December 19, 2005 – The top-ranked cross country skiers from around the U.S. including New Hampshire’s Kris Freeman, who has posted the best U.S. results on the World Cup stage since ’76 Olympic silver medalist Bill Koch, will compete Jan. 3-10 at Soldier Hollow for their last chance to qualify for the 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Torino, Italy.

Athletes’ Olympic dreams are riding on their performances at nationals as several days after the close of U.S. Championships on Saturday, Jan. 17, the U.S. Olympic Cross Country Team will be announced. Up to eight men and up to eight women will be named to represent the United States in Italy.

Five days of grueling competition – for able-bodied and disabled skiers – will take place on Soldier Hollow’s 31 km of trails for the second year in a row, the third time since 2000. An estimated 400 athletes are expected to race.

Instead of waiting to see these world-class athletes on television during the Olympics, spectators have a chance to see them up close and personal at Soldier Hollow. Admission is free for spectators and a general schedule includes:

-Tuesday, Jan. 3 –Men’s 30K & Women’s 15K Freestyle*; Sit-ski men’s 10K & sit-ski women’s 5K
-Thursday, Jan 5 – Men’s & women’s Freestyle sprints*
-Saturday, Jan. 7 – Men’s 15K Classic & women’s 10K Classic*; Sit-ski men’s 5K & women’s 2.5K
-Sunday, Jan. 8 – Women’s 5K & Men’s 10K Freestyle*; Sit-ski men’s 15K and women’s 10K
-Tuesday, Jan. 10 – Women’s 20K Pursuit (10K +10K) and Men’s 35K Pursuit (15K + 15K)*
* Includes disabled standup skiers as well

Soldier Hollow, located 45 miles from Salt Lake City, is building its reputation as a premier cross country and biathlon venue. Making its international debut at the 2001 World Cups, which were the pre-Olympic test races before the 2002 Winter Olympics, Soldier Hollow has since successfully hosted more than two-dozen internationally sanctioned races, from U.S. championships to the NCAA Ski Championships, Under-23 championships and SuperTour races.



This season, the U.S. Cross Country Championships at Soldier Hollow will mark one of only two times in Olympic history that the last selection races for the U.S. Cross Country Olympic Team will be held at the site of the last Winter Olympic cross country competitions. The first time this occurred was in 1984 when the Olympic selections for the Sarajevo Olympics were made in Lake Placid, host for the 1980 Winter Games.



For more information on Soldier Hollow’s 2006 U.S. Cross Country Championships or a complete events calendar, please contact Soldier Hollow Communication Specialists Jennifer Kohler or Tish Dahmen at (435)-654-3666 or (435)-671-2071.