No explanation why Julia Mancuso decided to start using the Slytech 2nd Skin Back Protector she's been lugging around for a year or so now, but she did. An amazing game-day competitor, Julia is, and now she can be called...

"The Most Decorated Female American Olympic Alpine Skier with 3 Medals!"

And what back protector has she worn for the past 2 silver medal performances?

SLYTECH, BABY!

Check out this little video of the crowd going nuts as she crossed the finish line to take over the top spot at the Vancouver Olympic Super Combined.

Author of Story: Doug Haney

Olympic Preview Set for Aspen

ASPEN/SNOWMASS, CO (Aug. 4) - World champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) will headline ski racing action in Aspen over Thanksgiving weekend, as the Audi FIS World Cup comes to one of the tour's most legendary classic stops in Aspen. It will mark the sixth straight season the women have highlighted the Aspen Winternational and the only American stop for the U.S. Ski Team women before the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Ski racing action opens on Saturday, November 28 with giant slalom followed by slalom on Sunday, but festivities will be planned throughout the week beginning on Thanksgiving Day.

"We are really pleased with the long term partnership we have with Aspen," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Vice President Events Calum Clark. "It is a massive undertaking to prepare a World Cup slope for Thanksgiving weekend, but Aspen has always produced incredible snow conditions for what truly is a world class event."

Aspen has long been a classic stop on the World Cup with the town being among the most popular on the circuit.

"Aspen has a great history of World Cup racing going back to the origins of the series," said Clark. "The athletes love coming here and experiencing the great enthusiasm of this historic community."

While this winter will mark the sixth consecutive year of World Cup racing at Aspen, the town's storied World Cup history began in 1968 when the former mining town hosted its first World Cup race in only the second season of the tour. However, its roots in ski racing date back to 1939 when the mountain held the earliest sanctioned races. Later, thanks to the efforts of local skiing legend Dick Durrance, Aspen hosted the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 1950.

"Aspen Winternational is a true backbone event for our community," said John Rigney, Aspen Skiing Company VP Sales and Events. "The tremendous community support we receive is vital to the success of the World Cup. The races and surrounding events, in turn, are vital to the overall success of our season. Nearly 10 million fans watch Aspen Winternational live in Europe. There is no better message to these potential visitors and the rest of the world that Aspen/Snowmass has snow and is open for skiing. Plus, it’s just a fun kick off to our season."

Not only do the people of Aspen embrace the World Cup, but the athletes love Aspen. The relaxed setting provides a perfect venue for U.S. Ski Team athletes to spend the holiday with their families. International racers love it too as it gives them a great opportunity to work on some pre Christmas shopping.

"Aspen is such an incredible venue for racing," said Vonn, who became the most successful female skier in U.S. history last season. "The crowd there is always so supportive of all racers. I love seeing all the young racers with posters. We get such a boost racing in front of a hometown crowd. I'm hoping Vancouver feels just like Aspen."

Last season, Vonn was fourth in both slalom and giant slalom at Aspen while racing with a knee injury. The reigning World Champion in downhill and super G has World Cup wins in all disciplines except giant slalom.

"I was really hoping to get a podium at Aspen last winter and hopefully I can make it happen this year," said Vonn. "I feel like my slalom is really good after last season and I'm going to do some more giant slalom training this summer with the goal of scratching a GS podium off my 'to do' list before the Olympics."

World Cup racing begins October 24 with the annual giant slalom in Soelden, Austria followed by a slalom race in Levi, Finland before swinging to North America with the Aspen Winternational.

The Slytech Fam and I  want to wish you Happy and Healthy New Year! I don't know about you, but it always shocks me when I think about just how FAST the year cruises by. You blink once and whamo, it's over.

What's the take-home lesson?

Milk every day you've got! Are you hesitating about hitting the hill on an average winter Saturday? Use your gut instinct and TAKE ACTION! In any case, NO REGRETS!

The ladies in Semmering had no regrets this past weekend in Austria. One of the biggest and most visited events of the ladies FIS Alpine World Cup circuit, Semmering night slalom boasts 12,000 screaming fans in attendance and hundreds of thousands more glued to their TV. Bright lights and the most cutting edge ski gear in the world can be seen at events like these.

The technicians of the top tier skiers are constantly tweaking the skis, using the newest waxes, sharpening edges just right for the snow conditions and then of course reporting back to the ski manufacteurers on their findings of what works and what does not. Countless personnel is always on hand to drive the R&D process.

Slytech, in just a few years of being on the scene, has been able to penetrate the market and convince many skiers that their gear, both 2nd skin back protection and nervous arm and shin guards are at the vanguard of engineering R&D. It says a lot when long established companies suddenly see a newcomer come in and (A) look cutting edge and (B) see them worn by the world's best!

If you ever have the privilege of sitting in the lunch room with all these ski girls, you'll always see a bunch of of them wearing Slytech 2nd Skin back protectors and their Nervous Guards.