(ASPEN, Colo., December, 9, 2009) – The race is on. America’s Snowboard Team (AST) – an independent team comprised of four U.S. National and World Cup Snowboard Champions – is carving their way toward the podium in Vancouver by way of the upcoming FIS World Cup Olympic qualifying competitions. The Olympic qualifying events, which will decide who will become members of the U.S. Olympic Snowboard Team, will be held in December 2009 and January 2010.

The U.S. Olympic Snowboard Team will consist of 18 total athletes to include freestyle, boardercross and alpine boarders. With the success of American freestyle and boardercross, competition is fierce for Olympic hopeful alpine boarders. There will likely be only two or three spots slotted for men and one or two slotted for women on this year’s U.S. Olympic alpine snowboard team. This led the AST boarders to establish America’s Snowboard Team – an independent program designed to provide a premier training environment, stronger coaching, and support in preparation for the race season and Olympic qualifying competitions. Each athlete has secured World Cup start positions for the Olympic qualifiers.

            AST is comprised of four U.S. National and World Cup Snowboard Champions: Chris Klug (Aspen, Colo.), two-time U.S. Olympian and Olympic Bronze Medalist; Zac Kay (Mt. Shasta, Calif.), U.S. National Parallel Giant Slalom and Parallel Slalom Champion; Josh Wylie (Stratton Mtn., Vt.), 2009 U.S. Slalom Champion; and Erica Mueller (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), U.S. National Parallel Giant Slalom Champion.

America’s Snowboard Team will compete in the following Olympic qualifying competitions:

• Telluride, Colorado; December 17, 2009
• Kreischberg, Austria January 6, 2010
• Nendaz, Switzerland; January 17, 2010 
• Stoneham, Quebec; January 24, 20

  “Snowboarding is an individual sport, but together, America’s Snowboard Team has raised the bar in training,” said Klug, who is seeking to compete in his third Olympics. “We’ll stand in that start gate with confidence, knowing we have created the best training environment possible and challenged ourselves to work as hard as we could to ride fast.  I believe that we have put ourselves in a position to perform at our best, now it comes down to getting the job done when it counts.” 

“Each AST boarder has trained hard to be their personal best and, as a team, they are poised for success at the upcoming Olympic qualifying competitions,” said Rob Roy, AST head coach.

To see a complete schedule of AST activities and to learn more about the alpine snowboard Olympic qualifying competitions, visit www.americassnowboardteam.com. On the site, fans can follow America’s Snowboard Team in their pursuit for Olympic Gold, engage in an interactive blog with AST boarders, and view AST videos. 

America’s Snowboard Team is supported by the following sponsors: Hooters, BCF and Aspen/Snowmass.

America’s Snowboard Team®, is the first independent, professional snowboard organization in the United States created by athletes with the mission to raise the profile of alpine snowboarding and provide a premier training environment for Olympic hopefuls. Visit www.americassnowboardteam.com for more information. For media information and digital images, visit www.astpressroom.com.

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