Country Athlete of the Year:

• Ben Ogden, Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team: Ben Ogden achieved a never-before U.S. level of success on the FIS World Cup, finishing eighth overall, and winning the Under 23 green bib, making him the best skier under the age of 23 on the World Cup. This level of excellence is unparalleled in men’s U.S. cross skiing history, exceeded only by Bill Koch’s World Cup title win in 1983.

Freeski Athlete of the Year:

• Birk Irving, Stifel U.S. Freeski Team: Birk Irving took home X Games medals and World Cup podiums, podiuming in four of the five events he entered this season, and also scored the coveted FIS World Cup crystal globe in halfpipe, marking him the best halfpipe skier on the World Cup circuit. Irving also was named this season’s National Champion for being the top male U.S. athlete in halfpipe.

Freestyle Athlete of the Year:

• Jaelin Kauf, Stifel U.S. Freestyle Team: Jaelin Kauf dominated the 2022-23 season, adding two silver World Championship medals from the 2023 FIS Freestyle World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia and five World Cup podiums to her bursting resume, which includes an Olympic silver medal from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. 

Ski Jumping Athlete of the Year:

• Annika Belshaw, USA Nordic: Annika Belshaw had a breakout 2022-23 season at the World Cup  level. In the first World Cup event of the season, Annika finished in 20th place in Lillehammer, Norway, which set the tone for the remainder of her season. She went on to finish in the top 30 at the World Cup on nine separate occasions, including three top 20 finishes and a career-best 19th place in Rasnov, Romania. Annika has become a leader on her team with her tireless work ethic and determination, which led the women's ski jumping team to their most successful season since 2017.

Snowboard Athlete of the Year:

• Julia Marino, U.S. Snowboard Team: Julia Marino has been on the U.S. Snowboard Team slopestyle and big air team for eight years, and coming into the 2022-23 season, Marino already had a slew of accomplishments under her belt. She is a 2022 Olympic silver medalist, seven-time X Games medalist and has nine World Cup podium finishes. This season, Marino added even more success to her name, scoring a FIS crystal globe as the most dominant slopestyle/big air woman rider on the circuit.

Adaptive Domestic Coach of the Year:

• Maria Stuber, College of St. Scholastica: College of St. Scholastica Head Coach Maria Stuber led the charge as an exemplary model of para athlete club integration. While juggling multiple roles, Maria diligently worked with U.S. Paralympics nordic skiing staff to integrate visually impaired skier Max Nelson into her programming with an accountability that matched what she expects from all members of her roster. In addition to managing her large team, Maria went above and beyond to make sure Max had the additional support of a guide as well as other para-specific support critical to Max’s success. 

Alpine International Coach of the Year:

• Shaun Goodwin & Foreste Peterson, Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team: Shaun Goodwin and Foreste Peterson have made a phenomenal coaching team this season at the NorAm level of the Stifel U.S. Alpine Ski Team. They have worked with a promising group of young women and provided them all with an avenue for success and advancement in just one year. Together, these two coaches have been selfless and successful in the support and coaching of the athletes. All athletes that were not injured advanced from the D-Team and met C-Team criteria objectively, dropped their world rankings more than half and moved inside the top 100 in the world. 

Alpine Domestic Coach of the Year, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Coach of the Year Award: 

• Ben Brown, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club: Ben Brown, the Head U16 Coach of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC), led his team to unprecedented divisional, regional, national and international success in 2023. He gives his best to every one of his athletes, works collaboratively with his coaching peers to support the greater goal of maximizing performance and freely shares his coaching methods with colleagues, winning both awards for Alpine Domestic Coach of the Year and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Coach of the Year. 

Cross Country International Coach of the Year, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Coach of the Year Award

• Colin Rodgers, Green Mountain Valley School: Colin Rodgers has been the Nordic Director and Head Coach at the Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS) for many years. Under his leadership, the program has blossomed into one of the best cross country development academies in the U.S. Colin's extensive knowledge of the sport, his passion for developing ski racers and his enthusiasm has been magnetic in building the GMVS roster and program, and earned him both the Cross Country International Coach of the Year, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Coach of the Year awards.

