OLYMPIC SKI CROSS TEAM

Alpine Canada Alpin officially announced the six athletes for the Canadian Olympic Ski Cross Team for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

The three men: Dave Duncan, Chris Del Bosco and Brady Leman; and three women: Kelsey Serwa, Marielle Thompson and Georgia Simmerling were nominated during an announcement at the Vancouver Convention Centre, in Vancouver.

“Our team is heading to Sochi with fire in our hearts,” said Kelsey Serwa, Vancouver 2010 Olympian and 2011 world and X Games champion. “I know I’m not only speaking for myself when I say that we will do everything in our power to make our nation proud next month as we race for gold. We are winter, and we are competing to win.”

Ski cross made its Olympic debut in 2010 when Whistler, BC’s Ashleigh McIvor – who has since retired – won gold. Canada’s ski cross team has been ranked No. 1 in the world in four of the past five years and the six nominated athletes include World Cup winners, world champions, X Games gold medallists and a Crystal Globe winner.

“All three of us on the men’s team are heading into Sochi looking for redemption. We all feel like we have a second chance,” said Chris Del Bosco, Vancouver 2010 Olympian. “We all have the potential to go out there and win gold and that’s what we’ll be trying to do. Canada has been the top ski cross nation in the world for four of the past five years and we have nothing to fear in Sochi. We believe this is our year.”

“The sport of Ski Cross requires athletes to have a real competitive edge and today’s nominated team is a true reflection of that,” said Marcel Aubut, President, Canadian Olympic Committee. “I have full confidence in our ski cross athletes and will cheer with all of Canada when they take to the Olympic snow in Sochi.”

The FIS allocates up to 26 quota spots for each nation for all five freestyle disciplines.

The minimum requirement from the FIS is a top thirty ranking in order for an athlete to eligible for the Games.

All six ski cross nominees were ranked in the top 10 in the world when the Olympic qualification window closed and they have all earned at least one World Cup podium since the start of the 2012-13 season.

No more than four athletes per gender in each discipline can be nominated.

The Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games will take place from February 7-23, 2014. The Canadian Olympic Team has set a goal to contend to be the top nation in overall medals won.

List of Ski Cross athletes nominated to the Sochi 2014 Canadian Olympic Team:

Women

Kelsey Serwa                    (Kelowna)
Marielle Thompson        (Whistler)
Georgia Simmerling       (West Vancouver)

Men:
Dave Duncan                  (London)
Chris Del Bosco              (Montreal)
Brady Leman                  (Calgary)

These six ski cross athletes now join 27 speed skaters, 10 curling athletes, 16 bobsledders, eight lugers, four skeleton athletes, 21 women hockey players, eight biathletes, 24 snowboarders, 25 men hockey players, three skiers, 17 figure skaters, 11 cross-country skiers, three women alpine skiers, 20 freestyle skiers, seven ski jumpers as the next members on the Canadian Olympic Team.