The 2006 New England Junior Olympic Team has been named and the group is strong enough to race for the Alaska Cup for a third year in a row.
Several J1/OJ athletes qualified at National-level events. They will bring a tremendous strength and leadership to the group. Alice Nelson (BMA/Hanover, NH), Morgan Smyth (Northern Michigan University/Vernon, VT), and Sophie Caldwell (Stratton Mountain School/Peru, VT) qualified by placing in the top 20 at the World Junior Trials at Soldier Hollow in January. Elise Moody-Roberts (BMA/Cape Elizabeth, ME), Jennie Bender (Northeast Nordic/Johnson, VT), and Alex Howe (Gunstock Nordic Association/Gilford, NH) qualified for the Junior 1 Scandinavian Trip. Hilary McNamee (Maine Winter Sports Center/Fort Fairfield, ME), Russell Currier (MWSC/Caribou, ME) and Nathanael Rogers(MWSC/Fort Kent Mills, ME) qualified via the World Junior Biathlon Trials.
These athletes will lead a team of 51 skiers to the 2006 Chevrolet Junior National Championships at Houghton, MI, hosted by Michigan Tech. University, March 6-11th. Last year the New England division won the coveted Alaska Cup for the second year in a row, as overall winners of the week long series of competition. A complete schedule of events, results and photos can be found at w2006 Junior Olympics
Returning as Head Coach is Burke Mountain Academy’s Matt Whitcomb. Pat Cote (Waterville, ME), NENSA Program Director, is the Team Leader. Head Wax technician is Zach Caldwell (Putney Ski Club/Windham, VT) of Engineered Tuning. The coaching staff is exceptionally strong. Each person is familiar with the athletes on the team and has had experience at National level events.
Coaching Staff
Amy Caldwell: Stratton Mountain School/Windham, VT
Igor Badamshin: Gunstock Nordic Association/Gilford, NH
Paul Stone: Maine Coast Jr. Team/Cumberland, ME
Pepa Miloucheva: Craftsbury Nordic Club/Craftsbury, VT
Jon Arne Enevoldsen: Green Mountain Valley School/Waitsfield, VT
Nick Brown: Putney Ski Club/Engineered Tuning/Windham, VT
Kate Newick: Burke Mountain Academy/E.Burke, VT
Tracey Cote: Colby College/Waterville, ME
2006 New England Junior Olympic Team
Name, Nordic Ski Club, Hometown
J2 Girls
Sophie Caldwell, Stratton Mountain School, Peru, VT
Stephanie Crocker, Berkshire Trails, Poughkeepsie, NY
Kaitlynn Miller, Stowe Nordic Outing Club, Stowe, VT
Megan Killigrew, Stratton Mountain School, Peru, VT
Karmen Whitham, Stratton Mountain School, Readsboro, VT
Holly Whitney, Maine Coast Nordic,Bowdoinham, ME
Danielle Baron, Gunstock Nordic Association, Gilford, NH
Hilary McNamee, Maine Winter Sports Center, Fort Fairfield, ME
Alt. Georgia Griffin, Ford Sayre, Norwich, VT
J2 Boys
Chase Marston, Stratton Mountain School, Charlotte, VT
Kyle Dewey, Stratton Mountain School, Weston, VT
Alex Schulz, Craftsbury Nordic Club, Johnson, VT
Ethan Dreissigacker, Craftsbury Nordic Club, Morrisville, VT
Joey Bard, Maine Winter Sports Center, Woodland, ME
Sam Tarling, Maine Coast Nordic, Cumberland, ME
Alt. Michael Gibson, Stowe Nordic Outing Club, Stowe, VT
J1/OJ Women
Alice Nelson, Burke Mountain Academy, Hanover, NH
Elise Moody-Roberts, Burke Mountain Academy, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Jennie Bender, Northeast Nordic, Johnson, VT
Morgan Smyth, Northern Michigan Univ., Vernon, VT
Ida Sargent, Burke Mountain Academy, Orleans, VT
Parker Tyler, Stratton Mountain School, Londonderry, VT
Madeleine Talkington, Stratton Mountain School, Weston, VT
Katrina Howe, UVM/Gunstock Nordic Association, Gilford, NH
Amanda Ivey, Northeast Nordic, Oxbow, ME
Kristin Dewey, Stratton Mountain School, Weston, VT
Emily Dreissigacker, Craftsbury Nordic Club, Morrisville, VT
Lucy Garrec, Maine Coast Nordic, Freeport, ME
Clare Egan, Cape Nordic, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Mae Foster, Stratton Mountain School, Weston, VT
Ruth McGovern, Stowe Nordic Outing Club, Stowe, VT
Alyssa Devlin, Burke Mountain Academy, Burke, VT
Kristen Bednar, St. Lawrence Univ., Essex Junction, VT
Kristen Harkay, Vermont Academy, Keene, NH
Karlye Wisdom, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
J1/OJ Men
Alex Howe, Gunstock Nordic Association, Gilford, NH
Russell Currier, Maine Winter Sports Center, Caribou, ME
Nathanael Rogers, Maine Winter Sports Center, Fort Kent Mills, ME
Patrick O’Brien, Stratton Mountain School, Putney, VT
Kevin Cutts, Putney Ski Club, Putney, VT
Dylan McGuffin, Gunstock Nordic Association, Northfield, NH
Fritz Horst, Stratton Mountain School, Bennington, VT
Steven Bedard, Berkshire Trails, Cheshire, MA
Nils Koons, Maine Winter Sports Center, Sidney, ME
Jesse Kosiba, Vermont Academy, Putney, VT
Keith Kantack, Mt. Washington Nordic, Jackson, NH
Marty Smith, Stratton Mountain School, Stratton, VT
Zachary Wetherell, Burke Mountain Academy, Dalton, MA
Harry Poole, Burke Mountain Academy, Yarmouth, ME
Thomas Stark, Gunstock Nordic Association, Fitzwilliam, NH
Peter Kling, Green Mountain Valley School, Waitsfield, VT
Sam Mathes, Waterville Area Ski Team, Rome, ME
Samuel Evans-Brown, University of Vermont/Gilmanton, NH
Alt. Steven Vargo, Mt. Anthony Union HS/
Significant New England skiers who qualified for the 2006 New England JO Team but will not attend include:
Tara Geraghty-Moates, Ford Sayre/West Fairlee, VT — ineligible by age, J3.
Elizabeth Stephen, Burke Mountain Academy, E. Montpelier, VT — deferred to race OPA Cup in Europe
Susan Dunklee, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH – Deferred to race NCAAs
Source: NENSA
