14 SKIERS NAMED FOR WORLD JUNIOR ALPINE SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS

PARK CITY, Utah (Jan. 26) - Three medalists from a year ago - Olympians Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) and Lindsey Kildow (Vail, CO) plus Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY) - head a group of 14 skiers named for the World Junior Championships next month in Slovenia, the U.S. Ski Team announced.

The group, which will compete Feb. 8-16 in Maribor, includes seven young men and seven women.

Mancuso, 19, a U.S. A Team member, has won six medals at the last three World Juniors. Kildow, who turned 20 on Jan. 8 and is a member of the U.S. B Team, was silver medalist in downhill last year at World Juniors. Stiegler, 18, also a B Team racer, won bronze in slalom and combined at the 2003 championships in France.

The rest of the team includes:

Men - Christopher Beckman (17; Altamont, NY; New York Ski Education Foundation), Jeff Harrison (20; Steilacoom, WA/U.S. C Team/White Pass Ski Team), T.J. Lanning (Park City, UT/U.S., C Team/Park City Ski Team), Ted Ligety (19; Park City, UT/U.S. Development Team/Park City Ski Team), Eric Mann (19; Mammoth Lakes, CA/Mammoth Mountain Ski Team), Andrew Weibrecht (17; Lake Placid, N.Y./U.S. Development Team/NYSEF) and Evan Weiss (19; Seattle/U.S. Development Team/White Pass Ski Team).

Women - Caitlin Ciccone (18; Littleton, NH/U.S. Development Team/Burke Mountain Academy), Stacey Cook (19; Truckee, CA/U.S. C Team/Mammoth Mountain Ski Team), Katie Hitchcock (18; Sugar Bowl, CA/U.S. C Team/Sugar Bowl Ski Team) and Kaylin Richardson (19; Burnsville, MN/U.S. B Team/Team Gilboa).

In addition, U.S. Alpine Director Jesse Hunt said Nick Baker (19; Gilford, NH/U.S. C Team/Rowmark) had been named to the team but will be unable to compete because of a knee injury.

"This is one of the most talented World Juniors teams we've ever fielded," Hunt said. "We have three who already have won medals at this level and we have high expectations for strong results at the championships."

Hunt will head a staff that includes U.S. Women's Head Coach Patrick Riml and Trevor Wagner from the omen's coaching staff, Men's Development Head Coach Adam Chadbourne and Europa Cup Coach Sasha Rearick.