From the US Ski team:

Two-time World Cup overall champion Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) was named Thursday to the U.S. Ski Team and will compete this coming season on the Audi FIS World Cup. Miller has skied independently the last two years, winning his second overall World Cup title in 2007-08. The U.S. Ski Team and Miller made the announcement in a joint press conference at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

According to U.S. Ski Team Head Men's Alpine Coach Sasha Rearick, Miller has committed to the U.S. Ski Team program. "Bode is committed to the Team and the Team looks forward to helping Bode achieve personal greatness," Rearick said. "Because Bode is such a great competitor he's going to challenge everyone on the Team to push their personal limits and strive for greater performances. I look forward to Bode being a positive team member and leader.

"Our men's Team the last two years has grown into a close-knit family – we help each other be successful. Having proven veterans like Ted [Ligety], Marco [Sullivan], Steven [Nyman], Scott [Macartney] and Bode all training and racing together will help all of us. This is a group of strong leaders that Bode has trained and raced with throughout his career."

"I am excited to be back with the guys and the Team. We've had great success together," Miller said. "I look forward to taking advantage of the great program we have in place."

Miller was named to the Team based on his results from last season. Like all other athletes, he will need to qualify for a slot on the Olympic Team based on 2010 season results. The Olympic Team will be named January 26.

The Team will begin working with Miller immediately. The four-time World Champion Miller did not set a return to competition date. He is not expected to compete in the Oct. 25 Audi FIS World Cup season opener in Soelden, Austria but is hopeful to be at the Visa Birds of Prey World Cup Dec. 2-6 in Beaver Creek, CO.

Bode Miller has called a press conference for this morning for 11 to announce his intentions for the 2010 Olympics and 2009-10 World Cup season.

While he said previously he was done with Olympics, I think it's pretty obvious what he's going to say this morning (After all, U.S. alpine coach Sasha Rearick is joining him at the press conference.)

Miller is still one of the best skiers in the world and the winningest skier in U.S. history. Even if he doesn't medal in Whistler his presence should take some pressure off the rest of the U.S. team.

From the U.S. Ski Team:

The greatest alpine skiers in the country are set to return to the Olympic venue of Whiteface/Lake Placid March 20-23 as the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) announced Whiteface as host of the 2010 U.S. Alpine Championships.

Located in nearby Wilmington, the 1980 Olympic alpine venue will feature athletes fresh from the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver including two-time World Cup overall champion and double World Championships gold medalist Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and 2006 Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety (Park City, UT).

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From the U.S. Ski Team

Life's not exactly a beach for the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team moguls athletes who are stationed in San Diego this week for one of the most intense training camps of their season.

"We came down here to get our skiers out of their element in the mountains," U.S. Moguls Head Coach Scott Rawles said. "We've been doing beach workouts every day. We try to keep everyone moving. We have stuff going on from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., so it's fairly grueling, really intense and it's a good way to get our prep season kicked off."

Among the athletes at the camp are World Championship bronze medalist Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) and 2002 Olympic silver medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA).

"We're basically getting whipped into shape. We're learning some technique in the gym, we're doing core workouts, we're running on the track and then we're doing workouts at the beach that involve running in and out of the water with and without surfboards," Kearney said. "I'm not exactly what you'd call a beach person, but it's a really good way to mix up the training and get a good tan at the same time."

For Bahrke, a California native, training in her home state is a great way to get back into the swing of things.

"This is our first camp and we're really trying to get back into it. We've been doing a lot of different things," Bahrke said. "I'm a Cali girl, so I love being down here. It's beautiful, the sun is shining and it's a really good vibe down here."

The camp involves some of the most intense training the athletes will endure throughout their season. The intensity serves as a foundation for the athletes remaining in consistently good shape as they gear up for 2010.

"Every day I fall asleep within two seconds of my head hitting my pillow. Everything we've been doing is really hard. There have been no easy workouts," Bahrke said.

"In a lot of ways this is a little unorthodox compared to what we usually do, but I think that's one of the main reasons we do it," Rawles added. "It's good to get the athletes into different situations that they might not have been in before because in our sport we're always dealing with different situations so this helps them prepare for that."

Athletes who live away from the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's Center of Excellence training facility and the supervision of the Team's trainer will be able to take the workout plans and fundamental skills they developed in San Diego and use them from their homes across the U.S.

"Living in Vermont I don't get to work with Alex [Moore, Team trainer] very often except for over the Internet. It's really good getting some face time. He makes us work harder than we would alone. It's a really good way to start the off season," Kearney said.

The moguls athletes will remain in San Diego through the weekend before returning to their personal training schedules.

From the U.S. Ski Team:

Olympic champion Picabo Street (Park City, UT), who dominated her sport in the 1990s, headlined a group of 15 finalists for consideration to be named to the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, presented by Allstate. Street, along with Paralympic champions Greg Mannino (Eagle, CO) and Sarah Will (Vail, CO), were named finalists Thursday at a press conference in Chicago, the USA's bid city for the 2016 Olympics.

The public will have a say in the hopeful selection of the U.S. Ski Team athletes. From now through June 16, fans can cast their votes for the 2009 class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame online at www.teamusa.org. The inductees will be revealed in early July and will be honored at a black-tie induction ceremony on August 12 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame is the only national sports Hall of Fame that includes fan voting.

