Mikaela Shiffrin battled through fresh snow and fog in Courchevel, France to finish just off the podium in fourth place in her first giant slalom FIS World Cup of the 2020-21 season.

Marta Bassino of Italy made it two for two, taking her second GS victory of the season after winning the opening giant slalom in Soelden in October. Sara Hector of Sweden was second—her first podium in six years—and podium mainstay Petra Vlhova of Slovakia finished third.

Mikaela sat in third place after first run, but hit a bump and threw her skis sideways on the pitch, which caused her to lose valuable time. But she acknowledged that the line she chose was a risk and the ever-positive skier was still happy about her showing and her future in giant slalom racing this season.

“I felt pretty good. I’m pretty excited,” she said. “My first run, I was more surviving. Some good turns—a good starting point—with a pretty big mistake in the second run. I was trying to go more aggressive, but I knew it would be bumpier with the snow and running later.”

Mikaela was also quick to shine a light on Sara Hector, who she’s long admired as a ski racer and has had a long return to snow after a major injury six years ago in Are—the same weekend Mikaela was injured. “She’s had a really difficult comeback,” said Mikaela. “She’s a fighter and she wants to be fast all the time and I’m always wondering if she would approve of how hard I’m trying because she's always the one who tries the hardest and is willing to put in the most effort into every single turn in order to make speed!”

Overall, Mikaela was excited about the progress she’s making, given her lack of training and over 300 days out of a World Cup giant slalom start gate. She had skipped the Soelden GS in October due to a back injury. “All in all, it was a pretty incredible day and not quite so stressful as Levi,” she said. “I felt like I could do some good skiing and the rest of it is just stuff I still need to pick up on—learn how to find the cleaner line and push through the bumps like the way some of these girls are doing. I know I can do it and it’s just a matter of getting to that point again.”

Nina O’Brien was another shining star for the Americans, snagging 19th place in Courchevel after finishing 15th in the first giant slalom this season. On top of that, Nina was skiing with a brace on her left hand after breaking her thumb in 15 places in a crash in training prior to the World Cup in Lech Zuers, Austria. Her skiing is one to keep an eye on this season as she continues to climb the ranks and score more World Cup points.

Paula Moltzan, Keely Cashman, and AJ Hurt also started for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team but did not qualify for a second run.

The women get another chance at giant slalom on Sunday in Courchevel with the American women hungry for results.

RESULTS
Women’s giant slalom

HOW TO WATCH
*All times EST.

Sunday, Dec. 13
3:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Courchevel, FRA, Streaming Peacock
4:00 a.m. FIS Europa Cup Women’s Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Ahrntal, Italy, Streaming, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Downhill - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Downhill - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Streaming Peacock
6:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom - LIVE, Courchevel, FRA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
6:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Courchevel, FRA, Streaming Peacock
7:00 a.m. FIS Europa Cup Women’s Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Ahrntal, Italy, Streaming, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
10:00 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom - Same Day Delayed Broadcast, Courchevel, FRA, Broadcast NBCSN

Travis Ganong showed that he’s still someone to fear on the FIS World Cup circuit this season, crushing the Val d’Isere super-G and matching his career-best in the discipline to take fourth place, just .22 seconds off the podium. 

Snow fell heavily throughout the race with Mario Caviezel from Switzerland taking his first World Cup win. Adrian Smiseth Sejersted of Norway was second and Austrian Christian Walder third—both of them also nailing their first World Cup podiums.

This was Travis’ 10th top-five result in his career, who is 32 years old and has been a mainstay on the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team for 15 years. But he’s not letting his veteran status get in the way of speed—he packed in seven top-10s in the shortened 2020 season and with another top-five in his first race back on the World Cup circuit, he showed that he’s still someone to keep an eye on this season. Saturday's fourth-place finish matches his career-best in the discipline of super-G. His previous best in super-G was fourth in November of 2015. 

“I’m really happy,” said Travis. “We haven’t raced in so long—we’ve been training a ton and I just kinda forgot what racing is all about. It’s so much more fun to race than train. Being in the start gate and knowing that you have one shot to put it all out on the line and take some risk and see what happens—it’s awesome.”

