USA announces nordic skiing nominees for 2013-14

Summer Paralympians Tatyana McFadden and Aaron Pike among those hoping to qualify for Sochi, as well as war veterans and some athletes still on active duty. 04 Jun 2013
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Andrew Soule

USA's Andrew Soule came 18th in the men's Cross Country Long Distance Sitting event at teh IPC Nordic Sking World Cup in Minneapoils.

ⒸJames Netz
By US Paralympics

“With less than 300 days until the start of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, the United States is in a great position to be successful in the biathlon and cross-country events”

The United States Olympic Committee announced today that 14 athletes, including nine active duty service members and veterans, have received a nomination for the 2013-14 US Paralympics nordic skiing national and development teams. With only nine biathletes and cross-country skiers named to the teams last season, the combined size of the 2013-14 group shows the significant growth of the US Paralympics nordic skiing program heading into the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games.

“With less than 300 days until the start of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, the United States is in a great position to be successful in the biathlon and cross-country events,” said John Farra, high performance director for US Paralympics nordic skiing. “Not only do we have a solid roster of returning athletes like Dan Cnossen and Andy Soule, who were both medalists on the world cup circuit last season, but we also have some new athletes like Tatyana McFadden and Oksana Masters, who are really eager to make an impression internationally.”

The 2013-14 US Paralympics nordic skiing national team roster is highlighted by Lieutenant Dan Cnossen (Topeka, Kansas), US Navy, Sean Halsted (Spokane, Washington), retired, US Air Force, Andy Soule (Pearland, Texas), retired, US Army, and Jeremy Wagner (Honolulu, Hawaii), retired, US Army Reserves, all experienced national team members who competed at the 2013 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Championships.

While Cnossen and Soule were most successful on the 2013 World Cup circuit, winning multiple medals each, Halsted notched a fourth place finish on the Sochi snow at the 2013 IPC World Cup Finals, held at the same venue that will host the Games. Soule won a bronze medal in biathlon at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, the first ever biathlon medal for a US athlete at the Olympic or Paralympic Winter Games.

Tatyana McFadden (Clarksville, Maryland) and Aaron Pike (Park Rapids, Minnesota) received their first-ever US Paralympics nordic skiing national team nominations for the upcoming season. Both successful at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, McFadden and Pike hope to qualify for the 2014 US Paralympic team, which will compete from 7-16 March 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

Oksana Masters (Louisville, Kentucky), also a member of the 2012 US Paralympic team, is among the athletes nominated to the development roster. Joining her are Jake Adicoff (Sun Valley, Idaho), Omar Bermejo (Grand Rapids, Michigan), retired, US Marine Corps, Kevin Burton (Boulder, Coloado), retired, US Navy, Travis Dodson (Deming, New Mexico), retired, US Marines, Erik Frazier (Maple Hill, North Carolina), retired, US. Marine Corps, Augusto Perez (East Syracuse, New York) and Beth Requist (Grand Lake, Colorado).

In the months leading up to the start of the 2013-14 season, athletes will participate in five training camps, three of which are at the US Olympic Training Centres across the country. US athletes will then compete in December and January at IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup competitions in Canmore, Canada, 8-19 December, Oberstdorf, Germany, 14-19 January, and Oberreid, Germany, 21-26 January.

The Paralympic biathlon and cross-country skiing national championships is 30 December - 8 January at Soldier Hollow Ski Centre in Midway, Utah.