Special Recognition Awards

Native American Ross Anderson became the fastest skier in the Western Hemisphere, hitting a speed of 247.934 kph in 2006 at Les Arcs, France. Born in New Mexico, he grew up in Durango, Colo., as a ski racer, but he discovered speed skiing and never looked back. He became one of the top U.S. Speed Skiing Team athletes, winning bronze at the 2005 World Championships, and is an eight-time national champion. Since his initial speed skiing competition nearly 20 years ago, Ross Anderson has become a member of the U.S. Speed Ski Team, the World Professional Ski Tour, the World Cup Federation, the U.S. Snowboard/Ski Association, and Skier-cross. His current licenses include the FSSV (Federation Suisse de Ski de Vitesse) and the FFS (French Federation of Skiing), and he serves as a board member of the Adaptive Ski Program. Perhaps more significantly, he has remained active in the "Ski with Ross Anderson Weekend" program for youth, a program he created in 1998. During this time with the boys and girls who admire him, Ross offers encouragement, mentorship, and inspires them to never stop pursuing their dreams. Anderson is committed to sharing his love of skiing and providing new opportunities for children to build their own paths to success.