By USSA

WHISTLER, British Columbia – Wednesday morning marks a change of gears for U.S. women as 2010 Olympic medalists Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) gear up for giant slalom at Whistler Creekside along with Sarah Schleper (Vail, CO) and Megan McJames (Park City, UT).

Mancuso is the defending Olympic champion in giant slalom and will be sporting a specially made speed suit to honor her 2006 gold. For Vonn, it will be an opportunity to chase her first big race podium in the discipline. She has finished as high as fourth on the World Cup, but has yet to climb into the top three.

The start will mark the fourth Olympic Games for Schleper, who missed two successive seasons following the 2006 Olympic Winter Games – the first to a torn ACL and the second to the birth of her son Lasse, who turned 2 last month.

It is the first Olympic race for McJames, who trained in Jackson Hole, Wyo., with the women’s technical program before arriving in Vancouver.

First run is set for 10am with a second run to follow at 1:15pm.