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Truckee’s Hannah Halvorsen nominated to U.S. Cross Country Ski Team

Staff report
Sugar Bowl Academy senior Hannah Halvorsen, center, stands on the podium at the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships in January. Halvorsen was nominated on Monday to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team's Development Team.
Courtesy Chris Schmidt / xmatic |

U.S. Cross Country Ski Team 2016-17 nominations

A TEAM

Men

Simi Hamilton (Aspen, CO; SMS T2; 5/14/87)

Andrew Newell (Shaftsbury, VT; SMS T2; 11/30/83)

Women

Sadie Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 11/21/89)

Sophie Caldwell (Peru, VT; SMS T2; 3/22/90)

Jessie Diggins (Afton, MN; SMS T2; 8/26/91)

Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 12/31/82)

Ida Sargent (Orleans, VT; Craftsbury Green Racing Project; 1/25/88)

Liz Stephen (East Montpelier, VT; Burke Mountain Academy; 1/12/87)

B TEAM

Men

Erik Bjornsen (Winthrop, WA; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 7/14/91)

Noah Hoffman (Aspen, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail; 8/1/89)

Women

Rosie Brennan (Anchorage, AK; Alaska Pacific University Nordic Center; 12/2/88)

D TEAM

Men

Patrick Caldwell (Lyme, NH; SMS T2; 2/18/94)

Ian Torchia (Rochester, MN; Northern Michigan University; 3/8/96)

Women

Hannah Halvorsen (Truckee, CA; Sugar Bowl Academy; 02/19/98)

Julia Kern (Waltham, MA; Cambridge Sports Union; 9/12/97)

Katharine Ogden (Landgrove, VT; Stratton Mountain School; 11/17/97)

Hannah Halvorsen’s ascent through the Nordic ski ranks continues.

The Sugar Bowl Academy senior from Truckee was nominated on Monday to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Team’s Development Team for the 2016-17 season. An official team announcement will be made in the fall.

Each athlete accepting the nomination will receive world-class program support and access to the USSA Center of Excellence, as well as an elite staff of coaches and education opportunities.



“Being part of the U.S. Ski Team will allow her the opportunity to further progress as she will be attending camps with World Cup athletes and winners,” said Martin Benes, head Nordic coach at the Sugar Bowl Academy. “We are looking forward to taking advantage of this opportunity and stepping it up for next season.”

While Halvorsen, who turned 18 in February, shined throughout her high school career in the Tahoe-area race scene, she enjoyed a breakout season last winter on both a national and international front — and fared even better this past winter.



In the first week of January, Halvorsen dominated the U-18 Junior division at U.S. Nationals in Houghton, Mich., winning the 5K Junior Freestyle race outright against the nation’s top talent. She also placed 11th in the 10K Classic, fifth in the Freestyle Sprint and 12th in the Classic Sprint.

As a result, she was one of two Americans selected to race for U.S. Youth Olympics Team in Lillehammer, Norway. She also was selected to compete for the U18 U.S. Nations Cup team in Otepää, Estonia — where she posted a pair of pair of fifth-place finishes — and qualified for the World Junior Championships competition in Romania.

With an already impressive season under her belt, Halvorsen then led her Far West Nordic team with a national title in the U18 Freestyle Sprint at Junior Nationals.

“Hannah’s naming to the team is a great recognition of her progress over the past couple of seasons. Thanks to her strong focus and work ethic, she has put together some impressive results domestically and internationally,” Benes said.

Also nominated to the U.S. Ski Team’s D Team were Julia Kern (Waltham, Mass.), Katharine Ogden (Landgrove, Vt.), Patrick Caldwell (Lyme, N.H.) and Ian Torchia (Rochester, Minn.).

“I am excited to be on the development team for the 2016/17 season, and to have the opportunity to train with the U.S. Ski Team coaches and skiers,” said Halvorsen, who will continue to train at the Sugar Bowl Academy while also attending U.S. Ski Team camps.


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