U23, Junior Cross Country World Championship Teams Announced

With the conclusion of the 2019 L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Craftsbury, Vermont, Tuesday, U.S. Ski & Snowboard has named three teams to represent the nation in international competitions.

U23 World Championship Team
The U23 team of five men and five women has been selected to represent the United States at the 2019 Junior World Championships in Lahti, Finland, Jan. 20-27.

The team includes seasoned veterans of international competition with tremendous depth on the women’s side. “Julia (Kern), Hannah (Halvorsen), and Hailey (Swirbul) will be racing a World Cup in Dresden, Germany, and then head to World U23,” U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Cross Country Sport Development Manager Bryan Fish said. “Their success at U.S. Nationals and experience on World Cup provides positive momentum rolling into World U23 Championship.”

Men
Peter Holmes (Sun Valley SEF/Truckee, Calif.)
Daniel Streinz (Northern Michigan University/ Hersey, Maine)
Hunter Wonders (APU/Anchorage, Alaska)
Ian Torchia (NMU/Marquette, Mich.)
Braden Becker (Williams College/ Yarmouth, Maine)

Women
Julia Kern (SMST2/Waltham, Mass.)
Hailey Swirbul (Alaska Pacific University/ Basalt, Colo.)
Hannah Halvorsen (APU/Truckee, Calif.)
Evelina Sutro (UVM/Burlington, Vt.)
Alayna Sonnesyn (SMST2/Plymouth, Minn.)

Junior World Championship Team
The Junior World Team of 12 athletes - six men and six women - was also named on Tuesday and will compete in Lahti, Finland, Jan. 19-27. The Junior Worlds take place alongside the U23 racing also taking place in Lahti.

“The Junior men’s team is the strongest team we have ever fielded with respect to performance and depth,” said Fish. “We have athletes that threaten in every event. We also return three of the four team members from the silver medal relay.

“Our women’s team is young in age, but many have international experience from past Under-18 trips,” Fish added. “They are ready for this next step.”

FIS Nordic Junior World Ski Championships in Lahti will be shown via live stream via a subscription package. All events, with the exception of qualifications, will be streamed live at www.jwsc2019.com.

Men
Gus Schumacher (Alaska Winter Stars/Anchorage, Alaska)
Johnny Hagenbuch (Sun Valley SEF/Sun Valley, Idaho)
Ben Ogden (UVM/Landgrove, Vt.)
Luke Jager (APU/Anchorage, Alaska)
Noel Keeffe (University of Utah/Steamboat Springs, Colo.)
Zanden McMullen (APU/Anchorage, Alaska)

Women
Kendall Kramer (NSCF-FXC/ Fairbanks, Alaska)
Novie McCabe (Methow Valley Nordic/Winthrop, Wash.)
Waverly Gebhardt (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports/Steamboat, Colo.)
Sophia Mazzoni (Sun Valley SEF/Sun Valley, Idaho)
Mara McCollor (Minneapolis Ski Club/ Plymouth, Minn.)
Sydney Palmer – Leger (Sun Valley SEF/Park City, Utah)

U18 Scandinavian Championships Team
A 12-person U18 Team has been named for the U18 Scandinavian Championships taking place annually in Otepaa, Estonia, Jan 20-23.  Many U18 women declined to accept nominations to the team in lieu of accepting nominations for the Junior World Team.

“This three-event race series is a critical piece of the U.S. development pipeline to prepare athletes for the Junior Worlds by giving them great international race experience,” said Fish.  “This is a very talented group of young men and women.”

Men
Joshua Valentine (GMVS/Australia)
Will Koch (Stratton Mountain School/Peru, Vt.)
Brian Bushey (GMVS/Montpelier, Vt.)
Kai Mittelsteadt (Bridger Ski Foundation/Bozeman, Mont.)
Michael Earnhart (Alaska Nordic Racing/Eagle River, Alaska)
Lane Myshrall (PCSS/Park City, Utah)

Women
Charlotte Ogden (Stratton Mountain School/Landgrove, Vt.)
Nina Seeman (Bondville, Vt.)
Adrianna Proffitt (Alaska Nordic Racing/Chugiak, Alaska)
Annie McColgan (Mt Bachelor Sports Education foundation/Bend, Ore.)
Kate Oldham (Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club/Carbondale, Colo.)
Abigail Streinz (Craftsbury Outdoor Center/Hershey, Maine)