Tuesday, May 9, 2000
Contacts: Juliann Fritz, 435.647.2061; Scott Flanders, 801.557.2813

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11 ATHLETES NAMED TO U.S. NORDIC SKI TEAMS FOR '01

PARK CITY, Utah (May 9, 2000) - Eleven athletes, including eight
Olympians, have been named to the three U.S. nordic ski teams for the
coming season, U.S. Ski Team VP-Athletics Alan Ashley announced Tuesday.
Team selection was based on international results. The upcoming season
includes the World Championships, to be held Feb. 15-25 in Lahti,
Finland.

 "Next winter is the start of the run-up to the Winter Olympics in Utah
in 2002. Not only do we have the World Championships in February in
Finland, but before that we'll have the Olympic test in Utah," he said.
"Everyone - coaches, athletes and anyone else involved with the various
teams - is aware of how important this season will be."

The 2001 cross country team: Men - Marcus Nash (29; Fryeburg, ME; 1994,
'98 Olympian) and Justin Wadsworth (31; Bend, OR; 1994, '98 Olympian);
Women - Nina Kemppel (29; Anchorage, AK; 1992, '94, '98 Olympian).

The 2001 jumping team: Alan Alborn (19; Anchorage, AK; 1998 Olympian),
Brendan Doran (21; Steamboat Springs, CO; 1998 Olympian), Rhys Hecox
(19; Marquette, MI), and Clint Jones (15; Steamboat Springs, CO).

The 2001 nordic combined team: Bill Demong (20; Vermontville, NY; 1998
Olympian), Kristoffer Erichsen (22; Steamboat Springs, CO; 1998
Olympian), Todd Lodwick (23; Steamboat Springs, CO; 1994, '98 Olympian),
and Carl Van Loan (19; Webster, NH).

In addition, top-level development skiers have been named for each team,
according to Ashley.

The cross country development group includes: Men - Chris Cook (19;
Rhinelander, WI), Kris Freeman (19; Andover, NH), Andrew Johnson (22;
Greensboro, VT), and Rob Whitney (21; Anchorage, AK); Women - Melissa
Oram (20; Taberg, NY), Kikkan Randall (17; Anchorage, AK) and Aubrey
Smith (20; Seward, AK). Cook, Oram and Smith are all students at
Northern Michigan University.

Jumping's National Development Team: Jeff Denney (16; Bloomington, MN),
Jim Denney (16; Duluth, MN), Logan Gerber (16; Steamboat Springs, CO),
Hartman Rector (17; Salt Lake City) and Tommy Schwall (16; Steamboat
Springs, CO).

The Emerging Elite Team for nordic combined: Matt Dayton (22;
Breckenridge, CO); Jed Hinkley (18; Andover, NH), and Johnny Spillane
(19; Steamboat Springs, CO).

Before the World Championships, the upcoming season will be highlighted
by a "Nordic festival" encompassing the Olympic tests events, a series
of international competitions for cross country, jumping and nordic
combined on the 2002 Olympic facilities in Utah. The first World Cup
cross country races to be held in Utah since December 1989 as scheduled
for Jan. 10-14 on the '02 Olympic trails at Soldier Hollow in Midway,
east of Park City, to be followed Jan. 20-21 with nordic combined World
Cup events and then ski jumping Jan. 27-28 at Olympic Winter Sports Park
(a.k.a., Bear Hollow) near Park City.

 "Our focus this season will be on the World Championships, but we also
have high expectations for good results in January during the World Cup
events at Soldier Hollow and the jumping at Bear Hollow," he said.
"We're going to be using this season as a dress rehearsal in many ways,
including the success we're looking for on these Olympic venues in
2002."

Soldier Hollow received its baptism of fire last season with the Chevy
Truck U.S. Cross Country Championships in January, followed by the U.S.
biathlon championships and the nordic portion of the NCAA Championships.
Olympic Winter Sports Park at Bear Hollow will see the first use of its
Olympic 90-meter and 120-meter hills, which are to be finished by late
summer.