U.S. names 16 athletes to 2006 world juniors team

U.S. names 16 athletes to 2006 world juniors team{mosimage}PARK CITY, Utah – Eight men and eight women have been named to the 2006 U.S. alpine World Junior Championships team. World juniors start in early March in Quebec.

U.S. Alpine Director Jesse Hunt said world juniors, which also were staged outside Quebec City in 2000, would be held at two sites — the speed events at Le Massif Alpine Training Center in Petite Riviere Sant-Francois and the technical events at Mont-Sainte-Anne, north of Quebec City.

Racers named emerged through peer-group competition during the winter, Hunt said. Athletes 15-19 years of age (at the start of a racing season) are eligible for selection; results from World Cup, Europa Cup and NorAm Cup races are evaluated as part of selection criteria.

The 2006 U.S. World Junior Championships team (including age, hometown, club program):

Men
Greg Bartels (19; Sonora, CA; Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Chris Beckmann (19; Altamont, NY; U.S. C Team/New York Ski Education Foundation)
Will Brandenburg (19; Spokane, WA; Sweitzer Alpine Racing School)
Marsh Gooding (20; Steamboat Springs, CO; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)
Stefan Hughes (19; Killington, VT; U.S. Development Team/Killington Ski Team)
Tim Kelley (19; Starksboro, VT; U.S. Development Team/Mount Mansfield Ski&Snowboard Club)
Todd David Thibodeau (20; Waterville Valley, NH; U.S. Development Team/Waterville Valley BBTS/SEF)
Andrew Weibrecht (20; Lake Placid, NY; U.S. C Team/NYSEF)

Women
Sterling Grant (18; Amery, WI; U.S. Development Team/Buck Hill Ski Team)
Courtney Hammond (18; Mercer Island, WA; Rowmark Ski Academy)
Chelsea Marshall (19; Pittsfield, VT; U.S. C Team/Green Mountain Valley School)
Jilyne McDonald (19; Bellevue, WA; U.S. Development Team/University of Vermont Ski Team)
Megan McJames (18; Park City, UT; U.S. Development Team/Park City Ski Team)
Laurenne Ross (17; Klamath Falls, OR; Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation)
Kiley Staples (17; Park City, UT; Rowmark Ski Academy)
Elizabeth Woods (17; Aspen, CO; Crested Butte Academy)

The schedule of events
March 3 – men’s and women’s downhill
March 4 – men’s super G, women’s slalom
March 5 – men’s slalom, women’s super G
March 6 – men’s giant slalom
March 7 – women’s giant slalom
March 8 – Nations Cup dual

The team will be competing for world juniors titles in downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom and its own hybrid combined, which is calculated based on performance in DH, SL and GS.

Also at stake is the coveted Marc Hodler Cup, which is awarded to the nation scoring the most top-10 finishes in all disciplines including the combined. The U.S. team won the Hodler Cup in Maribor, Slovenia, in February 2004.

For complete results during the 2006 World Junior Championships, go to the FIS Web site at https://www.fis-ski.com or the world juniors Web site at https://www.mjaq2006.ca.

– USSA