Cross Country Domestic Coach of the Year:

• Pepa Milocheva, Craftsbury Green Racing Project: Pepa Milocheva of Craftsbury Green Racing Project embodies the value of commitment. Since long before the Project began back in 2009, Pepa has been committed to developing her athletes into the best ski racers they can be. Her impact has been substantial, coaching numerous athletes who have represented the United States on the World Cup, at World Championships and in the Winter Olympic Games. In addition, she coached Craftsbury biathletes who also have represented the U.S. at all levels of competition including the Winter Olympic Games. 

Freeski International Coach of the Year:

• Mike Riddle, Stifel U.S. Freeski Team: Mike Riddle began his career in freeskiing as an athlete for Team Canada. After a successful career, including winning the silver medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Riddle turned his focus from competing to coaching. Riddle began coaching the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team halfpipe team in 2018, shortly after retiring from his competitive skiing career, and has since led the team to a multitude of successes. This season was no different, as the freeski halfpipe crew once again showed the depth of their talent on the World Cup tour and at the 2023 FIS World Championships, winning three medals.

Freeski Domestic Coach of the Year:

• Leah Stroud, Park City Ski & Snowboard: Freeski Park & Pipe Head Coach for Park City Ski & Snowboard (PCSS) Leah Stroud has a long history of coaching between Breckenridge, Mt. Bachelor and in multiple positions at PCSS before being promoted to Head Coach. The athletes Leah began working with anywhere between four and six years ago are now finding themselves at the top of their game, and there is a constant funnel from the PCSS program to the Stifel U.S. Freeski Team. 

Freestyle International Coach of the Year:

• Bryon Wilson, Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team: In his first year as Head Coach of the Stifel U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls team, Bryon Wilson achieved massive success. Bryon had seven different athletes on World Cup podiums, including career first podiums for Elizabeth Lemley and Cole McDonald. Nick Page, an athlete Bryon coached at the club level, broke a seven year men’s World Cup mogul win drought with his first place in Idre Fjall, Sweden. He also had a successful first World Championships in a challenging venue, with Jaelin Kauf taking silver in both singles and doubles. At the development level, Alli Macuga earned FIS Rookie of the Year and was the moguls and dual moguls NorAm Champion, and the USA took home the Nations Cup in both moguls and dual moguls, highlighting the strength and depth of American mogul skiing.

Freestyle Domestic Coach of the Year:

• Mikaela Wilson, Park City Ski & Snowboard: Mikaela Wilson of Park City Ski & Snowboard has been focused solely on coaching for five years and has coached some of the best up-and-coming athletes in the sport, helping them find their potential on the biggest stage. She took the Head Coach position at PCSS in 2020 and rebuilt the program from just five athletes to 44 in 2023. 

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined International Coach of the Year:

• Trevor Edlund, USA Nordic: In the 2022-23 season, Trevor Edlund of USA Nordic took on a huge task as the lead assistant for both the men's and women's ski jumping teams. Despite having to manage his time between both teams, Trevor took the task at hand in stride and proved to be one of the most invaluable members of the team. Trevor's tireless work ethic, enthusiasm, humbleness and curiosity brings spirit and energy to the ski jumping community.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined Domestic Coach of the Year:

• Adam Loomis, USA Nordic: USA Nordic’s Adam Loomis has done an outstanding job in the development of the next generation of ski jumpers and nordic combined skiers in Park City. He is a role model to all the young jumpers, not only as a technically excellent coach, but as a former nordic combined athlete and current summer and winter endurance athlete.

Snowboard International Coach of the Year:

• Rob Fagan, U.S. Snowboard Team: U.S. Snowboard Team snowboardcross coach Rob Fagan began his career in snowboarding as an athlete for Team Canada before turning his focus to coaching and joining the coaching staff for the U.S. Snowboard Team in 2019, taking over as head coach in 2022. He had a slew of great results this season, including five World Cup podiums from three athletes and a World Championship medal.

Snowboard Domestic Coach of the Year:

• Ryan Conway, G Team: Ryan Conway has been coaching with the G Team for over 15 years and now coaches its NorAm Team. He is known for developing young athletes and incredible rail riders to win USASA National Championships and has coached several kids to the U.S. Snowboard Team rookie team.

Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined Club of the Year, Paul Bacon Award: 

• New York Ski Educational Foundation: Athletes of all age groups on the New York Ski Educational Foundation (NYSEF) team had a successful year, walking away with several podiums in ski jumping and nordic combined, with two nordic combined athletes and one ski jumper selected to represent the USA at World Juniors. To cap off a successful season, a NYSEF nordic combined athlete won a medal at the World University Games.
  
  Having overseen a competition schedule that included the FISU World University Games, NCAA Ski Finals, and many more, NYSEF was also awarded the Paul Bacon Award for the greatest contribution to U.S. Ski & Snowboard in the field of competition organization during the 2022-23 season.

Alpine Club of the Year, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club of the Year Award, Freestyle Club of the Year

• Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club: Steamboat Spring Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) has shown impressive depth in the U16-U21 age groups. They earned an impressive eight of the available 18 podiums at the U16 National Championships and at the highest level event for U16s, the International OPA Cup in Germany, SSWSC athletes brought home five of the available 12 podium spots. At the U18 National Championships, they showed their depth with 11 top 10 honors, and earned two podiums and six top 10s at the U.S. National Championships. This year, SSWSC walks away with three awards, including the prestigious U.S. Ski & Snowboard Club of the Year Award.

Freeski Club of the Year:

• Park City Ski & Snowboard: Park City Ski & Snowboard is a storied club. This season, PCSS created a new Youth Development program this year as a multi-sport program focused on expanding the horizons of athletes ages seven to nine. More so, the Devo Freestyle Program for ages nine to twelve to continue with the fundamentals of big mountain, moguls and park & pipe, allowing the athletes to focus on their skill development to move up to the next level. With those few examples, PCSS is very deserving of this award. Additionally, PCSS alumni are some of the most dominant athletes in the world, including freeskiers, Alex Hall, Colby Stevenson, Maggie Voisin, Marin Hamill, Rell Hardwood and Troy Podmilsak. 

Snowboard Club of the Year:

• Gould Academy: Gould Academy has produced key athletes for years and saw abundant success in the 2022-23 season. U.S. Snowboard Team snowboardcross D team rider and Gould graduate Tyler Hamel won the overall NorAm Cup Tour and Nathan Pare came in third in the overall snowboardcross NorAm Cup standings. Gould also had six riders qualify for Junior World Championships and scored 16 podium finishes at NorAms, among many other highlights. 

John J. Clair Jr. Award, Russell Wilder Award:

• Jamie Kimball & Utah Olympic Sports Park: The John J. Clair Jr. Award recognizes service to the national teams and the Russell Wilder Award recognizes the most outstanding effort in focusing the interests of American youth on the sports of skiing or snowboarding. Under the construction supervision of General Manager Jamie Kimball, the Utah Olympic Park is showing its support to both the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team and the local club programs through a massive training and competition winter venue expansion at the Utah Olympic Sports Complex. 

Buddy Werner Award:

• Hailey Swirbul: Honoring sportsmanship, Hailey Swirbul won the Buddy Werner Award. She was a member of the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team from 2018 until her retirement this spring. Hailey was a member of USA’s first ever Junior World Ski Championship relay medal at Soldier Hollow, Utah in 2017 and followed up with two individual distance medals in the 2018 Junior World Ski Championships in Goms, Switzerland. In 2020, she earned a World Cup podium in the 10km Freestyle in Davos, Switzerland. 

Team Athletes Giving Back Award:

• Samantha Smith & GO BIG Inc.: Sammy Smith of the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team and her siblings are the founders of a 501(c)(3) certified non-profit charity, called GO BIG. GO BIG stands for Giving Opportunity By Inspiring Gratitude. Through GO BIG, they work to provide underprivileged youth in our community with mentorship, sports equipment and other athletic and academic opportunities.

Westhaven Award:

• Allan Serrano: The Westhaven Award is a lifetime achievement award, recognizing an outstanding FIS technical delegate for his or her service over time. Allan Serrano of Vermont has been a FIS technical delegate at every level, including officiating on the World Cup. He also oversees FIS Technical Delegate training in USA and Canada, is the head homologation inspector in the USA and has designed the courses and overseen the construction of many of the best cross country venues, including the new Mt Van Hoevenberg courses in Lake Placid, New York and new FIS courses in Telemark, Wisconsin.

