Vonn grabs second gold, becomes best American female ever!

Tamera McKinney has long been the most decorated woman ever to race for the United States. Sure, Picabo Street made a run for the same claim back in the mid-late 1990s, but with an overall World Cup title, 18 career wins, and a gold in the 1989 World Championships combined, McKinney was in a class all by herself.

Last week, fellow American Lindsay Vonn tied McKinney’s mark when she notched her 18th career WC win. A few days later she won the super giant slalom at the World Championships, and then today she finally eclipsed the legendary McKinney with a gold in the Woman’s downhill.

With a slid lead in the overall season standings and the simple fact she’s still quite young, Lindsay Vonn has already become the most decorated U.S. female skier ever. Time will tell what other accolades she adds to that list.

Where's Bode this summer?

While it’s easy to find out what the U.S. Ski Team is up to, the top American male alpine skier might be a little more obscure these days. Sure, Bode Miller and his Team America will be front and center of newspapers once the season starts and he attempts to defend his overall crown, but for now, the outspoken World Cup Overall Champion is laying low. Having lost two of his coaches from last year, we know that Forest Carey will return and Bode has been hard at work in New Hampshire taking care of his organic farm and playing a lot of tennis. So while you may not hear about his exploits on the snowfields of New Zealand, he’ll surely be ready to race once the season starts. I don’t care if he says he’s 50-50 on whether he’ll race, he will. As long as he thinks he can ski well and win races, he’ll race, and for at least the foreseeable future, it will be without the backing of the U.S. Ski Team.

The U.S. Men take their show to New Zealand for on the snow training!

While most of us are only dreaming of being on the slopes right about now, the men’s U.S Ski Team has been hard at work in New Zealand preparing for the upcoming World Cup and Europa Cup seasons. In all, 17 of America’s best have been training slalom and giant slalom on Coronet Peak and are said to be in good form. While speed courses such as super-g and downhill can’t be maintained and even full-length training courses have been hampered by heavy snowfall and poor weather, this extra time on the snow at the end of the summer and dryland training is an aspect of the off season that the Europeans seem to take for granted. It takes a lot of extra commitment and even more money to make this happen, but coming off the best single season for American skiers, the off season tactics seem to be paying dividends and everyone is looking forward to a strong effort with the opening giant slalom in Solden, Austria in October.

World Cup Alpine Racers Gearing Up For 08/09 Season!

With the first event of the 2008/2009 World Cup season coming up in Austria in October, racers from around the world are fine-tuning their skis and their skills for the year. After months of dry land training and little rest, most countries have their racers training on glaciers from New Zealand to Austria. While glacier training is great for the technical events such as slalom and giant slalom, the speed events usually get left out of the regimen until the season starts and early season training facilities prepare courses. With little news out of any camps this summer, it's hard to pick clear favorites for the overalls, but one would have to think that if Bode Miller decides to race - and has replaced his coaches - he will be at or near the top of the standings. On the women's side, there is no reason to think that Lindsay Vonn's success from last season won't carry over to this year, but I would think that among the strong contingent of Europeans, American Julia Mancuso is going to want to bounce back form an up and down season last year.

Sweetser finally cracks the top 10 at Nationals!

After going five years without a breakthough performance at the national level, Sam Sweetser of Cumberland, Maine - and son of Ski Maine Association Executive Director, Greg Sweetser - finally cracked the top 10 on Monday in the men's downhill at Sugarloaf, Maine. Sweetser knew going into the event that it may be his last, especially without a top result, but was happy to be least attempted it on a mountain he grew up racing and knows well. The 5th place finish is Sweeter's best career result in the downhill, which was won by T.J. Lanning, the surprise winner who also captured the combined gold.

Miller Snubs Maine Faithful!

One week removed from hoisting two crystal globes - one for the men's combined alpine skiing season title and the other for the men's overall, Bode Miller has apparently had enough skiing and press. As the annual U.S. National Alpine Championships begun at Sugarloaf, Maine, Miller was elsewhere. Having attended Carrabassett Valley Academy at the base of the mountain, Miller is a fan favorite and idol to many aspiring racers and recreational skiers alike in the part of the country, but apparently 7 months on the World Cup circuit was enough as Miller's agent confirmed that he was off to a sunny and warm place to relax after the season. I guess one more week was too much to ask from a guy who gained a lot from this mountain community. Quite frankly, it's sad, but thankful fans will get to see the women's downhill and overall champion, Lindsay Vonn in action, as she arrived for the week-long event. Ted Ligety, who won the giant slalom title in the last week of competition is home in Utah having a hand injury evaluated.
And typical of Maine weather, the downhill, which was slated for both men and women for Saturday will at least be postponed due to variable course conditions, high winds, and blowing snow.

