Top 25 hopefuls to follow to Torino
By Charlie Snyder // usolympicteam.com // January 20, 2006
Here it is the "Who’s Who of Who’s New" for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy. You know all about Apolo, Bode and Michelle, but who are the top up-and-comers, athletes with no past Olympic experience? What we’ve got here are little updates on the top Olympic hopefuls, who have never been to the Big Five-Ring Dance, but might go to Italy and shake it up. It’s time to learn about Weir, Wescott and White, the Flying Tomato. Find a favorite to follow from Cassie, Kimmie or Lindsay. We give you an alphabetical list of first-time Olympians.
1. Eric Bernotas
Skeleton | 33 | Avondale, Pa.
Claim to Fame: Has won the last three U.S. National titles, breaking the Lake Placid track record in 2004 … won his first World Cup medal, silver, at the St. Moritz World Cup this year...placed eighth at the 2005 World Championships … he is an Olympic hopeful at 33; that’s pretty cool.
This just in: Won a gold medal at the season's second World Cup race in Lake Placid (Nov. 17).
2. Gretchen Bleiler
Snowboarding | 24 | Aspen, Colo.
Claim to Fame: Won the gold at the 2005 X Games Superpipe after returning from a year of rehabilitation on a knee injury … dominated in 2003, winning virtually everything including World Championships, X Games and the overall Grand Prix … eight straight halfpipe wins in a row in 2003 … proving her 2005 X Games win was no fluke, she followed it up with a World Cup win on the 2006 Olympic halfpipe a week later.
This just in: Won the U.S. Open halfpipe competition (March 19) ... second at the World Superpipe Championships (March 12).
3. Travis Cabral
Moguls | 21 | South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Claim to Fame: Finished the 2005 season ranked sixth in moguls in the FIS standings … has had three top-five finishes in the 2005 season, which follows 2004’s eight podiums, including three World Cup wins ... swept U.S. moguls and duals titles in 2004 and was the youngest champion to win a World Cup moguls title in 2003 at 19 … was the youngest U.S. moguls’ champion in history in 1999.
This just in: Second in dual moguls at the U.S. Nationals (March 26).
4. Toby Dawson
Moguls | 26 | Vail, Colo.
Claim to Fame: Ranked seventh in the overall FIS moguls standings, has been held back after breaking his foot, but continues to compete despite the injury … finished 2004 ranked second in the World Cup moguls standings, bolstered by three World Cup wins and seven top-three podium finishes … earned two bronze medals at the 2003 World Championships.
This just in: Awesome Dawson wins world title in dual moguls (March 20) ... was fifth in moguls at Worlds (March 19).
5. Rick DiPietro
Ice Hockey | 24 | Winthrop, Mass.
Claim to Fame: Became the first goaltender in NHL history to be chosen as the number one overall draft pick in 2000 ... holds the NCAA record for most saves in a single game, as the Boston University goalie stopped 77 of 80 St. Lawrence.
This Just In: Qualified for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team in ice hockey (Dec. 19)
6. Rebecca Dussault
Cross Country | 25 | Denver, Colo.
Claim to Fame: A seven-time U.S. national champion, has notched eight wins and five runner-up finishes in 17 FIS races ... scored her first World Cup points only just last year … in 2004, was the SuperTour overall/sprint champion, Spring Series grand champion and won three U.S. titles.
This Just In: Won the 2005 U.S. National title in the 15K (Jan. 5)
7. Michele Gorgone
Snowboarding | 21 | Sudbury, Mass.
Claim to Fame: Ranked in the top-10 in the World Cup standings…posted five World Cup top-5 finishes on the NorAm circuit this season…top U.S. finisher on the 2006 Olympic course…2004 parallel giant slalom national champion…won bronze at 2004 Whistler World Cup in PGS…finished third at the 2003 U.S. finals for PGS…nicknamed after the racing tires “Pirelli.”
