Vermont Ski & Snowboard Museum's virtual Writers on the Red Bench Speaker Series will celebrate the journey of 53 women Olympians this Thursday at 7:00 pm via Zoom. A new book, "Trail to Gold: The Journey of 53 Women Skiers" tells the stories of 53 pioneering women skiers who attempted to win medals in cross country skiing, and who contributed to the book. Although they came up short, they laid tracks, so to speak, for Jessie Diggins's and Kikkan Randall's eventual Olympic success.

Five women Olympians with ties to Vermont will join us to talk about their years skiing at the highest level and how the book "Trail to Gold" came together. We're excited to welcome Trina Hosmer (1972 Olympian/Stowe), Sue Long Wemyss (1984 Olympian/ Stratton Mountain Schoool)), Nancy Fiddler (1988, 1992 Olympian), Leslie Thompson Hall (1988, 1992, 1994 Olympian/Stowe), and Laura Wilson Todd (1994, 1998 Olympian/Montpelier).

The evening's moderator Peggy Shinn, an award-winning writer, is a senior contributor to TeamUSA.org and has covered seven Olympic Games. Her book, World Class: The Making of the U.S. Women's Cross-Country Ski Team (2018) delved into how the current U.S. women's cross-country ski team began finishing on the podium and is a look at what it can take to build an effective team. She lives in Rutland.

This event is complimentary but a $10 donation is encouraged and appreciated to help support this series. Donors are entered in a raffle to win Darn Tough socks. This event is supported by Trapp Family Lodge and Series Sponsors include r.k. Miles, AJ's Ski & Sports, Schoeller Textil, Sisler Builders, and Vermont Ski + Ride. Register for the event here, https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9jz6r2sNS1aWjSARjFgfSA
For more information regarding our Red Bench Speaker Series and detailed information about this event, or to register, visit us at www.vtssm.org. Books are available in our Gift Shop or online store.