Member Type: Athlete

Lindsey’s extraordinary achievements have solidified her place in history as one of the greatest American skiers of all time. Throughout her 15-year career, Lindsey achieved 82 World Cup victories and became the first-ever women’s Olympic downhill champion. She redefined the boundaries of alpine skiing, setting numerous records including 18 victories on the same course (Lake Louise), 20 crystal globes, and 43 downhill victories. In 2023, Lindsey became the first woman to ski the legendary Streif in Kitzbühel, Austria. And on top of that, Lindsey is the first ever to ski the course at night. A true sports icon, Lindsey’s impact has transcended the world of skiing through her creation of the Lindsey Vonn Foundation. Lindsey used her platform to provide programming for education, sports, and enrichment programs to help young girls grow as athletes, leaders, and individuals. Lindsey continues to give back and build our industry by serving on the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games Governing Board as their Chief of Athlete Experience. Due to her efforts, on July 24, 2024, our neighbors in Salt Lake City were awarded the 2034 Winter Olympics. Her biggest contribution to this bid was to help create an Olympic Village for the athletes’ families. In Lindsey's opinion, taking care of families should be just as important as the athletes.

Native American Ross became the fastest skier in the Western Hemisphere. Born in New Mexico, he grew up in Durango, Colorado, and started racing gates at an early age. He was on skis by three at Purgatory Resort, where his father was on the ski patrol. By six, he was ski racing but was drawn to speed skiing. He later became one of the top US Speed Skiing Team athletes, winning bronze at the 2005 World Championships, and is an eight-time national champion. Ross has held the record for the fastest American ever on skis: 154.06 miles per hour (247.930KPH) achieved in 2006. Ross is also known for leveraging his athletic success to bring skiing to native youth. He began engaging in programs, initially at Purgatory Resort, together with the Southern Ute tribe, as well as the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma and the Mescalero Apache tribes of New Mexico. His goal was to bring diversity and to represent all indigenous and Native American Indians, motivating them to achieve their dreams, no matter the color of their skin. The programs utilized snow sports as an incentive to encourage youth in the classroom. With support from General Norman Schwarzkopf, his grassroots program inspired resorts across North America to invite over 10,000 native youth back to ski and ride on their ancestral mountains. Ross was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2023 and the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame in October of the same year.

Erich started skiing in Germany at the age of three. He was a member of German National Team in ski jumping and Nordic combined and over 5 years won 9 divisional and national championships. He was instrumental in developing a new arm movement still used in jumping today. He moved to Colorado in 1957 and became Co-Director of the Willy Schaeffler Arapaho Basin Ski School. Windisch Way in Vail was named in his honor.

Sarah suffered a tragic ski accident in 1987 that left her paralyzed from the waist down. A highly motivated woman, Sarah was soon making her first turns on a monoski. She was named to the U.S. Disabled Ski Team in 1992. During her career, she represented the United States at the Paralympics in 1992, 1994, 1998, and 2002, winning 13 paralympic medals. She now works as an instructor for the Vail Adaptive Ski Program.

Louise began competing in 1932 and in 1937 won the downhill, slalom, and combined at the US Amateur Ski Association Championships at Berthoud. For the next three years she continued to win almost every ski race she entered. Louise was poised to be Colorado’s first Olympic Champion, but due to World War II, the Winter Olympics were cancelled during her career. After retiring, she founded the Colorado Skiing Association, the first women’s ski association.

Skeeter was the oldest of the famous Werner family including Olympians Buddy and Loris. In 1949, she came to national attention by winning the West of the Mississippi Championships in Sun Valley. Her international career started in 1953 when she became a member of the US FIS Team. After retirement, she started the Werner Storm Hut Ski Shop with her brother Buddy and started the Steamboat Ski School serving as director until 1969.

Born and raised in Steamboat Springs, Loris was the youngest member of the famed Werner family. While attending Western State College, Loris competed in all four disciplines – ski jumping, cross-country, downhill, and slalom. He won the NCAA Skimeister Championship twice. He represented the US at two Winter Olympics in 1964 and 1968. For more than four decades, he served Steamboat Springs, first as the ski school director, then mountain manager, and finally vice-president of operations.

Buddy, a Colorado native, began his skiing activities in Steamboat Springs on famed Howelsen Hill. He won his first Regional Championship in jumping at the age of 10. During his formative years, he decided to concentrate on alpine events and became a three-time member of the United States Olympic Ski Team and two time US FIS Team member. In 1964, his life was tragically cut short when he was killed in an avalanche in Switzerland.

Paul grew up skiing in Steamboat Springs. As a teenager, he was a member of the National Ski Patrol at Berthoud Pass and Winter Park. He skied for Western State College, and later the University of Denver under Willy Schaeffler. He won several National Intercollegiate titles and was a member of the 1952 Olympic Team. After retirement, he became a skiing instructor at Vail and helped the development of Steamboat Springs ski area.

Lonny got his start in the Little Toots program at Howelsen Hill, then rose through the ranks to the U.S. Ski Team and reached the heights of glory on the World Pro Ski Tour in the late '70s and early '80s, quickly emerging as the top American on the tour. During a career that lasted from 1978 through 1984, Lonny won 20 professional races. He was the top American pro four years and captured the World Pro slalom title in 1981.