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Injury Update, the Kvitfjell Course and developing into a Speed skier
The American Downhillers caught up with Norwegian Speed Demon Aleks Kilde in a Hospital in Innsbruck for this week’s podcast ahead of Kilde’s home Downhill Kvitfjell. They first got the inside scoop on his injuries from his crash in Wengen and his honest prognosis going forward. They then talked about his skiing development from a kid who was lucky enough to ski out his door growing up to making the Team as a Downhiller next to legends Svindal and Jansrud. Finally they break down in detail the Olympiabakken Course in Kvitfjell which crowned Tommy Moe Olympic Champion, but has been dominated by Norwegians over the years! All of the boys describe it as a fun, flowy and “easy” track that you need to be perfect on as the times are always tight!
The Podcast covers a ton of excellent nuggets for Fans, Coaches, Parents and Athletes! A must listen! Here is what is covered;
- Aleks updates us on his injuries from Wengen
- Growing up a technical skier and then transitioned to Speed later
- The importance of GS training for a technical base, but also training it as much as possible as a speed skier
- How Aleks inspects DH & SG differently
- Having Svindal & Jansrud as Mentors
- What Aleks likes to hear in a course report and what he says to himself at the Start
- Kvitfjell Course breakdown from the Start to Moe’s Turn into the finish straight
- The most fun parts of this Legendary DH
- Finally – predictions on who will win and they are interesting…
The American Downhiller Podcast is sponsored by Skiracing.com, ADL Ski Club, Wend Wax, ELITEAM and American Downhillers speed camps!
You can find the Podcast for FREE on Apple, Spotify and the ELITEAM Youtube channel.
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This week on the American Downhiller Podcast we turn our attention to Cortina - the Women’s Favorite Course and interview the Stifel US Ski Team’s newest speed star – Lauren Macuga! “Cougs” is coming off a career-best 10th place in the Super-G in Altenmarkt and sets her sights on the 2026 Olympic Course this week in Italy.
Cougs is part of the US Women’s speed team which is re-building and has been having some good results lately with Keely Cashman, Tricia Mangan along with the return of Jacky Wiles and Alice Merryweather.
We talk to Lauren about her development as a speed skier from an “average” junior to her first Downhill race to her 10th place in the Altenmarkt World Cup. She shares with us her thoughts on training GS to help her speed as well as her start routine.
Other topics covered;
- How to stay focused with the course is gnarly
- How a focus on GS is helping her speed evolve
- Why it’s OK to train speed with your clothes on sometimes
- How she learns new courses
- What she learned about herself from her injuries
- Advice for junior racers on feeding off the success of Teammates
- Who she watches on video
- And advice for young ski racers who may be struggling
Thanks to Ski Racing Media for Sponsoring our American Downhiller Podcast and please listen on Apple or Spotify or watch it on the ELITEAM Youtube channel!
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The King of Kitz, Didier Cuche joins Daron, AJ, Marco and LEW for a super interesting and revealing breakdown of the most famous and dangerous Downhill on the World Cup circuit. Didier won on the Streif a record FIVE times with his first coming in 1998 and the last three coming in in 2010, 2011 & 2012! He shares his thoughts and secrets to this iconic track and lets us inside his head as he preps for the race, races the course and receives the Trophy in front of thousands!
Daron Rahlves, the only American Downhiller winner on the Hahnenkamm stood on top of the podium beating Didier by just 5 hundies back in 2003 and they share what they remember of that day!
This Podcast is loaded with great insight on the course and how to watch it, as well as nuggets for Athletes, Coaches and Parents on how to train and ski and be a successful speed skier.
Topics covered;
- Their first impressions of the iconic course
- The importance of knowing your limits
- How the start house at Kitz is totally different
- The course from the Start to the Zielsprung
- Cuche’s secret to winning on the Streif
- The traditions of Kitz from arrival to the Londoner
- Why Cuche was so successful on the Streif
This year’s Kitzbuhel races are Jan 19 & 20!
Thanks for listening!
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Wengen's Lauberhorn is the longest Downhill on the World Cup circuit and not only presents gliding challenges, but includes legendary sections like the Hundschopf, Canadian Corner, the Kernen-S, the Hanegg Schuss and the Austrian Hole! Tune in and here Daron, AJ, Marco and LEW break down the course, share Wengen secrets and also give a tutorial on How to Glide!!!
