Emiko Torito, U.S. Ski Team Champion
With the snowcapped Rocky Mountains looming beyond the Denver skyline, it’s no wonder that Denverites catch the skiing bug early. A Denver native, Emiko Torito began skiing at the age of three. A little more than two decades later, she became a 2008 World Cup Champion.
What She Loves About Denver: Denver is the perfect combination of city and recreation. From all the sporting events to the skiing, you can watch or play. There are so many great restaurants, too. My family owns Kokoro restaurant, so when I'm in Denver, I love to eat at Kokoro and then go to a Nuggets, Rockies, or Broncos game. Then, I can ski the next day!
Why Colorado Skiing is the Best: Colorado is one of the few places in the US that has affordable ski passes. It's great because my friends all get passes like the Epic Pass or the Intramountain pass so that we can all ski together. That may sound minor, but I've come to realize that it's not like that in other states. Plus, there are so many options and so many mountains right at your fingertips when you live in Colorado.
Emiko’s Personal Favorite Colorado Skiing: It would be really hard to pick only one Colorado mountain, but I think that Steamboat would be my place. Steamboat feels like a real town, not just a resort destination. Plus, the tree skiing is fantastic there.
When She Realized Skiing Wasn’t Just A Hobby: When I was eight, I joined the [Winter Park] Eskimos ski club. I loved skiing so much, and I think that was the time that I started to have Olympic dreams.
Her Most Memorable Skiing Moment So Far: When I won my first World Cup. I had been struggling to get world cup starts during my eighth year on the team. Throughout my entire career, I had yet to get a podium besides in a duals event. I had also been denied coaches discretion starts for the year, then I won the first American world cup ... by over a point! I felt like I had waited an eternity for a dream that may never come true, and then I had suddenly grabbed it.
The Best Thing About Being On the U.S. Ski Team: All the skiing! That may sound too obvious, but it's such a privilege to be able to ski as much as I do. I've been able to travel the world just to ski. I’m so lucky, it’s silly.