SnowSports Industries America announced that the United States Ski and Snowboard Association will officially name the U.S. Olympic Alpine Ski Team at the SIA.06 SnowSports Trade Show, January 23-26, 2006, at Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev. Bill Marolt, president and CEO of the USSA, will be on hand to make this live announcement at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, January 25th.
The selection period for the team will end on Tuesday, January 24th after the mens slalom event in Schladming, Austria. Top contenders for the highly coveted spots include: World Cup winners: Daron Rahlves, Bode Miller and Lindsey Kildow and recent podium finishers Ted Ligety and Caroline Lalive. The announcement of the team comes as part of an overall program developed by the USSA this season, entitled Road to Torino. Since the opening World Cup event at Beaver Creek, Colo. in early December, U.S. skiers and snowboarders have been showcased weekly at major Olympic qualifying events across America, airing weekly on NBC and OLN.
“We're very excited to announce our U.S. Olympic Alpine Ski Team at the SIA.06 SnowSports Trade,” said Bill Marolt. “The support we have from our official suppliers is critical to achieving our goal of being Best in the World in Torino.” The U.S. Alpine Ski Team is enjoying one of its most successful seasons in history. Both Miller and Rahlves have battled all season for the overall World Cup lead. Rahlves has already won three downhills and matched Picabo Streets all-time U.S. mark of nine career downhill wins. Kildow has picked up two World Cup downhill wins, and is presently second in the World Cup downhill standings. Ligety has scored three podium finishes and stands second in the world in slalom.
The SIA SnowSports Trade Show, celebrating 35 years in Las Vegas, is the largest winter sports trade show in North America. With over 450 exhibitors, 3,400 booths and 900 brands representing alpine, snowboard, Nordic, telemark and the backcountry markets, the SIA Show plays host to over 18,000 attendees from all factions of the snow sports industry.
“We are extremely excited about the opportunity to work with the U.S. Ski Team and have them announce the official alpine team at our Show,” said David Ingemie, SIA President. “The members of the ski team have spurred an unprecedented amount of enthusiasm for their sport this season and certainly entertained both admirers of the sport as well as non-participants. We anticipate that those athletes chosen will justly represent the USA while in Torino and we are proud to recognize their efforts at our Show.”
Also included during the presentation will be the announcement of the winner for the third annual Doc DesRoches award. This award is presented to an SIA member and U.S. Ski Team official supplier for its integration of team athletes into its marketing campaigns. The award is named in honor of the late DesRoches, who was a pioneer in the early formation of SIA and was instrumental in the development of the Teams early national fundraising efforts.
