Join the Action with the U.S. Ski Team Fan Club

Thu, Nov  5, 2009 - By US Ski Team

PARK CITY, UT (Nov. 4) – The U.S. Ski Team is Vancouver Bound, with the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Winter Games just 100 days away. Athletes like Olympic champions Julia Mancuso and Ted Ligety have made a lifetime commitment to being best in the world. And now fans can help support their goals by joining the U.S. Ski Team Fan Club and becoming part of the team behind the team.

Fans can show their allegiance by joining the U.S. Ski Team Fan Club for just $35. Club members will receive an official U.S. Ski Team baseball cap, Team sticker set and a digital subscription to Ski Racing Magazine to follow all the action. Upgrade to a Gold Medal fan club membership for another $50 and get an exclusive U.S. Ski Team Fan Club hooded sweatshirt.

Fan can register online at fanclub.usskiteam.com.

The U.S. Ski Team announced its new Fan Club as the countdown clock in Vancouver struck 100 days to the Feb. 12 opening ceremonies. Opening day of competition will be Saturday, Feb. 13 with a huge lineup of medal events including the men's downhill at Whistler Creekside and women's moguls at Cypress Mountain.

"The fans are super important because it gives meaning to what we do. Everyone has their goals, but when you go out and represent the USA, you feel like you're doing something greater," World Championship silver medalist Kikkan Randall said. "We love to have people join the fan club because it gives us a chance to share our road to the Olympics with them. The fan club will give everyone front page access to everything we do."

"The fans are important. They are what get me amped up when I am at the top of my jump, make me want to do better and make me want to win," Jeret "Speedy" Peterson added. "People will get something out of joining the U.S. Ski Team Fan Club because it will build a personal relationship with the athletes. They get the inside scoop on what's going on and we become someone they know who is competing, rather than just another athlete on the U.S. Ski Team."

Four years ago, in the cold mountain air, his breath standing out in the floodlights of the brightly-lighted combined slalom course in Sestriere, Ligety became an Olympic champion. His parents, his friends, his family stood at the bottom of the mountain reveling in the success that took a lifetime of dedication and support to achieve. Now, for Ligety and his Vancouver Bound teammates, it's time to do it again.

"Being Vancouver Bound is super exciting for me. To come into another Olympics, especially in Canada, which is close to my family and friends and having a lot of people up there watching us is going to be really exciting," Ligety said.

Qualifying for the Olympic Team is already underway with early season World Cup events. The action will heat up with Audi FIS Alpine World Cups in Aspen and Beaver Creek, CO in late- November and early-December. Olympic t teams, selected primarily from World Cup results, will be named in late January.

Fans can also follow the U.S. Ski Team all season long on NBC Sports, Versus, Universal Sports and UniversalSports.com. The Feb. 12-28 Olympic Winter Games will be broadcast on NBC.

The opportunity for the U.S. Ski Team athletes to achieve their dreams can only come with support from followers. Fans can now pledge their support by joining the 2010 U.S. Ski Team Fan, where just $35.00 will help send athletes to Vancouver and provide fans with an official U.S. Ski Team hat, sticker and digital subscription to Ski Racing Magazine. Go to fanclub.usskiteam.com.