January 19, 2013 (Park City, UT) – Kikkan Randall (Anchorage/APU Nordic) heads a team of 13 cross country athletes named by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association to compete in the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships Feb. 20-March 3 in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Randall, a silver medalist in the World Championship sprint four years ago, leads a team that mixes youth with some of the strongest experience ever on a U.S. World Championships Team.

Randall w/US flag after winning Quebec City Sprint... © Kris Dobie

“This Team will be lean but focused on bringing home a medal from the World Championships. We have a history of success in Val di Fiemme and come to the Championships in the midst of a strong season. The women’s relay teams in the 4x5k and team sprint will be among the favorites,” said Head Coach, Chris Grover.

Highlights
– The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association named 13 athletes to the team that will compete in the 2013 FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy.
– Current World Cup sprint leader Kikkan Randall (Anchorage), the silver medalist in the World Championship sprint four years ago, leads a team that blends youth with strong international experience. It will be her seventh Worlds.
– Kris Freeman (Andover, NH) will mark a seventh World Championship Team, including memories of Val di Fiemme in 2003 when he missed a medal in the 15k by just two seconds, finishing fourth.
– Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT) will come to his sixth World Championships on the heels of a strong sprinting season. Newell was fifth at Worlds in 2007 at Sapporo in the classic sprint.
– The seven U.S. women named bring the most depth ever in a World Championships Team including an historic podium earlier this season in a 4x5k relay.
– Making their first World Championships Team were Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA) and Sophie Caldwell (Peru, VT).
– The World Cup squad will remain busy up until the Championships with races this weekend in La Clusaz, France before a one week break leading up to Olympic test events in Sochi, Russia Feb. 1-3.
– The World Championships Team will train in Davos, Switzerland with a final World Cup Feb. 16-17 before traveling to Val di Fiemme in the Dolomites west of Cortina.

2013 U.S. World Championship Cross Country Team
(Name, hometown, birthdate, USSA club, past World Champs)

Men
– Erik Bjornsen, Winthrop, WA, 7/14/91, U.S. Ski Team/Alaska Pacific University
– Tad Elliott, Durango, CO, 7/2/88, U.S. Ski Team/Ski and Snowboard Club Vail (2011)
– Kris Freeman, Andover, NH, 10/14/80, Maine Winter Sports Club (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)
– Simi Hamilton, Aspen, CO, 5/14/87, U.S. Ski Team/Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (2011)
– Noah Hoffman, Aspen, CO, 8/1/89, U.S. Ski Team/Ski and Snowboard Club Vail (2011)
– Andy Newell, Shaftsbury, VT, 11/30/83, U.S. Ski Team/SMST2 (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)

Women
– Sadie Bjornsen, Winthrop, WA, 11/21/89, U.S. Ski Team/APU Nordic (2011)
– Holly Brooks, Anchorage, 4/17/82, U.S. Ski Team/APU Nordic (2011)
– Sophie Caldwell, Peru, VT, 3/22/90, SMST2
– Jessie Diggins, Afton, MN, 8/26/91, U.S. Ski Team/SMST2, (2011)
– Kikkan Randall, Anchorage 12/31/82, U.S. Ski Team/APU Nordic (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011)
– Ida Sargent, Orleans, VT, 1/25/88, U.S. Ski Team/Craftsbury Nordic (2011)
– Liz Stephen, E. Montpelier, VT, 1/12/87, U.S. Ski Team/Burke Mountain Academy (2009, 2011)

FIS Nordic Ski World Championships Schedule
Val di Fiemme, Italy
Feb. 20 – Opening Ceremony
Feb. 21 – Classic sprint
Feb. 23 – Skiathlon (men 15k CL/15k FS; women 7.5k CL/7.5k FS)
Feb. 24 – Freestyle team sprint
Feb. 26 – Women’s 10k freestyle
Feb. 27 – Men’s 15k freestyle
Feb. 28 – Women’s 4x5k relay (CL/FS)
Mar. 1 – Men’s 4x10k relay (CL/FS)
Mar. 2 – Women’s 30k classic
Mar. 3 – Men’s 50k classic

RESULTS
Official Schedules and Results

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS INFORMATION
Val di Fiemme 2013