Where some skiers prefer to hit the ground running in the offseason with training, others prefer a more relaxed approach.
Park City freeskier Marin Hamill falls into the second group like much of her team, especially this offseason following the Milano Cortina Olympics.
The 25 year old qualified for and competed in slopestyle and big air in her second Games, finishing 16th and 22nd, respectively. She also skied in seven World Cups and the Aspen X Games in the 2025-26 season, winning the knuckle huck gold medal in her second-ever X Games.
Hamill believes some rest and relaxation will help her reset physically and mentally before the 2026-27 season. Tearing her ACL and meniscus in the 2022 Beijing Games and having her 2026 Aspen X Games ended early because of food poisoning, she knows the value of staying healthy, perhaps more than most of her competitors.
“This offseason is a little different following an Olympic season,” Hamill said. “Olympic seasons are super stressful, and that takes a toll on the mind and body. … I was away from home and my friends and family for months!”
Hamill has taken more time than usual away from her skis and boots this offseason. She surfed in Hawaii for a couple of weeks following the end of her season in late March and compared the feeling of surfing a wave to skiing. She may do some more surfing to break up her training in Park City.
“In Park City we have access to the Center of Excellence, which is a gym for U.S. Ski and Snowboard,” Hamill said. “We have an amazing gym with strength coaches, a kitchen with a chef, physical therapy, a skate ramp, trampolines and many more fun tools we get to use. I spend most of my training time there or at the Utah Olympic Park on the air bag.”
Hamill hasn’t laid out any firm goals for the offseason; she’d just like to continue training and spending as much time as possible with friends and family. She’s excited to compete in the inaugural X Games League winter season, film more street skiing and, like many Parkites, hopefully ski some great Utah powder days this winter.
“Next season, I am really looking forward to X Games League either as part of a team or as a free agent,” Hamill said. “I will also be competing in all the slopestyle World Cups.”
Hamill believes the new Park City X Games League winter team will help further cement the town’s spot in freeskiing. She’s hoping to get drafted onto the team in mid-September, and, luckily for her, owner Allen Thorpe said he will prioritize drafting Parkites.
“I think it’s amazing that Park City will have a team,” Hamill said. “Park City has always had amazing park and pipe skiers and has always been a really fun place to ski, attracting people from all over the world. I’m really excited for Park City to continue to be a special place for park and pipe skiers and snowboarders.”
XC Park City Winter Club coming to town is making Hamill proud to be a Parkite.
“Park City has always been an iconic destination for freeski and snowboarding,” Hamill said. “I think X Games League is the future of the sport, and it’s exciting Park City is involved in it from the beginning.”