Other Topics discussed:
First impressions of the longest DH track in the WorldWhat it's like to enter the road into Kernen-S and try to make the turnsHow to ride a flat skiThe view from the Start HouseWhat it's like to stand on the Canadian Corner during the raceAnd the boys put out their picks for this year's podium!Thanks for listening to the American Downhiller Podcast. Spread the word to your Ski Racing Speed friends!
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World Champion and a 19 time World Cup Winner Michael Walchhofer joins the American Downhillers to share his thoughts on the Bormio Course – a course he won THREE times over his career. He also shares his experiences being on the same Austrian Team as Hermann Maier, Stefan Eberharter, Fritz Strobl and Hans Knauss. As he says, “Sometimes we worked together more than others… At the end of the day, it’s not easy to share all the info you got about equipment and other things.” Walchhofer shares some special experiences he had on his time on the World Cup including fighting with Daron and Bode Miller for the Downhill Title!
The boys also talk about:
- How Michael grew up “bombing” his home mountain of Schladming with his buddies
- How hard it was to get a World Cup spot on the strong Austrian Team
- Growing up free-skiing, on XC skis and playing around rather than gates
- Describing the Bormio course as “demanding” and you must have all the skills
- Michael’s secret to winning Bormio which includes having CONFIDENCE at the bottom
- Also the spots where Michael and Daron won their races at Bormio
- Their view on Skiing with PRESSURE
- Michael’s relationship with Bode and skiing under Pressure
- And why he eats SO MUCH FOOD at Breakfast!
You can hear the Podcast on Apple or Spotify as well as watch it on the ELITEAM Youtube Channel.
Thanks to our Sponsors; Ski Racing Media, ADL Ski Club, WEND WAX, ELITEAM Camps and the American Downhiller Training Camps!
Thanks for listening. Contact us at [email protected].
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One of the famous Canadian Cowboys, Manny Osborne-Paradis joins the American Downhillers for a hilarious and educational Podcast that breaks down this week’s World Cup Downhill in Val Gardena, Italy. Manny won on the Saslong course back in 2009 by crushing the top flats with a secret “Canadian Drift” slide technique that he explains in depth in the podcast. He also talks about what it feels like to fly 89 meters in the air over the Camels and both survive as well as crash.
This is a Podcast loaded with valuable nuggets of wisdom for racers and coaches as well as hilarious stories of what it is like on the World Cup circuit as a rookie and beyond. Here are a few of the highlights in the 50 min podcast that will make you laugh as well as take notes.
- What finding the “Bottom of the Ski” means according to Manny & Daron
- CAN-USA Teamwork at Gardena that has paid off for decades
- The benefits of warming up on Slalom skis for the entire Speed season – or not
- Why you better be good at “Left-Footed” turns on World Cup DH circuit!
- Confidence is what finally allows racers that breakthrough race that changes everything
- How a focused “pipeline” for development works
- How grinding it out in the shadows before you make it into the bright lights is key!
This is a must listen for Athletes, Coaches, Parents and Ski racing FANS as it will give you such an inside look at the most FUN downhill on the circuit - one where the US and Canadians have found a TON of success including back in 2008 when they put 7 racers in the top 10!!! And because of cancellations in SUI and USA, this will be the first Speed of the season which should help the North Americans a TON!
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The American Downhillers Podcast is BACK for another Season. Hosted by Olympian Speed Demons Doug Lewis, AJ Kitt, Daron Rahlves and Marco Sullivan, this podcast covers everything related to going fast on a pair of skis down the craziest “Abfarht” courses in the World. From Beaver Creek to Kitz. From steep starts to finish fall-aways. From base bevel to best beers. From rookie races to retirement realities.
In 2023-2024’s Episode 1, the Team talks about the Birds of Prey which will be the first Speed racing of the season with two Downhills and a Super-G on Dec 1-2-3! And to help them break down the course this week, they have special guest two-time Olympian and Stifel US Ski Team member Jaread Goldberg who is coming off his best World Cup season and a World Cup best 4th place at Kitzbuhel last season!
In this Episode you will hear;
- How the Speed Team spent the summer grinding it out on Glaciers, but finished up at Copper with some focused training.
- How retirements and new Coaches are changing the culture and feel of the Team.