This Just In: Finished sixth in the final PGS World Cup standings (March 19) ... earned a silver medal at the U.S. Snowboard Cup in Lake Placid (March 3) ... scored her career-best World Cup finish earning a silver in Spapporo (Feb. 18).
8. Chad Hedrick
Speedskating | 28 | Houston, Texas
Claim to Fame: A 50-time World Champion in inline skating … made the move to speedskating in late 2002 … by 2004, became the third American man to win the World Allround Champion and six weeks later became the first non-Dutch skater to win the 5000-meter World Single Distance title ... became the third American in 45 years, following Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden, to win the Oscar Mathisen Memorial Trophy in 2004.
This Just In: Broke 5,000m World Record (Nov. 13) and 1,500m World Record (Nov. 18) ... earned a silver medal in 1,500-meter at Fall World Cup (Nov. 12) ... was first in 5,000-meter (Nov. 13) ... took a bronze medal in the 5,000-meter at World Cup in Salt Lake City (Nov. 19) ... set track records in both 5,000 and 10,000 meter distances at the fall World Cup qualifier in Milwaukee.
9. Lindsey Jacobellis
Snowboarding | 20 | Stratton Mountain, Vt.
Claim to Fame: 2005 Snowboardcross World, X Games, National champion … the unbeatable force in SBX, the newest Olympic snowboarding event, owning four X Games titles in the event … however, spends three-quarters of her training on the halfpipe … her goal is to compete in both SBX and halfpipe in Torino … the training is paying off … she won the 2005 Overall U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix halfpipe title in February and was the 2005 SBX World Champion.
This just in: Won a gold medal at the season opening World Cup in Valle Nevado, Chile (Sept. 17).
10. Cassie Johnson
Curling | 24 | Bemidji, Minn
Claim to Fame: A former Junior World Champion and three-time U.S. national semi-finalist, Johnson and her cohorts qualified for the 2006 Olympic Trials after posting a perfect record at the qualifying tournament … curls with her sister, Jamie, Jessica Schultz and Maureen Brunt … when the Johnson sisters and Brunt won gold at the 2002 Junior Worlds, they became the first U.S. women’s team to win gold at any level of Worlds.
This Just In: Team Cassie became the first athletes to qualify for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, winning the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Feb. 26), defeating the 2004 U.S. National champions and the 2003 World Champions along the way ... won a silver medal at World Championships, finishing with a 10-2 record.
11. Hannah Kearney
Moguls | 19 | Norwich, Vt.
Claim to Fame: Finished second at the Deer Valley World Cup… seven top-5 finishes out of 12 races including five podiums in the 2005 season …in 2004, she had two World Cup wins and three other podiums…2003 U.S. moguls champion…in 2003, she repeated her 2002 win in moguls and dual moguls at Junior World Championships.
This just in: Crowned moguls World champion (March 19) ... ranked 10th in the 2005 overall World Cup standings as the top U.S. woman.
12. Hyo Jung Kim
Short Track | 17 | Colorado Springs, Colo.
Claim to Fame: She started speedskating at 11, training six days a week in Korea, where she was born, before coming to America … her father is a U.S. citizen … she made an immediate impact on the U.S. squad, breaking the American record in the 1000 meters and competing on the 2004 World Cup and Junior World teams.
This Just In: Swept all four races at the U.S. Nationals ending (Feb. 27) ... finished season ranked seventh in the overall World Cup standings.
13. Sarah Konrad
Biathlon, Cross Country | 38 | Laramie, Wyo.
Claim to Fame: Made history by becoming the only U.S. female winter athlete to ever qualify for the same Olympic Winter Games in two sports (biathlon, cross country) ... Torino will be the first Olympic Winter Games for the 38 year-old ... claimed her first national title in the 30K in 2004, using the skating technique, a freestyle motion similar to ice- or roller-skating.
