Monday, February 01, 2010

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO-February 1, 2010-The United States Olympic Mogul Team will make final preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from February 1-7, 2010.

Jennifer Heil

“Steamboat is proud to be the exclusive training site for the US Olympic Mogul Team,” said Andy Wirth, senior vice president of sales & marketing for the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation. “Steamboat has a rich tradition in freestyle and an Olympic heritage that dates back nearly 80 years. It only makes sense that America’s brightest contenders for Olympic glory make their final preparations for the 2010 Winter Games right here in Ski Town USA.”

The US Freestyle Team’s mogul skiers will refine their skills and make final tune-ups at the Steamboat Ski Area on Mayer’s Mogul Course, recently named for Olympic silver medalist, Travis Mayer. Eight athletes (four men and four women) are planning five training days on the mountain, tentatively scheduled for February 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 from 1:30pm to 3:30pm. Extensive one-on-one instruction from discipline coaches; morning physical training as well as a late afternoon on-snow schedule will simulate the upcoming Olympic environment.

This will be the third time the team has held its pre-Olympic camp in Ski Town, USA. Just prior to the 2002 Winter Games, the entire freestyle squad (aerials and moguls) trained in Steamboat where Johnny Moseley perfected his sport changing dinner roll and Steamboat’s own Travis Mayer fine tuned what would be his silver medal run. The Freestyle team spent several days in Steamboat leading up to the 2006 Olympics in Italy. In addition, these athletes competed on this same course just over a month ago during the 2010 Olympic Trials event, where Hannah Kearney and Patrick Deneen secured their spots on the 2010 team.

“Steamboat is an awesome place for us to train,” said Scott Rawles, head mogul coach for the US Ski Team. “It’s a great ski town, and the competition venue there is similar to the one we’ll be competing on in Vancouver. The idea behind the camp is to get everyone refocused on competition, the Olympics and the ultimate goal – winning a medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.”

Steamboat has a long tradition in the sport of freestyle and is currently home to Travis Mayer-2002 Olympic Silver medalist; Nelson Carmichael-1992 Olympic Bronze Medalist & 2-time World Cup Champion; Ann Battelle-World Champion, 2-time World Cup Champion and 4-time Olympian; Park Smalley-athlete, coach and driving force behind the Olympic status freestyle skiing enjoys today; and Jeff Good–winningest coach in US Ski Team history.

“The support these athletes will receive from Ski Town USA® will help focus them on the task at hand, getting in top mental and physical shape,” said Nelson Carmichael. “Steamboat has produced more winter Olympians than any other town in North America, and I couldn’t think of a better place to make final plans for the largest sport stage in the world, the Olympics.”

2010 U.S. OLYMPIC MOGUL TEAM
(name, hometown, age as of opening ceremonies, birthdate, past Olympics)

Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA, 29, 11/7/80 (2002, 2006)
Patrick Deneen, Cle Elum, WA, 22, 12/25/87
Hannah Kearney, Norwich, VT, 23, 2/26/86 (2006)
Heather McPhie, Bozeman, MT, 25, 5/28/84
Michael Morse, Duxbury, MA, 28, 4/2/81
Michelle Roark, Denver, CO, 35, 11/16/74 (2006)
Nate Roberts, Park City, UT, 27, 3/24/82
Bryon Wilson, Park City, UT, 21, 4/7/88

To stay up to date on all that is happening with the team between now and the Olympics, log onto www.usskiteam.com. Better yet, come to Steamboat to see them during their camp this week or at the Olympian Send-Off & Celebration on Friday, Feb. 5th.

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