Temperatures are rising and the ski season has wound down for both Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski resorts, which announced season-ending awards this week for Olympic skiers Julia Mancuso, Travis Ganong and several others.
Mancuso and Ganong, who both ski at Squaw Valley, were among the Squaw and Alpine Meadows’ ski teams honors. The two resorts clinched seven out of the 11 top honors at the Far West Skiing Awards Ceremony, including accolades for Outstanding Ski Racing Resort, Coach of the Year, Outstanding Junior, Volunteer of the Year, and two Outstanding Senior Awards.
The Far West Skiing’s annual awards wrap up the competitive ski racing season for 23 teams, clubs and programs across California and Southern Oregon, including Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. At the event, Squaw and Alpine’s Ski Teams were honored with more than half of the awards, attesting both mountain’s dedication to the ski racing community.
Squaw Valley closed last weekend, while Alpine is open Fridays through Sundays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., through Sunday, May 11 for skiing and snowboarding.
Outstanding Senior – Julia Mancuso and Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley)
Squaw Valley athletes Julia Mancuso and Travis Ganong, who both represented Team USA in Sochi, were awarded the Jill Kinmont Award, which recognizes outstanding performances from a women’s and men’s senior athlete.
Both Mancuso and Ganong are Squaw Valley Ski Team alumni. As a four-time Olympian, Mancuso is the most decorated female Olympic American skier. Ganong competed in his first Olympic Games in Sochi, and has become a rising star in the ski racing community.
Outstanding Ski Racing Resort- Alpine Meadows
John Black, along with the entire Alpine Meadows team, was honored with the Bill Mackay Award for Outstanding Ski Racing Resort. Alpine Meadows hosted events all year in the Lake Tahoe area, when others were unable. The resort even picked up events at a moment’s notice, providing great flexibility and proving an unwavering support of the ski racing athletes.
Outstanding Coach of the Year – Brad Saxe (Squaw Valley)
Squaw Valley Ski Team coach, Brad Saxe, received the Dave McCoy Award for Outstanding Coach of the Year. Saxe coaches Squaw Valley’s most elite men’s team, and was recognized for his dedication and superb guidance that helped Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows athletes land on over 100 podiums this past season.
Outstanding Performance by a Junior – Erik Arvidsson (Squaw Valley)
Erik Arvidsson is a Squaw Valley Ski Team athlete, and new member of the U.S. Ski Team Development Squad. He was named the Jinny Glass Award recipient for outstanding performance by a Junior.
For the 2013-14 season, Arvidsson was arguably the most dominant junior athlete in the nation. He was the highest ranked junior from any country to not be on a national team.
In addition, Arvidsson qualified to compete against some of the best alpine skiers in the world at the 2014 U.S. Alpine Championships, which took place on his home turf of Squaw Valley.
