Ski racing expects more from coaches than ever, but many still face seasonal employment, financial uncertainty and limited career security. Drawing on her own experience, Katie Twible examines why accomplished coaches leave—and what the sport loses with them.
Shared training environments are one of the most underutilized tools in alpine ski racing. By breaking down silos and bringing competitors together before race day, clubs can raise performance standards, improve athlete development, and create stronger, more connected training cultures.
Early success in alpine skiing is often treated as a predictor of future greatness. Yet large-scale research shows that most Olympic and World Cup champions were not standout performers in their youth. In a sport where peak performance often arrives in the late twenties, early talent identification may reward early maturation rather than long-term potential. The challenge for skiing systems is not predicting champions at fourteen, but ensuring they remain in the sport long enough for their true potential to emerge.
Modern Alpine ski racing doesn’t need to become safer—it needs to become smarter. A veteran coach explains how system-level changes can reduce the risk of injury.
Injuries are no longer an exception in Alpine ski racing—they’re an expectation. A veteran coach explains why the system is failing the athletes it demands so much from.
Former University of Denver racer and U.S. Ski Team alumnus Trey Seymour reflects on how letting go of expectations transformed his mindset and results. In this personal essay, he shares how shifting focus from outcomes to process helped him find freedom, confidence, and the mental edge in ski racing.
Two-time Olympian Chad Fleischer shares an open letter urging the U.S. ski racing community to work together in rebuilding the nation’s speed-skiing foundation. His message calls for unity, opportunity, and renewed commitment to developing future downhill and super-G champions.
"Are Skiers Training All Wrong?" Alpine skiing is at a breaking point. Four severe injuries in Bormio during New Year’s week have reignited debates about the sport’s safety, and Swiss legend Paul Accola isn’t holding back. “Many athletes train incorrectly,” he declared in an interview with Blick.ch. With seven World Cup victories and a reputation for unconventional thinking, Accola is challenging the modern approach to training and youth development, claiming it leaves skiers vulnerable to injuries and unprepared for the unpredictable demands of racing. His bold critiques, grounded in his own storied career, demand attention—and may spark the change alpine skiing desperately needs.
Today, November 30th, folks are gathering at Eldora Mountain Resort to honor Ron LeMaster, who sadly lost his life on the mountain three years ago in 2021. Richard Rokos reflects on his loss by penning an article about the lessons he's gained from the accident.
In a letter to the editor, Erik Schlopy, a former ski racer with an impressive track record, shares his insight into the recent success of Stifel U.S. Ski Team members returning from injury.
Caleb Horsch presents a thought-provoking opinion article that explores the need to reevaluate the collegiate skiing framework and considers various potential solutions for the future of NCAA ski racing.
Cochrans Holiday Slalom: Photo Tucker Marshall Youth ski racing in the U.S. is at another
Articles such as Craig Zolan's recently posted about access to college racing and the ensuing discussions are terrific. I almost never comment or actually never, but I am always grateful that Ski Racing provides this forum this forum. On the topic of limiting foreign athletes and/or reducing the age of eligibility,
The United States has a long history of producing great ski racers. Olympic champions, World Cup overall winners, and some of the sport’s GOATs have carried our flag to the top of the sport. Regardless of what some may say, we ARE an Alpine nation.
As the parent of a high school senior, I am gaining significant insights into today's
A popular method used to mimic alpine racing during dryland has been on rolling devices. Richard Rokos dives into inline skating and why the method is conducive to training for alpine skiing.
Recently, top athletes have openly participated in discussions concerning injuries, the race calendar, auxiliary events at races, and how the Federation manages skiers. As has always been the case, their concerns fuel essential debate.
Austiran ServusTV, a private broadcaster belonging to the Red Bull Group, devoted the entire evening on Monday to the Hahnenkamm race, which would take place the following weekend. In the following days, viewers anticipated the highlight of the World Cup season from an Austrian perspective every day at prime time before the races in Kitzbühel started on Friday.
In a sincere interview with Ski Racing Media, the FIS Chief Race Director for the men’s World Cup, Markus Waldner, recently discussed the past, present and future. The experienced race director has a lot on his mind regarding adjustments necessary for the future of World Cup ski racing and shares his clear opinions.
This article is my third and final in a series on the role of technology in ski racing (here are #1 and #2). Today, I will focus on one technology that has become ever-present in our sport and is changing how parents (and kids) follow races. I’m talking about Live-Timing, an online real-time platform that tracks race results.
In the sport of ski racing, the success of an athlete, especially in their developmental stages, can come down to the aspects that seem less impactful. Subtle differences in training, body development, strength, where the athlete begins on the start list, and several other factors can cause different outcomes.
Mikaela Shiffrin has raised the bar for everyone. Jim Taylor dives into this new level and the effects it has had on the sport.
One of the biggest lessons I've learned over my many years in our sport, as a racer and as a mental coach, and one that many young racers need help understanding, is that training does matter. Too often, racers waste their time during training; the things necessary for quality training are only there sometimes. I can't tell you how much it irritates me when I'm on the hill working with young racers and seeing them do things that prevent them from getting the most out of their training.
If love at those painful moments isn’t possible? In a binary way, there is only one other option: hate; fortunately, there are alternatives
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