Travis, who hails from California’s Lake Tahoe, factored in the heavy snowfall to his result. “It feels like I’m back home in California where it snows a lot,” he said. “It’s a very similar vibe and snow. There was no warmup slope so I just skied some powder on the way to the start and it seemed like it was good for me.”

Rounding out the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team, Bryce Bennett was the next U.S. man to finish and took 33rd. Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who went down on his hip on the upper section of the course, was 47th and Jared Goldberg 49th. Sam DuPratt did not finish.  

The men race downhill in Val d’Isere on Sunday to wrap up the men's first speed weekend of the year.

RESULTS
Men’s super-G

HOW TO WATCH
*All times EST.

Sunday, Dec. 13
3:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Courchevel, FRA, Streaming Peacock
4:00 a.m. FIS Europa Cup Women’s Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Ahrntal, Italy, Streaming, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Downhill - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Downhill - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Streaming Peacock
6:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom - LIVE, Courchevel, FRA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
6:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Courchevel, FRA, Streaming Peacock
7:00 a.m. FIS Europa Cup Women’s Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Ahrntal, Italy, Streaming, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
10:00 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Giant Slalom - Same Day Delayed Broadcast, Courchevel, FRA, Broadcast NBCSN

Back-to-back FIS Freeski Halfpipe World Champion and U.S. Freeski Team member Aaron Blunck recently caught up with Team USA's David Seigerman to discuss his renewed perspective on life after a bone-crushing crash during training camp this past October in Saas-Fee, Switzerland. 

 

 

 

 

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Aaron discussed his new appreciation of the little wins in life and relived his thought process following the devasting impact. Aaron also shared his experience at the 2020 Land Rover U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain, Calif., where he was seemingly unstoppable according to the judges and his fellow athletes.

"There was no one watching on this tentative October morning, no gallery of awestruck fans lining the halfpipe, no television analysts rendered agog by some cutting-edge aerial display. There were no flips, no twists, no corkscrews, none of the graceful acrobatics associated with Aaron Blunck, two-time defending world champion freestyle skier. For an athlete-artist whose canvas is mid-air, this one move on this solitary morning was decidedly pedestrian. But for Blunck, it was glorious." 

Read Full Story at TeamUSA.org

Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athlete, 2018 Olympian, and 2017 World Juniors Downhill Champion Alice Merryweather announced on Wednesday that she has been struggling with an eating disorder and will be taking a break from FIS Ski World Cup competition. 

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Alice formally announced she will take the time she needs to focus on health and happiness while pursuing intensive treatment. "Over the past few months, I have been struggling with an eating disorder," she stated. "It has beaten me down, broken my heart, drained me, and quite nearly destroyed my passion for the sport I love so dearly. Luckily, I am surrounded by some of the best people in the world who helped me come to terms with my disorder and encouraged me to seek help."

Alice, who has been focusing on the speed disciplines of super-G and downhill, as well as alpine combined, in recent years on the World Cup, attended prep period camps in September with the Team, and she said during the camp at Saas-Fee, Switzerland she had felt like she had "lost all of my life for the sport of ski racing." While training at Official Training Site in Copper Mountain, Colo., Alice made the decision to go to treatment, hence her absence at the U.S. Alpine Championships at Copper Mountain. 

While the the rest of her team traveled to Europe for the World Cup kickoff in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Alice remained stateside and in treatment. She said, "I’m not sure how long this journey will take, but I’m putting my health and happiness first and taking things one step at a time. I’m optimistic that by putting in the work in treatment right now, I’ll be back stronger than ever when the time comes."

By sharing her story, Alice hopes to help dispel the stigma associated with mental health and eating disorders. "I want to encourage anyone who is struggling with their mental health or an eating disorder to reach out, and remind you that you’re not alone," she wrote. 

 

 

 

 

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Notes of encouragement came through from teammates and friends on social media and beyond, including two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin, who has very publicly dealt with her own struggles this year following the tragic passing of her father, Jeff. Mikaela shared, "Pain shows up in many different forms, and it's not always clear how to tend to the wounds or easy to make the decision *to* tend to them. Just remember that you are not alone, and showing vulnerability is not weakness, it is strength."

Alice, thank you for your courage, honesty, and transparency. We know your story will encourage others to be open and seek help if they are feeling the same way. Sending all of our love. 

