A Legacy of Rowmark Winter Olympians—and Current Olympic Hopefuls

Founded in 1982, Rowmark Ski Academy has earned an international reputation as a powerhouse in elite alpine racing. From its earliest years, Rowmark has produced athletes who have reached the sport’s highest stage, with skiers selected to compete at every Winter Olympic Games for nearly four decades. Backed by world-class coaching, rigorous training, and a commitment to academic excellence, Rowmark continues to develop athletes who compete and succeed on the global stage.

Calgary, Canada, 1988

Hilary Lindh ’87 (three-time Olympian: 1988, 1992, and 1994)

Albertville, France, 1992

Ovidio García ’86 (two-time Olympian: 1992 and 1994)
Hilary Lindh ’87 (three-time Olympian: 1988, 1992, and 1994)
Kristi Terzian ’85

Lillehammer, Norway, 1994

Ovidio García ’86
Hilary Lindh ’87
Gota Miura ’88 (two-time Olympian: 1994 and 1998)
Picabo Street ’89 (three-time Olympian: 1994, 1998, and 2002)

Nagano, Japan, 1998

Maggie Behle ’99
Gota Miura ’88 (two-time Olympian: 1994 and 1998)
Alex Shaffer ’94 (two-time Olympian: 1998 and 2002)
Picabo Street ’89 (three-time Olympian: 1994, 1998, and 2002)

Salt Lake City, United States, 2002

Rowena Bright ’98
Chirine Njeim ’03 (two-time Winter Olympian, 2002 and 2006, and 2016 Summer Olympian)
Alex Shaffer ’94 (two-time Olympian: 1998 and 2002)
Picabo Street ’89 (three-time Olympian: 1994, 1998, and 2002)

Turin, Italy, 2006

Chirine Njeim ’03 (two-time Winter Olympian, 2002 and 2006, and 2016 Summer Olympian)

Vancouver, Canada, 2010

Erik Fisher ’04 (two-time Olympian: 2010 and 2014)
Alice McKennis ’08 (two-time Olympian: 2010 and 2018)

Sochi, Russia, 2014

Erik Fisher ’04 (two-time Olympian: 2010 and 2014)

PyeongChang, South Korea, 2018

Breezy Johnson ’13 (two-time Olympian, 2018 and 2022, and 2026 Olympic contender)
Alice McKennis ’08 (two-time Olympian: 2010 and 2018)

Beijing, China, 2022

Katie Hensien ’18 (2026 Olympic contender)
Madison Hoffman ’18
Breezy Johnson ’13 (two-time Olympian, 2018 and 2022, and 2026 Olympic contender)
Katie Vesterstein ’17

Milan–Cortina, Italy, 2026: Olympic Hopefuls

Elisabeth Bocock ’23
Mary Bocock ’22
Katie Hensien ’18 (2022 Olympian)
Breezy Johnson ’13 (two-time Olympian, 2018 and 2022)

Athlete Bios

Maggie Behle ’99

Maggie Behle ’99 began skiing at age five and made history at 14 as the youngest member of the US Paralympic Ski Team. At the 1998 Winter Paralympics in Nagano, she won bronze medals in both the women’s downhill and slalom. Behle was the first Rowmark athlete to earn international recognition while still a student at Rowland Hall and was honored by the school for her achievements.

Elisabeth Bocock ’23

Elisabeth Bocock ’23 is a promising young athlete on the US Alpine Team. Bocock made her World Cup debut in 2023 and, in the 2024–2025 season, notched a career‑best 14th‑place finish in giant slalom at Åre. In that same season, she claimed the 2025 Nor‑Am Cup giant slalom title and won the US national giant slalom championship. Bocock also earned a bronze medal in giant slalom at the 2025 Junior World Ski Championships, cementing her status among the top US tech team hopefuls as she advances toward Olympic contention.

Mary Bocock ’22

Mary Bocock ’22 captured the 2022–2023 Nor‑Am Overall title, securing a World Cup quota. As a member of the US Alpine Team, she made her World Cup debut in the 2023–2024 season opener in Sölden, Austria, alongside her sister, Elisabeth. She moved into speed events in 2024–2025, racing her first downhill and super‑G World Cup events, while also continuing to collect Nor‑Am Cup wins, including a giant slalom victory at Stratton in 2023. As of the 2025–2026 season, Bocock remains an active member of the US Ski Team and balances her ski career with college at Dartmouth. She’s a contender for the 2026 Olympic Games.

Rowena Bright ’98

Rowena Bright ’98 first tried alpine skiing at age 11. Inspired by the 1984 Olympics, she committed herself to reaching that level. After earning sponsorship through national training programs in Australia, Bright moved to the US and skied for the University of Utah Ski Team to gain higher‑level experience. She reached her Olympic dream at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, representing Australia and competed in the women’s slalom and super combined. Bright’s journey to the Olympics wasn’t easy: despite breaking her ankle during training, she still recovered and qualified, demonstrating both resilience and dedication.

