SVSEF Wins Overall Team Award at Intermountain Youth Championships
By Kelley Sinnott, SVSEF XC Assistant Program Director and Head Prep Team Coach
Fifty-three SVSEF XC Prep and XC Devo skiers traveled to McCall, ID for two days of racing as part of the Intermountain Youth Championships. Skiers, coaches and parents toughed out the cold Saturday morning for interval start skate distance races, followed by a skier-X obstacle course race under the sun in the afternoon.
Sunday was a snowy morning for mass start distance classic races. As the largest team at the event, SVSEF had boys and girls competing in every age class from U14 to U8 including one U16/novice gal, and SVSEF walked away with the Overall Team award!
"My biggest takeaway from the weekend was my appreciation for all of our skiers and parents for their enthusiasm and energy all weekend," said Kelley Sinnott, SVSEF XC Prep Team Head Coach. "In moments when we weren’t the fastest skiers, we were still the happiest! The excitement for skiing and ski culture was alive and well this weekend and it was awesome to be part of it."
At the final awards ceremony, the Intermountain Division awarded the IMD U14 cup. This was a final ranking of U14 top 10 skiers after a full season of racing. Skiers were ranked based on their top three races from the season. In the U14 cup, SVSEF’s Charlie St. George was 2nd and McCallen Campbell was 5th.
SVSEF Result Highlights:
U8F Hazel Schmidt 1st in skate, 1st in classic, and 2nd in the skier-X
Skate distance – U14M Charlie St. George 5th, U14F Eavan Brown 20th, U12M Bailey Kurtz 9th, U12F Stella St. George 4th, Sydney Nelson 5th, U10M Jeddidiah Schmidt 4th, U10F Payton Daley Scheingraber 3rd, U8M Ford Ramsay 2nd, Spencer Flynn 3rd.
Skier-X – U14M Charlie St.George 7th, U14F Riley Siegel 21st, U12M Jake Jacoby 10th, Stella St. George 6th, Sydeny Nelson 7th , U10M Jedidiah Schmidt 5th , U10F Payton Daley-Scheingraber 3rd, Nina O’Sullivan 4th, U8F Hazel Schmidt 2nd
Classic distance – U14M Charlie St. George 13, U14F Riley Siegel 24th U12F Stella St.George 4th, Sydney Nelson 7th, U12M Baliey Kurtz 10th, U10F Nina Osullivan 5th, Payton Daley-Scheingraber 6th,U10M Jedidiah Schmidt 7th, Cody Lloyd 8th, Jack Flynn 9th, U8F Hazel Schmidt 1st, U8M Ramsay Ford 2nd, Spencer Flynn 3rd
Full results from the weekend : http://summittiming.net/races/race_results.php
Lowie Watkins and Karsten Schillinger Take the Win at 31st Annual Laura Flood Memorial Race
IMC U16 Qualifier Showcases Many of the Best U16 Athletes in the Region
SUN VALLEY, Idaho – Feb. 28, 2022 – More than 150 athletes from around the region traveled to Sun Valley for the 31st Annual Laura Flood Memorial Race held Feb. 25-27. The race also served as an IMC U16 qualifier. At the conclusion of the weekend, the Laura Flood Memorial Race Perpetual Trophy was presented to the top U16 female and male skier after two giant slalom and one slalom race. SVSEF’s Lowie Watkins took the overall win for the women, and Romark Ski Academy’s Karsten Schillinger for the men.
Lowie Watkins was in top form taking 3rd in Friday’s giant slalom, 1st in Saturday’s giant slalom, and 4th in Sunday’s slalom. Watkins started skiing at the age of three, and has skied for SVSEF since the second grade. She started on the Mini World Cup team and has worked her way up through the North Series and IMD teams, and is now skiing for SVSEF’s USSA team as a U16 athlete. Following the event, Watkins said, “I’ve been working at this sport for a long time. It was great to have such a successful weekend especially in my home town.”
