2010 Steamboat Olympians

Here is the now official list of 2010 Winter Olympians that were born or have trained in Steamboat Springs. Steamboat is a great place to grow up but I think the following list will show you it is one of the best places in the World to be if you want to get really good at skiing. There is something about our local culture that makes it natural to become a great skier, I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that is nothing special to run into an Olympic athlete around town and realize that if they can why can't you?

2010 Olympians with Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Ties:
(name, country, discipline, past Olympics)

Caroline Calve, CAN, Alpine Snowboard
Brett Camerota, USA, Combined (2006)
Bill Demong, USA, Combined (1998, 2002, 2006)
Patrick Deneen, USA, Moguls
Taylor Fletcher, USA, Combined
Michelle Gorgone, USA, Alpine Snowboard (2006)
Tyler Jewell, USA, Alpine Snowboard (2006)
Ellie Koyander, GB, Moguls
Jana Lindsey, USA, Aerials, (2006)
Todd Lodwick, USA, Combined (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006)
Adam McLeish, GB, Alpine Snowboard
Michael Morse, USA, Moguls
Johanna Shaw, AUS, Alpine Snowboard (2006)
Callan Chythlook Sifsof, USA, Snowboard Cross
Johnny Spillane, USA, Combined (1998, 2002, 2006)
Ryan St. Onge, USA, Aerials, (2006)
Kimiko Zakreski, CAN, Alpine Snowboard

"It’s not one entity or organization, but the entire community that openly embraces these athletes and plays a key role in establishing the core foundation for Ski Town, U.S.A.,” continued DeVos. “The spirit to strive for greatness and the unwavering support of athletes of all ability levels, allowing them to fulfill their dreams, whether that’s just getting started in the sport or competing on the international stage, is truly what makes this community unique and set Steamboat apart from any other place in the world.”

Steamboat’s tradition dates back to the 1932 Olympics in Lake Placid, NY, at which the Valley’s first Olympian, John Steele, placed 15th in Nordic jumping. Nelson Carmichael became the first Steamboat Olympian to win an Olympic medal, a bronze in moguls at the 1992 Games. During the 1998 Nagano Games, Steamboat Olympian Shannon Dunn-Downing became the first American woman to win a medal in snowboarding. And in 2002, Travis Mayer rocketed onto
the scene and brought home the silver medal in mogul skiing.

Steamboat is also home to the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, one of the country’s oldest and most successful clubs, as well as Howelsen Hill, which dates back to 1914 and is the oldest continuous operating ski area in Colorado. Steamboat is not only considered the birthplace of freestyle skiing in the hotdog days of the 1970s, but also Nordic jumping in Colorado going way back to the early 1900s.

For more click back to the Steamboat Springs blog main page or click the Steamboat Olympians label below.