Middlebury College nordic skier Kelsey Phinney has qualified for the U-23 world championships. Phinney is one of 10 athletes who were named to the Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) U23 World Ski Championships Team. The U23 team and Junior Worlds team will represent the United States in Rasnov, Romania from February 22-28. Recent Middlebury graduate and All-American Heather Mooney ’15 will be one of Phinney’s teammates in the event.
The FIS U23 World Ski Championships include three additional cross country events for both men and women ages 21 to 23. The FIS Junior Worlds is traditionally run over a one-week period. The event brings over 400 athletes ranging in age from 16 to 20 years old, from 30 nations to compete in 17 events in cross country skiing, ski jumping and nordic combined.
If skiers perform well at the U23 Championships, they will have an opportunity to join the U.S. Ski Team in Canada for the World Cup happening March 1-12.
Phinney is a two-time NCAA participant (2013, 2015), who nearly skied to All-American honors with an 11th-place finish at the NCAA Championship in the 15K last winter. She was also a second-team All-East honoree a season ago on the carnival circuit. Phinney and the rest of her teammates open the 2016 season this Friday and Saturday when they take part in the Bates Carnival.
http://athletics.middlebury.edu/sports/nordicski/2015-16/releases/20160114i97x6j