When asked what the best advice is that she’s received from a coach, Watkins shared, “training is the time to push yourself and acquire new skills and races are the time to use those skills.”
“The USSA Staff was very proud of our team this weekend,” said Nate Schwing, SVSEF USSA Head Team Coach. “It was very rewarding to see the many hours of training we put in result in an inspiring display of skiing and camaraderie from the group over the weekend! The team represented very well on our home hill in front of friends and family!”
Over the three days, SVSEF took home 18 podiums including six in the Open (U18) category and 12 in the U16 category. Awards were given to top three in the U18 category and top five for U16. In the U18 Men’s Giant Slalom, SVSEF swept the podium in both races. On Friday, it was Carter Sammis, Nicolas Tilander, and Cole Curci taking one, two, three; and on Saturday, it was Shaw McCoubrey, Nicolas Tilander, and Halston Wilkey in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively.
Max Meucci had a solid weekend taking 1st place in Friday’s U16 giant slalom and 2nd in Sunday’s slalom. In the women’s U16 slalom, three of the five podium steps went to SVSEF with Natalie Gowe in 2nd place, Lowie Watkins in 4th, and Taylor Hovey in 5th. Gowe also took 5th in Saturday’s giant slalom, 3.29 seconds back from Lowie Watkins in 1st. Meredith Bromley took the top step in Friday’s U16 giant slalom with her teammate Watkins just 0.82 seconds behind in 3rd place. Alan Dugan raced to 5th in Friday’s U16 giant slalom and Will Kogelman 4th in Sunday’s slalom to round out the successful weekend for SVSEF.
The Laura Flood Memorial Race holds a very special place in the ski racing and local community, held each year in memory of Laura Flood. Laura lost her life during a ski training accident at the age of nineteen while racing for the University of Colorado. The Race is made possible through the efforts of the entire community—the Flood family, coaches, volunteers, families, athletes, and of course Sun Valley Company and everything they do to help ensure an incredible race venue.
For complete event results, visit: https://www.imdalpine.org/news/2022-Laura-Flood-results-are-in/
Photo: Tim Carter
Sammy Smith Skates to 5th at Junior Worlds
SVSEF XC Comp Team athlete, Sammy Smith, took 5th in the Individual Skate Sprint at Junior World Cross Country Ski Championships in Lygna, Norway on Sunday. She qualified 8th in the prelim then advanced through the quarters and semis into the final where she finished 5th.
SVSEF XC Post Grad Coach, Paul Smith, is at the Junior World Championships working with the U.S. Ski Team Staff in ski service support. He shared the following about Sammy:
"I think the most impressive thing from Sammy's performance was her aggressive attitude, particularly the way she prepared mentally and skied the fast courses here in Lygna. Always watching, always learning. This was apparent with all our staff and even foreign coaches who took notice the way she handled pressure and the unknown; this being her first World Juniors at the age of 16 competing against many 18- and 19-year-olds who have 'been there done that.' To succeed at that level, you can't have any fear of the outcome and that was one of the keys in her success. The best part for me just observing all of this was how much FUN she had."
Smith added, "You have to look back quite far but I believe yesterday's race might be the best female sprint result for the U.S. at a World Juniors."
SVSEF Snowboarding Team Hits the Woodward Park City Super Pipe
By Andy Gilbert, SVSEF Snowboarding Program Director and Head Coach
SVSEF Snowboarding Team Riders were back at Woodward Park City for a halfpipe camp and USASA Big Mt. West halfpipe events Feb 25-26.
Even with lack of a halfpipe locally learning how to ride transitions is a necessary skill in building great, well rounded riders. SVSEF Snowboard Coaches Nate Sheehan and Andy Gilbert took the team down to the freshly open 22-foot super pipe. In typical Sun Valley Snowboarder fashion, riders took to the pipe with no hesitation during the Friday training day. The team was also able to gain some practical knowledge from U.S. Snowboard Team Halfpipe Head Coach, Rick Shimpeno—just back from Beijing, he came out to work with the kids.
