Olympian and daughter to Olympic gold medalist, Pepi Stielger, Resi (RAY-zee) was born and grew up in prime ski country, Jackson Hole, WY and Lienz, Austria. She has represented the United States at every level of alpine ski racing: Topolino, Whistler Cup, Junior Worlds, World Cup, World Championships and the Olympics. She’s won Junior Worlds medals, U.S. titles and has stood on the World Cup podium.

Stiegler was about to close a breakout year, which was highlighted by the first podium of her career, when she tore her ACL in the Nations Team Event at the 2012 World Cup Finals in Schladming, Austria. Good thing hard work is tattooed into her psyche; she was back in time for the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational on Thanksgiving weekend, scored World Cup points a few weeks later and then posted a top 25 in slalom at the World Championships – her sixth trip to the big show. That's how she rolls.

After missing out on the 2010 Olympics with a busted leg, which would have been her second Games, "Le Tigre" is launching an all out attack on the World Cup season to qualify for Sochi. Do you believe?

RESI SAYS
I’m really happy with how my season went, coming off of the injury I had last year. I just have to stay really positive because it obviously wasn’t the season I wanted, but from an injury it was really good. Now it’s a good building block into next year, which is the most important year.

Starting off this spring, I’ll be making sure all the body parts are working really well. We have our first camp already in Mammoth in May, so it’s kind of exciting for me. I haven’t been to a May camp in over eight years because of injury, so I’m excited.

FIRST TRACKS
She was skiing at two and racing at six. In '99, Stiegler was a silver medalist in giant slalom and a bronze medalist in slalom at the Western J3 Juniors Olympics. A year later, she won gold in both events at JOs. She earned World Cup starts in '03 by finishing second (with one win) in the 2002 NorAm slalom points and then gave a preview of her 2003 breakout, tearing through European-packed fields (before the Park City World Cups) and finishing sixth in the first two Super Series giant slaloms. "I didn't go to World Juniors last year, so I'm gonna make it to the real World Championships this year,” she said. And she made it.

In her first Juniors Worlds in '03, she won bronze medals in slalom and combined. Stiegler credits not only her parents, but also another Olympic champion and silver medalist, former Olympic and world champion Diann Roffe. Roffe coached Stiegler in a U.S. Development program for several winters, helping sculpt her into such a promising racer.

OFF THE SNOW
Stiegler splits her time between Jackson Hole and Hawaii with boyfriend and professional windsurfer Kevin Pritchard. That is, when she's not lapping the globe with a special bag that has nothing to do with skiing; it holds her computer and mess of gluten free food. But if you want to really get to know Stiegler, the character, check out her blog and for sure follow her social feeds. Her eye for art and passion for photography is beautifully apparent.