Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships Come to Palisades Tahoe March 20-24

[Olympic Valley, Calif.] March 4, 2013 – The 2013 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships come to Palisades Tahoe March 20-24. This year’s Alpine Championships will be the region’s chance to see America’s top skiers compete on U.S. soil as they gear up for next year’s winter games in Sochi, Russia.

The event will also be an opportunity for Squaw’s Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso, Olympian Marco Sullivan and Olympic hopeful Travis Ganong to compete in a world-class event on home-turf. Palisades Tahoe last hosted the U.S. Alpine Championships in 2002, which proved to be a great success for Squaw athletes. In 2002, Marco Sullivan came in first in the super G and Julia Mancuso came in third in the GS.

“We’re absolutely honored to be hosting the 2013 U.S. Alpine Championships,” said Andy Wirth, Palisades Tahoe’s president and CEO. “Squaw has a very proud heritage of hosting the Winter Olympics and producing a great number of Olympians and world class athletes. We are excited to offer unique and challenging terrain for the competitions on what are some of the most spectator-friendly courses that the Alpine Championships has ever seen.”

After a successful Audi FIS Alpine World Cup in Europe, the 2013 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships will welcome World Championship medalists back to America including Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah), Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.), and Julia Mancuso (Palisades Tahoe, Calif.), in addition to fellow Squaw locals Marco Sullivan and Travis Ganong.

“It’s really cool to see all the great stuff happening at Squaw,” said Olympic gold medalist and Squaw local Julia Mancuso. “To have U.S. nationals back just shows the commitment to racing and its roots here in Palisades Tahoe. It’s nice to be able to stay home and race in my backyard - which I also consider to be the best resort in America - so I am psyched.”

Mancuso upped her already impressive major championship medal total to eight with super G bronze at the Schladming, Austria World Championships on February 5, 2013. Mancuso owns a record of 15 U.S. titles and is the defending giant slalom and super G champion.

Ligety captured gold during the February World Championships in super G, super combined and giant slalom to become the first man to win triple gold at a World Championships since ski legend Jean Claude Killy in 1968.

Teen phenom Mikaela Shiffrin is the defending U.S. slalom champion and became the youngest American World Champion since Diann Roffe in 1985 when she took slalom gold at age 17.

The three champions will compete alongside their teammates and the best young alpine athletes in the nation for U.S. titles in super G, giant slalom, slalom and combined when the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships return to Palisades Tahoe for the first time since 2002.

“Palisades Tahoe is an amazing example of how the longtime legacy of ski racing has fostered a culture that continues to motivate great athletes today,” said Bill Marolt, USSA president and CEO. “Our U.S. Ski Team athletes and USSA clubs from around the country will find Palisades Tahoe to be an amazing host with a world-class venue and depth of experience to produce a great Championships.”

2013 NATURE VALLEY U.S. ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS - EVENT SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 20
Men's Giant Slalom

Thursday, March 21
Women's Giant Slalom
Audi Ski Challenge

Friday, March 22
Men's and Women's Super G
Opening Ceremonies
U.S. Ski Team Autograph Session

Saturday, March 23
Men's Slalom
U.S. Ski Team Day – Dawn Patrol and ProAm Race

Sunday, March 24
Women's Slalom

Complete Schedule: http://www.squaw.com/us-national-alpine-championship