Durango, CO – A coalition of Olympic and X Games Gold Medalists and World Champions have launched a crowdfunding campaign to complete development of Ski Nation, a mobile application and independent skier network that will debut during the 2013-14 winter season in time for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
“Ski Nation is for all skiers regardless of age, experience, skill, or their home mountain,” explains Olympic Gold Medalist, four-time World Champion and co-founder of Ski Nation, Ted Ligety. Ligety is one of more than a dozen world-class athletes seeking grassroots support to raise $300,000 for final development of the mobile app. Former U.S. Ski Team member Jack Turner, and his business partner, Victoria Ossola, assembled the athlete coalition. Supporters can pledge at www.SkiNation.com.
The Ski Nation mobile app will be free and work universally at major ski resorts, local ski hills and Nordic centers. The app creates a lifetime record of places where users have skied, and permits industry companies to send information, offers and discounts to users with their pre-approved permission. Ski Nation provides a unique platform for the ski industry to connect with skiers, but it is not controlled by one resort, manufacturer, media company, or marketing agency. As such, it permits the free flow of information between skiers and all industry segments and gives small ski operators a chance to participate in the mobile app arena.
Early contributors to the Ski Nation crowdfunding campaign will be able to participate in the final build-out of the mobile app, collect limited edition digital pins, and receive advance app support, free lifetime upgrades, and other exclusive benefits. The Ski Nation campaign is an all-or-nothing proposition; contributors will only be charged when the campaign goal of $300,000 is reached.
Ski Nation Founding Skiers:
- Alana Nichols – Alpine; Paralympic & World Champion
- Billy Demong – Nordic; Olympic & World Champion
- Bode Miller – Alpine Skiing; Olympic & World Champion
- Franz Weber – Speed Skiing; World Champion
- Hannah Kearney – Freestyle; Olympic & World Champion
- Kikkan Randall – Cross Country; World Champion
- Maddie Bowman – Freeride; X Games Champion
- Sammy Carlson – Freeride; X Games Champion
- Sarah Hendrickson – Ski Jumping; World Champion
- Simon Dumont – Freeride; X Games Champion
- Tanner Hall – Freeride; X Games Champion
- Ted Ligety – Alpine Skiing; Olympic & World Champion
- Tom Wallisch – Freeride; X Games Champion
- Wendy Fisher – Extreme Skiing; World Champion
- Jack Turner – Alpine, Jumping, XC; Skier
- Victoria Ossola – Skier