- All about Jared’s 4th place at the Hannenkahm and who yelled at him in the start.
- What makes the Birds of Prey one of the Classics on the World Cup Tour.
- What section of Beaver Creek’s course you HAVE to nail to be on the podium.
- How THIS year’s Start Numbers for the first seed will change the game.
- And Jared’s shares his BIG goals for this season!
Thanks to SkiRacing.com and sponsors ADL Ski Club, WEND Wax as well as ELITEAM and the American Downhillers’ Camps, you can listen or watch for FREE on Apple or Spotify or catch the video on Youtube!
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Aspen World Cups were exciting and fun and although we did not see an American Downhiller on the Podium, we did see some excitement from the back of pack - in Super-G a couple of Americans ended up in the top 15!!!
Our guest today is one of those racers. He scored his best EVER SG result with a 14th starting 52nd!!! He is on the B Team and from Woodside, CA. He was the 2016 World Jr Champion in Downhill - a race in which Marco Odermatt was 11th! He raced four years on the NCAA circuit for the Panthers at Middlebury College. And was a 2023 Member of the World Championship team.
He is none other than Erik Arvidsson!
Erik shares a ton of great info about growing up with heroes like Kyle Rasmussen, Julia Mancuso and our own Daron Rahlves on the slopes of Bear Valley and then Palisades. Other topics we cover;
His tactics in SG and how they differ from Downhill.How GS helps SG which helps DH!Taking risk - especially in training and how to translates into race day speed.Who he watches on video and why.Why he left the US Ski Team and attended Middlebury College.Why the NCAA path works for some athletes.Competition and betting among the American Downhillers in trainingAND finally, what Erik needs to work on to make the final step to the podium.Thanks to our sponsors: ADL Ski Club, WEND Wax, American Downhiller Camp and ELITEAM Fitness Programs.
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In this American Downhiller Podcast we are joined by Kitzbuhel Champion Hans Knauss who was also a World Champion Medalist and is now one of the main Commentators for Austria covering the FIS World Cup.
Hans and the boys talk about the original America’s Downhill – Aspen’s Aztec Course. This is a Course that played a big role in both LEW’s and AJ’s career as you will hear. They break down the course as well as the favorites to take the win on March 3rd & 4th.
Daron Rahlves was unable to join us for the podcast, but as you hear, he checks in from a Snowcat as he was working on clearing snow on the Palisades World Cup hill during the Snowmeggedon that hit Tahoe during the GS & SL!
The crew also talks about Hans’ experience on the mighty Austrian Team and what it was like to have the stress of a ski nation on your backs as you competed weekly to bring Podiums and Wins back to the alpine Nation of Austria. Hans shares what the stress of being on a team with the likes of Maier, Eberharter, Stroble, Franz and Schifferer was like. He opens up about how sometimes he wishes he could have part of the US team!
Other topics they cover;
- The development of Speed skiers now versus then
- Austrians now missing the power of Team
- “If you can drink, then you can train”
- Too much focus on the TOP and not the Juniors
- Aspen – an Old School DH
- AJ’s Celebration when he won at Aspen*
- And who will win this year at Aspen as the Men’s DH returns to AJAX!
You can find the Podcast on Apple and Spotify or on the ELITEAM Youtube Channel. Links below.
Thanks for listening and watching and get the latest on the Aspen World Cup at Skiracing.com!!!
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As the World Cup takes a break from racing – everyone’s attention turns to the World Championships being held in Courchevel France! Where it’s all about the top three as Medals are on the line! Gold, Silver and Bronze are up for the taking.
And our guest today won the Bronze Medal at the 2003 World Championships Super-G held in St. Moritz. She is Jonna Mendes, a two-time Olympian and presently the Director of the Sun Valley Ski Academy. Jonna shares with us not only her experience on the Worlds Podium, but her thoughts on developing Speed at the junior ranks present day.
Marco, AJ, LEW and Jonna also talk about;
- How Jonna became a Speed skier,
- How Jonna grew up alongside Caroline Lalive beating all the boys in the Tahoe Area,
- How important it is to know your own skiing and how to deal with Teammates with different personalities,
- How Picabo Street helped raise Jonna’s game and how Julia Mancuso and Lindsey Vonn also were great Teammates,
- How Americans always seem the Underdog and feed off of that energy and rise to the occasion,
- The difference between racing weekly on the World Cup tour and the Worlds which have a different focus.