J. Leland Sosman Award:

• Dr. Tod Olin: J. Leland Sosman Award is presented annually in recognition of service to the U.S. Ski & Snowboard volunteer physician's pool. Dr. Tod Olin, a pediatric pulmonologist and director of the National Jewish Health Exercise and Performance Breathing Center in Denver, spearheaded a number of projects for the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team, including diagnosing post-race breathing issues, treating cold air-induced bronchoreactivity and advising on training modification during times of poor air quality. 

West Family Award:

• Roger Root: Named in memory of noted volunteer Fraser West and his wife Teddy, the West Family Cup is presented to recognize a long-serving U.S. Ski & Snowboard official. Roger Root of Idaho has been an official in nearly 900 competitions and has mentored over 3,000 other officials with patience, knowledge and humor, and takes the award with unwavering dedication to the sport.

Development Club of the Year:

• Green Mountain Valley School (GMVS): GMVS provides exceptional programming for athletes ages six to 13, focused on skill development as well as age and developmentally appropriate gate training – all in the spirit of building strong skiers who have a lot of fun. To reduce barriers and encourage participation, they have a robust financial aid program and supplement equipment as needed. In addition to the outstanding alpine program, the GMVS Ski Club is deeply engaged with the local Bill Koch Youth Ski League, introducing young people to the lifelong sport of cross country skiing with its recreational, social, fitness and competitive opportunities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion Award:

• Share Winter Foundation: Share Winter Foundation is committed to providing youth with skiing and snowboarding opportunities across the United States and works to enrich the lives of youth through winter sports. Through funding, thought leadership and community connections, Share Winter has enabled grantee partners such as nonprofits, schools, rec centers, nonprofit ski areas and clubs to get over 48,000 youth on snow this winter. The Foundation worked with 65 programs this year, including 18 new grantees, to provide amazing mountain experiences for their youth. These partners are providing “learn to ski” and snowboard programming to a diverse group of young people aged five to 18.

Julius Blegen Award:

• Spencer Eccles: As an athlete, business leader, philanthropist and general fan of ski racing, few have provided the magnitude and longevity of support for the sport as Spencer F. Eccles. A longtime trustee of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation, his contributions were significant to the growth of the sport, the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the development of ski and snowboard training facilities at the Utah Olympic Park that have impacted top U.S. and international skiers and snowboarders. Born in Ogden, Utah, Eccles grew up ski racing at Snowbasin. He went on to captain the University of Utah Ski Team in the late 1950s and achieved All America status. He was a medalist in both U.S. and Canadian national championships, as well as the Roch Cup in Aspen.

Seeing a need to blend athletic training with education, Eccles was one of the driving forces behind the development of the Rowmark Ski Academy. His continued financial and spiritual support of his alma mater, Utah, helped push the Utes to 15 NCAA national titles since 1981.

In the 1990s, Eccles played a pivotal role in spearheading efforts to bring the Olympic Winter Games back to America in 2002. The International Olympic Committee awarded him its highest honor, the Pierre de Coubertin Medal, recognizing his exceptional service to the Olympic Movement. 

Over decades, he has been an extremely active board member of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Foundation, the Utah Sports Commission and the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.

Seeing a need for renovation of the freestyle training pool at the Utah Olympic Park, he put up a $1-million challenge grant in 2014. A year later, the new Spence Eccles Olympic Freestyle Pool debuted offering the most advanced freestyle and snowboard training facility in the world. Just a few years later, Eccles once again saw a need for a dedicated alpine training hill. In partnership with the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, Park City Ski & Snowboard and Rowmark Academy, Eccles led a campaign to build the Spencer F. Eccles Olympic Mountain Center at the Utah Olympic Park, which debuted in March, 2023 offering regional and national athletes a unique training environment.

DEVELOPMENT SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING #2

There was a proposal to open the D-Team selection window later so that it can include the FIS Spring Series in Western Region and Rocky/Central. Currently the selection period ends on April 5, the proposal is to extend it to April 15. This was moved unanimously to the Alpine Sport Committee as a recommendation to the US Ski Team since the Development Committee can’t actually dictate policy to the USST.

A proposal to eliminate USSS points had previously been tabled, there was a motion to remove it from the table. The motion was unanimously approved and the proposal will not be considered further.

