15 December 2005: 

NEW ZEALAND SKI RACERS PERFORM WELL IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE

Strong individual results have been achieved by some of the New Zealand alpine ski racers competing in the Northern Hemisphere in the lead up to selection for the New Zealand Winter Olympic team in mid -January 2006.

Ski Racing New Zealand Alpine Director Jim Davis says the Volkswagen National Alpine men's and women's teams are currently training in the United States and Canada where they have been competing on the Nor-Am circuit.

Nicola Campbell (Dunedin), who is currently New Zealand slalom and giant slalom champion clocked an impressive result in the challenging Nor-Am Cup giant slalom at Winter Park Colorado, finishing 23rd and achieving a 37.88 point result in the tough international field. Campbell is currently ranked 263 in the world in giant slalom and 426 in slalom.

At the Nor-Am Cup downhill at Lake Louise BC in Canada Mark Bridgwater (Christchurch) finished 9th and 11th respectively in the two events lowering his downhill FIS points. In the Nor Am Super-G races at Panorama he placed 11th and 13th again lowering his points. Bridgwater is ranked 338 in the world in downhill, 399 in Super G and 494 in giant slalom.

Mr Davis says Campbell and Bridgwater along with Mickey Ross (Oamaru) Erika McLeod (Auckland) and Sarah Jarvis (Hamilton) are currently within the the discretionary selection criteria set by the New Zealand Olympic Committee for the Winter Olympics in Torino in February 2006. Athletes ranked in the top 450 in the world in the technical events (slalom and giant slalom) and 350 in the world in the speed events (Super G and downhill), will be considered for inclusion in the New Zealand team, under the discretionary criteria.

Ross, who turned in the best performance in recent times by a New Zealand male slalom skier when he won the Air New Zealand Southern Cup FIS slalom at Coronet Peak in August, an event which included leading international star Bode Miller, is currently ranked 168 in the world in slalom.

McLeod, who is returning to competition in the Northern Hemisphere following an injury in the New Zealand season, is ranked 430 in slalom and 310 in giant slalom. Jarvis is ranked 398 in slalom.

The discretionary guideline does not guarantee selection but it does guarantee that the selection committee will perform a thorough review of the athlete's past performances, including their FIS points, and their potential to perform at the required level for the Winter Olympics.

Mr Davis says the third FIS points list will be published on January 12 2006 and nominations to the New Zealand Olympic Committee will be based on the points athletes have achieved at that time.

"For those athletes within the discretionary criteria, recent results will be used to put a case to the New Zealand Olympic Committee. The committee has confirmed that a decision on selection will be made as soon as possible after we have submitted our nominations."

All the New Zealand athletes training with the national teams have six more race starts before Christmas at Winter Park and Steamboat in the United States. The men will remain in the US for the technical Nor-Am races at Hunter Mountain in early January while the women will race in Europe at Montgenevre between Christmas and New Year.