U.S. Freestyle Team Named

May 17, 2005

By Bump Diamond
Man About Town

     The mogul busters and high-flyers of the U.S. Freestyle Ski Team have been named for the 2005-06 season, and that's an Olympic Year, so heads up, everybody.
    Here they are, and thanks to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) for letting us know:

    Three reigning world champions, two defending World Cup champions and three reigning Olympic medalists are just part of the  depth on the 38-member U.S. Freestyle Ski Team named for 2006. World Cup moguls and overall champion Jeremy Bloom (Loveland, CO) and aerials World Cup champion Jeret "Speedy" Peterson (Boise, ID) lead the American charge into the Olympic season.

    Freestyle Program Director Polly-Jo Clark said the team includes seven 2002 Olympians among the 19 men and 18 women. Fourteen athletes have won World Cup contests.

    Among the headliners on the men's team for next season are two gold medalists from the 2005 World Championships – moguls winner Nate Roberts (Park City, UT) and dual moguls champion Toby Dawson (Vail, CO). The men's group also includes former Olympic, world and World Cup aerials champion Eric Bergoust (Missoula, MT), Olympic aerials silver medalist Joe Pack (Park City, UT), aerialist Ryan St. Onge (Steamboat Springs, CO), who won his first two World Cup events this past season and Olympic moguls silver medalist Travis Mayer (Steamboat Springs, CO).

    The women's team includes moguls world champ Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), Olympic moguls silver medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA), former World Cup duals champion Michelle Roark (Denver) and Jillian Vogtli (Ellicotville, NY), who won her first World Cup contest in February.

    The 2006 U.S. Freestyle Ski Team (including age, hometown, discipline, Olympic experience):

Men
A Team – David Babic (25; Washington, VT; moguls), Jeremy Bloom (23; Loveland, CO; moguls; 2002 Olympian), Travis Cabral (21; South LakeTahoe, CA; moguls), Toby Dawson (26; Vail, CO; moguls), Travis Mayer (23; Steamboat Springs, CO; moguls; 2002 Olympian), Joe Pack (27; Park City, UT; aerials; 2002 Olympian), Jeret Peterson (23; Boise, ID; aerials; 2002 Olympian) and Ryan St. Onge (22; Steamboat Springs, CO; aerials).

B Team – Eric Bergoust (35; Missoula, MT; aerials, 1994, '98, '02 Olympian) and Luke Westerlund (27; Breckenridge, CO; moguls).

C Team – Zac Amidan (23; Ogden, UT; aerials), Scott Bahrke (19; Tahoe City, CA; aerials); Lance Field (23; Boulder, CO; aerials); Landon Gardner (19; Park City, UT, moguls); Brady Johnson (25 on April 27; Littleton, CO; moguls), Tim Massucco (22; Park City, UT; aerials), Michael Morse (24; Duxbury, MA; moguls), Tim Preston (21; Campton, NH; moguls) and John Riopel (20; Salt Lake City; aerials).

Women
A Team – Shannon Bahrke ( 24; Tahoe City, CA; moguls; 2002 Olympian), Hannah Kearney (19; Norwich, VT; moguls), Michelle Roark (30; Denver; moguls), Laurel Shanley (22; Squaw Valley, CA; moguls), Jillian Vogtli (31; Ellicotville, NY, moguls; 2002 Olympian).

B Team – Emily Cook (25; Belmont, MA; aerials; 2002 Olympian); Kelly Hilliman (27; Tonawanda, NY; aerials), Jana Lindsey (20; Black Hawk, SD; aerials), Kate Reed (21; Montrose, CO; aerials) and Lacy Schnoor (19; Draper, UT; aerials).

C Team – McKenzy Golding (18; Reno, NV; moguls), Heather McPhie (20; Bozeman, MT; moguls), Jaime Myers (23; Boise, ID; aerials), Eliza Outtrim (19; Hamden, CT; moguls), Jill Priest (33; Park City, UT; aerials), Shelly Robertson (26; Reno, NV; moguls), Emiko Torito (22; Denver; moguls) and Sharlee Strebel (25; Layton, UT; aerials).

"This is a very strong U.S. Freestyle Ski Team," Clark said. "Our athletes have proven they can contend for podiums week in and week out. We finished the last season with five of the top seven men in moguls and brought home the World Cup overall, moguls and aerials titles. Our athletes are extremely motivated and if everyone stays healthy, the coaches and I are optimistic about our chances at the Olympics as well as on the World Cup. This should be an exciting winter for all of us."