See this story from CBC: Shamattawa First Nation teen wins gold at Special Olympics World Winter Games
Some raw talent and a lot of persistence makes a big difference in order to go the distance. Maybe one day someone from the Inuit or Native American peoples will suit up for the US Ski Team and win a few races:
Somewhat closer to home, the US racers finished out the season at Mt. van Hoevenburg:
Across the Snow Line 