BIOGRAPHY:
A talented musician as well as a ski racer, Laurenne Ross is a four-discipline threat on snow (Slalom, GS, Super G, Downhill) and a three-discipline talent off the snow, playing violin, piano and guitar. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Ross cut her teeth at a small hill locally, but headed to the Rockies on weekends where she raced her Dad (a former alpine racer himself) to the lodge.

Although she may have missed her Olympic debut in 2010, Ross more than made up for it at the 2011 World Championships with a stunning 10th in downhill and a 16th in super G. The 10th was her career best at the elite level until the final speed weekend before World Cup Finals in Tarvisio, Italy. Ross needed a good result in order to qualify for the Super G Finals, and at Tarvisio she finished fourth.

Still, here's the kicker: ahead of her were Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso and Maria Riesch. It was the second U.S. Ski Team 1-2-4 since 2007, but more than anything it proved to the World Cup field, and to Ross, that she's ready for the World Cup podium.

LAURENNE SAYS:
"I knew I had to do really well if I wanted to make World Cup Finals. I just gave it everything I had and I pinned it. It's definitely something that I've been looking to do and working toward all year. It's good to know that I am in there and can compete with these girls."

"It would have been nice to be third but this is my first top five, my first top 10 and my first top 15 in a World Cup. I was 10th at World Championships but this is my first time really being in there in a World Cup. I'm OK with Julia, Lindsey and Maria beating me because they are all really good skiers."

"As the spring and summer approach, I am determined to think more freely, act sporadically, and be silly whenever I want. What do I have to lose?"

FIRST TRACKS:
One of three daughters, Ross picked up skiing at age two because of her father (a former alpine racer). Like father, like daughter, the family kicked around at Snow Valley in Edmonton, but headed to Canmore on the weekends, and Ross  also raced a bit at Lake Louise, Norquay and Nakiska. After two seasons on the Development Team, Ross upped her status to the C Team for 2010, but a haul of NorAm titles upgraded that in a hurry, and she jumped to the top tier after the 2011 season.

OFF THE SNOW:
It's all about rock climbing, playing music and knitting. Laurenne's probably the only woman on the World Cup tour sporting dread locks. If there's a microphone around and music being played, Ross is in—on both—the music and the microphone. She entertained a crowd of hundreds with the Bryon Friedman Band during the opening ceremonies of the 2011 Putnam Investments U.S. Alpine Championship, and then went out and ripped the next day. She is spending her summer in Bend, OR this year in order to climb at Smith rock, ski at Mt. Hood, hang with friends at home, and escape the ski-racing scene in order to return hungry and regenerated for next season.