14. Ted Ligety
Alpine Skiing | 21 | Park City Utah
Claim to Fame: On fire in the new year, grabbing three podiums on the World Cup circuit with one silver and two bronze in slalom ... a 2004 World Junior Championship silver medalist in slalom ... a usolympicteam.com viewer suggested Ligety's inclusion on this list ... "You can see the other coaches stopping to watch Ted when we're training,” said Coach Mike Morin after Ligety had the fastest second run in Kitzbuehel. “They know how fast he is...and what he can become. He's got people's attention."
15. Zach Lund
Skeleton | 33 | Salt Lake City, Utah
Claim to Fame: Finished 2005 season fifth in the skeleton World Cup final standings … was the top American, finishing fourth, at the 2005 World Cup held on the 2006 Olympic Torino track … a member of the 2003 overall World Cup team champions.
This Just In: Earned a silver medal at the season's second World Cup race in Calgary, Canada (Nov. 12) ... placed third at the World Cup in Lake Placid (Nov. 17).
16. Kimmie Meissner
Figure Skating | 16 | Baltimore, Md.
Claim to Fame: Her given name is Kimberly, but they call her, “Kimmie” … come on, that’s adorable! … finished third at the 2005 U.S. Figure Skating Championships behind Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen, becoming the first U.S. women to land a triple axel since Tonya Harding in 1991 … had only begun landing the jump consistently the week before the competition … was the 2004 World Junior silver medalist.
This Just In: Finished fourth at the 2005 World Junior Championships (March 3) ... took home a silver medal from the Campbells International Figure Skating Classic (Oct. 8).
17. Christian Niccum
Luge | 27 | Woodinville, Wash.
Claim to Fame: A former four-time Junior Worlds doubles champ, Niccum was the 2003 U.S. National Champion and the 2005 silver medalist ... had his career-best finish of eighth in the 2005 Lake Placid World Cup; was 23rd in the final 2005 overall World Cup rankings.
This Just In: Qualified for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team in luge singles (Dec. 29)
18. Sarah Parsons
Ice Hockey | 17 | Dover, Mass.
Claim to Fame: At 17, is the youngest U.S. player on the 2005 IIHF World Women’s Championships roster … as a senior at the Noble and Greenough School in Massachusetts, Parsons has scored 203 goals in 117 games with a total of 369 points … many consider Parsons the number one high school player in the country … has played on played on two U-22 teams and scored multiple points in each year’s series.
This Just In: Scored two goals and had an assist in her Team USA World Championship debut versus China (April 5).
19. Shauna Rohbock
Bobsled | 27 | Orem, Utah
Claim to Fame: Was Jill Bakken’s pusher in 2002, before Bakken switched to Vonetta Flowers and went on to win the first gold medal in women’s bobsled … Rohbock helped the team train all the way through the Games, then played professional soccer, then nearly got sent over to Iraq by the National Guard, but now she’s a bobsled driver with dreams of Italy … has had three World Cup podium performances.
This Just In: Earned a silver medal at the Calgary World Cup (Nov. 10) ... took home a bronze from the World Cup in Lake Placid (Nov. 17).
20. Ryan St. Onge
Aerials | 22 | Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Claim to Fame: Finished the 2005 season ranked sixth in the overall FIS aerial standings behind 2002 U.S. Olympian, Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, scoring his first two World Cup career wins in January, which comes with a special bonus … he was lofted onto the podium by his seven female teammates … St. Onge, '02, '03 U.S. champion, took up the sport three years ago ... nicknamed "Stonge."
This just in: Won his third U.S. aerials title in the past four years (March 25) ... was sixth at World Championships (March 18) ... brought home a gold medal from the World Cup in Mount Buller, Australia (Sept. 4).
21. Resi Stiegler
Alpine Skiing | 19 | Jackson, Wyo.
Claim to Fame: Finished 2005 World Cup season ranked eighth in the combined ... placed in the top 10 at the 2005 World Championships in slalom
22. Hannah Teter
Snowboarding | 18 | Belmont, Vt.
