Auckland, New Zealand - Ski Racing New Zealand (SRNZ) has selected three new athletes to the National Ski Team with the inclusion of: current national slalom champion Leighton Winsloe, 19, of Wanaka; Queenstown's Andrew Wylie, also 19; and Taylor Smith, 16, from Wellington.

New Zealand National Slalom Title Holder Leighton Winsloe vompeting at the 2008 Volkswagen National Championships at Coronet Peak ski area. (photo: Jolyon Ralston)

SRNZ General Manager Simon Mills says the three athletes, who train with the Cardrona High Performance Centre, have had an excellent winter and now meet the criteria and have been selected to the National Ski Team.

The men’s national team is headed by Ben Griffin, 22, of Ohakune, who is currently recovering from a back injury sustained last summer which prevented him from competing during the 2008 winter. Griffin is ranked inside the top 200 in the world in giant slalom and Super G, 157th and 172nd respectively.

Current national combined champion Tim Cafe, 21, of Queenstown, who was also 2008 Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC) Australasian champion winning the overall yellow bib, ANC Giant Slalom winner Angus Howden, 27, of Wellington, and Christchurch's Scott Gange, 28, who was out of action this winter due to injury, make up the men’s ski team.

National Ski Team member and 2008 Giant Slalom title holder Mark Bridgwater, has announced his retirement from ski racing and will begin university studies next year.

“Mark has had some significant achievements and has made a big contribution to the sport and we wish him well in the future,” says Mills.

The women’s national team includes current combined national champion and number one in giant slalom Janelle Miller, 22, of Queenstown, as well as top slalom skier Sarah Jarvis, 22, of Hamilton, who is ranked 302nd in the world. Christchurch's Allie McGlinn, 16, and Queenstown's Harriet Miller-Brown, 17, and Taylor Rapley, 17, round out the women's squad.

While there is no official Northern Hemisphere national team program during the New Zealand summer, Mills says the program will be restarted in the New Year, in time for the Southern Hemisphere winter.

“Although there is no dedicated national team program this summer we will be providing support to our athletes over this time.”

Fifteen-year-old Harrison Steedman of Queenstown, who trains with the Queenstown Alpine Ski Team, has been selected to the National Development Team for ski racers 19 and under. The team also includes Charlotte Newbold, 17, of Queenstown, Jamie Prebble, 17, from Christchurch, Nick Prebble, 15, also from Christchurch, Auckland's Richard Stevens, 15, and Finlay Neeson, 15, who hails from New Plymouth.