U.S. women alpiners setting up camp in Chile

The women's U.S. alpine team is brushing up on its Spanish this month as three training groups have swarmed the Andes in September. The Europa Cup team was first on the ground with World Cup speed and tech teams landing last week.
    "We have Europa Cup, World Cup speed and World Cup tech training in Chile and so far all the reports are good," says U.S. women's alpine head coach Jim Tracy. "And Julia [Mancuso's] camps in New Zealand both before and after Beijing went really well. Across the board, we've had some excellent summer training."
PORTILLO, Chile — The women's U.S. Alpine Ski Team is brushing up on its Spanish this month as three training groups swarm the Andes in September. The Europa Cup team was first on the ground with World Cup speed and tech teams landing last week.
    Reigning World Cup overall and downhill champion Lindsey Vonn has set up shop in Portillo with fellow speedsters Stacey Cook, Kaylin Richardson, Chelsea Marshall, and Leanne Smith for a three-week camp focusing on downhill and super G.
    "The snow is great right now, and it's so beautiful here," says Smith, who rocketed onto the B Team after three World Cup top-30 finishes last season. "We just got done with a super G block of training, had a day off and we're getting into downhill. I'm excited."
    Camp is also in session right around the corner in LaParva for Europa Cup racers Keeley Kelleher, Julia Littman, Sterling Grant, and Kiley Staples.
    The World Cup tech team, including Hailey Duke, a double Europa Cup winner last winter, Sarah Schleper, Megan McJames and Jessica Kelley, landed in LaParva last week.
    And if the snow is as good in LaParva as anything like Richardson reports from Portillo, the team is bound to be very happy. "Training has been great with perfect snow conditions. The coaches are doing such a fantastic job keeping the courses in ideal shape," she says.
    Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso decided to dodge jet lag in order to maximize her training by staying in the Eastern half of the globe for a second training session in New Zealand following the 2008 Olympic Summer Games, where she was a segment host for NBC.
    "We have Europa Cup, World Cup speed and World Cup tech training in Chile and so far all the reports are good," says U.S. women's alpine head coach Jim Tracy. "And Julia's camps in New Zealand both before and after Beijing went really well. Across the board, we've had some excellent summer training."
    According to reports from U.S. speed head coach Alex Hoedlmoser, the snow in Portillo has been outstanding with overcast skies keeping the surface hard and fast. An added benefit is flat light conditions that are common on the World Cup circuit.
    "You never know what you're going to catch when in Chile," added Tracy. "It could be really sunny and warm or it could be perfect and this year the conditions are really good. It's another bout of winter/early spring training. It's really important to get in these couple of winter rounds in the summer time, that way we're all ready to go once we hit the ground with the race season."