Claim to Fame: 2004 U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix halfpipe and X Games superpipe champion … 2002 World Junior Halfpipe Champion … from Oct. 2002 MountainZone.com interview on her future goals: “To work hard and always have fun, and if my future grants it, I want to go to the 2006 Olympics.” … four World Cup wins in 2003-2004 … 2003 X Games Superpipe silver medalist; 2004 X Games champ ... 2005 bronze medalist.
This just in: Earned a bronze in the halfpipe at the U.S. Open (March 19) ... won the halfpipe at the World Superpipe Championships (March 12) ... took gold at the 2005 Breckenridge Grand Prix ... brought home two gold medals from the World Cup in Valle Nevado, Chile (Sept. 15).
23. Johnny Weir
Figure Skating | 21 | Coatesville, Pa.
Claim to Fame: Has won the last two U.S. men’s singles titles at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships … cites Christina Aguilera’s “Stripped” as a major inspiration for his artistic development and wears a silver “D” necklace … the “D” stands for dirty … as in, ‘getting down and dirty’ on the ice … in 2004, finished first in four out of nine major international and national competitions.
This just in: Fought off a injury to finish fourth at World Championships (March 17).
24. Seth Wescott
Snowboarding | 29 | Farmington, Mich.
Claim to Fame: 2005 Snowboardcross World champion … four-time U.S. national champion in SBX … five-time X Games SBX medalist … leads the U.S. medal charge into 2006 as snowboardcross makes its Olympic debut in Torino … a well-respected veteran, is known for his smooth style on the snowboardcross course and in the Halfpipe, but also makes an impact off the snow as an advocate lobbying FIS on behalf of SBX racing.
This just in: Won a silver medal at the season opening World Cup in Valle Nevado, Chile (Sept.17).
25. Shaun White
Halfpipe | 19 | Carlsbad, Calif.
Claim to Fame: Called the “Flying Tomato” because of his flowing red hair … 2003 ESPY Award for ‘Best Actions Sports Athlete’ … had his first snowboard sponsor at the age of seven … became a pro snowboarder at 13; also a pro skateboarder … is the only athlete to compete in both the summer and winter X Games … released a snowboarding movie called, “The White Album” … missed making the 2002 Olympic Winter Games by three-tenths of a point … wants to compete for the U.S. in 2006.
This just in: Wonder Boy won his first career World Cup halfpipe title at the U.S. Snowboard Cup (March 5).
Keep an Eye on ...
- Mason Aguirre, halfpipe ... finished second in back-to-back Grand Prix events behind Shaun White, which makes him a near-lock to make the U.S. Olympic Team at the age of 18 ... from Duluth, Minn., ... was not a member of the U.S. Snowboard A, B, or C Teams at the beginning of the season.
- Pete Fenson, curling ... on 2006 U.S. Olympic team after beating New Zealand (April 7) ... Top 8 facts you need to know about Fenson rink
- Elena Hight, halfpipe A-team ... first woman to land a 900 in competition at only age 13 in 2002 ... 3rd at 2005 World Superpipe Championships ... earned two Grand Prix podiums in 2005.
- Nate Holland, parallel giant slalom, SBX A-team ... 3rd in the overall '05 World Cup SBX standings ... earned his first World Cup win Sierra Nevada in 2005.
- Emily Hughes, figure skating ... third at World Junior Championships (March 4) ... fifth at Skate America (Oct. 23).
- Evan Lysacek, figure skating ... won bronze at World Championships (March 17) ... brought home silver from Skate America (Oct. 22)... Evan Lysacek Feature | Evan Lysacek Photos
- Nate Roberts, moguls ... won U.S. title (March 26) and World moguls title (March 19) ... Nate Roberts Photos
- Shelley Robertson, moguls ... 2004 U.S. Dual Moguls Champion
