America’s Snowboard Team 2009

In an unprecedented initiative, a newly-formed independent group of US National Champion alpine snowboard athletes announced today the launch of America’s Snowboard Team® (AST). AST is the first independent, professional snowboard team in the United States created by athletes. Their mission is to raise the profile of alpine snowboarding and provide a premier training environment for Olympic hopefuls to qualify, and ultimately medal, at the 2010 Winter Olympics. AST is comprised of four US National and World Cup Snowboard Champions: Chris Klug, two-time US Olympian and Olympic Bronze Medalist; Zac Kay, US National Parallel Giant Slalom and Parallel Slalom Champion; Josh Wylie, US Slalom Champion; and Erica Mueller, US National Parallel Giant Slalom Champion. Each athlete already has secured World Cup start positions for the upcoming Olympic qualifiers. Due to budget cuts, these four athletes were let go from the US Ski and Snowboard Association, an Olympic governing body, and forced to find independent means to vie for a spot on Team USA at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, BC