Now in her 13th season with the U.S. Ski Team, Picabo Street resumes one of the most illustrious of American ski racing careers – and not just in the USA - after two years on the sidelines.

When reminded of her tenure with the U.S. Team, Street remarked in characteristic candor: "Really? Thirteen years with the Ski Team? That’s a long time. It’s scary. I may have to hold my breath until the end of the season. I hope it’s a ‘Lucky 13’ season....I’m so glad to be back with these girls."

Street, taking no chances on returning too soon from a Friday the 13th crash a month after winning the 1998 Olympic super G gold medal, did some light skiing last winter, but no running gates, no race training. She rejoined the Ski Team in May 2000 during its first preseason training camp at Mammoth Mountain, California and focused on returning to World Cup action by November. So far, she’s on schedule.

Although she had torn her right ACL and shredded her left femur in the ’98 crash – just 15 months after tearing her left ACL in a downhill training crash - Street didn’t rule out a return to racing downhill.

"I’m wide open," she enthused. "We’ll see what happens. I know how much work I have to do and I’m trying to be super patient. There’s new technique to get used to - there’s been a lot of trial and error with the new equipment and how to be more efficient in the two years I was away. I feel a little strange, a little goofy at the start, but once I tie it all together, it’ll be fun."

In Sun Valley tradition, from where she hales, Street skied early, relishing the chance to out-race the boys in her class. She worked her way to the Ski Team, but tore her left ACL in a 1989 World Cup race.

Street won the 1991 and ’92 NorAm overall titles, then moved to the World Cup in ’93. That season, she won the first of her unprecedented string of medals, a silver in combined events at the 1993 World Championships in Japan.

"One of the best days of my life was that ’96 World Championships downhill in Sierra Nevada," reminisced Street. "Hilary and Megan and I were on the podium [top-6] - we went 1-3-5 and I was up there with two teammates."

With Street’s verve and nerve, she may well end up on the podium in Aspen.

• Alpine B Team
• Height - 5'7"(1.68m)
• Weight - 161(73kg)
• Birthdate - April 3, 1971
• Birthplace - Triumph, ID
• Hometown - Park City, UT
• Year on Team - 13th
• School - Wood River HS
• Sponsors - Park City Mtn Resort, Nike, Chapstick

• ’98 Olympic super G champion
• ’96 Worlds Downhill champion
• ’96 World Cup Downhill champion
• ’95 World Cup Downhill champion
• ’94 Olympic Downhill silver medalist
• ’93 Worlds Combined silver
• ’96 Worlds super G bronze