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Colorado couple ready for their work to be in the Olympic spotlight

An American couple has been working in South Korea to make sure everything is ready for the world's top ski racers.
Colorado couple Salty Marriner and his wife, Allison, have spent more than two years helping build and prep the downhill ski course that will be used at the PyeongChang Olympics.

The United States has many connections to the upcoming Winter Olympics and that includes a Colorado couple who has spent years helping to build and prep the downhill ski course.

Salty Marriner had just wrapped up work at the 2015 Ski Championships at Beaver Creek when he took a job a world away - as the mountain operations manager for the Jeongseon downhill course in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Since then, he's spent more than two years helping them build up a brand new venue and overseeing snowmaking, grooming, chairlifts and ski patrol.

After wrapping up work at the 2015 Ski Championships at Beaver Creek, Salty Marriner was hired as the Mountain Operations Manager for the Jeongseon downhill course in PyeongChang, South Korea.

"It was always one of my hopes and dreams...to be a part of the Olympics," Salty Marriner explained.

The Jeongseon downhill course in PyeongChang, South Korea.

The Olympic role landed him quite a ways away from Colorado Mountain College, where he and his wife, Allison, both went to school.

And just like Salty, Allison has been working long hours in South Korea on that same downhill course making sure it's ready for the world's best ski racers.

"To re-prep the course and re-prep the surface I think that was like a 26 hour day," Allison recalled.

While the Korean mountains are a little smaller and the snow isn't as deep, American ski racers say they love the course.

The Jeongseon downhill course in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Three-time Olympian Lindsey Vonn said she's really excited about the track and its long sweeping turns.

While Allison and Salty might be a little homesick for Colorado, they're excited for their very own Olympic opportunity.

"It's amazing to be here, it's a lot of work but it's worth it," Allison Marriner said.

The couple says it would be fun to keep at it and maybe do something for the next winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

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