This is a great Podcast for both Parents and Coaches as well as fans of Jonna and the American Downhillers.
If interested in being a sponsor of our Podcast – contact [email protected]
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In this Episode, LEW, AJ, Daron and Marco welcome the Kaiser, Franz Klammer onto the Podcast to get his take on Kitzbuhel and the new Movie coming out about his Gold Medal called - Chasing the Line.
Klammer is the Ultimate Downhiller with 25 World Cup wins in the discipline on all the classic courses including Kitzbuhel's "the Streif" FOUR times! He also inspired the World in 1976 with his Crazy Gold-Medal run flying down the mountain out of control to beat his rivals!
Topics covered:
Making the Austrian team as a rookie and learning from his teammatesThe mindset of a true DownhillerHis favorite Kitsbuhel winHow to mentally prepare for the HannenkahmHow equipment, courses and course prep has changedWhat his teammates meant to himThe NEW Movie out on his Gold Medal run - Chasing the LineThis Podcast will inspire fans, motivate juniors and help coaches better understand the mentality of Speed skiers. Please Subscribe if you enjoyed it!
Interested in our Sponsors or in being a sponsor, contact Doug at [email protected].
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Rasmussen’s Victory in Wengen
11 years after Bill Johnson shocked the world by winning the Lauberhorn (the first ever win for an American Downhiller on the World Cup) it happened again and this time is was the strong and powerful and quiet Kyle Rasmussen – running Bib #1! We have Kyle on the Podcast this week to talk about that race, the uniqueness of the Wengen DH and their favorite spots of this crazy, 2 minute 30 second Downhill that takes racers off a cliff, through a tunnel, over 95 mph and ends with two 90 degree turns on spent legs!
Doug, AJ, Darren and Kyle also talk about;
- Kyle’s strengths as a Downhiller and how he became one of the best
- How it is tough to stay on a roll on World Cup because of the schedule and travel
- Their favorite, and not so favorite, parts of the longest DH on the circuit
- Advice they would give American World Cup rookies
- Advice for Feuz & Mayer who just retired
- And a whole lot more!
A special Thanks to our Sponsors; Ski Racing Media, ADLSkiClub.com, Wend Wax, ELITEAM Fitness Camps, and the American Downhillers on-snow Camps
Watch it at SkiRacing.com or ELITEAM’s Youtube channel or listen on Spotify or Apple!
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In this week’s American Downhiller Podcast we tackle the toughest, most challenging Downhill on the circuit – Bormio! And as our special guest we have 6-time Bormio DH winner Dominik Paris from Italy! This legendary speed skier joins us from his home after a day of – believe it or not – slalom training where he only finished half of his runs.
Doug, AJ and Daron ask Dom all about the Bormio track and how he is able to throw himself down the craziest downhills in the world seemingly without fear. They also talk about;
- His downhill heroes growing up
- How he finds the confidence to push his limits
- What he listens to before DHs like Bormio and Kitzbuhel
- His fitness routine in the Summer and during the Season
- What he does to warm up before Bormio runs
- Who he watches on Video and why
- His schedule throughout the Winter and how it differs from US Skiers
- What he thinks about returning to Aspen’s Downhill later this season.
Dominik and the best Downhillers in the world head to Bormio the day after Christmas to prep for the dark, bumpy, icy, nasty, thigh-crushing 2 miles of craziness that drops 3000 vertical feet in under two minutes!
Watch it at SkiRacing.com or ELITEAM’s Youtube channel or listen on Spotify or Apple!
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The American Downhillers ,along with the World’s speed skiers, head to Val Gardena to run the Saslong course this weekend. This Italian course has more terrain than any other Downhill Course with the racers leaving the ground over 25 times in less than two minutes. It is home to the infamous Camel Bumps which launches the racers over 150 in the air. And last year, AD Bryce Bennett won it in style!
