WINTER OLYMPIC CONTENDERS HEAD 2009 NATIONAL SKI SQUAD

August 5: New Zealand Winter Olympic contenders Ben Griffin (Ohakune) and Tim Cafe (Queenstown) head a group of high calibre athletes selected to the 2009 New Zealand Alpine Team.

Ski Racing New Zealand Alpine Director James Lazor says eight athletes have been named on the New Zealand Men’s Alpine Team and six women are represented on the New Zealand Women’s Team.

“Many of these athletes are still young and have significant potential to perform internationally as well as nationally and our aim is to provide them with the training support needed to help them progress through the different levels.”

Twenty-two-year-old Griffin is New Zealand’s best ranked athlete in Super G and giant slalom, with world rankings of 249 and 265 respectively, and is returning this season after serious injury sustained in a trampolining accident.

Ben Griffin. Credit Michael Thomas

Having made a full recovery he is aiming for selection to the New Zealand team to compete at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver in 2010.

“Ben is on track for Olympic selection and his performance during the New Zealand winter, particularly at the upcoming Winter Games at Coronet Peak will be key to cementing that selection,” says Lazor.

This week he launched his campaign by clearly winning the FIS giant slalom at Cardrona Alpine Resort (August 3) signalling his intention to make his mark during the Southern Hemisphere season.

Griffin won in a combined time of 1.56.12 ahead of Norwegian Haldan Faulkum-Hansen in 1.57.157.

Cafe 21, who is the current New Zealand combined champion, is Griffin’s training partner and is ranked 285 in Super G, and is in the top 500 in slalom and giant slalom.

“Tim also has the Winter Olympics in his sights and will be using every opportunity this season to improve his overall rankings before the New Zealand team is selected in January next year.”

Other members of the New Zealand National Squad include Adam Barwood 17 (Queenstown), Jamie Prebble 18 (Christchurch), Nick Prebble 16 (Christchurch) Finlay Neeson 16 (New Plymouth), Harrison Steedman 16 (Queenstown) and Richard Stevens 16 (Auckland) who is currently on injured status.

Jamie Prebble finished a creditable fourth in the Cardrona giant slalom (August 3) and Barwood took out eighth place.

The New Zealand Women’s Team is headed by leading slalom skier Sarah Jarvis 23 (Hamilton) who is close to the top 500 in the world. The other representatives are Harriet Miller-Brown 17 (Queenstown), Allie McGlinn 17 (Christchurch), Taylor Rapley 18 (Queenstown), Virginia Orange 17 (Christchurch) and Charlotte Newbold 17 (Queenstown) who is currently injured.

McGlinn placed fifth in the women’s FIS giant slalom at Cardrona (August 3), and Rapley and Miller-Brown were sixth and seventh respectively.

“We have a lot of aptitude and skills in our women’s team and we are working hard to foster this talent with the aim that these women will represent New Zealand at an elite international level,” says Lazor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
JAMES LAZOR 021 941 033 

Return to News »