Erik Fisher ’04

Erik Fisher ’04 began skiing when he was just three years old. In 2005, Fisher made his World Cup debut at the Junior World Championships, winning a bronze medal in the downhill event. In 2009, Fisher secured a spot on the World Championships team and consistently posted World Cup points. Fisher was set to make his Olympic debut in 2010 in the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, in the men’s downhill event, but was ultimately unable to race after breaking his hand. Fisher later qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and was set to compete in the men’s downhill, super-G, and super combined. Unfortunately, due to another injury, Fisher was again unable to compete in the Games. Despite his inability to race in the Olympics due to his multiple injuries, Fisher is proud of his Olympic qualifications.

Ovidio García ’86

Ovidio García ’86 represented Spain in alpine skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, and competed again in 1994 in Lillehammer. While he did not finish his slalom run, Garcia was happy to make his Olympic debut following a serious injury in 1991. After his Olympic career, Garcia went on to participate in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, not as an Olympian but as a key venue manager for International Sports Broadcasting Co., the host broadcaster. For the Winter Games, Garcia worked at Park City, Deer Valley, and the Utah Olympic Park, as well as Snow Basin for the Paralympic Games.

Katie Hensien ’18

Katie Hensien ’18 is a standout alpine skier currently competing on the World Cup circuit. She made her Olympic debut at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. While racing for the University of Denver, she became the 2022 NCAA slalom national champion and was named National Women’s Alpine Skier of the Year, earning multiple First-Team All-America honors. Hensien has also claimed US national titles in giant slalom (2020) and slalom (2021). After recovering from a knee injury, she returned strong in the 2024–2025 season with a career-best 4th place in World Cup giant slalom at Sölden and a 12th-place finish in slalom at Kranjska Gora—her best in that discipline. As of the 2025–2026 season, she continues to compete internationally, representing the US and building on her momentum as a serious contender for the 2026 Olympics. Her recent performances in both slalom and giant slalom position her as one of the nation’s top tech-event athletes heading into the 2026 Olympic Games.

Madison Hoffman ’18

Madison Hoffman ’18 is an Australian alpine skier competing internationally and for the University of Utah. After making her World Cup debut in 2021, Hoffman was named to Australia’s 2022 Olympic team but was sidelined by injury. She returned in 2023 with a breakout collegiate season, sweeping the NCAA slalom and giant slalom titles—the first Utah woman to do so since 1990—and earning First Team All-America honors. In 2024, Hoffman continued to balance NCAA and World Cup racing, earning podiums in both circuits and a top-25 World Cup slalom finish in Levi, Finland, the first by an Australian woman in over 20 years. She remains active on the World Cup and Nor-Am circuits.

Breezy Johnson ’13

Breezy Johnson ’13 made her World Cup debut in December 2015 and, in 2017, finished 18th in the downhill standings. After an injury at the World Cup finals, Johnson made a quick recovery and competed in her first Olympics in 2018, competing in the women’s super-G, in which she placed 14th, and the women’s downhill, in which she placed 7th. Johnson was set to compete in the 2022 Olympics when she sustained a knee injury in a training crash, forcing her to withdraw just weeks before the Games. She would have competed in the women’s downhill and likely the super-G events, where she was considered a top contender. Her withdrawal was a significant setback for the US women’s team in the speed disciplines. In 2025, Johnson rebounded with a career-defining performance at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach, Austria, where she won gold in the women’s downhill. Three days later, she captured a second gold in the women’s team combined event alongside Mikaela Shiffrin. Johnson has firmly reestablished herself as one of the world’s leading speed skiers and as a top US contender for the downhill and super-G events at the 2026 Olympics. If selected, it would mark a powerful comeback story for one of the sport’s most resilient athletes.

Hilary Lindh ’87

Hilary Lindh ’87 launched her elite ski racing career while training in Utah. By age 16, she had won both the US downhill title and the world junior championship. Lindh made her Olympic debut in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, where she competed in super-G and placed 26th. She went on to compete in the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, earning a silver medal in downhill at the 1992 Games in Albertville. Over an 11-year World Cup career, she tallied three victories and 27 top-ten finishes, and claimed the downhill world title in 1997. After retiring, Lindh became a coach and leader in ski racing, inspiring the next generation with the same passion she brought to Rowmark.