Joining Lew, AJ, Daron and Marco is 6-time Olympian and 2005 WINNER on the Saslaong Marco Buechel (Buxi) from Lichtenstein! He describes this course in two words - “Disney-Land!” He shares his unique perspective on not only the course, but on a wide range of important and interesting topics;
- The bond and respect between Buxi and the American Downhillers
- His relationship with the Swiss Team he trained and raced with for 15 years
- His first DH was on the Streif at Kitzbuhel and it was scary and memorable
- How he was OK with being nervous and fearful of DH, but used that fear in a positive way
- He description of the course at Val Gardena is priceless
- What it’s like to jump the Camels
- His thoughts on Odermatt and why he is so good
- And he and the boys make their DH picks for the race in Italy
The American Downhiller Podcast is presented by SkiRacing.com and you can listen to the American Downhiller Podcast on Apple and Spotify. Or watch it HERE. Please subscribe so you don’t miss a single Episode.
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America’s Speed races start this Friday on the legendary Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek, CO. And who better to tell us its secrets than World Champ Silver Medalist on this very course, Travis Ganong!
This interview goes all over the place!
- Travis’s favorite section of the course
- How you prepare mentally to risk it all on this legendary course
- The differences in snow conditions between Colorado’s “ego snow” and Europe’s “nasty ice” and how the racers deal with both
- Course Reports and what Travis and the boys want to hear right before they jump out of the gate
- What the best in the world are thinking as they try to generate speed on the flats
- How your race mentality changes as you grow from a Rookie to a Vet on the circuit
- Why the Euros are afraid of air and keep trying to shave down the bumps on WC
- And finally, when to go to the bathroom on race day!!!
You can hear this Podcast on APPLE and SPOTIFY. Just search American Downhiller Podcast and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss any episodes!
Or watch the video Version at SkiRacing.com or ELITEAM's Youtube Channel!
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The American Downhillers welcomed the #GOAT Lindsey Vonn onto the Podcast to hear her thoughts on the Downhill Course she dominated for 17 years – winning the DH 14 times – but also to hear her take on development, World Cup rivalries, equipment, coaching, and people telling her she “couldn’t do something”. And she dropped nuggets of wisdom throughout. The interview will inspire young athletes, educate coaches, and put a smile on all of her fans’ faces!
Right off the bat she shares her thoughts on the Course that some people call “Lake Lindsey” and how she was able to create speed on every inch of the course. She was able to “find the rhythm” of the course from day 1 and that translated into a confidence that she could win no matter how many mistakes she would make on a run. Her key to the course? The “Fall-Away” turn that most often separated her from the rest of the field.
A lot of the interview centered around the importance of the Mental Skills she had, which seemed more important to her than the technical skills. She was motivated by challenges, competitors, speed, risk, and her ultimate elixir – when somebody told her she couldn’t do something! Unfortunately for her rivals, if she heard about someone doubting her abilities, she took that and turned it into inspiration to work even harder!
Another takeaway is the fact that she “never skied to have the perfect run”, but always was pushing the limits to see “what she could get away with”. Her view of risk and never wanting to have the regret of not pushing it to the limit is inspiring, but also a peek into the reasons why she sometimes pushed it too far and was injured a lot.
We find out how a young 11 year-old from the 300 vertical drop of Buck Hill became the World’s best speed skier. She combined her technical skills honed run after run in Minnesota with her speed skills learned on the big slopes of Vail to turn herself into the ultimate speed weapon who went on to win 43 Downhills all over the globe.
Doug, Daron and Marco then bring up her focus on equipment and how important dialing in skis and boots is to both a junior and a World Cup Superstar. She talks about how she questioned everything, especially why she couldn’t and/or shouldn’t use the stiffer Men’s skis, and how that lead to her biggest win in Lake Louise – a whopping 1.95 seconds in 2011! Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BEHqBwIrmQ
Other topics they touch upon include:
- Nutrition and how she ultimately found what works for her through many years of experimenting,
- How Patrick Riml affected her career and the challenges he has now that he is back with the US Ski Team,
- Her thoughts on Breezy, Bella, Trisha and the up and comers on the US Women’s speed team,
- And she answers the question; Are Downhillers wound too tight or is something just too loose?
One of the highlights of the interview was learning the reason behind her start routine of systematically gripping and re-gripping her poles in the starting gate. She ends with sharing her latest workout routines, the way she enjoys skiing these days, and the many things she is involved with to keep challenging herself. This interview is filled with excellent takeaways that will inspire young athletes, guide coaches, and entertain her many fans.
