Olympic Medalists Headline '08 U.S. Roster

PARK CITY, Utah (Dec. 12, 2008) - Olympic medalists Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT), Seth Wescott (Carrabassett Valley, ME), Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO) and Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) headline a talent-packed group of 45 riders on the 2007 U.S. Snowboarding roster that also includes talented riders Shaun Palmer (South Lake Tahoe, CA), plus X Games medalists Steve Fisher (Breckenridge, CO) and Scotty Lago (Seabrook, NH) to name a few, announced U.S. Snowboarding Program Director Jeremy Forster.

"U.S. Snowboarding is in a really strong position as we begin the journey towards Vancouver 2010," said Forster. "We are taking one year at a time and won't get ahead of ourselves, but the overall goal will remain the same - putting U.S. riders on the Olympic podium"

Carrying the momentum home from Italy, where U.S. Snowboarding accounted for a record seven medals including three gold, the 2008 Team is a solid mix of veterans and up-and-coming young riders eager to place their stamp on the international scene and expand the impact of snowboarding.

Peter Foley, who has been head coach since the first team was named for the 1994-95 winter, remains as head coach for U.S. Snowboarding and will again lead the snowboardcross program with the help of former Team rider Jeff Archibald. The halfpipe riders will be coached by Mike Jankowski, who stepped up as head coach when Bud Keene retired from national coaching to focus on other U.S. Snowboarding projects in the spring. Jankowski is joined by 2006 Olympic assistant coach Rick Bower, a former World Champion and U.S. Team rider. Steve Persons takes over the Alpine Head Coach job, replacing retiring coach Jan Wengelin, and will be assisted by Hans Joerg Berger, who had been coaching at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club for the past few seasons.

Similar to last season, this year's halfpipe riders are divided into two groups - the Pro Team and the Rookie Team. Forster said this categorization of the halfpipe program is similar to typical industry team's structure and better reflects the riders' stature in the competitive halfpipe culture.

2008 U.S. Snowboarding Roster (with age, hometown and * if Olympian):

Halfpipe Pro:
Men
Tommy Czeschin (27; Mammoth Lakes, CA*), Steve Fisher (23; Breckenridge, CO), Michael Goldschmidt (18; Bondville, VT), Scott Lago (18; Seabrook, NH), Jack Mitrani (17; Mammoth Lakes, CA), Luke Mitrani, (16; Mammoth Lakes, CA), Elijah Teter (22; Belmont, VT) and Louie Vito (17; Bellefontaine, OH)

Women
Molly Aguirre (22; Mammoth Lakes, CA), Clair Bidez (19; Minturn, CO), Gretchen Bleiler (25, Aspen, CO*), Tricia Byrnes (31; Stratton, VT*), Lindsey Jacobellis (21, Stratton Mountain, VT*) and Hannah Teter (19; Belmont, VT*).

Halfpipe Rookie:
Dylan Bidez (16; Minturn, CO) Ellery Hollingsworth (15; Darien, CT), Matt Ladley (15; Steamboat Springs, CO),

SBX:
A Team - Jayson Hale (21; Sierraville, CA*), Nate Holland (27, Olympic Valley, CA*), Lindsey Jacobellis (21; Stratton Mountain, VT*), Shaun Palmer (38, South Lake Tahoe, CA), Jason Smith (24; Basalt, CA*), and Seth Wescott (30; Farmington, ME*).

B Team - Mark Schulz (32; Portland, OR), Graham Watanabe (24; Sun Valley, ID*) and Marni Yamada (28; Seattle, WA).

C Team - Joanie Anderson (20; South Lake Tahoe, CA), Callan Chythlook-Sifsof (17, Girdwood, AK), Jonathan Cheever (21, Saugus, MA), Alex Deibold (20; Manchester Center, VT), Nate Galpin (30; Hailey, ID), Ben Jacobellis (26; Bondville, VT), Jordan Karlinski (17; Snowmass Village, CO), Robert Minghini (20; South Lake Tahoe, CA).

Alpine:
A Team - Michelle Gorgone (22; Sudbury, MA*)

B Team - Tyler Jewell (29; Sudbury, MA*), Chris Klug (34; Aspen, CO*) and Eric Warren (24; Bennington, VT)

C Team - Stacia Hookom (31; Edwards, CO), Zachary Kay (25, Mount Shasta, CA), Lindsay Lloyd (25; Centerville, UT), Ryan McDonald (25; Entiat, WA), Erica Mueller (23; Chester, VT), Justin Reiter (24, Silverthorne, CO), Adam Smith (24; Tangent, OR) and Joshua Wylie (23; Londonderry, VT).

World Cup competition opened for the U.S. Alpine team in Landgraaf, Netherlands on Oct. 13-14 with the annual indoor parallel slalom, where five Americans made the final. At the first halfpipe World Cup in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, pro riders Lago and Bleiler both won on Thanksgiving Day while the second contest was canceled due to high winds. Halfpipe will resume competition with the opening U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix at Breckenridge, CO Dec. 14-16, and SBX will get underway Jan. 8-9 with two World Cup races in Bad Gastein, Austria.

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