Anchorage, AK — After a frustrating cold snap that forced organizers to cancel ConocoPhillips U.S. National Cross-Country Ski Championship races on four of five days, the United States Ski Association named 33 athletes to the World Junior Championships, Under-23 Championships and Scandinavian Cup teams at Kincaid Chalet yesterday. These athletes will compete in various races around Europe during the next six weeks.
This winter has been a tough one for elite cross-country racers. Two of three USSA Super Tour events held in November and December in the Lower 48 were canceled due to a lack of snow. Those races, combined with results from this week’s U.S. Nationals, were meant to be used in picking team members. As the temperatures in Anchorage continued to stay below the minus four limit, hopes of salvaging the first half of the racing season faded.
Many Western states collegiate skiers who have been waiting to compete will finally get their chance this weekend. Forecasters predict temperatures in Southcentral will warm up just in time for the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association’s Seawolf Invitational, hosted by the UAA
Ski Team. Cross-country races for the Seawolf Invitational are scheduled for Friday through Sunday, January 9-11 at Kincaid Park.
World Junior and Under-23 Cross-Country Championships will be held in Paz de Lys Sammand, FRA January 28-February 6, 2009.
Jr. Women Hometown Team Becca Rorabaugh Fairbanks, AK APU Sophie Caldwell Peru, VT Dartmouth Jessie Diggins Afton, MN CXC Sadie Bjornsen Winthrop, WA UAA Adele Espy Freeport, ME Maine Coast Nordic
Jr. Men Hometown Team Noah Hoffman, Aspen, CO USST/Sun Valley Ski Edu. Foundation (SVSEF) Lex Treinen Anchorage, AK UAA Patrick Johnson Anchorage, AK Middlebury George Cartwright Lander, WY Lander Nordic Erik Bjornsen Winthrop, WA Methow Valley Nordic
U-23 Women Hometown Team Elizabeth Stephen East Montpelier, VT USST/Burke Alexa Turzien Ketchum, ID USST/SVSEF Morgan Arritola Ketchum, ID USST/SVSEF Rosie Brennan Park City, UT USST/Dartmouth Morgan Smyth Vernon, VT USST/NMU Tazlina Mannix Talkeetna, AK USST/APU
U-23 Men Hometown Team Karl Nygren Minneapolis, MN U. Colorado Tad Elliott Durango, CO Saab/Salomon Factory Team Simi Hamilton Aspen, CO Middlebury Max Treinen Anchorage, AK UAA Matthew Gelso Truckee, CA USST/CU
Scandinavian Cup events will be held in Latvia, Estonia and Sweden
from February 5-15, 2009.
Scandinavian Cup Women Hometown Team Amy Glen Anchorage, AK UAA Monica Markvardsen Rossland, BC Black Jack Katie Gill Bozeman, MT Bridger Ski Foundation Elizabeth Guiney Park City, UT Park City Nordic Aliciarose Pastore Durango, CO Durango Nordic Libby Ellis Minneapolis, MN CXC/Go Training
Scandinavian Cup Men Hometown Team Maxwell Durtschi Sun Valley, ID SVSEF Andrew Dougherty Anchorage, AK Alaska Winter Stars Scott Patterson Anchorage, AK Alaska Winter Stars Scott Lacy Aspen, CO Aspen Valley SSC Tyler Kornfield Anchorage, AK Alaska Winter Stars Nicholas Michaud Ft. Kent, ME MWSC
