Vail, CO – Olympic gold medalists Lindsey Vonn, Bode Miller, Julia Mancuso and Ted Ligety along with Olympic bronze medalist Andrew Weibrecht headline the 2011 U.S. Alpine Ski Team named Saturday in Vail. A huge crowd of over 1,000 packed the streets for the announcement in Vail Plaza.nThe first-of-its-kind public celebration continued Vail’s storied commitment to skiing. The 2015 FIS Alpine World Championships will be held in Vail and Beaver Creek Feb. 3-15, 2015 – dates confirmed by the International Ski Federation meeting earlier in the day in Switzerland. It will be the third time the Vail Valley will host alpine’s premier biennial event.
The 49 member Team also features World Cup winners Sarah Schleper, Steven Nyman and Marco Sullivan, for a total of 22 Olympians.
“I’m excited about the group we’ve put together,” said third-year men’s Head Coach Sasha Rearick. “There is an incredible diversity of experience with guys like Bode, Ted, Steven and Marco. Then we have younger guys who are showing they have speed and are ready to take the next step.”
“Starting with the camps this summer, things have been going really well,” added women’s Head Coach Alex Hoedlmoser. “Lindsey and Julia are strong and eager to continue their Olympic success, but the rest of this group knows they can step up. Our group dynamics are great, the coaching staff is highly professional and because of that, this team has the opportunity to do some great things this season.”
The free public event, presented by Vail Resorts, drew a huge crowd of cheering fans in support of the U.S. stars wearing their new Spyder uniforms. Spyder has been providing performance race suits and outerwear to the U.S. Ski Team for over 20 years.
Continuing Olympic Success
Vonn enters the 2011 season as one of the most decorated alpine skiers in American history. In addition to 2010 Olympic gold and bronze medals, her resume also boasts three consecutive World Cup overall and downhill titles, two straight World Cup super G crowns and a 2010 crystal globe for super combined. She currently holds the American record for World Cup victories with 33 and will be looking to defend her double World Championships gold medals in downhill and super G.
“I’m really excited that Vail and the U.S. Ski Team put together this amazing event to name the 2011 team,” said Vonn. “It’s a cool way for our fans, both here in Vail and watching the event live on Universal Sports to get to know all the athletes on the team. Vail always puts on a great show and I think this will add a lot of excitement for people to continue to cheer us throughout the season.”
Miller returns for his 13th winter with the U.S. Ski Team following an inspired Olympics where he pushed his own limits to garner the full complement of hardware highlighted by a stunning gold in super combined. As the most decorated American male alpine skier, there are few marks for Miller to accomplish, yet for him, it’s not about wins, it’s about skiing with passion.
“It’s about doing what I like to do best,” said Miller. “It was never about the victories. Not at the beginning of my career and not now. I just love to ski, stay fit and encourage kids to get out and do the same.”
Mancuso enters the 2011 season driven by a double silver medal haul in Vancouver, which boosted her to the most successful female Olympic alpine skier in U.S. history. It also recharged her for a solid preparation period fueled by motivation to return to her spot among the World Cup elite.
Stepping up
“There aren’t any excuses,” said Hoedlmoser, who enters his 14th season with the women’s team. “Everyone did what they needed to do in the preparation period and we’re all really motivated. I’m expecting quite a bit. It’s time for some of these athletes to step up and make that breakthrough.”
Fresh off his Olympic super G bronze medal, and successful shoulder surgery Weibrecht will be eager to open the speed season to hunt for his first World Cup podium, while Ligety is looking to add to his second World Cup giant slalom title and upgrade his GS bronze from the 2009 World Championships.
“The work that the athletes put in this prep period is unprecedented,” added Rearick. “It’s something I’m proud of, but I’m also proud of the work this coaching staff has done. We’re excited to continue that execution as a team throughout the World Cup and World Championship year.”
Major calendar events to watch this season are the Aspen Winternational set for Thanksgiving weekend in Aspen, Colo., featuring Vonn, Mancuso and the full complement of international stars. American men take to the slopes just down the road in Beaver Creek Dec. 3-5 for the annual Birds of Prey races, where Miller, Ligety and Nyman have been podium staples.
