U.S. names 7 to team for nordic worlds in Japan

The U.S. Ski Team is sending five nordic combined skiers and two jumpers to compete Feb. 22-March 4 in the World Nordic Ski Championships in Sapporo, Japan.
PARK CITY, Utah — The U.S. Ski Team is sending five nordic combined skiers and two jumpers to compete Feb. 22-March 4 in the World Nordic Ski Championships in Sapporo, Japan.
    U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner said six of the seven athletes are Olympians.

The 2007 World Championships Team will include (with date of birth, hometown, previous Olympics or Worlds experience):

Nordic combined
Brett Camerota, Park City, Utah (2006 Olympics)
Eric Camerota, Park City, Utah (2006 Olympics; ’05 worlds)
Bill Demong, Vermontville, N.Y. (1998, ’02, ’06 Olympics; 1999, ’01, ’05 worlds)
Bryan Fletcher, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Johnny Spillane, Steamboat Springs, Colo. (1998, ’02, ’06 Olympics, 1999, ’01, ’03, ’05 worlds)

Ski jumping
Alan Alborn, Anchorage, Alaska (1998, ’02, ’06 Olympics; 1999, ’01, ’03 worlds)
Clint Jones, Steamboat Springs, Colo. (2002, ’06 Olympics; ’01, ’03, ’05 worlds)

    “There’s good energy in this team,” Bodensteiner said. “Bryan fought hard to get a spot in the nordic combined squad, and his rate of improvement this season has given everyone in the team extra motivation to push themselves to new levels. Billy’s a case in point — he’s skiing better than he has in several years, putting together a string of top results in the past weeks, and showing that he’s on track to reach his peak form perfectly in time for these championships.”