2018 World Junior Championships Alpine Team Announced

A promising group of 16 talented athletes – eight women and eight men – have been named to the 2018 FIS Alpine Junior World Championships Team. The team, led by three-time Youth Olympic Games gold medalist River Radamus (Edwards, Colo.), will represent the U.S. in Davos, Switzerland in six events from January 29-February 8, 2018.

Chosen athletes come from the U.S. Ski Team C, D, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Training Group, as well as top U.S. Ski & Snowboard club programs across the nation. Headlining the team and joining Radamus will be fellow 2016 Youth Olympic Games participant Keely Cashman (Strawberry, Calif.), and frequent Alpine FIS Ski World Cup participants AJ Hurt (Carnelian Bay, Calif.), Tricia Mangan (Derby, N.Y.), Nina O’Brien (Edwards, Colo.), and Katie Hensien (Redmond, Wash.).

"I'm fired up about how the front half of the season has gone, and look to show out at world juniors next week," Radamus said. "I've been feeling very good in my preparation, and collected a few strong results in Cortina, so I'm entering Davos with complete confidence in my ability to contend. We're bringing a strong team this season, and everyone is excited to show what America's got on the world stage." 

The team will have a good chance at the prestigious Marc Hodler Trophy, awarded to the team with the best overall performance. Last season, the U.S. finished fifth.

“Top five was a goal of ours last year, after only managing ninth in 2016,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Development Director Chip Knight. “We still have a lot of work to do as a country to challenge for the title, so we’re keeping the same top-five team focus this year while aiming for more individual top-10 results.”

The 2018 Junior Worlds will include men and women’s downhill, super-G, alpine combined, slalom, giant slalom and a mixed team event. Live timing will be provided by FIS.

2018 FIS ALPINE JUNIOR WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM
Name, Hometown; Team Affiliation; Club (Birthdate)
Women

• Keely Cashman, Strawberry, Calif; Squaw Valley Ski Team (4/4/1999)
• Katie Hensien, Redmond, Wash.; Rowmark Ski Academy (12/1/1999)
• AJ Hurt, Carnelian Bay, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team (12/5/2000)
• Abi Jewett, Ripton, Vt.; Green Mountain Valley School (1/10/2000)
• Patricia Mangan, Derby, N.Y.; Holimont Race Team (3/7/1997)
• Abigail Murer, Wildwood, Mo.; Team Summit Colorado (1/18/1997)
• Nina O’Brien, Edwards, Colo.; Burke Mountain Academy/Squaw Valley Ski Team (11/29/1997)
• Isabella Wright, Salt Lake City; Aspen Valley Ski Club (2/10/1997)

Men

• Jimmy Krupka, Waitsfield, Vt.; Green Mountain Valley School (7/15/1998)
• Matthew Macaluso, Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (6/29/1999)
• Andrew Miller, Park City, Utah; Park City Ski Team (12/18/1998)
• Kyle Negomir, Littleton, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (10/03/1998)
• River Radamus, Edwards, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (2/12/1998)
• Jett Seymour, Steamboat, Colo.; Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and University of Denver (11/5/1998)
• George Steffey, Lyme, N.H.; Stratton Mountain School (8/8/1997)
• Luke Winters, Gresham, Ore.; Sugar Bowl Academy (4/2/1997)

HIGHLIGHTS

• A strong and deep team of 16 rising stars – eight women and eight men – will represent the U.S. at the 2018 FIS Alpine Junior World Championships in Davos, Switzerland from January 29-February 8, 2018.
• Chosen athletes come from the U.S. Ski Team C, D, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Training Group, as well as top U.S. Ski & Snowboard club programs across the nation.
• Medals will be awarded in six events – downhill, super G, giant slalom, slalom, alpine combined, the team event – with top ten results counting towards the Marc Hodler Trophy for overall team performance.
• Last year, Sam Morse (Sugarloaf, ME) and Alice Merryweather (Hingham, MA) were crowned double World Juniors downhill champions.
• Two years ago, at the Youth Olympic Games, held in Lillehammer, Norway, River Radamus (Edwards, CO) grabbed a hat-trick of victories across super G, giant slalom, and combined disciplines and became the first skier or snowboarder in history to win three individual gold medals.
• AJ Hurt made her World Cup debut at 16 years old on American soil in Killington, VT in November 2017.

QUOTES
Chip Knight, Alpine Development Director
“The World Junior Championships is an important benchmark for us in developing athletes on the road to the World Cup.  This year we are bringing a talented group that has shown great promise at the NorAm level.  I am looking forward to seeing what they can do against international competition on the championship stage in Davos!”

COMPETITION SCHEDULE
Jan. 30 – Women’s giant slalom
Jan. 31 – Women’s slalom
Feb. 1 – Men’s downhill
Feb. 2 – Men's and women’s super-G
Feb. 3 – Men’s and women’s team event
Feb. 4 – Men’s alpine combined
Feb. 5 – Ladies’ alpine combined
Feb. 6 – Men’s giant slalom
Feb. 7 – Men’s slalom
Feb. 8 – Women’s downhill

MORE INFORMATION
Davos 2018