"The coaches called me right as she crossed the finish line," said Mancuso's former coach Mark 'Sully' Sullivan. "I looked around for someone to tell, but no one was awake yet."

Sullivan, who coached Mancuso through years in Palisades Tahoe's Mighty Mite program, was the center of attention at Palisades Tahoe. "I must have done ten interviews today," he said. "They all want to know about Julia."

"I am so excited for her," said the elated coach. "This has been her dream."

Sullivan's favorite story to tell the media is of a poster, which still sits on the wall of the Palisades Tahoe ski team locker room. "When she was about four," he says, "Julia wrote on an Olympic poster in big felt pen letters, Julia Mancuso, Gold Medalist."

All around Palisades Tahoe's base area people were talking about the gold medal, which had eluded U.S. skiers thus far through the Torino games. Ernst Hager, Palisades Tahoe's General Manager, and a former race coach, and Palisades Tahoe Ski Corp. President, Nancy Wendt, both voiced their heartfelt congratulations.

"This is just fantastic," commented Wendt. "We're so proud of her and happy for her friends and family."

As early as 8am Friday morning, as the word came out of the win, Palisades Tahoe's sign shop was busy at work on a ten-foot banner, which was placed on the Cable Car building for all to see.

Julia's return date to the US is uncertain at this time, but when it happens, a full-scale local celebration is surely in store.