Promising 2020 World Junior Championships Alpine Team Announced

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has named 15 promising athletes to the 2020 FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championships Team to represent the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team in Narvik, Norway, in six events March 5-14.

The 2020 squad is derived from the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team B, C, D teams, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Development Group, as well as top U.S. Ski & Snowboard club program athletes from across the nation. Headlining this year's team are 2019 Junior Worlds' silver medalists Ben Ritchie, AJ Hurt, and Katie Hensien, and current NorAM overall leaders Keely Cashman and Bridger Gile. 

Last year at Junior Worlds in Val di Fassa, Italy, the American men's junior team put forth a best in the world effort. River Radamus took home gold in super-G and giant slalom, while teammate Ben Ritchie grabbed silver in slalom, and the team of Katie, AJ, River, and Ben was second in the mixed team parallel event. Keely finished just off the podium in the alpine combined, in fourth, and AJ and Katie each had top-10 results. Keely and Bridger are leading in the current overall NorAm standings. Bridger is also leading in giant slalom and alpine combined, while Keely is first in downhill. 

"We are excited to name a team of both experienced and first-time athletes to the 2020 World Junior Ski Championships," said Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team Development Director Chip Knight. "Four of the 15 athletes have had top-10 results in past WJSC events, six have won NorAm races this year, and all of them have performed well in NorAm Cup races. We are aiming for strong individual performances and a podium finish in the Marc Hodler overall team standings." 

In 2019, Switzerland won the Marc Hodler Trophy, with 107 points, followed by Norway with 86 points, and the U.S. rounding out the podium with 80 points. The U.S. has been steadily working towards the podium, getting fifth in the standings in Åre, Sweden in 2017, and fourth in Davos, Switzerland in 2018. 

The 2020 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.

2020 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 and University of Denver (12/1/1999)
• Olivia Holm, Old Greenwich, Conn.; Burke Mountain Academy (7/12/2001)
• AJ Hurt, Carnelian Bay, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team (12/5/2000)
• Lauren Macuga, Park City, Utah; Park City Ski & Snowboard Club (7/4/2002)
• Nicola Rountree-Williams, Edwards, Colo.; Independent/Private (7/7/2002) 
• Alix Wilkinson, Mammoth Lakes, Calif.; Squaw Valley Ski Team (8/2/2000)
• Zoe Zimmermann, Gilford, N.H.; Burke Mountain Academy (5/16/2002)

Men

• Jacob Dilling, Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (10/19/1999)
• Bridger Gile, Aspen, Colo.; Aspen Valley Ski Club and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (10/15/1999)
• Matthew Macaluso, Vail, Colo.; Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (6/29/1999)
• Isaiah Nelson, Wayzata, MN.; Buck Hill Ski Racing Club (4/3/2001)
• Ben Ritchie, Waitsfield, Vt.; Green Mountain Valley School (9/5/2000)
• Jack Smith, Sun Valley, Idaho; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (4/24/2001)
• Bradshaw Underhill, Newbury, N.H.; Killington Mountain School (3/10/2000)

NARVIK 2020 COMPETITION SCHEDULE
March 5 – Women's and men's downhill training
March 6  – Women's and men's downhill training
March 7  – Women's and men's downhill 
March 8  – Women's and men's super-G
March 9  – Women’s alpine combined
March 10  – Men’s alpine combined
March 11  – Women’s giant slalom
March 12  – Men’s giant slalom 
March 13  – Women's and men's slalom 
March 14  – Mixed Parallel Team Event

MORE INFORMATION
Narvik 2020 Official Website
Narvik 2020 Promotional Video

VAL DI FASSA 2019 MEDAL TALLY
Gold, Super-G, River Radamus
Silver, Team Event, Katie Hensien, AJ Hurt, River Radamus and Ben Ritchie 
Gold, Giant Slalom, River Radamus
Silver, Slalom, Ben Ritchie
Bronze, Marc Hodler Trophy, Team

OTHER TOP TEN 2019 RESULTS
4th, Alpine Combined, Keely Cashman
4th, Alpine Combined, River Radamus
5th, Super-G, Keely Cashman
6th, Slalom, Jimmy Krupka
6th, Downhill, Kyle Negomir
7th, Giant Slalom, AJ Hurt
8th, Downhill, River Radamus
8th, Alpine Combined, Kyle Negomir
10th, Slalom, Jett Seymour
10th, Slalom, Katie Hensien
10th, Downhill, AJ Hurt