After a great day of training, riders were able to put these new skills to work in the two events scheduled for Saturday. Everyone continued to build on each run they took during practice, showing solid straight airs with grabs, Alley Oops and bigger amplitude as the first event started.
The youngest riders, Enzo Schmillen and Rory Gadhia, showed great fundamentals and got creative with some spins up the pipe in their runs. Miles Hatzenbuehler and Henry Georgiades rode really solid lines in the pipe with “Hatz” doing some nice methods, Henry showed a ton of potential in this discipline looking confident on both walls with nice straight airs, Naomi Gorringe rode in her traditional confident way with an aggressive line that had her only getting five hits with big grabbed straight airs, which earned her the top podium spot. Karsen Miller who discover a love for halfpipe last season wasted no time getting to business.
Halfpipe #1 shook out like this for SV Riders:
Menehune Boys 11-12
5th Miles Hatzenbuehler
6th Henry Georgiades
7th Enzo Schmillen
8th Rory Gadhia
Menehune Girls 11-12
1st Naomi Gorringe
Breaker Boys 13-14
4th Karsen Miller
Keeping with the theme of building up, riders continued to progress as the second pipe event of the day began. Everyone wanted to step up their runs by adding amplitude and some creative spins to the mix. Enzo Schmillen added an Alley Oop comp to the bottom of this run, Rory Gadhia continued to improve and grabbed his airs all the way down the pipe and took some risks with spins near the bottom. Henry Georgiades really stepped up with solid airs and looked smooth between the walls riding a nice line. Miles Hatzenbuhler smoothed out his run with noticed improvement. Naomi Gorringe was at it again riding faster, going bigger, and adding a frontside 360 to her run—grabbing the top spot again. Karsen Miller could touch the podium in the first contest, so after landing a solid first run in the second comp he went for it, landed a really nice 540 on his second run, and boosted onto the podium in the process!
It was a great three days of learning in an awesome halfpipe. Halfpipe is a discipline that Sun Valley riders have always done well in, and the skills learned riding Baldy lend themselves to it very well. It was really inspiring to see these young riders take to it and love every minute of it!
Halfpipe #2 SV Results:
Menehune Boys 11-12
6th Henry Georgiades
7th Enzo Schmillen
8th Miles Hatzenbuehler
9th Rory Gadhia
Menehune Girls 11-12
1st Naomi Gorringe
Breaker Boys 13-14
3rd Karsen Miller
Feature Photo: U.S. Snowboard Team Halfpipe Coach w/SVSEF Snowboard team riders L-R - Miles Hatzenbuehler, Karsen Miller, Rory Gadhia, Shimpeno, Enzo Schmillen, Naomi Gorringe.
Maya Lightner, Colin Hanna, and Finnigan Donley Find Gold at Schweitzer
SVSEF Takes Top Step in Four of Eight Races at FIS Western Region Speed Series
SUN VALLEY, Idaho – Feb. 21, 2022 – The SVSEF FIS Alpine Team traveled to Schweitzer Mountain Resort for the Western Region Speed Series from Feb. 15-18, bringing home eight podium spots including four gold, two silver, and two bronze. The Series was comprised of two Downhill (DH) and two Super G (SG) races for both the men and women.
Mother Nature dealt everything she could at the athletes over the course of the week. From consistent snow and fog, to respites of sunshine, high winds, and a few squalls thrown in—the weather posed struggles for everyone but the kids did a great job, stayed focused, and skied fast and strong.
“The FIS Team is heavy into the middle of the season where races are counting for Junior and Senior Nationals qualifying,” said Sue Schwartz, SVSEF FIS Coach. “The athletes are super supportive of each other. We’ve been able to work together during the week, celebrate the wins, and even more so, come together as a team. The performances are showing the strength we have across our team—from the podiums, to those racing to their personal bests and landing top 15, 20, or even top 30 results—all are a huge accomplishment at this level of competition.”
