The HomeLight Foundation Series kicks off this weekend at Copper Mountain in Colorado. It’s the first weekend of racing for the U.S. leg of the FIS NorAm, and it brings some of the best up-and-coming ski racing athletes to the hill.

After a two-year hiatus from NorAm races, the HomeLight Foundation Series brings back the most prestigious North American series that has the potential to jump-start the careers of some of the nation’s top-performing athletes. NorAms (now the HomeLight Foundation Series) are a big stepping stone in the development of North America’s highest-ranking and best-performing racers. The cancellation of NorAms during the 2020-21 season resulted in missed opportunities and a lack of FIS races. As a consequence, many racers have struggled to crack into the top-100 world rankings without NorAm-level points. 

NorAms are an important developmental stepping stone in ski racing success that was missed in North America last year. Many U.S. 2003 birth-year athletes and all 2004 athletes have not yet raced in a NorAm and haven’t had the chance to compete against their peers at a national level. 

Each race provides athletes on the C and D Teams a pathway toward elite-level races, such as Junior Worlds Europa Cups and FIS World Cups. After the slalom and GS races in Copper this weekend, athletes will then head north to Lake Louise and Panorama before a two-month break in the schedule.  

Make sure to follow along for their journey!