Olympian Hilary Lindh Deseret News article February 1986

Alice McKennis ’08

Alice McKennis ’08, pictured left, began skiing at age two. She made her World Cup debut in December 2008 and spent the 2009 season on the Nor-Am circuit. In 2010, she joined the US World Cup squad and made her first Olympic team, competing in the women’s downhill, though she was disqualified. In 2013, McKennis won her first World Cup downhill, a breakthrough victory, and later endured serious injuries: a fractured left tibial plateau in 2011 and a shattered right tibial plateau in 2013, which caused her to miss the 2014 Games. Following her injury, McKennis went on to qualify for her second Olympic Games in 2018 in PyeongChang. There, she placed fifth in the women’s downhill and 16th in the super-G. That same year, she earned a World Cup podium with a third-place finish in the downhill at Val Gardena, Italy. Though she aimed to compete in the 2022 Olympics, McKennis ultimately retired from ski racing in 2021, concluding a career marked by resilience and elite-level success.

Gota Miura ’88

Gota Miura ’88, son of Keizo Miura, the first person to ski down Mt. Everest, has a strong connection to Utah and skiing. Miura made his Olympic debut representing Japan in the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, competing in the men’s freestyle moguls event and placing 27th. Miura now holds a PhD in medicine, with a concentration in genetic expression under hypoxic environment, and teaches at Keio University.

Chirine Njeim ’03

Chirine Njeim ’03, pictured right with teammate Alex Shaffer ’94, started skiing at just three years old. At 12, Njeim went to France to train for two years with a personal coach. Njeim moved to Salt Lake City when she was 13 to attend Rowmark Ski Academy. In her Olympic debut, Njeim represented Lebanon in two alpine skiing events: the women’s slalom and the women’s giant slalom. She placed 36th in slalom and 45th in giant slalom. While she never formally retired from skiing, Njeim later shifted her athletic focus to long-distance running, an evolution that led to her qualifying for the marathon at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, making her a rare dual-season Olympian.

Chirine Njeim ‘03

Chirine Njeim ‘03, a Rowland Hall and Rowmark Ski Academy alum, started skiing when she was just three years old. When she was 12, Njeim went to France to train for two years with a personal coach. Njeim moved to Salt Lake City when she was 13 to attend the Rowmark Ski Academy. In her Olympic debut, Njeim represented Lebanon in two alpine skiing events: the women’s slalom and the women’s giant slalom. In the slalom, Njeim placed 36th, and in the giant slalom she placed 45th. While she never formally retired from skiing, Njeim later shifted her athletic focus to long-distance running—an evolution that led to her qualifying for the marathon at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, making her a rare dual-season Olympian.

Alex Shaffer ’94

Alex Shaffer ’94 made her Olympic debut at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, where she placed ninth in the women’s combined and started the giant slalom. In 1999, Shaffer became a double national champion, winning US alpine titles in both the slalom and giant slalom. She also competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, representing the US in the women’s giant slalom. After retiring from competitive skiing, Shaffer earned a nursing degree from the University of Utah and now works as an emergency department nurse.

Picabo Street ’89

Picabo Street ’89 attended Rowland Hall and Rowmark for her freshman year, 1985–1986, and is considered an honorary alumna. Street joined the US Ski Team in 1989 at the age of 17, competing primarily in speed events, including downhill and super-G. She made her World Cup debut in 1992, at the age of 21, in slalom. Two months later, Street won the silver medal in the combined event at the 1993 World Championships in Japan. She then made her Olympic debut at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, where she competed for the US women's team in the downhill and won a silver medal. Street then competed in her second Olympics at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, where she won gold in the super-G—a triumphant return after a torn ACL sidelined her for the 1997 season and a serious crash in 1998 resulted in a broken femur and other injuries. Street later raced in her third Olympics at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, finishing 16th in the downhill before retiring from international skiing.

Kristi Terzian ’85

Kristi Terzian ’85 was considered one of Team USA’s star leaders before injuring her left knee just months before the Olympic Games in Albertville. Terzian previously injured her right knee in the summer of 1990, causing her to miss the following season. However, the previous winter, Terzian set an American record by scoring points in 17 World Cup races. Terzian’s specialties were the slalom and the giant slalom, which she was set to compete in on February 19–20, 1992. Terzian retired from skiing following the 1993–1994 season, having won three national titles, and was named an ambassador of skiing at Park City Ski Area.

Katie Vesterstein ’17

Katie Vesterstein ’17 moved to Park City, Utah, when she was 10 years old. A multi-sport athlete, she competed in soccer, horseback riding, water skiing, and cross-country skiing before focusing on alpine skiing. In 2018, Vesterstein chose to compete internationally for Estonia, but her nationality change was not completed in time for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. That same year, she placed 12th in the alpine combined and 19th in the super-G at the US National Championships. In her Olympic debut at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, she represented Estonia, placing 35th in giant slalom and not finishing the slalom.

Rowmark Ski Academy Olympians Listed by Games PDF