Dreams are hatching during the months leading up to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Once again, Steamboat Springs is poised to send an eye-popping number of local athletes to the competition – young women and men who were weaned on Howelsen Hill and Mount Werner, and others who came later in their developing careers to train.
In an effort to help our readers get acquainted with the promising local athletes who you might be rooting for in February, Steamboat Magazine talked with a long list of serious contenders. We asked them about everything from competition rituals to personal quirks. We learned about the inspiring ways they are devoted to their sports, their teammates and their families. They revealed their hard-core training regimes, eclectic warm-up playlists and heart-warming stories. Many made us laugh out loud.
Early winter months are sure to be filled with victory and heartbreak. Steamboat Magazine will be following the stories all the way. Meet the Steamboat athletes who are seeking Sochi.
Scroll down to listen to a playlist of the athletes' favorite tunes to warm-up, compete, and cool-down to.
Arielle, 17, is ranked second in the world in women’s half pipe by the World Snowboard Tour and finished fourth in the 2013 Winter X Games in Aspen.
Adam joined the ranks of the U.S. Nordic Combined Ski Team in 2012. That year, he picked up three top-10 finishes in the Continental Cup.
Anna Marno is an alpine ski racer on the U.S. development team and placed second in the NorAm super G standings in 2013.
Belle will represent Australia in boardercross.
Benji was named to the U.S. Snowboarding Pro Halfpipe Team in 2012. He placed seventh in the 2013 European X Games.
Born and raised in Steamboat, Ben, 18, is one of Steamboat’s most promising young Nordic Combined athletes.
Whiteman grad and Steamboat skicross competitor Brant Crossan takes time to chat with Steamboat Magazine about his exciting sport.
With four top-10 World Cup finishes, Nordic combined skier and Steamboat native Bryan Fletcher is well on his way to qualifying for Sochi.
Brett made his Nordic Combined World Cup debut in 2009.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver he won the gold medal in the Individual Gunderson event and the silver medal in the team event.
Cassie is a top American slalom and giant slalom alpine snowboard racer who has graced the World Cup stage three times.
Caroline is poised to compete for team Canada in both the parallel slalom and parallel giant slalom snowboarding events in Sochi.
Ester is a rising star in alpine snowboarding from Czech Republic, having won two gold medals at the Junior World Championships in Turkey.
Jarryd placed third at the Canyons Grand Prix event in Park City, Utah. He’s looking to ride for Team Australia.
Eliza is a U.S. Ski Team freestyle skier who has made the World Cup podium four times.
A boardercross athlete, Jenna is a member of the 2013 FIS World Snowboarding Championships Team.
He's an alpine snowboard racer on the U.S. Snowboarding Team and was a silver medalist in parallel slalom at the 2013 World Championships.
Jeremy Cota is a freestyle skier and member of the U.S. Ski Team. During the 2013 season, he racked up three top-ten World Cup finishes.
Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club’s snowboard program director is also the coach for Australian boardercross athlete Jarryd Hughes.
Within the past two years, halfpipe snowboarder Maddy Schaffrick has competed in three X Games, landing a top-10 finish in each event.
Matt has three X-Game appearances and three FIS World Cup top-10 finishes.
Mimi heads into the season ranked as the No. 1 American snowboard racer.
Mick is a boardercross racer and was a force to reckon with in the 2012/13 season, finishing fifth overall at the U.S. Grand Prix.
Mike won back-to-back first place finishes in alpine snowboarding at the 2011 and 2012 U.S. National Championships.
Michael is an up-and-coming Nordic Combined skier on the U.S. Ski Team who has scored points in five Continental Cups.
U.S. Ski Team for four years. In 2012, he had four straight top-10 finishes and concluded the year with a Continental Cup ranking of 28th.
One of the youngest talents in snowboard slopestyle, Nik landed a fifth place finish at the U.S. Revolution Tour Slopestyle in 2012.
She hopes to be among the first-ever female ski jumpers in Olympic history. In 2013 she has already had four top-10 finishes.
Richard, an Austrian, is the Europe-based coach for Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club’s alpine snowboarding athletes.
Richard Wilkes is the only Australian to participate in alpine snowboarding. He competed in the 2013 World Snowboard Championships.
The 2009 gold medalist at the Freestyle World Ski Championships, he went on to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Spencer is the Coach of the U.S. Snowboarding Freestyle Development Team.
Taylor is on the U.S. Snowboarding Rookie Halfpipe Team and has ridden in the X Games in France and the Burton U.S. Open.
Taylor competed in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and is one of the fastest skiers on the American Nordic combined team.
Vic is a world-class American-born alpine snowboarder who now competes for Russia.
Thedo is a past Olympic competitor and the current SSWSC alpine snowboarding head coach.
Todd is arguably the most successful Nordic Combined athlete in the sport’s history.