The Davis U.S. Cross Country Team returns to World Cup action this weekend and welcomes Hannah Halvorsen back to the team for her first World Cup start after suffering injuries in a season-ending accident last year.

Davos, Switzerland, will host men and women’s freestyle sprint Saturday, and distance freestyle events Sunday—10k for the women and 15k for men. All events will be streamed live on NBC’s Peacock platform, and The Olympic Channel and NBCSN will provide a same-day broadcast of both events. 

Starters for Saturday’s freestyle sprint include Simi Hamilton, Kevin Bolger, Logan Hanneman, Gus Schumacher, Tyler Kornfield, JC Schoonmaker, Jessie Diggins, Sophie Caldwell Hamilton, Rosie Brennan, Julia Kern, Hailey Swirbul, and Hannah Halvorsen, who has spent the past 13 months recovering from injuries suffered when she was hit by a car walking across a downtown Anchorage street in Nov. 2019. 

“Just to be here and be able to put on a bib and step on the start line is a massive accomplishment,” Hannah said. “I have worked hard to get here, but certainly not on my own as I have been supported by the entire nordic community. As I head into this race, I feel a lot of things, but most powerfully, I feel happy, proud, and grateful.”

 

 

 

 

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Heading into this weekend, Hannah has a couple of goals in mind. The first, to enjoy the friendship and comradery of her teammates, including seeing Jula and Katharine, who along with Hailey, were members of the 2017 bronze-medal winning Junior World Championship Team. And secondly, putting forth her best effort in Saturday’s sprint. 

“I have felt strong and healthy in training, but I honestly have no clue how I will do result wise,” she said. “I don’t have expectations to earn a certain place, but I do expect myself to prepare mentally and physically to get on the start line ready to give my absolute best.”

Rosie enters Saturday’s race as the top U.S. woman on the overall World Cup Cross Country standings in fifth, following her fifth-place finish in the season-opening Ruka Triple. Jessie currently sits 15th overall and Hailey 29th. Jessie, Hailey, Julia, and Sophie all qualified for the heats at Davos last year, with Sophie finishing on the podium in third.

For Sunday’s 10k freestyle, starters include Jessie, Julia, Rosie, Hailey, Katharine, and Caitlin Patterson. On the men’s side, Simi, Kevin, and Gus will be joined by Scott Patterson, Ian Torchia, and Adam Martin. Heading into the weekend, Scott is the top-ranked American on the World Cup standings in 44th, followed by Gus in 46th.

Green Light for FIS Tour de Ski 
The FIS Tour de Ski was given green light as all health prevention plans of the local organizers in Val Müstair, Switzerland, Toblach, and Val di Fiemme, Italy, were approved by the respective governments. The Tour de Ski is scheduled for Jan. 1-10.

FIS Cross Country World Cup in Ulricehamn, Sweden, Rescheduled
To avoid additional international travel during January, FIS, together with the Swedish Ski Association and the Finnish Ski Association and all stakeholders, agreed that the Cross-Country World Cup competitions of Ulricehamn, Sweden, originally scheduled for January 16-17 will be rescheduled to February 6-7. 

U.S. Starters, World Cup Davos, Switzerland, Dec. 12-13
Saturday Freestyle Sprint
Women

• Jessie Diggins
• Sophie Caldwell Hamilton
• Julia Kern
• Hailey Swirbul
• Rosie Brennan
• Hannah Halvorsen

Men

• Simi Hamilton
• Kevin Bolger
• Logan Hanneman
• Gus Schumacher
• JC Schoonmaker
• Tyler Kornfield

Sunday Freestyle Distance
Women, 10k

• Jessie Diggins
• Rosie Brennan
• Julia Kern
• Hailey Swirbul
• Katharine Ogden
• Caitlin Patterson

 Men, 15k 

• Scott Patterson
• Simi Hamilton
• Gus Schumacher
• Ian Torchia
• Adam Martin
• Kevin Bolger

HOW TO WATCH
All times EST

Saturday, Dec. 12
7:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup Men and Women's Sprint - LIVE, Davos, SUI, Streaming Peacock
11:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup Men and Women's Sprint - Same Day Delayed Broadcast, Davos SUI, Broadcast Olympic Channel