Many of the athletes who competed at Schweitzer attended the recent SVSEF Speed Project at Soldier Mountain earlier in February. It was an opportunity for the athletes to spend time on their speed skis and work on jumping fundamentals and the ability to stay fast over a variety of terrain.
“The Soldier Mountain Speed Project was a really important part of the athletes’ speed progression this season,” said Schwartz. “The Downhill course at Schweitzer had two jumps, a long gliding section, and a lot of terrain to work with, and our athletes brought what they learned and practiced at Soldier directly to their results at this regional Speed Series.”
The event kicked off with the first Women’s Downhill on Feb. 15, but the men’s race was delayed until the second day due to foggy conditions. Maya Lightner skied away with two podium finishes—3rd place in the first Women’s Downhill and 1st place in the second race. Paige DeHart took 6th in race one and 15th in race two, while Cameron Crus skied to 7th and 12th respectively. Lauren Stendell earned the 23rd spot in both Women’s Downhill races.
In the Men’s Downhill, Colin Hanna took the overall win for both races held on Feb. 16. Finnigan Donley grabbed 7th and 5th place respectively, while Nils Galloway took 16th and 14th place, and Robby Cullen had a personal best starting in bib 54 and landing in 16th place in the second downhill after placing 26th in the first race. Kai Subith nailed two top 25 finishes in 24th and 21st.
The next two days would test the athletes’ speed at Super G. For the women, Paige DeHart took 3rd in the women’s first Super G race, with Maya Lightner in 10th, Jessica Blackburn in 18th, Logan Lindstrom 24th and Lauren Stendell sneaking into the top 30 in 28th. Maya Lightner returned to the podium in the women’s second Super G race taking 2nd, with Paige DeHart in 4th, Jessica Blackburn 13th after a bib 51 start, Lauren Stendell 28th and Logan Lindstrom 29th.
For the Men’s Super G, Finnigan Donley took 5th in race one and raced to the win in race two. Colin Hanna found 7th in the first race and joined his teammate on the podium in 2nd for the second race. Nils Galloway moved up from 9th in race one to 6th in race two. Oliver Brockway landed twice in the top 20 in 16th and 11th over the two races. Kai Subith and Robby Cullen both skied to top 30 finishes in race two with Subith in 20th and Cullen in 28th.
Up next for the SVSEF FIS team, some athletes will be traveling to Snowbasin for a Super G/GS Series from Mar. 1-4, and those selected to represent the Intermountain Division at the U18 National Championships will be heading to Vail from Mar. 1-7.
For complete race results, visit: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/event-details.html?sectorcode=AL&eventid=50128&seasoncode=2022
2022 Quigley Cup Brings Out Glitter, Unicorns, and All The Best Things!
"A fabulous sunny Sunday at the Quigley Nordic Cup on Sunday! Over 75 skiers ranging in ages from 3 to 13 participated in a 1.5km or 2.5km race at Quigley Nordic! SVSEF XC teams joined up with the Papoose Club to bring the Cup back to Hailey, and what a day we had! Heartfelt thanks to all of our volunteers, sponsors, parents, skiers! Way to rock the 2022 Quigley Cup!"
—Martha Pendl, SVSEF XC Devo North Head Coach
2022 QUIGLEY CUP RESULTS
Erik Babcock 2x Duals Champion at 2022 Sun Valley Freestyle Spectacular
The Sun Valley Freestyle Spectacular provided a stellar showcase under bluebird skies on Roundhouse Jan. 29-30. SVSEF hosted the event, with more than 90 athletes competing from across the western region. Erik Babcock from the SVSEF Freestyle Team led the charge with a 1st place overall on Sunday in singles and pushed repeat for the win in men’s duals on Sunday to become the event’s two-time Duals Champion. Marek Ruttler landed in 8th place overall in Sunday’s duals. Tillie Babcock took home 3rd overall for the women in singles on Saturday and 6th overall in duals on Sunday. SVSEF had athletes on the podium in nearly every age group.
