Local Skier Qualifies For Winter Olympics

Keely Cashman Team USA Alpine Ski Team

Sonora, CA – A Strawberry native has qualified for the Winter Olympics that begin February 4th.

22-year-old Keely Cashman is one of 44 skiers to represent the USA Alpine Skiing (Downhill) Team in Beijing, China. Her events are Super-G, Slalom, Giant slalom, and Parallel mixed team. That involves four skiers, two women, and two men, competing in a series of head-to-head slalom races. On Sunday (Jan. 16) at a World Cup event in Austria, she came in 23rd in the Super-G (Slalom) qualifying her for that event in the Olympics.

Cashman was born in Sonora but lives in Strawberry, as that is where her family has owned a coffee shop for the past 20 years. During the offseason, she works there. Cashman graduated from Mountain Oaks Charter School in Sonora and attends the University of Utah. Her team/clubs include Dodge Ridge, Bear Valley and Squaw Valley.

Skiing is a family affair as she is the daughter of former U16 National Training Group (NTG) John Cashman who is also her coach. She attributes him as her biggest inspiration, stating, “He taught me everything I know about the sport and I owe a lot of my success to him. Not only is he an incredible coach, but he is an exceptional person.”

Cashman’s career highlights are below:

• 2015 Nor-Am Cup Copper Mountain, 1st (super-G), 3rd (super-G), 7th (slalom)
• 2015 Nor-Am Cup Panorama, 9th (super-G), 11th (slalom), 12th (combined)
• 2015 Nor-Am Cup Copper Mountain, 1st (super-G), 3rd (super-G), 7th (slalom)
• 2015 Nor-Am Cup Panorama, 9th (super-G), 11th (slalom), 12th (combined)

A notable fact, Cashman volunteers every year to participate in the Yosemite Facelift, picking up trash throughout the national park.