Nov. 29, 2007

FAIRBANKS, AK- Alaska Nanooks assistant coach Ingrid Olson has been named to the U.S. Ski Team's coaching staff for the 2008 Junior 1 Scandinavian Championships. Olson joins a coaching staff that includes trip leader Abi Holt (Sun Valley Ski Education Federation) and Travis Jones (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club) to lead twelve of the nation's best J1 skiers (born in 1990-1991) for the competition, which will be held in Otepaa, Estonia on January 23-February 5, 2008.

"I'm real excited about this opportunity," said Olson. "I have never coached out of the U.S. before, and it is a different age group as well: I have never coached skiers that young. It should be a good learning experience and should be fun."

Holt was equally excited to have Olson on-board. "We were interested in adding Ingrid because she has worked with high-level athletes and clearly knows her waxing and technique," she said. "She has a good grasp of upper-level racing, and her experience working at the NCAA level and working with athletes who have high expectations of themselves will make her a good fit for this position. It is an honor to be chosen to coach at the international level, and I think she will certainly deliver."

Olson, a former protégé of Alaska head coach Scott Jerome during her collegiate career at Gustavus Adolphus College, joined the Nanooks in September of 2004. Under her and Jerome's guidance, the ski team has flourished in the three seasons since her arrival, culminating in the 2006-07 season, when Alaska qualified an entire team for the NCAA Championships. Olson's leadership has also helped guide Marius Korthauer to a silver and two bronze medal in the past two national meets.

Olson and the rest of the Nanooks kick off their 2007-08 ski season in two weeks' time as they head to Anchorage for the Alaska Nordic Cup races. If Alaska's run-out in the Nov. 17 Flint Hills Town Race Series Opener is any indication, it should be a good year for the Blue and Gold: the team took the top eight spots on the men's side and placed three women in the top 10 as well.