U.S. Ski and Snowboard nominates locals to Alpine and freestyle teams

Mikaela Shiffrin and River Radamus headline a large contingent of local athletes nominated to the U.S. Alpine and freestyle Ski Teams for the 2022-23 season. A May 9 U.S. Ski Team press release stated these nominations include active athletes who met “published selection criteria in the prior season.”

Ten athletes with ties to Ski and Snowboard Club Vail or Edwards, Avon or Vail were among the 42 Alpine nominations and comprised three of the 26 freestyle spots.

Shiffrin won her fourth overall World Cup globe in March and will look to add to her six world titles at the 2023 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Feb. 6-19 in Courchevel/Meribel, France.

Radamus enjoyed another improvement leap last season, finishing in the top 15 in the giant slalom season standings as well as a fourth place in the event at the Beijing Olympics.

Allie Resnick and Ava Sunshine Jemison, who earned a super-G silver medal at the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships, were notable jumps from the D team to the B team after consistently strong results throughout the 2021-22 season.

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“It has been great to hit the ground running with the camps at our official training site in Mammoth, and see the potential this group of athletes has,” new Alpine Director Patrick Riml told Megan Harrod of U.S. Ski and Snowboard.

“We have a solid group of veterans who have yet to see their full potential, as well as a promising group of young athletes coming up through the ranks. I’m excited to see what they can do, and I’m even more excited to do what I can to help them reach their potential.”

SSCV athletes Kjersti Moritz and Kaitlin Keane were new selections to the U.S. Ski Team, earning D team nominations. Keane won the National Junior Championship in the super-G at Vail Mountain on March 4, while Moritz came in third. Moritz, who also balances soccer with ski racing — VMS began the state playoffs on Thursday — won the giant slalom and placed second in the slalom at those championships as well.

U.S. Ski and Snowboard stated that “A 2022-23 staff announcement will be forthcoming, while an official U.S. Alpine Ski Team announcement will be made in the fall.”

The 2022-23 season begins with the Soelden (Austria) giant slaloms Oct. 22-23.

Elizabeth Lemley joins SSCV Olympic mogul skiers Tess Johnson and Kai Owens on the U.S. mogul team, which was announced on May 11. Lemley had been on the D team since 2021 and won the World Junior moguls title in Chiesa in Valmalenco (Italy) on March 25. She was also second in the dual moguls event. In her first World Cup in Tremblant Jan. 7, she placed fourth.

“The athletes nominated to the 2022-23 U.S. Freestyle Ski Team represent an exciting mix of Olympic medalists, accomplished veterans, and new rookie blood,” said Matt Gnoza, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Development Director, to Lara Carlton.

“We embark on this new Olympic quad cycle with a ton of momentum and I look forward to watching our aerials and moguls skiers continue to be leaders in their disciplines both on and off the hill.”

Athletes who accept nomination receive “world-class program support, along with access to the USANA Center of Excellence, as well as athletic benefits including elite coaching, sport science, sports medicine, high performance staff and education opportunities,” according to the press release.

The FIS World Cup calendar is yet to be confirmed, though the 2023 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard Championships are scheduled for Feb. 20-March 3 in Bakuriani, Georgia.