Tim Jitloff, like so many Lake Tahoe tykes, was on skis by two and freeskied through most of his youth. He stepped up to the U.S. Development Team in 2005, the same year he captured a Junior World Championship title, and is now on the cusp of his first World Cup podium.

His passion for skiing is matched by his passion for breast cancer awareness, as his mother is a survivor. In the summer of '09, he hooked up with the Susan G. Komen Foundation and has been helping them raise money and awareness for the cause ever since. Just like in racing, Jitloff gives it all he’s got and has been the top annual fundraiser for the Foundation’s Reno chapter for the last few years.

A smattering of top-30 finishes in giant slalom throughout the 2013 season, including a 12th in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, kept 'Jit' in the hunt for an invitation to the top 25 World Cup Finals. An unlucky DNF in Kranjska Gora nixed that opportunity, but he was able to finish the season ranked in the top 30. Most importantly, it gave him fuel for the Olympic fire, as Jitloff stares down the face of what he’s determined to be his second trip to the Big Show.

His three Europa Cup podiums (two wins) and a season-closing giant slalom victory at the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships provide some serious momentum to keep him working hard to get to Sochi.

TIM SAYS
For me, the U.S. Championships are just a lot of fun, so it’s really a weight off the shoulder if you can go and just enjoy yourself. It felt good to kind of reel back the years a little bit on home turf. It was nice and gives you a good boost going into the summer and fall prep period.

FIRST TRACKS
As told by the man himself, “Since I lived in Tahoe, I grew up freeskiing all my youth and in that freeskiing, I found I enjoyed the thrill of racing. I've been doing both ever since.”

OFF THE SNOW
Jitloff is officially certified in SCUBA, but he's also into wakeboarding, surfing, road biking, hockey, golf and traveling. Practically a dual citizen, Jit splits his time between Reno and Germany, where he lives throughout the season with his girlfriend.