SVSEF Freestyle Program Director, John Grigsby said “It was great to see such a big turnout for this year’s Sun Valley Freestyle Spectacular. We’re incredibly grateful to Sun Valley for allowing us to build a world-class venue, and to all the parents and volunteers for their support over the course of the event. We had 30-plus athletes from SVSEF, which is the largest showing ever from the club. It’s exciting to see the growth in our program at every level with kids across all age groups from never-ever to the defending duals champion.”
SVSEF and Soldier Mountain Partner to Host Downhill Skiing Speed Projects
SUN VALLEY, Idaho – January 28, 2022—In the coming two weeks, Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) and Soldier Mountain will co-host the first-ever Intermountain Division (IMD) U14 Speed Project Jan. 31 - Feb. 2 and the U16, International Federation of Skiing (FIS), and Masters Speed Project Feb. 7 - 9 at Soldier Mountain. The events will conclude with a two-run alpine downhill race for U.S. Ski & Snowboard Masters on Wednesday, Feb. 9.
Seventy U14 junior athletes will be traveling to Soldier Mountain for the U14 Speed Project from across the Intermountain Division, including Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. The thirty athletes in the U16/FIS Speed Project are members of the SVSEF Alpine Teams and currently 26 Masters athletes will come from the Far West, Intermountain, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest divisions including California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, to take part in the speed training and race.
"Working with the team at Soldier Mountain to build specific terrain and features, and to develop the downhill track for different age groups and terrain-based learning is an amazing opportunity,” said Will Brandenburg, SVSEF Alpine Program Director and former member of the U.S. Ski Team. “The ability for us to collectively build a safe and reliable place to train and race speed in the United States could be a game changer in this sport.”
Currently in the United States, there are only a handful of venues that build speed tracks for alpine downhill training. Access to train at these bigger resort venues is limited to pre- and late ski season in places like Copper Mountain, CO and Mammoth Mountain, CA; and pared down even more so at venues like Aspen, CO and Schweitzer, ID, where training is typically limited to their race weeks. Venues outside of major ski resorts will be key for this speed discipline of the sport to flourish because of the vast terrain and vertical required to be closed to the general public for liability purposes, and the willingness of the venues to create highly precise terrain builds for the safety of the athletes.
“We want to welcome camps and events with partners like the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation,” said Paul Alden, General Manager at Soldier Mountain. “SVSEF brings extensive expertise and experience and we have the appropriate training ground available—it’s a win-win. Because we’re currently not open Monday through Wednesday, we have the availability to help create meaningful opportunities like this for the athletes and coaches.”
For the past week, Brandenburg and SVSEF U16 Alpine Coach, Trevor Wagner, have spent time on site at Soldier designing and working on the venue with Soldier Mountain’s snowcat driver and groomer, Rob Loveland. Wagner brings extensive experience to the team having worked for U.S. Ski & Snowboard to build World Cup and NorAm venues.
“How we work with the athletes is all about progression and being able to repeatedly ski over the elements we build to understand timing, body movement patterns, and then helping the athletes gain confidence to go faster and jump bigger,” said Wagner. “You can only get that through dedicated runs for speed training and what we’re doing with Soldier Mountain is so unique. We’ll be on winter snow, all day long, and have the entire mountain for the kids to get comfortable with terrain and speed, as opposed to renting lanes for blocks of time, which is the norm at other venues.”
The partnership for this set of training camps is directly in line with how Soldier Mountain is reinventing itself as a friendly, welcoming, and reputable Idaho ski area. The team at Soldier Mountain is the first to say that they don’t deliver the same experience as the bigger resorts. They deliver a different experience and a different vibe at a fraction of the cost, yet it’s customer and quality first all the way around.
“We’re excited to welcome the ski team athletes and Masters skiers here to train and to make this an incredible experience for everyone involved,” continued Alden. “From our world-class training ground to our home-cooked meals and everything in between, we love that we can provide a very personal experience whether it’s for special events like these, or for our ski and snowboard guests throughout the season.”
About Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
Since its inception in 1966, the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation has been a longstanding pillar in the community, providing snowsport programs and offering academic assistance to support student-athletes in reaching their highest potential. SVSEF offers an array of programs for athletes ages five and up, and no experience is necessary to join. The organization offers financial assistance to families, so that anyone who wishes to may participate. For more information, please visit www.svsef.org.
About Soldier Mountain
Established in 1947, Soldier Mountain is a family friendly mountain resort located near Fairfield, Idaho, at 1043 N. Soldier Creek Rd. in the Soldier Mountains of the Sawtooth National Forest. It is about two hours from Boise, 80 minutes from Sun Valley, and 90 minutes from Twin Falls. The resort offers five mountain biking trails, a skills park, and a nine-hole disc golf course during the summer. In the winter it offers skiing and snowboarding on 35 named trails and a terrain park on the frontside and 2,000 acres of snowcat-accessible backcountry. Soldier Mountain has two chairlifts reaching an altitude of up to 7,177 ft. and a magic carpet. Its lodge restaurant serves homemade fare while The Fox Den Pub provides guests with a cozy spot to hang out after a great day on the mountain. Camping spots are available at the end of the resort’s parking lot at Pioneer Campground and along the road beyond, and motel lodging and vacation rentals are available in Fairfield about 10 miles away. Visit SoldierMountain.com for more information.
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Chase Josey on His Way to Beijing for Second Olympic Games
U.S. Ski & Snowboard officially announced Friday that Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Alumnus and Hailey, Idaho local, Chase Josey, has been nominated to the U.S. Olympic Snowboard Team to represent Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Josey’s road to now his second Olympic Games goes back to his time as a member of the SVSEF Snowboarding team working with coach, Andy Gilbert.
SVSEF Snowboarding Program Director, Andy Gilbert, started working with nine-year-old Josey in 2005. In Josey’s junior and senior year of high school (2012-13) and the following year, Gilbert supported Josey on the road as he qualified for bigger events across the globe. As a halfpipe coach working with Team USA in 2018, Gilbert was there when Josey clinched his first Olympic spot at Mammoth in the last qualifying event.
“I really can’t think of a more deserving Olympian than Chase Josey,” said Gilbert. “His work ethic, humility, creativity, and determination are all things we should be proud of—these are the things on the snow that we admire,” Gilbert continued. “Off the snow, he’s an even better human—humble, thoughtful and grateful—always generous with his time around the younger riders, and I’m confident he’ll be giving back to snowboarding well beyond his competition days.”
Gilbert emphasized that being a kid that doesn’t come from one of snowboarding’s traditional hotbeds has allowed Chase to let his snowboarding to do the talking. He’s been able to somewhat quietly become one of the halfpipe elite, but that doesn’t define who he is as a snowboarder. He simply loves snowboarding and that’s an intangible thing—you can’t fake it.
“Throughout my younger years as a part of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, I was able to draw on the passion from everyone I was learning from and grow to truly love the sport,” said Chase Josey, two-time member of the U.S. Olympic Snowboard Team and SVSEF Alum. “There was something special about the culture I was raised in within snowboarding—Andy taught me from the very beginning that it’s not all about winning—it’s about the people you meet, the memories you make, and the experiences you have along the way. I think that advice has always helped keep me tranquil and level-headed as I’ve been able to compete in the sport at this level,” Josey continued.
There were many collaborators from SVSEF as Josey matured as an athlete. Coaches and legends in our local snowboard world including Billy Olson, Jon French, AJ Grabos, Jacob “YAK” Tyler, Josh Keefer, Chatham Baker, and Ciam Parten. “So many should feel proud to have been a part of the path—we are all so stoked and proud of Chase and will be there riding right with him!” said Gilbert.
“Looking back on my years at SVSEF and my time on the snowboarding team, it’s so cool to have been able to work with and know so many coaches,” added Josey. “They all had a unique approach or a different angle I could draw from. Most athletes in this sport have one or two coaches and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to learn and refine my style with the influence of so many.”
