Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics: Minnesota Athletes to Watch

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics are less than a year away! They will take place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, February 12 to February 28, 2010. There are always many Minnesota athletes who qualify to compete for Team USA at the Winter Olympics. I have researched various sources to try and find the names of those Minnesota athletes who have a chance to win a medal at the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Sources checked include the US Ski Team website, the Star Tribune, Universal Sports, Team USA Curling, and Team USA 2010.

The 2010 Team USA for most Olympics sports have not been decided yet. Men's and Women's Curling Teams have been announced. Most other winter sports will have their Olympic Trials held closer to the Olympic Games next February.

Alpine Skiing - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Kaylin Richardson (Edina, Minn.), 2007 Worlds: 12th in super combined, 23rd in slalom. 2006 Olympics - 17th in combined, 2006 Slalom US Champion.

Lindsey Vonn, (Burnsville, Minn).
2008 World Cup overall champion.

Speedskating - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Mike Blumel (Woodbury, Minn.), has been named as a member of the American Team for the Fall World Cups by US Speedskating.

Snowboarding - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Steve Fisher (St. Louis Park, Minn.) halfpipe competitor with good scores this season.

Women's Ice Hockey - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Natalie Darwitz, a two-time Olympian from Eagan, Minn.. She is widely considered one of the world's best forwards. She went to school at the University of Minn. and now lives in Apple Valley where she is an assistant coach for the women's ice hockey team. She is also captain of the U.S. Women's National Team.

Jenny Potter (formerly Schmidgall), has competed in three Olympics as part of Team USA. She is from Edina, Minn., and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

Rachael Drazan (Orono, Minn.)

The tryouts for the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team will be held at Blaine, Minn. in June 2009. Any players wishing to be considered for the U.S. Team can tryout. There will then be an off-ice training camp at the Olympic Training Center in August. The Women's National Team will be named at the conclusion of the camp and will consist of 23 players.

Men's Ice Hockey - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Per the Minneapolis Star Tribune: NHL Players that may be on Team USA include New Jersey forward Zach Parise of Faribault, Minn. and defenseman Paul Martin, of Elk River, Minn., and Boston forward Phil Kessel, a former University of Minnesota Gophers player.

Team USA Luge - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Minnesota athletes to watch include Tony Benshoof (White Bear Lake, Minn.), who has won eight international medals. He finished fourth at the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino, Italy and hopes to win a medal in 2010.

Biathlon - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

19-year-old Leif Nordgren (Marine-on-St.Croix, Minn.) won the 2008 Youth/Junior World championships bronze medal in the pursuit competition and finished sixth in the sprint. It was reported that he would have finished first in the sprint if not for a rifle malfunction.

Women's Curling - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

The US Curling Team has been announced after the Olympic Team Trials last month. Several Minnesotans are on the roster.

Debbie McCormick's team consists of Allison Pottinger (Eden Prairie, Minn.), Nicole Joraanstad (Madison, Wis.), Natalie Nicholson (Bemidji, Minn.) and alternate Tracy Sachtjen (Lodi, Wis.). The team has competed together for the last three seasons, winning silver at the 2006 Worlds but missing the playoffs in 2007 and 2008. Debbie McCormick (Wis.), has been to the Olympics twice but it is the first time for her teammates.

Men's Curling - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

According to USA Curling , the 2009 U.S. Curling Nationals doubled as the 2010 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and took place Feb. 21-28, 2009 in Broomfield, Colo.

John Shuster (Duluth, Minn.) and teammates Jason Smith (Cape Coral, Fla.), Jeff Isaacson (Gilbert, Minn.) and John Benton (St. Michael, Minn.) will now wear Team USA at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia.

As the Vancouver Winter Olympics draws near, the athlete lineups will start to firm up. Right now, there is still too much time to verify all the standouts. If you notice anyone left out, please post a comment at the bottom of this article, with their name and sport for use in a future article.

Sources:

TeamUSA2010 .org

Universal Sports

Minneapolis Star Tribune

http://www.usskiteam.com/alpine/athletes/athlete?athleteId=1045