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The American Downhiller Podcast is BACK for its second season of educating and entertaining the ski world about what is happening on and off the courses of the world’s greatest speed races. Featuring Olympians Doug Lewis, AJ Kitt, Daron Rahlves and Marco Sullivan, the podcast takes you into the starting gates and onto the tracks of the world’s fastest races. They will share the behind-the-scenes stories of World Cup racing and also pass along their knowledge to the next generation of speed demons. And along the way, they will invite the Who’s Who of Downhill as guests and pick their brains.
To kick out of the gate on their first Podcast, their guest is one of the legendary Crazy Canucks Brian Stemmle who’s arrival onto the World Cup stage coincided with the retirement of the great Steve Podborski. Brian raced with all four of the hosts and shares his thoughts on this year’s World Cup and what’s it’s like to race Lake Louise as a Canadian.
Right out of the gate, the boys talk about the close relationship between the US Ski Team and the Canadian Ski Team from playing hockey together (Canadians ruled) to sharing ski techs and coaches while competing against each other. Early on the teamwork between countries helped both nations gain confidence to compete with the Euros, who did not respect the North Americans at all.
Next the hosts dive into their love/hate relationships with their European competitors. Whether it was friendships made on the podium or bonds made in the hospitals, the crew talks about how they formed tight relationships with the “enemies” that helped push them to new heights. Lewis had Zurbriggen. AJ had Heinzer. Daron had the Hermannator. And Marco had Klaus Kroell. Each had a nemesis who inspired great skiing.
They then dive into the epic course at Lake Louise and the fact that this may be the last running of this course that has rewarded so many World Cup stars for risking it all. The course has made World Cup legends, but more importantly groomed and taught so many younger racers and prepared them for greatness on the World’s stage. The Nor-ams that have been held each year after the World Cup leaves has been such a gift to the development of both Canadian and US racers. The loss of early season Speed training at Lake Louise could be felt for years.
Finally, the crew breaks down how to win on the Lake Louise course. All agree that racers have to separate themselves through the Fishnet-Fallaway-Gunbarrel section, but racers can also easily lose it on top and on the high-speed bottom flats. They discuss the optimal Skill-Set of a Lake Louise Winner before each giving their Podium predictions on the Races to be held this weekend up in the great white north.
You don’t want to miss this inside look at the Opening World Cup downhills on the men’s circuit. AND stay tuned for next week’s podcast when the boys with have Lindsey Vonn as their guest! Hear from the GOAT herself (who won on this course 18 times), what makes this course one of the best!
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In this Episode of the American Downhiller Podcast, Lew, AJ, Daron and Marco are joined by Bella Wright whose rollercoaster 21-22 season included the high of the Olympics and the low of a fractured heel, but finished with her first National Downhill Championship win!
Bella breaks down her winning run on the storied Narrow Gauge run in Sugarloaf and what it meant to her. Then the boys also share the stories of their first National Championship wins and how important those races actually are, despite being “only” the Nationals and not World Cups.
Bella then talks about growing up at Snowbird and how important and motivating it was to travel to Beaver Creek and Aspen each year as a junior racer and see the World Cup superstars in person. Her big dreams were fueled by seeing and feeling the excitement and craziness of the White Circus. This rang true for all of the Downhillers as each shared their first glimpse of their heroes.
The group then talks about what makes a great coach and all of them were on the same page - being a motivator is KEY to inspiring young athletes to push their limits through good times and bad times. They then all talk about how important patience is to athletes, even though none enjoyed the inevitable waiting game of getting to the top and realizing their dreams.
Finally, Doug asks Bella the two things that she will be working on this Summer to take her from a career best 10th on World Cup to the Podium. One will be a technical focus on her core and how that will keep her body aligned and strong. And mentally, she will be focused on trusting her training and hard work, instead of the minutiae of line or times or results.
This episode is perfect for the Ski Racing Fan, the up and coming racer, as well as for all the junior coaches out there who want to hear from an athlete who has risen to the top through great coaching!
To contact us, email Doug at [email protected]
Thanks for listening!
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Tommy Moe & Kvitfjell’s Olympic Downhill Course
American Downhiller Podcast Episode 13:
The American Downhillers are joined by Olympic Champion Tommy Moe to discuss the Kvitfjell OlympicBakken course that will be run this weekend - the same course that Tommy beat Norwegian favorite Kjetil Aamodt on by 4 hundies to win the Gold in 1994! They dig deep and share their keys to the Course as well as what makes it such a classic and fun Downhill.