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From the U.S. Ski Team:

One of America's greatest Olympic champions, Andrea Mead Lawrence, passed away Monday at her home near Mammoth Mountain, CA at the age of 76. A three-time Olympian, she played a pivotal role in establishing the United States as an alpine power against the traditional Europeans and Scandinavians, winning two gold medals in the 1952 Olympic Winter Games in Oslo.

She grew up skiing at Vermont's Pico Peak and competed in the 1948 Olympics at just 15. In 1952, she captured both the slalom and giant slalom, following in the footsteps of teammate and double medalist Gretchen Fraser from 1948. She is generally credited as having ushered in the modern era of alpine skiing in the Olympic Winter Games.

"Andrea Mead Lawrence was one of the most respected champions of all time," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt. "As a teenager, she led by her example of perseverance in never giving up. Nearly a half century later, she remains a distinguished role model for today's athletes."

Lawrence took slalom gold by winning the second of two runs by a remarkable two seconds – after she had fallen in the first. Her effort later earned her recognition by noted Olympic film producer Bud Greenspan as his number one Winter Olympian. She made it three Olympics in 1956, finishing fourth, just one spot away from a bronze, in Cortina.

Throughout her life, she has remained one of America's most foremost spokespersons for her sport and the Olympics. She was inducted in the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1958 and was recently nominated by the USSA for consideration for the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

Doug Haney, a media relations specialist for the U.S. Ski Team, recently sent out his recap of Lindsey Vonn's season, one of the best ever by a U.S. skier.

Here it is:

2009 Season Detail
Nov. 15, 2008 - Vonn makes an incredible save to capture the first World Cup slalom podium of her career with a decisive victory at the opening slalom of the 2009 Audi FIS World Cup season in Levi, Finland. The win vaulted her into the World Cup lead.

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Bode Miller, 31, ended his season early on Tuesday leaving ski fans to wonder if they seen the last of the United State's most decorated ski racer.

The Associated Press reported last month that Miller was pondering retirement before the games.

Here's the announcement from the U.S. Ski Team:

Two-time World Cup overall champion and Olympic medalist Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) announced Tuesday that he will take the remainder of the 2009 Audi FIS Alpine World Cup season off.

"Due to a number of factors, it makes sense to call it a season," said Miller. "I came into the season excited, with my mental and physical intensity where I wanted it to be. I had speed and raced hard all season but it didn't translate into the results we were hoping for. I have been racing World Cup for a while and need a break. At this time I find more happiness doing other things than being on tour."

In 14 World Cup seasons Miller has amassed a U.S. record 31 World Cup victories making him the most successful ski racer in American history. He is the 2005 and 2008 World Cup overall champion, holds two Olympic silver medals from the 2002 season and five World Championship medals including four gold.

Miller has not made a decision on the possibility of retirement.

"I thank everyone for their support, arc on," said Miller.

From the U.S. Ski Team:

Double World Champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) added a new line to the U.S. Ski Team record books Saturday, becoming only the second American in history to win back-to-back World Cup downhill titles. Vonn tied for 12th on the day, but mathematically clinched the title with an insurmountable 111-point margin over Swiss racer Dominique Gisin.

Austrian Andrea Fischbacher won the race as Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) finished 10th. Chelsea Marshall (Pittsfield, VT), Stacey Cook (Mammoth, CA) and Keely Kelleher (Big Sky, MT) also finished in the points.

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From the U.S. Ski Team:

It's official, Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) is the winningest female ski racer in American history. The 24-year-old double World Champion secured her 19th World Cup victory Sunday with a super G win in Tarvisio, surpassing U.S. great Tamara McKinney's previous high mark of 18 established in the 1980s.

It was Vonn's sixth World Cup win of the season and 43rd podium of her young career. She now stands an impressive third for all-time U.S. World Cup wins (male or female) behind Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) with 31 and Phil Mahre with 27.

"It sounds really weird to me," said Vonn, who captured gold in both downhill and super G at the recent FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. "I don't see myself as a record setter and actually never thought it was possible to pass a legend like Tamara.

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Doug Haney, spokesman for the U.S. Ski Team, offers his personal take on Lindsey Vonn's wild week at the World Championships:

(Click here to read the Associated Press account)

Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) won her third World Championships gold medal today - this one for being the toughest competitor. She was going for the slalom win, crashed and slid on her back for a while. It didn't feel good, but she skied down and immediately hugged her best friend and No. 1 competitor Maria Riesch, who did win the gold - her first of the World Championships.

Funny thing is, she would have hugged whoever won, that's Lindsey. After going through the media mix zone, we walked together to the hotel. It took over a half hour because Lindsey took photos with fans and signed autographs all the way there. Amazing.

Now there's that (Resi) Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY) kid. Not only did Resi finish 19th in her first race in over 13 months. She finished 19th at the World Championships slalom - her first race in 13 months.

But she didn't stop there - while interviewing with NBC Sports in the finish, she realized that French President Nicolas Sarkozy was in the crowd. Resi then jumped the media pen, climbed into the stands and convinced the Prez to sign her race bib. She even blew him a kiss!

From the U.S. Ski Team:

Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) blazed from ninth place to take the bronze at the 2009 FIS Alpine Ski World Championships giant slalom Friday. He was edged by Swiss skier Carlo Janka, who won, and Austria's Benjamin Raich took silver.

"I was pretty upset after the first run. I knew I had to step it up and I skied with a fair amount of risk. I was pretty happy to be cleaner than first run," Ligety said.

Ligety said he struggled in the first run as conditions on the hill varied from icy sections to grippy snow throughout the course.

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