A proposal to use TRS seeding at U16 Nationals was passed and will be considered by the Alpine Sport Committee. There was some discussion about how to seed the speed events, as well as minimum start intervals for speed events as a safety consideration in a randomized field. (This was a topic of lengthy discussion later in the Technical Subcommittee)

A proposal to amend the 30 tech starts for U18’s. The new proposal would be 30 starts for first-year U18s, and 35 starts for second-year U18s, with the same exceptions for championship/elite races already in place (NC, NJC, YOG, WJC, WC). This proposal was passed unanimously and will be considered by the Alpine Sport Committee.

A proposal to modify/clarify the language around U14 SG training runs – that making a training run into a freeski run must be a jury decision, and due to force majeure, with the decision to be made at or after the TCM and documented in the jury minutes. Previously there were too many ROC’s deciding this unilaterally multiple days before the event so the “mandatory” training run was slowly becoming “optional.” This proposal was approved unanimously and will be considered by the ASC.

A proposal to amend the language around U14 and under athletes racing out of division or out of region. The proposal is that U14s and under wishing to race out of Region must have their home club coach obtain permission from both their home and “away” regional directors. For U14 and under wishing to race out of Division, their home club coach must obtain permission from both the “home” and “away” Divisional managers. Divisions may designate certain races as “Open” which would mean any athlete from the home region could race the event without specific permission. This is a clarification and streamlining of existing policy, and will require a little more collaboration up front between Regional Directors and Divisional Managers. This proposal was approved unanimously and will be brought to the ASC.

A proposal to recommend that the Eastern Region revise U14 Regional Champs and U16 Regional Champs to consider gender population as part of the quota calculation. Essentially we’ll now determine quotas on a gender-by-gender basis instead of combined. So for example, instead of VARA having a quota of 60 total athletes to the Ronnie Berlack GP, it will now be calculated out as 31 women and 29 men (those are made-up numbers, just for example). This was unanimously approved and will be acted on the Eastern Region.

 FIS ALPINE SUBCOMMITTEE

There are some changes and updates to the homologation process but nothing earthshattering. Note that the official homologation is found online, not necessarily the paper copy that an ROC or ski area might have on file.

FIS is contemplating eliminating hiking in SL. We may see this go into effect for the 23-24 season. USSS will consider it as well if it passes the FIS, but it would not be adopted until 24-25 season at the earliest.

We are always looking for new FIS inspectors to keep homologations up to date and accurate. If you’re interested in becoming an inspector - if you like hiking and paperwork - reach out to Doug Hall.

ALPINE TECHNICAL SUBCOMMITTEE

There are some changes coming at some point in the future with online officials certification. The current setup with Moodle is not working for the administrators so there’s a working group in pursuit of a better solution. (unclear if the online test will still be available in the meantime)

The process of flagging exceptional races will be automated in the future. The system will be tested in parallel to the official results system in the 23-24 season, with the hope to implement the real-time flagging as part of the official results system in 24-25 season.

The classifications working group does not support the use of TRS seeding in speed due to concerns about overtakes. But the proposal they considered had to do with scoring events that used TRS seeding, as opposed to seeding. The classifications WG did not approve TRS seeding for scored races because of their concerns about using that seeding method in speed. Ultimately the Technical Subcommittee took up a revised proposal that would approve TRS seeding for scored and un-scored, single-day or multi-day, tech or speed events with a minimum start interval of 40-seconds in GS and 45-seconds in speed. This proposal was passed unanimously and will be brought to the Alpine Sport Committee.

There was a proposal that ROCs would not be responsible for checking coaches Level 100 status as this is somewhat outside the scope of their work. This was approved.

COACHES EDUCATION SUBCOMMITTEE

The requirement for coaches who work competition events to complete the Level 100 has been pushed back to the 2024-25 season (this was approved at the 2022 congress). Coaches needing the certification can start the Level 100 process at any time - they can login and do the online work over the summer, so they’re ready for an on-snow opportunity as soon as it comes in the winter.

Discussion about the possibility of divisions taking on the work of making sure their coaches are getting certified. There was discussion of the notion that many coaches don’t feel the content of the online course is relevant, and that the course can be complicated to navigate. There was further discussion on how best to facilitate coaches getting through the Level 100.

There was lengthy discussion about the content and direction of the Alpine education and its relevancy to different levels of coaching.