Sunday, Dec. 13
4:45 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup Women's 10k - LIVE, Davos, SUI, Streaming Peacock
8:30 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup Men's 15k - LIVE, Davos, SUI, Streaming Peacock 

Monday, Dec. 14
12:00 a.m. FIS Cross Country World Cup Women's 10k - Next Day Delayed Broadcast, Davos, SUI, Broadcast NBCSN

Giro Sport Design, the leader in high-performance snow helmets and goggles, today announced a new four-year commitment to support athletes of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard as an official competition supplier of race helmets and goggles. In addition, Giro announced that Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team alumnus Daron Rahlves will serve as Giro’s liaison to the U.S. Ski Team, providing the next generation of ski racers invaluable insight into competition strategy. 

“We’re proud to support such an incredibly talented team of skiers and snowboarders and really look forward to growing our relationship over the next several years together,” commented Jim Heeney, Global Sports Marketing Manager at Giro. “And, to that end, we’re particularly thrilled about the role that Daron Rahlves will be able to play in helping to cement this relationship, offering the whole team—particularly the newest members—his vast reserve of expertise on everything from race technique to off season training. It’s a tremendous opportunity for us and the racers to have Daron out there.”

“Giro has been synonymous with advanced snow performance for over 30 years and we are thrilled to have their continued partnership,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Director, Jesse Hunt. “Giro’s attention to detail and commitment to superior protection and high-quality products enables our athletes to ski to the best of their ability on the world’s highest stages. We look forward to the next four years with Giro.”

With sights set on the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China, the involvement of Daron Rahlves will be an incredible asset to the athletes competing in these high-profile events. As one of the most decorated downhill skiers in American history, racers will be able to leverage his deep knowledge of courses, conditions and competitors. 

After heavy snowfall forced the postponement of Sunday’s giant slalom to Monday, the FIS Ski World Cup was luckier with the weather on Monday, and Tommy Ford led the way for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team, landing in second at Santa Caterina, Italy. 

Marco Odermatt of Switzerland skied a strong first run and was leading by 19 hundredths over Norway’s Leif Kristian Nestvold Haugen, with France’s Alexis Pinturault in third, and Tommy in fourth by .43 seconds. Croatia’s Filip Zubcic was sitting in 21st after the first run, but once again had a blazing-fast second run to move up to third. For a while, he looked unbeatable...until Tommy came down, skiing smooth and clean through the finish, into the lead by a mere .02 hundredths. Alexis and Leif up next...but they couldn’t catch Tommy, who landed in second, grabbing his third career podium. Marco skied beautifully, winning by .73 seconds, making him the first Swiss skier to win a men's giant slalom event in the World Cup since Carlo Janka in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on March 5, 2011.

The volunteers did an amazing job all weekend clearing the track and creating a great surface for the guys to push off of. “It was nice snow, the volunteers here did a great job...and I felt quite at home because of the falling snow,” Tommy reflected in the finish area after the race. “This is just like home at Mt. Bachelor [Oregon], and I’m just happy to be skiing here period...and happy to have a nice smooth two runs.”

Tommy's style is so chill, he almost looks like he's meditating in the start gate, and has been described as "Zen-like" by commentators, as he pushes out of the gate. Make no mistake...his signature calm and collected approach is deceptively fast. When told he looked like a “free-rider who really enjoyed his runs” by a reporter in the finish, Tommy laughed and replied, “Oh yeah, I mean—it’s all about enjoyment. I was arcing turns...this hill is made to arc on, like the whole way down, and I’m happy to ski on it.”

Due to shoulder and back injuries sustained this summer, Tommy’s already limited (due to COVID-19) summer prep period was further limited, and he ended up in 22nd at the World Cup opener in Soelden, Austria. He credits recent training at Official Training Site Copper Mountain, Colo. with getting him where he was this weekend, grabbing a sixth-place and second, respectively. 

“It’s been a progression, with not as much skiing as I would have liked this summer, but I had a good camp in Copper, and the coaches have been providing great training. I’ve been working with my mental coach, and we’ve been putting it together.” He continued, “I would say I’ve been experimenting for years, and my mental coach has really helped the last four years...he helped me find my self-confidence, and trust what I already know.” 

