Junior International XC Teams Named

Tue, Jan  13, 2009 - By US Ski Team

ANCHORAGE (Jan. 11) - The U.S. Ski Team named 33 athletes (including 11 Alaskans) to the World Junior Championships, Under-23 Championships and Scandinavian Cup teams Wednesday night at the ConocoPhillips U.S. Cross Country Championships banquet hosted at Kincaid Park outside Anchorage, AK. The young athletes will compete in various races throughout Europe during the next six weeks. 

"This is an exciting talented group of young cross country skiers heading abroad to represent the United States," said Nordic Program Director John Farra. "They are the future of the sport and these championships are a great way to begin the process of grooming young athletes for the demands of racing against their international peers."

World Junior and Under-23 Cross Country Championships will be held in Praz de Lys Sammand, France, Jan. 28 - Feb. 6.

The 2009 Junior World Championships team includes: (* indicates U.S. Ski Team athlete)

Men
Erik Bjornsen (7/14/91; Winthrop, WA)
George Cartwright (3/27/91; Lander, WY)
Noah Hoffman (8/1/89; Aspen, CO)*
Patrick Johnson (4/24/89; Anchorage, AK)
Lex Treinen (1/8/90; Anchorage, AK)

Women
Sadie Bjornsen (11/21/89; Winthrop, WA)
Sophie Caldwell (3/22/90; Peru, VT)
Jessie Diggins (8/26/91; Afton, MN)
Adele Espy (10/23/90; Freeport, ME)
Becca Rorabaugh (6/29/89; Fairbanks, AK)

The 2009 U23 Championships team includes:

Men
Tad Elliott (7/2/88; Durango, CO)
Matthew Gelso (7/18/88; Truckee, CA)*
Simi Hamilton (5/14/87; Aspen, CO)
Karl Nygren  (3/5/87; Minneapolis, MN)
Max Treinen (9/1/88; Anchorage, AK)

Women
Morgan Arritola (5/13/86; Ketchum, ID)*
Rosie Brennan (12/2/88; Park City, UT)*
Tazlina Mannix (6/14/86; Talkeetna, AK)*
Morgan Smyth (2/10/86; Vernon, VT)*
Liz Stephen (1/12/87; East Montpelier, VT) *
Alexa Turzian (8/13/88; Sun Valley, ID)*

Scandinavian Cup events will be held in Latvia, Estonia and Sweden
from Feb. 5-15. The team includes:

Men
Andrew Dougherty (3/14/91; Anchorage, AK)
Maxwell Durtschi (5/26/91; Sun Valley, ID)
Tyler Kornfield (2/9/91; Anchorage, AK)
Scott Lacy (1/22/91; Aspen, CO)
Nicholas Michaud (4/10/92; Ft. Kent, ME)
Scott Patterson (1/28/92; Anchorage, AK)

Women
Libby Ellis (2/8/91; Minneapolis, MN)
Katie Gill (4/9/92; Bozeman, MT)
Amy Glen (3/21/91; Anchorage, AK)
Elizabeth Guiney (2/7/91; Park City, UT)
Monica Markvardsen (5/8/91; Northport, WA)
Alicia Rose Pastore (3/24/93; Durango, CO)