We start off the podcast by asking all of them to describe the course in three words only. Their answers give you an excellent idea of what’s in store this weekend. It is high-speed. It has super technical turns. It has HUGE air. And has rhythm and feel like no other. Tommy’s description is priceless.
Tommy then describes his memories of his Golden Day from how he woke up just meters from the course, to how he almost missed the final gates to how quiet it was at the finish as every Norwegian there was in shock. He talks about how he made the mental decision in the gate that he was “either going to win or I’m gonna crash”. Twenty-eight years later the memories are still crystal clear and amazing.
AJ, Marco and Daron then describe how Moe’s win set the tone for the next generation of American Downhillers. Kyle Rasmussen won the following year, Daron broke through four years later winning his first two WCs there. And of course Bode carried on that tradition later on. Moe showed the US speed skiers that this was a course they could dominate and ski with confidence!
They then talk about the critical points of the Course so that this weekend fans will know what to look for as they watch. AJ describes that after Moe’s Hop there is a series of five turns that are deceptively tough and hard to ski. Daron explains that on a course like this, you can not make a mistake - especially at the top where it gets flat before the Russi Jump. And don’t forget to get in your Bullet Tuck as soon as possible heading into the final section before the finish. Marco then describes that every year the snow and terrain is different which makes inspection and adaptability critical.
Tommy then shares the secrets of his legendary tuner Willi Wiltz and what he did on that morning to make his skis as fast as possible. There was a special wax, sidewalls craziness and oiling up the edges… Awesome inside info!
The crew then talks about what makes this downhill a place where young and unknown racers break through. Every year there are surprises on this course from relatively unknowns that jump start their careers. The boys have their opinions on the WHY.
This year, like most at Kvitfjell, there is a Double Downhill with the make-up race from Beaver Creek (which was a make-up from Lake Louise). The boys talk about how that effects the psyche. For Daron it was a Double win, but for Marco is was not as great as he crashed both days one year when he was on fire.
The conversation then moves to their thoughts on the Olympics now that they are in the rearview mirror. Lew talks about the fact that the Olympics are more of a mental skill test than a skiing skill test and that maybe the Americans need more sports psych training to prepare them for the big races. Daron talks about how he heard from the reps in China about how grippy and tough the snow was to nail consistently with setup. Tommy and Marco talk about how fun and interesting the terrain and tracks were and how much fun it was to watch.
Lastly the subject changes to what it is like for Tommy, AJ and Daron to be Ski Racing Dads. How they handle that role and how to walk the fine line between Parent and sometimes Coach. They all stress the tenets of Fun, Love of Skiing and Hard work!
If you want to feel the fun and intensity of this course, here are three links to get you in the right frame of mind! Tommy Moe’s Olympic Run, Daron’s sweep of the Double Downhill in...
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Episode #12: American Downhiller Podcast
Alice McKennis Duran on the Women’s Downhill
Olympian and World Cup Winner Alice McKennis Duran joins LEW, AJ and Daron to break down the Women’s Olympic Downhill as well as share her thoughts on racing Downhill at the highest level for a decade.
To begin the podcast, LEW makes good on his promise to wear his 1984 pink Olympic Downhill suit if any American Downhiller won a medal in speed. And because RCS won silver, LEW had to stuff himself into the very tight candy-cane Descente. But he still could get into that super aero tuck that allowed him to shock the world in 1985.
The group then dives into Alice’s thoughts on a variety of things including what she loves about coaching U12s, how she feels watching World Cup Downhill as a recently retired athlete, and what she got from her Teammates over the years. Remember she was on a Team that RULED women’s speed for a decade with Vonn, Mancuso, Cook, Ross, Wiles and more.
AJ then asks about Alice’s thoughts on what Shiffrin is going through mentally as she tries to balance performance and expectations in front of the World. Alice talks about the stress associated with the Olympics and how she dealt with the intensity that permeates the Olympic races.
Finally, they all break down the Women’s Course and make their picks for Tuesday’s Olympic Women’s GS. Listen to see who they like for Gold, Silver and Bronze. The names include the favorites Goggia and Suter, but also two people who know how to shock the world, Shiffrin and Ledecka!!
Thanks for listening on Apple and Spotify and watching exclusively on SkiRacing.com.
In the next Episode, the boys will answer your questions so send them in to [email protected].
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