Ryan Cochran-Siegle was sitting in 27th after the first run and was having a strong second run before he went down on his hip and had a great recovery, ending up in 28th on the day and grabbing his first giant slalom points of the season. Ted Ligety, River Radamus, and Bridger Gile also started but did not qualify for the second run. 

Up next for the men will be a speed series at Val d’Isere, France, with a downhill on Dec. 12, followed by a super-G on Dec. 13. The men’s tech crew will have a training break, before heading to Alta Badia, Italy on Dec. 20-21 for giant slalom and slalom races, followed by a slalom under the lights at Madonna di Campiglio on Dec. 22. 

RESULTS
Men’s Giant Slalom

Winter has arrived in Europe...which is great because it's a snowy, winter wonderland—but also presents a challenge to FIS Ski World Cup organizers attempting to get safe and fair races off. 

After about 50 cm (19.6 inches) of snow fell on Friday into Saturday, Saturday's first of two super-G races were cancelled at St. Moritz, Switzerland. As the snow continued to fall Saturday in St. Moritz, the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF of Davos elevated the Engadine region of Switzerland to the high danger of avalanches. Due to the high level of danger, St. Moritz ski area decided to close the access and therefore cancel Sunday's super-G as well. 

Over in Santa Caterina, Italy, the men were able to hold a successful giant slalom race on Saturday despite nearly 40 cm (15.7 inches) of fresh snow that fell at the venue, though as snow continued to fall on Saturday into Sunday, it was decided by all stakeholders that the second of two giant slalom races scheduled for Sunday would be postponed until Monday, Dec. 7. 

The International Ski Federation (FIS) will announce any replacement competitions and venues as they are confirmed.

HOW TO WATCH 
*All times EST

Sunday, Dec. 6
4:30 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Slalom - Re-Air Nov. 21, Levi, FIN, Broadcast NBC

Monday, Dec. 7
4:00 a.m. FIS Alpine Ski World Cup men's giant slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Santa Caterina, ITA, Streaming Peacock
7:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's giant slalom - LIVE, Santa Caterina, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
7:00 a.m. FIS Alpine Ski World Cup men's giant slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Santa Caterina, ITA, Streaming Peacock

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For the 11th year running, the FIS Moguls World Cup tour kicked off in Ruka, Finland, Saturday. Jaelin Kauf led the U.S. Ski Team with a second-place podium finish, her best Opener result yet. She shared the podium with France’s Perrine Laffont, who earned the win, and Russia’s Anastasiia Smironva, who came in third. 

“I’m really stoked, I’m really happy,” she said in the finish area. “I accomplished exactly what I set out to today. I’m looking forward to competing more, building on that run, hopefully bringing in another new trick to the season as well.” Jaelin competed her new back mute grab on the top air and as the season gets underway, will look to bring in a new bottom air as well. 

The PowHERHouse turned it on and four American women qualified for finals: Kai Owens, Jaelin, Hannah Soar, and Tess Johnson. Sixteen-year-old Kai had a stand-out night with a career-best sixth place finish and her first World Cup super finals appearance. This was Kai’s first time on the Ruka course and she went up against a stacked female super finals field. 

“I’m feeling really good, I’m really excited to be out here competing,” said Kai of her night. “This is an awesome event and a great course. It’s an honor to compete with everyone, they’re all my idols still. It makes me super proud of myself and how far I’ve come so I’m excited to keep skiing this season.”

“[She] had one of the biggest bottom airs, men or women, today, especially in that qualifying round,” said Head Coach Matt Gnoza. “That really helped her set the tone throughout the day with that high qualifying position. Kai’s a hard worker and I think what something like this [result] does is make hard workers work harder. She’ll dig in even more to find out what it’s going to take to go from that fifth or sixth to that podium position.”

Hannah Soar ended the night in fifth and Tess Johnson in tenth. In her first World Cup start ever, Sabrina Cass finished in 23rd, and Madison Hogg, in her first World Cup start as a U.S. Ski Team member, came in 25th. 

On the men’s side, it was anyone’s game as reigning Moguls World Cup Champion Mikael Kingsbury did not compete due to injury. Japan’s Ikuma Horishima took first place, Switzerland’s Marco Tade came in second and Sweden’s Ludvig Fjallstrom rounded out the podium in third. 

