Here’s the latest on the 2010 games:

LOCAL ATHLETES

– Two-time Olympian Torin Koos, 27, of Leavenworth was named to the U.S. cross country team again on July 12.

– Laura Valaas, 23, of Wenatchee was named to the cross country B team.

TEAMS USA UPDATES

-The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association broke ground July 16 in Park City, Utah, on its $22.5 million Center of Excellence. The training facility should be complete by 2009.

– Bill Demong and Johnny Spilane, medalists at the world championships, were named to the Nordic combined team July

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Once again Laura Valaas of Wenatchee and two-time Olympian Torin Koos of Leavenworth are on the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. Got this release from the team this morning:

PARK CITY, Utah (July 12) – World Cup podium performers Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT), Torin Koos (Leavenworth, WA) and Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK) lead a 16-member U.S. Cross Country Ski Team named for the 2008 season.
The Team of six men and 10 women includes eight Olympians, U.S. Nordic Director Luke Bodensteiner said. It’s the largest cross country squad since the 18-member Team named for the 1992 Olympic season.
Newell posted the first U.S. podium in 23 years after the 2006 Olympics in Torino, finishing third in the first World Cup race in China and ended the 2007 season sixth in World Cup sprint standings. Randall tore over an icy, sprint course in Russia last January for the first World Cup podium by a U.S. woman and Koos was third the next weekend in Estonia. Together, they marked the first time since 1984 that the U.S. Ski Team had three podium athletes in cross country.
“We have a dedicated group of talented athletes, and we feel we’re on the right path as we continue to prepare for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver,” Bodensteiner said. “We’ve been predominantly a men’s team for several years, and Andy and Torin as well Kris Freeman [Andover, NH] and Chris Cook [Rhinelander, WI], have given us some outstanding results, but now we’re seeing that dynamic change a bit.
“Even our rookies are performing…”
“We have more women on the Team than men now, and every one of these athletes has had strong international results at their level. Kikkan, of course, had the first World Cup top-3 for an American woman in cross country last season and we had strong results at the U-23s [Under-23 World Championships] and Junior Worlds…so even our rookies are performing at a high level.”

The 2008 U.S. Cross Country Ski Team
(* indicates Olympian):
A Team
Chris Cook (6/15/80; Rhinelander, WI; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)*
Kris Freeman (10/14/80; Andover, NH; Andover Outing Club)*
Torin Koos (7/19/80; Leavenworth, WA; Leavenworth Winter Sports Club)*
Andy Newell (11/30/83; Shaftsbury, VT; Stratton Mountain School)*
Kikkan Randall (12/31/82; Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University Nordic)*
B Team
Morgan Arritola (5/13/86; Fairfield, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)
Rosie Brennan (12/2/88; Park City, UT; National Sports Foundation)
Lindsey Weier Dehlin (7/2/84; Mahtomedi, MN; Northern Michigan University)*
Matt Gelso (7/18/88; Truckee, CA; Auburn Ski Club/University of Colorado)
Taz Mannix (6/14/86; Talkeetna, AK; Alaska Pacific University Nordic)
Morgan Smith (2/10/86; Vernon, VT; Northern Michigan University)
Liz Stephen (1/12/87; East Montpelier, VT; Burke Mountain Academy)
Alexa Turzian (8/13/88; Sun Valley, ID; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)
Laura Valaas (3/2/84; Wenatchee, WA; Alaska Pacific University Nordic)
Lindsay Williams (6/16/84; Hastings, MN; Northern Michigan University)*
Leif Zimmermann (10/3/83; Bozeman, MT; Bridger Nordic)*

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