SOLDIER HOLLOW, Utah (Jan. 13) – Six men and six women have been named to the 2005 Junior World Championships Team, which will compete in Rovaniemi, Finland, in March, U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner.
In an announcement following U.S. Cross Country Championships at Soldier Hollow, Bodensteiner said selections were finalized following the championships. In addition, 13 men and women were named for a juniors trip to Norway in February.
Rick Kapala, longtime head coach of the Sun Valley (ID) Ski Education Foundation, will head the Junior Worlds team, assisted by two-time Olympian Ben Husaby from the Mount Bachelor (OR) and Peter Phillips from the New York Ski Education Foundation.
The Junior World Championships Team (with age, hometown, club program):
Men – Casey Simons (19; Park City, UT/University of Utah Ski Team), Bret Bedard (19; Cheshire, MA/Stratton Mountain School), Mike Sinnott (20; Sun Valley, ID/Dartmouth College); Ben True (19;North Yarmouth, ME/Dartmouth College), Glenn Randall (18; Collbran, CO/Grand Mesa Nordic) and Mike Hinckley (18; Anchorage, AK/Alaska Winter Stars).
Women – Morgan Smyth (18; Vernon, VT/Northern Michigan University), Tazlina Mannix (18; Talkeetna, AK/Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center), Laura Spector (17; Waitsfield, VT/Green Mountain Valley School), Liz Stephens (17; East Burke, VT/Burke Mountain Academy), Morgan Arritola (18; Fairfield, ID/Sun Valley SEF) and Kaitie McElroy (19; Bethel, ME/Bates College).
Karen Cook from Rhinelander (WI) Nordic and Colby College Coach Tracey Cote will be team leaders for the junior trip to Norway Feb. 7-21.
The JI Scandinavian Cup Team (with age, hometown, club program):
Men – Matt Gelso (16; Truckee, CA/Auburn Ski Club), Cameron MacKugler (17; Londonderry, VT/Stratton Mountain School), Simi Hamilton (17; Aspen, CO/Aspen Ski&Snowboard Club), Sylvan Ellefson (18; Vail, CO/Ski&Snowboard Club Vail), Reid Pletcher (16; Hailey, ID/SVSEF) and Colin Struthers (17; Boulder, CO/Boulder Junior Nordic).
Women – Jamie Woelk (16; Gunnison, CO/Crested Butte Ski Club), Ida Sargent (17; Orleans, VT/BMA), Mali Noyes (15; Ketchum, ID/SVSEF), Ase Carlson (15; Bozeman, MT/Bridger Ski Foundation), Ali Demarches (19; Burlington, VT/GMVS), Erika Flowers (15; Bozeman, MT/BSF) and Kate Dolan (14; Bozeman, MT/BSF).
For a complete Junior Worlds schedule:
www.jwsc2005.net
