SQUAW VALLEY, CA (Mar. 28) – Legends of American skiing, including Olympians Julia Mancuso, Jonny Moseley, Shannon Bahrke, Marco Sullivan, Tamara McKinney and many more, will hit the slopes at Palisades Tahoe April 7 for the first Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows U.S. Ski Team Day. Olympic champion Aksel Lund Svindal will also appear as a special guest.

 Supporters of the event, which will raise funds for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation, have an opportunity to spend the day skiing with U.S. Ski Team and Palisades Tahoe athletes, Olympians and alumni on the slopes of Palisades Tahoe. The event will also feature a U.S. Ski Team Pro-Am Race with afternoon activities including a public autograph session on the KT Deck and live music by San Francisco band Tea Leaf Green. The day will conclude with a star-studded après ski party at the Olympic Village Lodge.          

Each year, nationwide events like the Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows U.S. Ski Team Day raise millions of dollars in funding to support the athletes of the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing. More specifically, the funds generated through the Palisades Tahoe event will support elite athlete training, development, competition and educational needs in the critical years leading up to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. In addition to supporting the U.S. Ski Team, a portion of the funds raised will go directly to the Palisades Tahoe Ski Team.

"Palisades Tahoe has a rich tradition in winter sports and the development of U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding athletes," said Palisades Tahoe President and CEO Andy Wirth. "We are proud to host this event at Palisades Tahoe and to support the efforts of the Team. We look forward to offering our guests and aspiring young athletes the chance to celebrate, race and mingle with past and present legends of the sport."

A highlight of the event is the afternoon Pro-Am race. Teams of five racers will be paired with a celebrity skier and will go head to head on the race course. The U.S. Ski Team is currently looking for local businesses and individuals to sponsor teams for the Pro-Am Race. Every team that is sponsored will be composed of two deserving Palisades Tahoe Ski Team Racers, two local U.S. Ski Team alumni, and an additional racer chosen by the sponsor. Individuals and groups are also encouraged to put together and enter their own teams for the race. Pro-Am Race entry begins at a $1,000 entry donation per team sponsorship or a $200 donation per racer.

The day's festivities will conclude with an exclusive Après Ski Party and celebration at the Olympic Village Lodge where fans will have an opportunity to meet and mingle with the visiting Olympians after their day on the slopes. Individual tickets to the après ski party are available for a $150 donation to the Team. Family packages are also available for a $300 donation. In thanks of their support, all guests will receive an official U.S. Ski Team t-shirt and be entered into a raffle for the chance to win exclusive U.S. Ski Team gear and prizes.

The U.S. Ski Team hosted a similar fundraising event at Windham Mountain in New York earlier this season that featured Olympian champions Tommy Moe, Donna Weinbrecht and Diann Roffe among others. The Team is excited to expand the successful event concept to Squaw and Alpine Meadows with the hope of hosting similar U.S. Ski Team Days at resorts across the country.  

The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation is currently welcoming donations and RSVPs for the 2012 Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows U.S. Ski Team Day. Sponsorship levels range from a $150 donation to attend the Après Ski Party to a $2,500, all-inclusive Olympic sponsorship package for two. The Foundation is also looking for businesses and individuals to sponsor teams for the afternoon Pro-Am race. All donations to the Team are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Potential sponsors can contact Jessica Miller at the U.S. Ski Team for more information (jmiller@ussa.org or 435.647.2095), or visit http://foundation.ussa.org/foundation.

2012 Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows U.S. Ski Team Day Schedule
8:00 a.m.      Welcome breakfast with Olympic sponsors

9:00 a.m.     Olympic sponsors private ski time with skiing legends - on hill at Palisades Tahoe

11:45 p.m.    VIP lunch 

1:00 p.m.    Pro-Am race

Afternoon:    Public activities at KT deck with live music from Tea Leaf Green 

Afternoon:     Public athlete autograph session at the KT deck

5:30 p.m.     Après Ski Party with U.S. Ski Team athletes at The Olympic Village Lodge
8:00 p.m.     Evening concludes

Featured Athletes
Julia Mancuso
Tamara McKinney
Jonny Moseley
Marco Sullivan
Shannon Bahrke
Stacey Cook
Nick Daniels
Sho Kashima
Special Guest: Aksel Lund Svindal
More to be confirmed...