Industry News
The Stifel U.S. Ski Team announced exciting changes to its coaching staff for both the men’s and women’s alpine teams. While both Mark Tilston and Paul Kristofic stay in charge of the men’s and women’s team, there has been a shake up in the coaching staff of the men’s and women’s tech teams with some very exciting new hires, especially in the men’s team, which is undergoing a massive restructuring.
Former head coach for the women’s teach team, Magnus Andersson, resigned and is being replaced by Rudi Soulard who was previously assistant coach of the technical team. Andersson had been with the women’s staff for eight years. “Through the years on the team Magnus has had an incredible impact on our athletes and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” said Kristofic. Soulard previously coached the French women’s Slalom team and Germany’s tech specialist Viktoria Rebensburg, who won two Olympic medals, two World Championship medals, 49 World Cup podiums, and three Giant Slalom Crystal Globes. “We are thrilled to have Rudi at the helm of our women’s tech team,” said Kristofic. “We know he will continue to build upon and raise the bar of this talented group of skiers.”
Mikaela Shiffrin, who has a separate coaching team that includes head coach Karin Harjo, who joined last year after the skier parted ways with her long-time coach Mike Day in the middle of the 2023 World Championships, added Finnish Janne Haarala as assistant coach to her team. Haarala comes from the Norwegian women’s technical team where he was head coach for the last 6 seasons. Prior to that he had coached the Finnish team as head coach for three years. “I’m super stoked to be part of the journey with the most successful alpine skier in the world,” said Haarala. “I am committed to working hard and sharing my experience and passion for alpine skiing with this team.”
In addition, the women’s Europa Cup team will be coached by Miha Kürner who joins the team from Killington Mountain School, Vermont, where he was the Alpine Program Director and U18 women’s coach. Kürner is a retired Slovenian ski racer who has competed on the Europa Cup and World Cup level.
Practically everything has changed on the men’s tech coaching team, where Ian Garner stepped down from his role as head tech coach and is being replaced by not one new head coach but rather two tech specialists: Fabien Munier and Tristan Glasse-Davies. Munier will be in charge of the men’s Giant Slalom training and is joining from the French Ski Federation where he has coached the World Cup tech team, including Olympic medalist and World Champion Alexis Pinterault. Glasse-Davies joins from GB Snowsports where he was the men’s head slalom coach for 2023 Streif Slalom winner Dave Ryding as well as up-and-coming slalom skiers Billy Major and Laurie Taylor, and he will lead the U.S. men’s Slalom team. “It is exciting to have Tristan join our men’s slalom group,” said Tilston. “Tristan’s direction and experience is sure to help our slalom skiers reach their full potential.”
Alongside Munier, Claude Cretier also was poached from the French team, who has previously coached Alexis Pinturault as well as Victor Muffat-Jeandet. “Fabien and Claude’s background with the French Ski Federation shows that both have the experience and drive to make a positive impact on our team,” said Tilston. “We have a great group of athletes and Fabien and Claude will push our athletes to the next level of competition.”
The men’s Europa Cup team will see new leadership under Clement Tomamichel. Tomamichel most recently coached with the French Ski Federation on the women’s development and Europa Cup teams.
With these exciting changes, Team USA is hoping to expand on the successful 23/24 season which ended with a total of 10 World Cup victories, 21 World Cup podiums, and 51 top-10 World Cup results across its 11 World Cup athletes. “We had a very good 23/24 season and we are excited to build upon this success with these new hires,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chief of Sport Anouk Patty. “The coaches joining our organization are sure to make a positive impact on the future of our alpine programs.”
