BIOGRAPHY:
Steven Nyman, born and bred in Utah, was skiing at age two (Dad ran the ski school at Sundance) and was a discretionary pick for the 2002 Junior Worlds squad where he landed two medals. Coaches were so impressed, they entered him in a World Cup slalom six days later and he finished 15th to launch his U.S. Ski Team career.

Nyman then powered his way back onto the U.S. A Team with a solid 2011 season that included a downhill 11th in Bormio, Italy—classically known as the most physically punishing speed track on the World Cup.  Four other top 30 results, including one in super G, gave the U.S. Ski Team another starting racer in the discipline and propelled Nyman's confidence in the right direction. His 2011 season was also post-stamped with a 13th at the World Championships downhill at Garmisch-Partenkirchen. "All fuel for the fire," says Nyman.

However, following a training crash on Nov. 8 in Colorado, where Nyman tore his left Achilles tendon, the two-time Olympian announced he will sit out the 2011-2012 World Cup season. "Blown Achilles tendon=no ski season for me this year," he Tweeted. "Time to mend, I will be back."

In the off-season, Nyman keeps things interesting and is extremely involved with Spyder on the R&D front in addition to serving as a U.S. Ski Team ambassador and national pacesetter for the Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships.

STEVEN SAYS:
"To say the least Bormio is intense! If you watched it you saw what the Stelvio does to the best skiers in the world. Try bounding side to side up a hill for 2 minutes straight. That is what it feels like to ski the Stelvio. Aside from my first year on the World Cup I haven't skied the Stelvio feeling healthy until this year and it still laid the smack down on me. But I love this hill. It is a true test of grit, determination and balls. If you want to win you have to charge the whole way down and I finally felt like I could do that this year and it was a battle indeed!"

"Leading up to Bormio is a funny time, at least for our Team and the Canadians. All the Euros are home having Christmas with their families while we are sitting around Europe twiddling our thumbs. We try to muster up some Christmas spirit but it is tough creating that with a bunch of guys who have been on the road for over a month."

FIRST TRACKS:
Nyman lived at Sundance (Robert Redford’s resort) and was skiing at two, racing at eight for Sundance, not far from his home and where Dad was the ski school chief. He shifted to Coach Rob Clayton's stellar Park City program for Winter ’99 and was a discretionary choice for the 2002 World Juniors squad—where he collected two medals.

OFF THE SNOW:
Nyman is into adventure, especially with his pro freeskier brother Blake. Whether it's making powder turns at Sundance or kicking through the canyons at Zion, the guy is always on the move. He's big into kite surfing, wake and river surfing and anything involving board sports. He's also a constant blogger and tweeter, so keep up.