Arco Foundation; Lofty ambitions in search of lofty solutions

At just 25 years old, River Radamus holds the esteemed title of being the USA’s best-ranked men’s giant slalom skier. However, from a young age, he observed flaws within the ski racing system that caused promising individuals to go unnoticed. Fueled by his determination to bring about change, Radamus has taken the initiative to establish the Arco Foundation. Its initial objective is to grant financial assistance to U16 athletes, easing their financial burdens and providing them with vital support. Nevertheless, there are other ambitious plans for the foundation’s future endeavors.

Radamus’s motivation stems from witnessing young skiers with exceptional talent becoming disheartened and quitting the sport due to financial limitations and lack of access to vital training opportunities. He explains, “It’s something I’ve been deeply passionate about for a long time.”

Performing at Radamus’ level undoubtedly demands significant time and unwavering commitment. He wholeheartedly dedicates himself to pushing his limits and achieving his utmost potential. With multiple victories at the Youth Olympics and Junior World Championships, along with numerous top ten finishes in World Cup events, Radamus has made a lasting impression on ski racing enthusiasts. His exceptional performances in the Olympics and World Championships have garnered well-deserved recognition, while his inspiring contribution to the USA’s World Championship Mixed Team Parallel victory has deeply resonated with American supporters. But beyond his accomplishments, Radamus’s profound passion for his cause drives him to shoulder the majority of responsibilities associated with his Foundation.

However, he has enlisted the help of charitable foundation experts Tommy Biesemeyer and Lynn Boynton of World Cup Dreams/T2 foundations. Radamus thankfully acknowledges, “They have been very welcoming to us and are incredibly supportive, but the fundraising and selection of grant recipients lie on my shoulders. The Arco grant is housed under the WCDF/T2 banner, but other ventures will be under our broader Arco Foundation banner.” 

Radamus explains, “I think the U16 age is an interesting entry point for Arco. As athletes enter USSA races and high school, the demands of the sport rise precipitously. To compete with your peers, athletes must treat the sport as a year-round endeavor. That means more summer training, specialization, professionalized and expensive programs, and potentially more out-of-region or international racing.

Photo U16 Nationals Dave Masuda

Until you become one of the best in the world, the sport only gets more expensive the better you become. This is the inflection point where we need to lean in and support the athletes who need it most, allowing them to continue to develop and hopefully come out on the other side, either on the national team or in a college program.” 

To augment the financial support, Arco will offer on-snow training opportunities. They are working diligently to provide extraordinary training opportunities at a cost well below the industry standard. Logistics need to be finalized, but there is good reason to believe that Arco will be able to implement their first low or no-cost camp on Copper Mountain in the spring of 2024.

“In the future, I think this could be the most impactful arm of the foundation. The vision is to bring together athletes from around Colorado who meet the trifecta of talented, driven, and in need of support. The support needed could be programming or financial challenges. Primarily, we want to provide them with quality training close to home. Notably, training will include coaching and mentorship by athletes and coaches who want to give back. Arco seeks to maximize the available domestic resources near their homes so the need to go to a camp in Chile or New Zealand is reduced.” If this proves successful, Radamus doesn’t see why Arco can’t find ways to make it happen at different times in different places across the country. 

Arco will provide its initial grants directly to athletes. However, in the future, the plan is also to support individuals and organizations doing research, providing education, or bringing innovative programs that address Radamus’s priorities. His Arco Foundation is dedicated to finding solutions to accessibility, cost, and opportunity barriers. Radamus realizes these grants will provide the most benefit when the clubs become full partners in the cause.

Photo U16 Nationals Dave Masuda

“Our philosophy is that we want to help athletes now and hopefully make it, so our help is less needed over time. We are striving to bring attention to the sport’s challenges and hope to highlight programs making a difference.

Some clubs are trying to expose a broader socioeconomic group to our sport and provide a pathway for their athletes to advance to the highest levels. These organizations are setting an example for the rest of us.

We want to support athletes in achieving athletic success by maximizing the opportunities these programs provide. Supporting and highlighting these stories will show that there are alternate routes to the expensive and over-professionalized programs some see as the only option to progress.

Ultimately, this is not a problem we or any individual or organization will solve. Everyone who loves our sport must lean in to make changes where we can. Seeing examples of successful initiatives will inspire others to introduce their own.”

Radamus believes that inclusive and diverse perspectives from a larger community hold the answers. He believes that finding innovative solutions requires input from both the ski racing community and society as a whole. However, his ambitions extend beyond financial aid. He is enthusiastic about offering something equally invaluable: consultation services provided by experienced experts to athletes, families, and organizations.

“The Arco grants and eventual camps will offer both athlete and family one-on-one mentoring as part of the Arco commitment. Within the ARCO Foundation, we have significant resources to help guide athletes and their families and a network of connections throughout the ski racing community to help. We intend to develop long-term relationships with our grant recipients and be an ongoing part of their ski racing journey. These relationships will be more important than the financial contributions we can make.”

Arco is best defined as a foundation with “Lofty ambitions in search of lofty solutions.”

• Club Outreach Initiatives

To donate to the Arco Foundation, visit the ARCO page at World Cup Dreams. Every dollar provides resources to deserving U16 athletes.

Within the WCDF umbrella, the ARCO grant strives to provide merit and needs-based support while driving systemic reform in ski racing. Our mission is to identify U16 athletes with exceptional performance, indicating potential for international competitiveness and future eligibility for “On the Rise” and “World Cup” T2 grants. Grants range from $1,000 to $2,500+.

To be eligible for an ARCO grant, athletes must meet the following requirements

1. Birth Year 2008-2009
2. Alpine Athlete

Apply for an Arco Grant