Visa - a Worldwide Olympic Partner - have been a USSA sponsor since 1986 but the new deal means that they will now support the new Olympic sports of halfpipe and slopestyle skiing through a partnership with the USSA's new US Freeskiing brand.

The partnership will also see growth of Visa's role as title sponsor of the Visa US Halfpipe Grand Prix, as well as a major presence in the USSA's consumer merchandising and ecommerce programmes.

"Visa continues to bring a positive stature to Olympic sports, especially skiing and snowboarding, through a quarter century of leadership," said USSA President and chief executive Bill Marolt.

"Visa has become an iconic representative of the Olympics and our teams through a longstanding partnership with the Olympics and our own world class athletes."

Visa will also have logo presence on the uniforms of the US alpine, freestyle, cross-country and Nordic combined ski teams, while they will have a presence in the team's new ecommerce platform as the preferred method of payment.

In addition, Visa will sponsor individual USSA athletes including Lindsey Jacobellis, Emily Cook and Ryan St Onge, along with Olympic champions Julia Mancuso (pictured) and Seth Wescott.

"Visa is an incredible sponsor," said Mancuso.

"I am so proud to be part of Visa's team.

"The fact that Visa has stood behind the Olympic movement and the US Ski Team for 25 years shows that they really are part of our team."

Antonio Lucio, global chief marketing, strategy and corporate development officer at Visa, added: "For 25 years, we have proudly supported the Olympic Games and the US Ski and Snowboard Association helping athletes achieve their Olympic dreams.

"We are excited to continue our sponsorship of the US Ski and Snowboard Association as we continue to invest in sponsorship properties that deliver tangible and proven business building benefits to Visa, its clients and partners.

"Visa's sponsorship of US Freeskiing is testament to the potential of the new Olympic sport.

"The increase of terrain parks at resorts worldwide has had a dramatic impact in growing snowsports with record number of recreational customers and related ski equipment sales this past season - much of it attributed to the growth of freeskiing."

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