January 13, 2016 – Among the most important projects funded by the NNF, the U18, World Junior and U23 Teams represent the respective pinnacle for events focused on skier development.

The U-18 Trip
[The cost to the athlete is $750 with the NNF picking up $1,457 per athlete.]

U18 Men
– Hunter Wonders – APU Nordic Ski Center
– Gus Schumacher – Alaska Winter Stars
– Karl Schulz – NYSEF
– Noel Keefe – Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
– Daniel Streinz – Maine Winter Sports Club
– Peter Wolter – Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation

U18 Women
– Hannah Halvorsen – Sugar Bowl Academy
– Leah Lange – Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
– Hailey Swirbul – Aspen Valley SSC
– Leah Brams – Cambridge Sports Union
– Brooke Dunnagan – Bogus Basin Nordic Team/Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
– Ezra Smith – Summit Nordic Ski Club

The first races ever supported by the NNF (originally the NCCSEF), the U18 races have seen athletes like Kikkan Randall, Simi Hamilton, the Bjornsen siblings, Liz Stephen and more get their European start. This year those races are taking place in Otepää, Estonia.  Six men and six women qualify using their best two races at the championships (scored using a World Cup format). Martin Benes, coach at Sugar Bowl Academy will lead the trip which takes place in late February.

The World Junior Championships
[The cost to athletes of $850 – the NNF covers $2,140 per athlete]

World Junior Men
Ian Torchia –  Northern Michigan University
Zak Ketterson – Loppet Nordic Racing
Thomas O’Harra – APU Nordic Ski Center
Lars Hannah – University of Denver
Cully Brown – University of Vermont
Henry Haymeyer – University of Vermont
alternate: Leo Hipp – Northern Michigan University

World Junior Women
Sarah Bezdicek – Northern Michigan University
Vivian Hett – Northern Michigan University
Julia Kern – Stratton Mountain School
Leah Lange – Utah Olympic Park Sports Clubs/Park City Nordic Ski Club
Katharine Ogden – Stratton Mountain School
Nicole Schneider – Northern Michigan University

The most prestigious racing series for young people and the series with the strongest levels of competition for juniors in the world, the WJC acts as a barometer for future levels of skiers. While America hasn’t lacked strong racers at the WJC throughout the decades, often times skiers haven’t made the leap to World Cup success due to a lack of support following their junior years. This year’s event will take place in Rasnov, Romania, will be led by USST Devo Coach Bryan Fish. Again, six men and six women born between 1996 and 2000 will be selected based on their performance at their best two races of the first three of the championships.

U23s
[The costs are also the same with $850 to the athletes and the NNF covering $2,140 per athlete.]

Men
Patrick Caldwell – Stratton Mountain School)
Kyle Bratrud – CXC Team
Logan Hanneman – Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks
Akeo Maifeld-Carucci – Bridger Ski Foundation
Adam Martin, Marquette – Northern Michigan University

Women
Kristen Bourne – Northern Michigan University
Felicia Gesior – Northern Michigan University
Mackenzie Kanady – University of Alaska Anchorage Ski Team
Heather Mooney – Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club
Kelsey Phinney – Middlebury College Ski Team

Held concurrent with the World Junior Championships, the U23s is the bridge event to the World Cup, first launched in the late 1990s. The best U.S. result came from Kris Freeman who won gold at the U23 Championships in 2003, hosted at Soldier Hollow. Current World Cup racer, Noah Hoffman, who finished second at the championships held in Ezurum, Turkey in 2012. The championships shares coaching staff and resources with the World Junior event.

World Juniors and U23s take place between February 22-28.