PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 14) – The U.S. Ski Team has named 14 junior athletes to represent the USA in the 2011 World Junior Alpine Ski Championships at Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 29 – Feb. 6. The selected athletes, ages 15-19, qualified based on performance results in the NorAm Cup series this season.

An important international championship for the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, the World Junior Championships acts as an indicator of the talent and depth of future World Alpine Ski Championships and Olympic Winter Games teams. The 2011 Team is strong with a variety of talent and depth including both World Junior veterans and rookies.

The men will open the Championships with a giant slalom on Sunday, Jan. 30, knocking out the technical events before clicking into their speed skis. The Team will be led by returning World Junior team members Michael Ankeny (Wayzata, MN) and Nick Daniels (Tahoe City, CA) as they head to Europe early for a series of FIS races in preparation for World Juniors.

“The idea is just to get the guys together for pace and a little racing before the event,” said Men’s Head World Juniors Team Coach Randy Pelkey. “The hill has a lot of rolls and blind spots and we’ve trained that all summer. Hopefully we’ll come into Crans [Montana] with guns a blazing.”

The women’s team, with many young members, is focused on fundamentals as well as gaining experience in a World Championship event. The women’s team will look to World Junior veteran Abby Fucigna (Hopkinton, MA) for leadership as the young group of women charge out of the gate.

“Our goals for the Austrian FIS races leading up to World Junior Championships are largely about gaining experience at a higher level of competition,” said Women’s Head World Juniors Team Coach Seth McCadam. “I am confident that the girls will rise to the challenge and compete on the big stage as Americans tend to do.”

The World Junior Alpine Ski Championships will conclude on Feb. 5 with the women’s super G.

2011 World Junior Alpine Ski Championship Team
(Both hometown and ski club)

Men
Michael Ankeny, 1/17/1991, Wayzata, MN (U.S. Ski Team/Buck Hill Ski Club)
Kieffer Christianson,8/11/1992, Anchorage (U.S. Ski Team/ Burke Mountain Academy)
Nick Daniels,4/5/1991, Tahoe City, CA (U.S. Ski Team/Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Keith Moffat, 2/3/1991, Berkeley, CA (U.S. Ski Team/Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Brennan Rubie, 4/8/1991, Salt Lake City (U.S. Ski Team/Snowbird Ski Team)
Ryan Siegle, 3/27/1992, Starksboro, VT (U.S. Ski Team/Mt. Mansfield Ski Club)
Matthew Strand, 5/14/1993, Lakeville, MN (Buck Hill Ski Club)

Women
Leah Canfield, 6/11/1992, Breckenridge, CO (Team Breckenridge)
Rose Caston, 7/20/1992, Salt Lake City (U.S. Ski Team/Park City Ski Team)
Abby Fucigna, 1/9/1991, Hopkinton, MA (U.S. Ski Team/Burke Mountain Academy/Waterville Valley BBTS)
Abigail Ghent, 9/25/1992, Edwards, CO (U.S. Ski Team/Ski Club Vail)
Maisie Ide, 10/28/1993, Minneapolis (Buck Hill Ski Club)
Anna Marno, 11/23/1992, Steamboat Springs, CO (U.S. Ski Team/Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club)
Mikaela Shiffrin, 3/13/1995, Vail, CO (Burke Mountain Academy)

Coaches/Staff
Walt Evans, World Junior Team Leader; Kamas, UT
Randy Pelkey, Men’s Head Coach; Hood River, OR
Ian Garner, Men’s Assistant Coach; Park City, UT
Thomas Eckfeldt, Men’s Assistant Coach; Salt Lake City
Pepi Culver, Men’s Service; Bozeman, MT
Zachary Mikowsky, Men’s Service; Lake Leelanau, MI
Seth McCadam, Women’s Head Coach; Hood River, OR
Mike Prado, Women’s Assistant Coach; Tahoe City, CA
Jeff Wagner, Women’s Service; Guilford, NH
John Dwyer, Women’s Assistant Coach, Burke Mountain Academy, VT
Jason McNeil, Women’s Assistant Coach, Breckenridge, CO
Dr. Guy Schmidt, Physician; Billings, MT
Tyson Langeliers, Physio; Sun River, OR

2011 World Junior Alpine Ski Championships Schedule
Crans Montana, Switzerland – Jan. 29 – Feb. 6

Sun., Jan. 30 – Men’s giant slalom and women’s downhill training
Mon., Jan. 31 – Men’s slalom and women’s downhill training
Tues., Feb. 1 – Men’s downhill training and women’s downhill
Wed., Feb. 2 – Men’s downhill training and women’s giant slalom
Thurs., Feb. 3 – Men’s downhill and women’s slalom
Fri., Feb. 4 – Men’s super G
Sat., Feb. 5 – Women’s super G

Image: Last season’s Junior World’s Squad