It’s hard to believe that Liz Stephen switched from alpine skiing to nordic skiing midway through her high school tenure at Vermont’s Burke Mountain Academy. It’s also hard to believe that only a few years later she stood atop the U.S. Championship podium – a U.S. Champion at 19. But, believe it or not, that’s exactly how it went down.

Since then she has continued to impress on the world stage, winning the Swiss National Championship, the U.S. Distance Championship and taking 5th in the 10k freestyle at the 2013 World Ski Championships. Stephen was also part of the 4x5k World Championships relay team that made history, finishing 4th—the highest of any U.S. women’s relay team in history.

Stephen had an historic year in 2012 as well, earning 16 scoring finishes on the World Cup circuit, putting in a solid Tour de Ski performance that included a top-10 hill climb result, and helping the U.S. women’s 4x5k team record a 5th place finish. She was also part of the Olympic squad in 2010 and earned bronze at the U23 World Championships in 2008.

A hard worker that sets lofty goals with every intention of reaching them, Stephen will be in contention for a relay spot in the 2014 Olympics, as well as a contender in the distance races.

LIZ SAYS

I have a great life. My job is to set lofty goals and try to reach them. When they are met, I set higher ones and try to reach those. What I get to do is try to figure out ways to be more fit and have a stronger mind. And I get to do it with a team of people who are also trying to do the same things. I couldn't ask for anything better to do each day.

FIRST TRACKS
Stephen started skiing early, and was a promising alpine racer. But she switched to cross country as a high school sophomore in winter 2002, just as now-U.S.-women’s-coach Matt Whitcomb was rebooting the Burke Mountain Academy’s nordic program. Full of energy and a quick study, Stephen started running on skis and did well. That is, until she learned to ski on skis, and then she did even better. In 2004, she was the J1 10k classic champion at Junior Olympics. And while skiing used to complement her running, now it’s the other way around.

OFF THE SNOW
Stephen has adopted the USSA Center of Excellence as her training home, while also taking classes at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. She likes to read, adventure with friends - especially in the desert or the mountains - and jump in cold lakes or rivers whenever she can find them. In Park City she’s surrounded by over 400 miles of trails, which has easily convinced her to start mountain biking both for fun and for training.