While Josey’s training and competition schedule with Team USA keeps him on the road much of the year, Gilbert remains in close touch with Josey as a friend and mentor.
“Chase’s family deserves a ton of credit,” added Gilbert. “Kris and Bill have always been supportive of both their sons in their sports. They always allowed the coaches to do their job, have a voice, and truly be collaborators in the journey.”
“We couldn't be prouder of, or happier for Chase,” shared Kris and Bill Josey, Chase’s parents. “His accomplishments have come from his commitment to his sport of snowboarding. The dedication, hard work and passion he has put into it from the beginning, but especially over the past four years, is truly inspiring! And now it has earned him his second Olympic Halfpipe team nomination! WOW! We will be with him in spirit this time, but can't wait to cheer him on! Dream big & GO USA!”
OFFICIAL U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD SNOWBOARD TEAM ANNOUNCMENT
SVSEF XC Gold Team Athlete Kevin Bolger Heading to 2022 Beijing Olympic Games
U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced the Cross Country team roster for the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, and SVSEF XC Gold Team member, Kevin Bolger, is on the list among six men and eight women who will represent Team U.S.A. between February 5-20 when the cross country competitions are scheduled.
“It's a childhood dream come true,” said Kevin Bolger, SVSEF XC Gold Team and member of the U.S. Ski Team. “Being named to my first Olympic team is something I’ve been working towards my entire career, and to be able to share this news with my family and everyone who has supported me to this point is just as rewarding as when I was told I made the team!”
After high school, Bolger moved from Wisconsin to ski for the SVSEF XC Post Grad team from 2011-2013 and then for the University of Utah from 2013-2017. Since 2017, he has been a member of the SVSEF XC Gold Team. Yesterday, Bolger was nominated to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team to represent Team U.S.A. at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. At minimum, Bolger will compete in the Men’s Freestyle Sprint, currently scheduled for Tuesday, February 8.
"We’re so stoked for Kevin on his Olympic nomination and it’s been fun to support him on this journey since he spent some Post Grad years in Sun Valley a decade ago,” said Chris Mallory, SVSEF XC Gold Team Head Coach. “This sport takes years of work and lots of determination to get to this level, and the SVSEF community is excited to cheer him on in a few weeks' time."
Kevin Bolger, 28, grew up in Minocqua, WI, where his love for sliding across the snow with skis on his feet began in the third grade. His unrelenting passion for the sport combined with the hard work and commitment it takes to excel has driven Kevin to chase his Olympic dream. One of his favorite ski memories is winning his first U.S. National Title and having his parents there to watch. The opportunity to consistently set the bar higher with his goals in skiing is what drives him daily and crossing the finish line at the Olympic Games will be the pinnacle of Kevin's career to date.
SVSEF Cross Country Program Director, Rick Kapala, added, "We’re really proud of Kevin—he started off with our program as a post-grad for a couple of years and went on to continue building his career at the University of Utah. Coming back to our program as a Gold Team member—it feels great that he's followed his path, made this commitment, and now has this opportunity come full circle. It couldn't happen to a better guy. He’s a super hard worker. Super deserving. So happy for him. Now we’ll pull for him to find that gear, go to the Games, and have a result he will be stoked about. We're really happy for him!"
Bolger splits his time training between at U.S. Team Camps run regularly through the spring, summer, and fall in Sun Valley, Norway, and Sweden.
“I couldn’t be more excited about the men’s team I get to travel with to Beijing,” said Bolger. “It goes without saying the men’s team is putting up big results on the World Cup, and now I think we can expect some big results at the Olympics!”
Watch Team USA compete on the networks of NBC throughout the Olympics, February 4-20, 2022. Follow the team throughout the Beijing Olympics on Instagram @usskiteam or Facebook @usskiandsnowboard
OFFICIAL U.S. SKI & SNOWBOARD CROSS COUNTRY TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT