While the 2019 FIS Alpine World Alpine Championships are currently underway, athletes 21 and younger are eagerly awaiting the junior version of that event, the 2019 FIS Alpine Junior World Championships in Italy Feb. 18-27.
Of the 14 American representatives headed to the Val di Fassa competition, six are current athletes or alumni of Ski & Snowboard Club Vail, more than any other club in the nation.
Ski & Snowboard Club Vail will be represented by alumni Cooper Cornelius, Jacob Dilling, Bridger Gile, Kyle Negomir, and River Radamus. Cornelius, Negomir, and Radamus are now also members of the U.S. Ski Team. On the women’s side, U.S. Ski Team member Nellie Rose Talbot, of Vail, will represent the Stars and Stripes at world’s most prestigious junior ski championship. Ski & Snowboard Club Vail also qualified Charles Flaherty, who will represent Puerto Rico.
“Ski & Snowboard Club Vail is thrilled to be represented by such a large crop of athletes at the 2019 Junior World Championships in Val di Fassa, Italy,” said SSCV Communications Manager Geoff Mintz. “The fact that seven current and former SSCV athletes have been invited to this prestigious event is a testament to the hard work and professionalism of our coaching staff and athletes, and we look forward to cheering them on from Vail.”
STARRING RIVER RADAMUS
The 2019 squad derives from U.S. Ski Team B, C, D teams, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Development Group, as well as top U.S. Ski & Snowboard club program athletes from across the nation.
While Radamus was a bit of a headliner for the Birds of Prey World Cup races in Beaver Creek this year, appearing on the official marketing material for the event, he will also headline the junior worlds team as the most accomplished ski racer on the squad, having already scored World Cup points. Radamus finished 24th in the giant slalom in Alta Badia, Italy, on Dec. 16, in just the fifth World Cup start of his career. He is entering his last junior worlds event hungry for a win as last year at Junior Worlds in Davos, Switzerland, Radamus finished second in the super-G.
Recommended Stories For You
Negomir also comes with a laundry list of recent accomplishments, finishing seventh in the super-G at last year’s junior worlds and enjoying several North America Cup podium finishes this season. Radamus and Negomir have also scored Europa Cup points this season and Radamus won a North America Cup giant slalom race in Sun Valley on Feb. 8.
“We are excited to bring this accomplished group of 14 athletes to the 2019 World Junior Ski Championships,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Development Director Chip Knight. “Through the selection period, they have all performed at the top of the NorAm Cup, four have scored Europa Cup points, and one has scored World Cup points. We are also returning one medalist and three other athletes with top-10 results from Davos last year. Going into these Championships, we believe everyone has the potential to win medals and earn top-10 results for the team.”
The 2019 Junior Worlds will include men and women’s downhill, super-G, alpine combined, slalom, giant slalom and a mixed team event. Live timing will be provided by FIS.
—This story contains material from a U.S. Ski & Snowboard press release