Sugarloaf gears up for Alpine Championships

The U.S. National Alpine Championships are set to begin on Wednesday, March 19th at Sugarloaf, Maine. After capturing 5 crystal globes this past week for perhaps its’ best season ever, American skiers will converge on this western Maine resort for the 4th time since 1996 for the annual National Championships. Sugarloaf is home to Carrabassett Valley Academy, which is the alma mater of newly crowned overall World Cup winner, Bode Miller. The event will run through Wednesday, March 26th. As of today, all the stars from the U.S. Ski Team, as well as Bode Miller were expected to attend the races, which were last help at Sugarloaf in 2006.

Vonn & Miller Clinch Over World Cup Globes!

It was March 1983, 25 years ago when Sports Illustrated published a magazine with Phil Mahre and Tamera McKinney on the cover together. Who, you ask? Phil and Tamera had just become the first US skiers to win the overall Alpine World Cup skiing titles in the same year. Given the yearly dominance of the Europeans, it was the first and the last time this had happened until today. It should also be noted that a male and a female form the same country winning in the same year almost never happens, regardless of what countries they represent. Regardless, with strong finished in the giant slalom and slalom respectively, Bode Miller and Lindsay Vonn both clinched the overall titles today. While there will be much more on this later, especially as Miller, who skis for the US, doesn’t ski for the US Ski Team; however, another American clichéd a title today as 2006 Combined Olympic Gold Medalist, Ted Ligety, won the final giant slalom, which was not only his second win in a month, but earned him the giant slalom globe. Ligety’s title makes it four title for the Americans this year. These include the two overalls and Lindsay Vonn’s Downhill title.

Of note, Miller only trailed Didier Cuche of Switzerland by five points prior to Wednesday’s scheduled downhill, which was cancelled due to weather. The cancellation gave Cuche the title. Something tells me Miller isn’t all that upset.

A great weekend for U.S men in Chamonix!

Skiers from the United States swept the top spots at both alpine events this past weekend in Chamonix, France. Now don't get confused; I didn't say that the U.S. Ski Team took both top spots 'cause in the era of Team America and a Bode-less USST, things can get a little wacky, but the fact of the matter is that Marco Sullivan, who has been long overdue, screamed to his first World Cup win in the downhill. On Sunday, Bode Miller won his 29th career race with a 1st in the super-combined. This was the second combined win in a row for Miller and put him back atop the overall WC standings, passing Austrian Benjamin Reich and Swiss downhiller Didier Cuche.

The U.S. Ski Team moves ahead without Bode - looks to youth for the future

One of the biggest stories in ski racing this year leading up to the season has been Bode Miller leaving the U.S. Ski Team to train by himself. While FIS rules state that he must don the US Ski Team attire during races and official training, the break from the team has allowed him to live outside the recent rules, which many feel were geared towards reeling him in and policing his behavior.
Whereas I was a Bode fan for a while, I had certainly strayed from being a loyal supporter except for the fact he has represented the team and garnered many of our Nations Cup points. Whereas he has some great results and legions of followers, I’ll always have much more admiration for the likes of Daron Rahlves, who while shy and always seemingly the underdog, exemplified what representing ones’ country should be about. And while Daron decided to call it a career a couple years back after cementing himself as America’s winningest downhiller, a new generation is ready to step forward and take over.
While last year saw the emergence of Steve Nyman as a threat to the Austrians in the speed events, Marco Sullivan (Seen in above, on the right) captured his first career podium on Saturday at Lake Louise, Canada with a spectacular second place finish. And while Nyman rounded out the points scoring by coming in 15th, Miller, otherwise known as “Team America,” was a distant 20th after some fast training runs. Add those two impressive early season finishes with a constantly improving T.J. Lanning and the more technical oriented Olympic Gold Medalist, Ted Ligety, and The U.S. Ski Team should have a bright future ahead.