PARK CITY, Utah – Leading eastern resort Sugarloaf, Maine and historic Sun Valley, Idaho will host the 2015-2018 United States Alpine Championships on alternating years beginning next winter with Sugarloaf. The announcement continues the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association’s long-term plan to move the annual celebration of American ski racing to top resorts around the United States.
“Moving the U.S. Alpine Championships around the United States is vital to directly engaging with strong ski racing communities that are instrumental in growing and maintaining a strong developmental pipeline. It allows us to showcase the excitement of high level alpine skiing to new generations of young athletes and fans,” said U.S. Ski Team Alpine Director Patrick Riml.
The dynamic Narrow Gauge run last hosted the U.S. Championships at Sugarloaf in 2008. Sun Valley last hosted the event in 1951.
“Both Sugarloaf and Sun Valley have a strong tradition in building and showcasing events that celebrate the excitement and culture of ski racing,” noted USSA VP of Events Calum Clark. “The Narrow Gauge race hill is [renowned in the East] for testing and training the best in the world like Bode Miller. Sun Valley has helped produce its share of legends like Picabo Street, who found her love for speed on Warm Springs and Greyhawk.”
Each of the resorts boasts a rooted history and heritage of ski racing in America and continues that tradition through their strong USSA club programs of Carrabassett Valley Academy at Sugarloaf and the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. The 2015 U.S. Championships will mark the events first trip to the Eastern United States since Lake Placid, N.Y. and the 1980 Olympic mountain of Whiteface hosted the event in 2010.
The 2015 event dates will be announced following the finalization of the 2015 Audi FIS Alpine World Cup calendar.
2015-2018 U.S. Alpine Championships
2015 – Sugarloaf
2016 – Sun Valley
2017 – Sugarloaf
2018 – Sun Valley
Release courtesy of USA
photo courtesy: Tim Carter