PARK CITY, Utah (Feb. 18) – The U.S. Ski Team has named 14 athletes to compete in the Alpine World Junior Championships in Germany beginning Feb. 28. The Championships are the highest level of international competition for athletes 15-19 years old.

The U.S. team includes seven men and seven women. They will compete in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Feb. 28 to March 8 in downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom and overall (slalom, GS, downhill). The team includes six former World Junior Team members.

"Qualifying for the World Junior Team through international results is a major accomplishment for development athletes," said U.S. Ski Team Alpine Director Jesse Hunt. "We're proud of this team that includes some great club athletes and some young U.S. Ski Team members."

The team will be led by Men's Head Coach Randy Pelkey and Women's Head Coach John Hale.


2009 Alpine World Junior Championship Team
Name (year of birth), USSA club, hometown
Men
Michael Ankeny (91), U.S. Ski Team/Buck Hill Ski Club, Wayzata, MN
Thomas Biesemeyer (89),  N.Y. Ski Educational Foundation, Keene, NY
Tommy Ford (89), U.S. Ski Team/Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation, Bend, OR *
Colby Granstrom (90), U.S. Ski Team/Mission Ridge Ski Team, Lake Stevens, WA
Will Gregorak (90), U.S. Ski Team/Ski Club Vail, Longmont, CO
Nolan Kasper (89), U.S. Ski Team/Burke Mountain Academy, Warren, VT *
Wiley Maple (90), U.S. Ski Team/Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club, Aspen, CO *

Women
Rose Caston (92), Park City Ski Team, Salt Lake City, UT
Angel Collinson (90), Snowbird Ski Team, Snowbird, UT
Devin Delaney (91), Green Mountain Valley School, North Conway, NH
Julia Ford (90), U.S. Ski Team/Holderness School, Plymouth, NH *
Alice McKennis (89), U.S. Ski Team/Rowmark Academy, New Castle, CO *
Kiley Staples (89), U.S. Ski Team/Rowmark Academy, Park City, UT *
Jennifer VanWagner (89), U.S. Ski Team/Rowmark Academy/Grand Traverse Ski Club, Traverse City, MI

* Indicates past Team member.

Men's Staff
Randy Pelkey, Men's World Junior Head Coach, Hood River, OR
Thomas Eckfeldt, Men's World Junior Assistant, Salt Lake City, UT
Zachary Mikowski, Men's World Junior Service, Suttons Bay, MI

Women's Staff
John Hale, Women's World Junior Head Coach, Woodland Park, CO
Shaun Goodwin, Women's Junior Assistant, Naples, NY
Kristian Saile, Women's World Junior Service, Marquette, MI

Dr. Guy Schmidt, World Junior Physician, Billings, MT