November 27, 2003 – Some of America's top ski and snowboard athletes – including '03 giant slalom world champion Bode Miller (Franconia, NH), World Cup champions Travis Cabral (South Lake Tahoe, CA) and Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) and, among others, former Olympic gold medalists Tommy Moe, Picabo Street and Donna Weinbrecht – proved they not only were born to shine brightly in competition but also can shimmer in the spotlight on one of New York City's most historic stages.

Thanks to sparkling appearances by more than a dozen Olympians past and present – also including Olympic medalist Joe Pack (Park City, UT), 2003 Worlds medalist Erik Schlopy (Park City, UT); Olympian Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) and, among others, snowboard champion Lindsey Jacobellis (Bondville, VT) – the 39th annual U.S. Ski and Snowboard Ball was an unprecedented success. The evening, deemed to have achieved true “party status” by Trustee Jay Kemmerer, concluded with a high-energy performance by cross-over superstar Sheryl Crow that sold-out at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan.

The New York Ball raised $1.14 million, which garnered nearly $100,000 from the live auction alone, said Trisha Worthington, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation vice president. Nearly 700 attended the Nov. 6 gala, where swimming Olympic medalist Summer Sanders was among the attendees. The evening also featured a high-flying trampoline show from The Flying Ace All-Stars and an autograph session with the athletes.

“Our event co-chairman and Board of Trustees member, Andrew Cader, really pushed the committee hard to hit that $1 million mark before the Ball,” said Worthington. “He was a great cheerleader and terrific motivator for the entire committee. And we couldn't have secured an entertainer as terrific as Sheryl Crow without our other event chairman and Trustee, Mark Dowley. He was responsible for securing the Counting Crows last year, which was great, but having Sheryl Crow this year was phenomenal.”

Worthington also noted, “We have about a dozen Trustees in New York who are completely devoted to this cause, and that makes all the difference in the world.”

One highlight of the evening was the introduction of current athletes, all coming off successful 2003 seasons and obviously excited for this year, including Miller, who followed his double-silver performance at the 2002 Olympics by capturing three medals (gold in giant slalom and combined, plus silver in super G) at the 2003 Worlds; Jacobellis, the '03 X Games and U.S. snowboard cross champion; Bahrke, the 2002 Olympic silver medalist in moguls and '03 World Championships bronze medalist; Mancuso, the all-time U.S. World Junior Championships medalist; Cabral, the 2003 World Cup moguls champion; and Schlopy, '03 Worlds giant slalom bronze medalist, just .04 behind Miller.