Park City, UT - Twenty-three U.S. riders are looking to shred their way to the top of the podium at the 2008 FIS Junior Snowboarding World Championships March 21-31 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.



Athletes in halfpipe and snowboardcross qualified for the Junior World Championships through their results in the Revolution Tour series and alpine athletes made it through competition in the Race to the Cup series.

"We are confident we have selected a strong team to send to the Junior World Championships. All of these athletes worked very hard to qualify for this event and we are looking forward to great events in Khanty-Mansiysk," U.S. Snowboarding Program Manager Abbi Nyberg said.

Topping the team is Brooke Shaw (Litchfield, CT) who qualified in two of the three disciplines - alpine and snowboardcross. Shaw made waves coming in fourth in the halfpipe competition on the Tamarack, ID , stop of the Chevy U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix.

Also highlighting the competitors' list are Ellery Hollingsworth (Stratton, VT), who finished third at the Tamarack Grand Prix, reigning Revolution Tour snowboardcross champion Robert Minghini (South Lake Tahoe, CA), Greg Bretz (Mammoth Lakes, CA) who finished second at the Tamarack Grand Prix, and up-and-coming rider Broc Waring (Edwards, CO), who took eighth in a World Cup this season.

The team will be coached by Nathan Park (SBX), Jon Casson (SBX), Phil Fell (alpine), Adam Casanova (alpine), Rick Bower (halfpipe) and Spencer Tamblyn (halfpipe).

"It was great to see the athletes work so hard to qualify for this event," Nyberg said.

The Championships start March 23 with snowboardcross, halfpipe on the 26th parallel giant slalom on the 28th and wraps up on the 29th with parallel slalom.

The 2008 Snowboard Junior World Championships Team: (Birthdate, Hometown)

Snowboardcross Men

• Mick Dierdorff (4/30/91; Steamboat Springs, CO)
  Cleve Johnson (2/27/88; Basalt, CO)
• Chris Mahaney (1/31/89; Greenwich, CT)
• Jarod Minghini (5/21/88; South Lake Tahoe, CA)

Snowboardcross Women

• Heather Doolittle (8/4/89; Belgrade, ME)
• Jenna Feldman (6/3/90; Linwood, NJ)
• Kim Krahulec (3/15/88; Silverthorne, CO)
• Brooke Shaw (5/12/91; Litchfield, CT)
• Callan Chythlook-Sifsof (2/14/89; Girdwood, AK)

Alpine Men

• Kevan Beall (1/21/91; Erie, CO)
• Spencer Cordovano (1/19/88; Incline Village, NV)
• Michael Trapp (7/10/88; Hyannis; MA)

Alpine Women

• Heather Herde (12/27/88; Oxford, CT)
• Brooke Shaw (5/12/91; Litchfield, CT)
• Madeline Wiencke (3/1/89; White Bear Lake, MN)

Halfpipe Men

• Zach Black (8/1/90; Dillon, CO)
• Greg Bretz (12/19/90; Mammoth Lakes, CA)
• Trevor Jacob (8/6/93; Mammoth Lakes, CA)
• Brennen Swanson (3/13/90; Stillwater, MN)
• Broc Waring (6/3/92; Edwards, CO)

Halfpipe Women

• Elizabeth Beerman (7/18/91; Weston, VT)
• Kaitlyn Farrington (took Madeline's spot) (12/18/89; Bellevue, ID)
• Ellen Feldman (5/1/90; Avon, CO)
• Ellery Hollingsworth (9/2/91; Darien, CT)
• Kelly Marren (8/22/91; Hillsborough, CA)
• Madeline Schaffrick (declined spot) (4/29/94; Steamboat Springs, CO)