Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum invites you to a virtual Red Bench Speaker Series event, Celebrating Vermont’s Olympians: Inspiring Journeys to the Winter Games, featuring four remarkable women from the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. As we look ahead to the 2026 Winter Olympics, hear firsthand how they got their start, what it meant to make the U.S. Olympic Team, and who inspired them along the way.
We’re honored to welcome Olympic gold medalist Barbara Ann Cochran, cross-country skiing pioneer Trina Hosmer, snowboarding trailblazer Betsy Shaw, and freestyle skiing legend Donna Weinbrecht for this inspiring conversation.
The discussion will be moderated by Peter Graves, renowned television sportscaster and race announcer known as “the voice of skiing in America.”
This virtual event begins at 7:00 PM via Zoom. A suggested $10 donation helps support the Museum’s mission to collect, preserve, and celebrate Vermont’s rich skiing and snowboarding heritage.
Register for the event here, https://www.vtssm.org/new-events
Special thanks to our Red Bench Speaker Series sponsors: Spruce Peak, rk Miles, Sisler Builders, and Vermont Ski + Ride.
About the Olympians
Barbara Ann Cochran – A member of the legendary Cochran ski family, Barbara Ann won Olympic gold in Slalom at the 1972 Winter Games. A U.S. Ski Team member from 1969–74, she later became an educator, coach, and mentor to young athletes. Inducted into both the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame and the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame, she continues to inspire the next generation from her home in Starksboro, Vermont.
Trina Hosmer – A trailblazer in women’s cross-country skiing, Trina represented the U.S. at the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics, the first to include women’s Nordic events. A lifelong racer and Masters World Champion, she remains an active advocate for women in skiing and a leader with the New England Nordic Ski Association.
Betsy Shaw – Raised on the slopes of Bromley, Betsy transitioned from alpine skiing to snowboarding and went on to compete in the sport’s Olympic debut at the 1998 Nagano Games. A former World Cup Giant Slalom champion and Burton Team rider, Betsy now lives in Scotland, promoting climate action as an ambassador for Protect Our Winters UK.
Donna Weinbrecht – The first Olympic gold medalist in women’s freestyle mogul skiing (1992), Donna rose from training on small slopes in New Jersey to dominating the World Cup circuit with five overall titles and 46 victories. Today, she shares her passion through her ski camps and clinics at Killington.
About VTSSM - Since 1988, the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum has been dedicated to collecting, preserving, and celebrating the rich history of skiing and riding in Vermont. The museum is a 501c3 non-profit that survives on the support from the ski and snowboard community.
The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum thrives by collecting, preserving, and celebrating Vermont's skiing and snowboarding history. The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum is a 501c3 non-profit organization that welcomes visitors from around the world to share, reminisce, and enjoy the collections and their stories. The museum creates visually stimulating and historically in-depth exhibits, along with year-round educational programming and statewide community events.
Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum
1 South Main St.
Post Office Box 1511
Stowe, VT 05672
802-253-9911
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