Release courtesy of WCDF

The World Cup Dreams Foundation (WCDF), a non-profit organization that supports alpine and cross-country skiers is supporting 53 alpine and cross country athletes as well as two pro cross-country teams through three grant programs. The 2022-23 grant programs include the following; The T2 On the Rise grant which targets racers who are YOB 2000-2006 that are climbing the ranks. The T2 World Cup Grant targets U.S. Ski Team athletes and invitees and the T2 Cross Country Pro Grant supports the SMS T2 cross-country team and the BSF T2 cross-country team. The grants offset costs associated with training and competing at the elite levels. These grants range from $1,000 to $5,000.

This year WCDF has selected 33 T2 On The Rise Athletes, 17 T2 World Cup Athletes, and two pro cross-country teams, who have all exemplified potential and financial need. Benni Brown is the epitome of an On The Rise athlete. Benni is one of the top 2003’s in the country. Benni hopes to finish the season ranked top 15 in the Giant Slalom and Slalom Not Am standings and qualify for the USA World Junior Team in St. Anton, Austria. He says that “getting myself to this point obviously comes with a lot of hard work, and it makes me feel like there are no limits to what I can achieve going forward.” Supporting athletes like Benny Brown who understand that goals and hard work have no ceiling perfectly reflect the World Cup Dreams’ mission to support our nation’s rising athletes as they chase their World Cup Dream.

WCDF grantees are selected by an independent review committee, made up of former national team athletes and industry experts, who select athletes with financial needs and most importantly, potential. WCDF measures an athlete’s potential through their rankings and success against their competitors in the same birth year. Ryan Cochran Siegle, American Downhiller, 2022 Beijing silver medalist and former WCDF/T2 recipient, illustrates precisely what the goal of the World Cup Dreams Foundation is.

“The T2 Foundation & World Cup Dreams Foundation has been a part of my journey on the U.S. Ski Team from the very beginning when I was first nominated to the Development team in 2010. Since then, T2 provided the necessary financial support for me to stay invested in my progression, which took years as I worked my way up from the Nor-Am level to the top steps of the World Cup and Olympics. T2 has been paramount to all of my success, and I know that it could not have been achieved without them and their mission.” – Ryan Cochran Siegle, 2022 Olympic silver medalist & WCDF/T2 recipient.

“The money that WCDF donates to the team is crucial to our success. We use the funds to help our athletes with their training, racing, and travel expenses.” – Sverre Caldwell, Director of SMS T2 XC pro team. 

Supporting the World Cup Dreams Foundation grant programs creates an opportunity for the next generation of dreamers and potentially another Olympic medalist!

For more information, check out https://www.worldcupdreams.org/ or contact Executive Director Thomas Biesemeyer, with any questions at tommyb@worldcupdreams.org.  The mission of World Cup Dreams Foundation is to further the growth and development of the nation’s best athletes by helping them realize their athletic goals and dreams through career management, mentorship and financial support.