A big crowd of cheering fans packed Vail Square in Lionshead, to welcome this year's U.S. Ski team. The 49-member team was officially introduced to the huge crowd, and it was also broadcast live on Universal Sports. The team has been doing some early season training on Vail mountain, thanks to an upgraded snowmaking system.
The biggest cheers went to Vail's own Lindsey Vonn, a veteran of the World Cup tour and Olympics the world over. Vonn has won three consecutive World Cup overall and downhill titles. She holds the American record for World Cup victories with 33. She won Gold and Bronze medals in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
"I'm really excited that Vail and the U.S. Ski Team put together this amazing event to name the 2011 team," said Vonn. "It's a cool way for our fans, both here in Vail and watching the event live on Universal Sports to get to know all the athletes on the team. Vail always puts on a great show and I think this will add a lot of excitement for people to continue to cheer us throughout the season."
Other Olympians on hand included Julia Mancuso, Sarah Schleper, Ted Ligety, Andrew Weibrecht, and Bode Miller. It's Miller's 13th winter with the U.S. Ski Team. He's the most decorated American male alpine skier., who won a gold medal in Vancouver in Super Combined. Miller says it's not about the wins. "It's about doing what I like to do best. It was never about the victories. Not at the beginning of my career and not now. I just love to ski, stay fit, and encourage kids to get out and do the same."
The men will compete at Beaver Creek Dec. 3-5, on the Birds of Prey downhill. The women kick off their racing season with the Aspen Winternational Thanksgiving weekend.
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