U.S. women heading back to snow

It’s almost time to head back to snow for the U.S. women’s ski team and although each woman on the team has had her own program throughout the summer, each has been very focused on dry-land training. There are the Olympics to think about, after all.

“As far as conditioning goes, they’ve all been doing a great job,” U.S. women’s head coach Jim Tracy said. “I’m really encouraged by the commitment they’ve displayed. It’s easy to go home and do your own thing, but it takes a lot of commitment to move to Park City and have a strong push from the other athletes.”

Many of the women’s World Cup team are already based in Park City – Lindsey Vonn, Chelsea Marshall, Leanne Smith, Keely Kelleher, Megan McJames, Jessica Kelley, Hailey Duke and Kaylin Richardson.

Vonn has been busy throughout the summer touring for sponsors and fulfilling media obligations but has been training fiercely and also visiting her friend Cody Marshall in the hospital during her time at home.
It’s almost time to head back to snow for the U.S. women’s ski team and although each woman on the team has had her own program throughout the summer, each has been very focused on dry-land training. There are the Olympics to think about, after all.

“As far as conditioning goes, they’ve all been doing a great job,” U.S. women’s head coach Jim Tracy said. “I’m really encouraged by the commitment they’ve displayed. It’s easy to go home and do your own thing, but it takes a lot of commitment to move to Park City and have a strong push from the other athletes.”

Many of the women’s World Cup team are already based in Park City – Lindsey Vonn, Chelsea Marshall, Leanne Smith, Keely Kelleher, Megan McJames, Jessica Kelley, Hailey Duke and Kaylin Richardson.

Vonn has been busy throughout the summer touring for sponsors and fulfilling media obligations but has been training fiercely and also visiting her friend Cody Marshall in the hospital during her time at home.

The local athletes in particular have also been making good use of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association’s brand new Center of Excellence training facility, but even the out-of-town members of the team have traveled to the center for high-intensity weeks of training throughout the summer. U.S. Team trainer Ernie Rimer has individualized programs for each athlete, even for Julia Mancuso, who, though in Park City for some testing in the spring, has spent the majority of her summer in Hawaii working with personal training coach Scott Sanchez.

“Ernie works with Julia’s conditioning coach and she really likes his program,” Tracy said. “They’re both working toward the common goal of getting Julia back on track. She’s doing great. There’s not a doubt in my mind that she can be competing for World Cup titles, medals and anything else there is to win. Physically, she’s got to be able to handle it. To put it really simply, it’s coming to grips with what exactly the issues are with her hip, how it refers into her back, and moving past it.” 

One recalls the 2006 Winter Games, when Mancuso landed gold in giant slalom and followed up with her best season ever in 2007, finishing third overall on the World Cup.

Though each racer on the women’s team has different personal goals for the season, the Olympics are a factor in some form or other for just about everyone.

“Making the Olympic team is the goal,” Tracy said. “A lot of the athletes have personal criteria to live up to as well … there are certain things they each need to accomplish. If they do that, hopefully they’ll realize their dreams and get a chance to go to the Olympics. We can’t take everybody. We’re going with a strong team.”

Nearly all of the women’s World Cup team leaves for New Zealand this week, where they will train at Coronet Peak near Queenstown for two and a half weeks. Some will be trying out new gear but primarily they will be getting reacquainted with gates, from simple drills to nearly full-throttle runs down full-length courses.

“They have really great conditions down there,” Tracy said. “It’s going to be an action-packed couple of weeks. They’ll start slow, doing balance drills, ski-school type drills and reviewing basic fundamentals all the way up to almost full-length courses.”

Tracy will not be joining the team in New Zealand, but the rest of the coaching staff will be there and a handful of the team may stay to compete in FIS races near the end of August. The team moves its on-snow operation to Portillo, Chile, in September.