The 2011 FIS Alpine World Championships are set for Feb. 8-20 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
2011 U.S. Alpine Ski Team
(Name, Hometown, Club, Skis, Boots, Bindings, Date of Birth) – *Denotes Olympian
A Team
Men
- Jimmy Cochran, Keene, NH, Cochran’s/Mount Mansfield Ski & Snowboard Club (Voelkl, Fischer, Marker) 5/29/1981*
- TJ Lanning, Park City, UT, Park City Ski Team (Head, Head, Head) 7/03/1984
- Ted Ligety, Park City, UT, Park City Ski Team (Head, Head, Head) 8/31/1984*
- Bode Miller, Franconia, NH, Carrabassett Valley Academy/Franconia Ski Club (Head, Head, Head) 10/12/1977*
- Marco Sullivan, Squaw Valley, CA (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol) 4/27/1980*
- Andrew Weibrecht, Lake Placid, NY, New York Ski Education Foundation (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 4/7/1988*
Women
- Stacey Cook, Mammoth Mountain, CA, Mammoth Mountain Ski Team (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 7/3/1984*
- Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA, Squaw Valley Ski Team (Voelkl, Lange, Marker) 3/9/1984*
- Alice McKennis, Glenwood Springs, CO, Rowmark Ski Academy (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 8/19/1989*
- Sarah Schleper, Vail, CO, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 2/19/1979*
- Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (Head, Head, Head) 10/18/1984*
B Team
Men
- Thomas Biesemeyer, Keene, NY, New York Ski Education Foundation (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 1/30/1989
- Will Brandenburg, Spokane, WA, Schweitzer Alpine Racing (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer) 1/01/1987*
- Erik Fisher, Middleton, ID, Bogus Basin (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 3/21/85*
- Tommy Ford, Bend, OR, Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer) 3/20/89*
- Travis Ganong, Squaw Valley, CA, Squaw Valley Ski Team (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 7/14/1988
- Tim Jitloff, Reno, NV, Park City Ski Team (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer) 1/11/1985*
- Nolan Kasper, Warren, VT, Burke Mountain Academy (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol) 3/27/1989*
- Cody Marshall, Pittsfield, VT, Burke Mountain Academy (Blizzard, Tecnica, Marker) 11/15/1982
- Steven Nyman, Heber, UT, Park City Ski Team/Sundance (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer) 2/12/1982*
Women
- Hailey Duke, Boise, ID, Park City Ski Education
- Foundation (Voelkl, Fischer, Marker) 9/17/1985*
- Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT, Burke Mountain Academy (Head, Head, Head) 8/14/1986*
- Megan McJames, Park City, UT, Park City Ski Education Foundation (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer) 9/24/1987*
- Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 8/17/1988
- Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, Washington Valley Ski Team (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol) 5/28/1987*
- Resi Stiegler, Jackson Hole, WY, Park City Ski Team (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol) 11/14/1984*
C Team
Men
- Michael Ankeny, Deephaven, MN, Buck Hill Ski Team (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer) 1/17/1991
- Colby Granstrom, Lake Stevens, WA, Mission Ridge Ski Education Foundation (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer) 9/21/1990
- Will Gregorak, Longmont, CO, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 9/30/1990
- Keith Moffat, Berkeley, CA, Squaw Valley Ski Team (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 2/3/1991
- Andrew Phillips, Sandy, UT, Park City Ski Team (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol) 5/18/1989
Women
- Julia Ford, Plymouth, NH, Holderness Ski Team (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 3/30/1990
- Kiley Staples, Park City, UT, Rowmark Ski Academy (Head, Head, Head) 2/2/1989
Development Team
Men
- Keiffer Christianson, Anchorage, AK, Burke Mountain Academy (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol) 8/11/1992
- Ryan Cochran-Siegle, Starksboro, VT, Mt. Mansfield Ski Club (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 3/27/1992
- Nick Daniels, Tahoe City, CA, Squaw Valley Ski Team (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 4/5/1991
- Jared Goldberg, Holladay, UT, Team Flow (Head, Head, Head) 6/17/1991
- Max Marno, Steamboat Springs, CO, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 3/17/1991
- Brennan Rubie, Salt Lake City, UT, Snowbird Ski Team (Nordica, Nordica, Marker) 4/8/1991
- Hunter Schleper, Vail, CO, Iced Out Racing (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol)
- Scott Snow, Sagle, ID, Independence Racing (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 7/8/1993
Women
- Vanessa Berther, Bellevue, WA, Team Alpental Snoqualmie (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 2/11/1992
- Rose Caston, Salt Lake City, Park City Ski Team (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 7/26/1992
- Devin Delaney, North Conway, NH, Green Mountain Valley School (Atomic, Atomic, Atomic) 2/24/1991
- Abigail Fucigna, Hopkinton, MA, Burke Mountain Academy (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol) 1/9/1991
- Abby Ghent, Edwards, CO, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (Rossignol, Rossignol, Rossignol) 9/25/1992
- Lizzie Kistler, Santa Rosa, CA, Burke Mountain Academy (Rossignol, Lange, Rossignol) 11/2/1992
- Anna Marno, Steamboat Springs, CO, Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (Nordica, Nordica, Marker) 11/23/1992
- Foreste Peterson, Berkeley, CA, Sugar Bowl Ski Team (Fischer, Fischer, Fischer) 9/9/1993