Six jumpers named to women's national team

Lindsey Van, who won three more Continental Cup events last season and is ranked third in the world, heads a six-athlete U.S. Ski Jumping Team for the 2008 season, U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner said. 

PARK CITY, Utah — Lindsey Van, who won three more Continental Cup events last season and is ranked third in the world, heads a six-athlete U.S. Ski Jumping Team for the 2008 season, U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner said.  
    The women's jumping squad adds a sixth member this season with high school student Avery Ardovino moving onto the team.
    "We named a women's team for the first time last season and couldn't be more pleased with that decision. Now we're focused on a steady build-out of that program so that when they get to the World Championships in 2009 [where women's jumping will make its debut at the worlds level], they're ready to spring," he said.

The 2008 U.S. Ski Jumping Team (including date of birth, hometown and club program):

A team
Avery Ardovino (2/13/92; Park City, Utah; National Sports Foundation)
Brenna Ellis (3/13/88; Park City, Utah; National Sports Foundation)
Abby Hughes (6/21/89; Park City, Utah; National Sports Foundation)
Jessica Jerome (2/8/87; Park City, Utah; National Sports Foundation)
Alissa Johnson (5/26/87; Park City, Utah; National Sports Foundation)
Lindsey Van (11/27/84; Park City, Utah; National Sports Foundation)

    On the men's side, he said the focus is on strengthening the club programs. "We've spoken with club coaches and we want to provide them with the tools they need to continue to improve, with a focus on the development of their teenage athletes," Bodensteiner said. "We'll compete in some FIS Cup events [development-level competitions below the World Cup and Continental Cups] and monitor the progress before naming anyone new to the team."
    Assisting with that transition are Olympians Alan Alborn and Clint Jones, who recently announced their retirement and have taken responsibility for the National Sports Foundation's jumping program at Utah Olympic Park in Park City. Alborn, who holds the U.S. distance record, coaches older juniors and development skiers while Jones, who remains the youngest U.S. ski jumping champion (15 when he won in 2000), is coaching younger jumpers.
    The women's program is strong and, naming Kjell Ivar Magnusson, former women's head coach for Norway, as women's head coach this spring further strengthens the program, Bodensteiner said. "Kjell's been working with the women for a few weeks and he sees not only great talent and motivated, hardworking athletes, he also sees great opportunities for them to continue to make big improvements. He's bringing a lot to the program already, and is a great addition to the team."
    Van, who was second in the world during the 2005 and '06 seasons before finishing third last winter, had seven top-three results. She won three competitions and ended the season by colleting her 11th and 12th U.S. titles. Returning after missing most of last season will be Jessica Jerome, the No. 3-ranked skier in 2006 who tore ligaments in her right knee in December, early in the '07 season.
    The women compete at the Continental Cup level, just below the World Cup, with events in North America, Japan and Europe. Their season of more than two dozen events begins in summer and continues into March. The women will compete Aug. 28-29 at Lake Placid, New York, and Sept. 1-2 at Utah Olympic Park in Park City.
    Women's jumping has been included in the FIS Junior World Championships since 2005; Van was bronze medalist in 2004 when it was a demonstration event. Women's jumping will make its debut at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships level in 2009 at Liberec, Czech Republic.