She made her World Cup debut in March 1997 and retired from international competition in May 2006 .
Born in Santa Cruz on the California coast , Mendes began skiing at age four when her family moved to the Lake Tahoe area in the Sierra Nevada mountains .
Mendes made Mendes ' World Cup debut in March 1997 and retired from international competition in May 2006 .
Born in Santa Cruz on the California coast , Mendes began skiing at age four when her family moved to the Lake Tahoe area in the Sierra Nevada mountains .