Olympic Valley, CA… U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced today that Squaw Valley will host the 2018 Liberty Mutual Insurance NASTAR National Championships. It is the first time since 1981 the event will be held west of the Rocky Mountains. The Championships are scheduled for March 21-25. Under U.S. Ski & Snowboard, NASTAR continues to bring greater awareness to the sport and motivate participants of all ages to get involved in ski racing. This year’s Championships will take place after the conclusion of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games, building on the enthusiasm generated by the Games in a new locale with a strong Olympic legacy.

Following the success of the 2017 Audi FIS Ski World Cup as well as numerous U.S. Alpine Championships and the 1960 Winter Olympics, Squaw Valley has proven to be a world class venue, excelling at hosting large, multi-discipline events.

“Squaw Valley exhibits a deep passion for skiing and snowboarding that will resonate with the NASTAR community,” said Bill Madsen, director of NASTAR. “The resort has seen strong growth in its NASTAR participation over the past few seasons and has been a great partner in supporting the growth and promotion of the program. We’re looking forward to working with Squaw Valley to put on a great event.”

Squaw Valley is known for vast alpine peaks with iconic lifts such as KT-22 and the Aerial Tram, providing a scenic backdrop for NASTAR’s biggest event of the season. The resort is only a 45-minute drive from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport and can be easily reached on nonstop flights daily from 20 major U.S. cities.

“As a mountain community with a heritage that’s truly embedded within alpine racing, including the Olympic Games and World Cup racing, we look forward to sharing our legendary mountains with NASTAR participants from across the country,” said Andy Wirth, president and CEO of Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. “Very much like the recent alpine World Cup, this event will be great for the entire region, attracting thousands of avid skiers and their families who are passionate about ski racing…as we all are! Our entire community is excited to provide all participants and their families and friends with a warm reception – we are all genuinely honored to be working with NASTAR and U.S. Ski & Snowboard.”

NASTAR’s integration with the U.S. Ski Team gives participants the opportunity to meet and interact with their favorite racers. Built on the legacy of the 1960 Winter Olympics hosted at Squaw Valley, the resort has since reared celebrated athletes such as Julia Mancuso, Travis Ganong, Marco Sullivan, JT Holmes, Jonny Moseley, Michelle Parker, Cody Townsend, Jeremy Jones, Ralph Backstrom, Nate Holland and Errol Kerr.