January 22, 2006 – Six men and six women – including three recently named Olympians for the Torino Winter Games – have been named to compete in the 2006 Under-23 Cross Country World Championships in Slovenia, U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner said.

The championships, which are designed to be a transitional bridge for skiers between the junior ranks and entering the World Cup on a regular basis, will include three days of racing in conjunction with the Junior World Championships in Kranj, Slovenia.

Lindsey Weier (Mahtomedi, MN), a senior at Northern Michigan University and a 2002 Olympian, also has been named to the 2006 Olympic Team, along with Lindsay Williams (Hastings, MN), another NMU senior, and Leif Zimmermann (Bozeman, MT).

The U.S. U-23 racers (including age, hometown, club):

Men
Bryan Cook, 21, Rhinelander, Wis./Northern Michigan University
Tyson Flaharty, 20, Fairbanks, Alaska/Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks
Brian Gregg, 21, Anchorage, Alaska/University of Alaska Anchorage
Steve Scott, 22, Presque Isle, Maine/Maine Winter Sports Center
Mike Sinnott, 21, Sun Valley, Idaho/Dartmouth College
Leif Zimmermann, 22, Bozeman, Mont./Bridger Nordic

Women
Alison Crocker, 21, Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Dartmouth College
Kristina Owen, 21, Houghton, Mich./Michigan Tech
Kassie Rice, 22, Anchorage, Alaska/UAA/Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage
Laura Valaas, 21, Wenatchee, Wash./Whitman College
Lindsey Weier, 21, Mahtomedi, Minn./Northern Michigan University (2002, 2006 Olympian)
Lindsay Williams, 21, Hastings, Minn./Northern Michigan University (2006 Olympian)

The racing schedule in Kranj:
Jan. 31 – Men’s and Women’s freestyle sprint
Feb. 2 – Men’s 15K Classic, Women’s 10K Classic
Feb. 3 – Men’s 30K (15+15) pursuit, Women’s 15K (7.5+7.5) pursuit

“Many of these young athletes have raced at the Junior World Championships and the U-23 championships are another step forward for them,” Bodensteiner said. “International experience is so important in their development, and these will be outstanding races for all of them.”

Former U.S. Nordic Program Manager Katie Gould will be team leader.