Dylan Walczyk posted the best result for the Americans with a fourth place finish. “Dylan had good precision on the runs, making the tricks count and maximizing his turns,” said Matt. 

Brad Wilson and Nick Page both skied in finals, finishing ninth and 10th, respectively. This was Nick’s second career finals appearance and the 10th place matched his career-best from Deer Valley in 2020. He wowed the venue with a surprise cork 14 on his bottom air, making him the first American to throw the trick in international competition, and the third person overall to do so. 

“It was fun to be the third overall and the first American to [throw a cork 14],” Nick said. “I didn’t [think I was going to throw it tonight], I was coming into the year knowing it was an option. But coming into the day I wasn’t really planning on it. I hadn’t done any on the course. I wasn't thinking about it really today. I went into the finals and had nothing to lose.” Keep an eye on Nick as he continues to cut his teeth on the World Cup circuit. “He works very hard at his jumping and that carried him,” Matt said. “He had some of the higher jump scores all day, definitely the highest DD all day. He’s proving he’s going to be a force to reckon with.”

“[Today] was good, it was an event where the veterans were able to take advantage of their knowledge and experience and get the job done, such as with Jaelin’s second place, Dylan’s fourth, Hannah’s fifth and Brad’s ninth,” said Matt. “On the other hand, we saw the blossoming of a couple of new faces with Kai and Nick’s performances.”

With the season officially underway, one of the most unusual prep periods for the U.S. Moguls Team comes to a close. And although athletes were unable to get on snow for the majority of the last eight months, they are making up for it in taking advantage of every opportunity so far. “With more time on snow as we move through this crazy season we’ll see even more,” said Matt. “The team is moving in a good direction considering the prep that we’ve had.”

Moguls heads next to IdreFjäll, Sweden for two events, Moguls and Dual Moguls, Dec. 12 & 13. 

RESULTS
Women’s Moguls
Men’s Moguls

To support the U.S. Moguls Ski Team, please click here for more information. 

Update - Jan. 18

Fast & Loose with The Snow Report: In this new Instagram Live series, we are literally ‘catching up’ with some of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s most prolific athletes, keeping it fast and loose, getting to know who they are on and off the slopes. 

In a digital world, it’s almost an effortless task to find competition results and performance-based recaps. However, statistics, podiums, and results do not accurately depict the stars we see on TV and read about in the news. U.S. Ski & Snowboard and The Snow Report have combined forces to create Fast & Loose hosted by Out of Bounds Podcast founder Adam Jaber on Instagram Live. This interview series will help you get to know your favorite U.S. Ski & Snowboard characters beyond the bib.

First up: Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team’s Paula Moltzan.

Paula has experienced one career-best after another this season, including recently snagging her first World Cup podium—a second-place finish behind Slovakian powerhouse in the first and only parallel event of the year, at Lech Zuers, Austria. 

You could say Paula's path to the World Cup podium was unconventional. She grew up skiing at Buck Hill, Minnesota under the legendary Erich Sailer. She spoke about her humble beginnings after the race, "I started skiing because my parents were ski instructors at this tiny little hill in Minnesota [Buck Hill]," she continued, "and in the winter instead of going to daycare while they taught skiing, I'd just go join the lessons with them. I was the youngest of three, so I was just trying to keep up with my two siblings."

She was on the U.S. Ski Team, and in fact, was the first U.S. woman to win the junior slalom world champion title back in 2015...but when she didn't make criteria a year later, she opted to go to University of Vermont to ski for the Cats and continue her career. There, she not only was crowned NCAA Slalom Champion in 2017 but also found the joy of skiing again. Straddling both NCAA and the World Cup during the 2018-19 season, Paula found success once again at the World Cup level and achieved criteria for the U.S. Ski Team again in 2019-20. After a tough 2019-20 season, she worked tirelessly in the offseason, often doing two-a-day workouts...and all of that hard work has more than paid off. 

Tune in on Monday, Dec. 7 at 9:45 am MDT at @TheSnowReport on Instagram for the first of many interviews to come. 

Episode 1: Paula Moltzan

 

 

 

 

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Episode 2 - Aaron Blunck

 

 

 

 

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Episode 3 - Gus Schumacher

 

 

 

 

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