A further five snow sport athletes have been named to the New Zealand team for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games. The additions take the total number of athletes to 21, making it New Zealand’s largest ever Winter Games team.
16-year-old alpine ski racer Alice Robinson will become New Zealand’s youngest winter Olympian, born eight days after freeskier team mate, Nico Porteous.
Alice will be joined by fellow New Zealand alpine ski team members Adam Barwood (25) and Willis Feasey (25). Adam also represented New Zealand at the 2014 Sochi Games. Alice will compete in Slalom and Giant Slalom while Adam and Willis will compete in the men’s Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super-G.
Freeski halfpipe athlete Britt Hawes (27) and snowboard cross racer Duncan Campbell (21) complete the team.
“It’s absolutely fantastic,” says Chef de Mission, Pete Wardell who is currently in PyeongChang preparing to formally register the New Zealand team for the games. “These athletes have had a high pressure season working towards this moment and with just two weeks to games time I’m delighted they have made it.”
“The Olympic Games environment is extremely tough and to meet the selection standards set by the New Zealand Olympic Committee is an achievement itself. I’m very much looking forward to supporting them in PyeongChang as they wear the fern with pride.“
“The fact we are sending our biggest team ever shows the increasing depth of talent and skill in New Zealand’s winter sport high performance community.”
Britt Hawes said she’s very happy to have made the team. “I’m beyond stoked to be selected after fighting hard for this and I’m proud and honoured to have been given the opportunity to represent New Zealand,” she says.
Having only become eligible to compete in senior competition during the 2017 New Zealand winter, Alice Robinson has made a rapid rise through the world rankings, surpassing even her own goals and expectations.
“I am feeling extremely honoured and grateful for being selected in to the New Zealand team for the upcoming games,” said Alice.
“I am so happy to be given this opportunity and am super-excited to be competing at my first games so young. Starting my first year of FIS (open grade racing) this season, the idea of the Olympics seemed like a long shot, so I am so happy that my results over the past six months paid off and gave me a spot on the team. When I think back to the start of the year I wouldn’t have thought that I would be selected, it’s a dream come true.”
Alice has a busy lead in to the games with a World Cup race in Lenzerheide, Switzerland today (Saturday 27th) followed by the Junior World Championships in Davos, Switzerland from 29 January – 8 February, before she travels to Korea.
She says, “I’m feeling confident going into Junior Worlds and hope to be competitive in the tough field.”
New Zealand’s previous largest Olympic Winter Team was 18 at Torino 2006.
THE TEAM
Adam Barwood – Men’s Giant Slalom, Men’s Slalom, Men’s Super G
Finn Bilous – Men’s Freeski Slopestyle
Duncan Campbell – Men’s Snowboardcross
Tiarn Collins – Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle, Men’s Snowboard Big Air
Shane Dobbin – Ice Speed Skating 10,000m
Carlos Garcia Knight – Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle, Men’s Snowboard Big Air
Willis Feasey – Men’s Giant Slalom, Men’s Slalom, Men’s Super G
Britt Hawes – Women’s Freeski Halfpipe
Reyon Kay – Ice Speed Skating Mass Start, Ice Speed Skating 1500m
Janina Kuzma – Women’s Freeski Halfpipe
Peter Michael – Ice Speed Skating Mass Start, Ice Speed Skating 5000m and 1500m
Peter Michael, Reyon Kay, Shane Dobbin – Men’s Team Pursuit
Miguel Porteous – Men’s Freeski Halfpipe
Nico Porteous – Men’s Freeski Halfpipe
Jamie Prebble – Men’s Ski Cross
Zoi Sadowski Synnott – Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle, Women’s Snowboard Big Air
Alice Robinson – Women’s Giant Slalom, Women’s Slalom
Rakai Tait – Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe
Rhys Thornbury – Men’s Skeleton
Beau-James Wells – Men’s Freeski Halfpipe
Jackson Wells – Men’s Freeski Slopestyle
Byron Wells – Men’s Freeski Halfpipe
