PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 16, 2017) - The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association has named a team of 10 athletes to represent the USA in the upcoming Under 23 Cross Country World Championships. The U23 Championships will be held Jan. 30-Feb. 5 at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center along with the USANA FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships - the first time the event has been held in the USA since 1986 in Lake Placid.
More than 500 athletes from nearly 40 nations are expected to take part in the Junior World and U23 Championships.
The team of five men and five women was chosen based on results of USSA SuperTour competitions as well as trials during the recently completed L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships at Soldier Hollow.
The team is led by Patrick Caldwell (Lyme Center, NH) of Stratton Mountain School. Caldwell is a two-time veteran of the U23 World Championships who was 15th in the 15k freestyle event in 2015. Adam Martin (Marquette, MI) from Northern Michigan University and women's team member Kelsey Phinney (Ketchum, ID) of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation were also on the 2016 U23 Team along with Caldwell.
Competition opens on Tuesday, Jan. 31 with a classic sprint. On Thursday, Feb. 2 men race a 10k freestyle with women running 5k. A skiathlon, featuring both classic and freestyle technique, is set for Saturday, Feb. 4.
(Name, hometown, USSA club, birthdate, age at start of championships)
* Member of 2016 Junior Worlds team
** Member of 2015 Junior Worlds team
Cross Country Schedule (all events at Soldier Hollow)
Monday, January 30
Tuesday, January 31
Wednesday February 1
Thursday, February 2
Friday, February 3
Saturday, February 4
Sunday, February 5
2 - Jessie Diggins, 2014 freestyle sprint (Val di Fiemme, ITA)
2 - Noah Hoffman, 2012 15k classic (Ezerum, TUR)
2 - Laura Valaas, 2007 classic sprint (Tarvisio, ITA)
3 - Liz Stephen, 2008 15k freestyle mass start (Malles, Val Venosta, ITA)
4 - Ida Sargent, 2010 freestyle sprint (Hinterzarten, GER)
4 - Liz Stephen, 2009 pursuit (Praz de Lys Sommand, FRA)
5 - Morgan Arritola, 2009 pursuit (Praz de Lys Sommand, FRA)
5 - Sadie Bjornsen, 2012 10k classic (Ezerum, TUR)
6 - Ben Saxton, 2015 classic sprint (Almaty, KAZ)