US Speedsters McKennis Duran & Ross Hang Up Their Boots

Two Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team athletes announced this week they'll be making the final laps of their career at U.S. Alpine Championships in Aspen, Colo.—two-time Olympian and two-time national champion Alice McKennis Duran, and two-time Olympian and two-time national champion Laurenne Ross.

Both women were members of two of the fastest speed teams in the world, one in 2013 and the other in 2018 (downhill). They are the last of an amazing generation of U.S. women's speed team athletes that included Olympic champion and winningest female alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn, Olympic champion Julia Mancuso, and Olympians and FIS Ski World Cup podium finishers Leanne Smith and Stacey Cook, to retire. In a way, this signals the end of an era (and what an era it was!), and a passing of the torch or beginning of a new era, highlighted by downhiller Breezy Johnson and multi-event skier and two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin, among many other talented women. 

The 2012-13 season was a particularly special season for the women's speed team, as each of the members of that star-studded team podiumed that season. For Cook, Smith, Ross, and McKennis, it was each of their career-first podiums. They were absolutely the Best in the World speed team and on fire that season, or as McKennis Duran said recently, "2013 was really lit 💥. Because for Stacey, Leanne, Laurenne, and I, it was all our first podiums. In the same season! Wild." 

Alice McKennis Duran's Career At-A-Glance

• World Cup Starts: 121
• World Cup Podiums: 2
• World Cup Victories: 1
• 2x Olympian
  • Best result: fifth, DH, PyeongChang, 2018
• 3x National Champion
• Member of the fastest speed team in the world: 2012 (downhill), 2013, and 2018 (downhill)
• One of the most resilient, hardworking athletes we’ve ever witnessed. Alice overcame one obstacle after another and never ceased to amaze us with her unrelenting fight and grit.

Laurenne Ross' Career At-A-Glance

• World Cup Starts: 153
• World Cup Podiums: 2
• World Cup Top-Fives: 13
• World Championship Teams: 6 (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021)
  • Best result: fifth, DH, St. Moritz, 2017
• 2x Olympian
• 3x National Champion
• Member of the fastest speed team in the world: 2012 (downhill), 2013, and 2018 (downhill)
• One of the coolest gals on the circuit with the best style and most beautiful voice, musical, and writing talent - with a guitar in hand, from dreads to purple hair, bright pink lips, and beyond!