KILLINGTON, Vermont — Killington’s Lindsay Cone, a member of the U.S. Ski Team Development Team, is among 14 athletes named to compete Feb. 23-March 1 in the 2008 FIS Alpine Junior World Championships in Spain, the U.S. Ski Team announced.

Cone, a Killington Resort sponsored athlete, is coming off a strong start to the season that included a pair of top 10 NorAm downhill finishes in Lake Louise, Canada and a third-place giant slalom result in France last month.

“I am really looking forward to the Junior World Championships and a chance to compete against the best racers in the world in my age group,” Cone said Tuesday after spending the afternoon skiing and filming at Killington with Olympic champion Picabo Street, who is in town shooting a show for the Resort Sports Network titled Women of Winter.

The Junior World Championships provides developing skiers a chance to measure themselves against their age group internationally and is a vital tool in gauging how they compare, according to U.S. Alpine Director, Jesse Hunt. The group includes seven young men and seven young women, including defending NorAm slalom champion Kiley Staples (Park City, UT).

“We’re sending a strong team to Junior Worlds and we have expectations of medals. Travis Ganong has shown his capabilities, as has Kiley Staples, who won the NorAm slalom title last season. We know they can perform,” Hunt said. “This group also has some promising younger juniors getting some experience against their international peers, which is so important as they look to advance to the World Cup and beyond.”

The U.S. team (date of birth, hometown, club) for the Junior World Championships, which will be racing in Formigal, Spain:

Men

Tommy Ford, 3/20/89; Bend, OR (U.S. Development Team/Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation)
Travis Ganong, 7/14/88; Olympic Valley, CA (U.S. C Team/Squaw Valley Ski Team)
Max Hammer, 1/29/88; Jackson Hole, WY (U.S. Development Team/Jackson Hole Ski Team)
Bump Heldman, 10/25/88; Auburn, ME (U.S. Development Team/Gould Academy Snow Sports Club)
Nolan Kasper, 3/27/89; Warren, VT (U.S. Development Team/Burke Mountain Academy)
Wiley Maple, 5/25/90; Aspen, CO (Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club)
Andrew Phillips, 5/18/89; Sandy, UT (U.S. Development Team/Rowmark Ski Academy)

Women

Lindsay Cone, 7/1/88; Killington, VT (U.S. Development Team/Burke Mountain Academy)
Kirsten Cooper, 11/12/88; Eagle, CO (U.S. Development Team/Team Summit/Santa Fe Ski Team)
Julia Ford, 3/30/90; Plymouth, NH (U.S. Development Team/Holderness Ski Team)
Katie Hartman, 9/2/88; Breckenridge, CO (Team Summit)
Alice McKennis, 8/19/89; Glenwood Springs, CO (Rowmark Ski Academy)
Laurenne Ross, 8/17/88; Klamath Falls, OR (U.S. Development Team/Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation)
Kiley Staples, 2/2/89; Park City, UT (U.S. C Team/Rowmark Ski Academy)

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