Travis Ganong knows how to pick a line down a racecourse and in the backcountry, but it was the line set by his older sisters, Megan and Ali, that helped reel him into ski racing. He launched his World Cup career in 2010 and has quickly become a leading member of the future downhill greats club.

It's not about points anymore for Ganong; it's about when his first World Cup podium will happen. The Squaw Valley charger posted top 30 finishes in all but two World Cup downhills last season, including a career best seventh on the gnarly Stelvio speed track in Bormio, Italy. Add it all up and he pinned a personal best 18th in the season-long downhill standings. He then celebrated by winning super G gold at the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships held on his home snow in Squaw.

Teammate Steven Nyman said it best after winning the Val Gardena, Italy downhill – where Ganong was 10th – "You've got next, buddy."

TRAVIS SAYS
You have to be gutsy in Bormio. It’s such a challenging hill. It never lets up. There are so many key turns, terrain and jumps that you have to nail. It’s bumpy and dark and it’s inevitable that you’ll have a mistake, but whoever can push through that, will be fast.

Finally I’m figuring out how to mentally attack these downhills. Before I was always kind of nervous because it was my first or second time skiing these courses. But this is my third year in Bormio and I feel like I can just relax a little bit and have fun. I love to ski and in the last few years I had to tone back how I ski because you have to really learn these downhills before you can attack. Now I feel that I know them, I can attack and I can be up there with the best guys.

FIRST TRACKS
Growing up minutes from Squaw Valley, he found himself in the Mighty Mites peewee program as a tyke. He devoured the opportunity. “Cliffs, chutes, pillow-lines, arcin’ turns down the Dog Leg! I couldn’t get enough,” he recalls. With his sisters showing the way, he got into the race program. He pointed to his sister Megan’s time on the U.S. Ski Team and said he wanted to follow her lead.

OFF THE SNOW
There isn't much 'off snow' for Ganong, who is the first to grab his fat boards on a race cancelation day. Big Mountain skiing is what it's all about and what better place to learn than Squaw Valley.  "I love free skiing and big mountain skiing just as much as racing, and they both kind of help out the other." Follow him a little closer as he blogs all the way to Sochi with OnTheSnow.com.