The Costco Connection - January 2014

THANKS IN PART to powerhouse jumper Lindsey Van, in 2014, for the first time, women ski jumpers will compete in the Olympics.

“Women’s ski jumping has come a long way to get to where it is today,” says the 29-year-old Van, a key player in the nearly decade-long fight against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) rule that barred women’s ski jumping. Over the years the committee cited various nonspecific reasons for banning women, including the contention that women’s jumps didn’t meet necessary technical criteria. In April 2011, the IOC relented and added women’s ski jumping to the 2014 Sochi schedule.

Despite the new Olympic status for women’s ski jumping, Van, who won her 16th national title at the U.S.

National Championships last October, notes she will continue to advocate for the sport, as women will jump only in the individual event in the Olympics, while men will jump in the individual, large hill and team competition. “It’s only part of the progress,” she says.

In the meantime, nothing, it seems, will keep Van away from what she calls her “passion for the unique feeling of flying.”—MB

Goingfor thegold These Costco members have their sights set on the 2014 Olympics.

STEVE LANGTON may be considered one of the best bobsled athletes in the world, but prior to 2007 he had never even sat in one.

Determined to continue an athletic occupation
after college, the former track-and-fielder researched
sports that were better suited to his 6-foot-2-inch,

230-pound physical attributes and came across his favorite Winter Olympics event, bobsledding.

The 28-year-old Boston native introduced him-
self to an Olympic team member, and was invited by
the head coach to try out for the team in 2007. At
the NFL-style combine tryout, he showed off his
athletic abilities and wound up as one of the
top-scoring athletes of the event. He quickly
earned a spot on the team.
Langton competed in the World Cup
during his first season as a bobsledder, and
went on to win two world push titles and to
compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. He
says, “I think one thing that’s helped me
continuously get better as an athlete is to
never be satisfied with anything. In sports,
one of the worst things you can do is become
complacent. I’m very grateful, but I’m really
focused on medaling in February.”—HM

Coolrunnings

on crew

specific reasons for banning women, including the conten-part of the progress,” she says.

g rst s
t i t nd o
compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. He
y I t ng ha ’
te a te s
sf n hi I
dn da ne

Lindsey Van:
Ski jumping
Steve
Langton:
Bobsled

speed course by communicating what’s happening through Bluetooth headsets in their helmets. He starts skiing the course just seconds ahead of her, describing when to start and release a turn, what’s happening underfoot and even when to expect a jump. “I always say it’s like I’m reading Braille with my feet; my feet are my sensories, and I’m feeling myself on a hill and feeling the snow,” she says.

The Umsteads’ efforts led them to win bronze in both the downhill and super combined events at the 2010 Vancouver Paralympics.

Shortly after the games, Umstead received more tough news after becoming inexplicably paralyzed on her right side: She had multiple sclerosis. Hours of physical therapy, chiropractic visits and sessions with her sports psychologist allowed her to regain mobility, and today she says she is physically and mentally stronger than she has ever been. “It’s been such an incredible journey, and we’ve been through a lot these past four years,” she says. “[Our goal in Sochi is] just to be proud of whatever the outcome is. We just want to represent the USA and to make our country proud, and never give up no matter what—that’s the way of life.”—Hana Medina