Image courtesy of Getty Images
A huge congratulations to the fifteen New Zealanders who have qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.
The new Olympic sports have dominated this year, with Slopestyle and Halfpipe holding 70% of qualified kiwis, most of which are chicks! Jossi Wells, the eldest of the three qualified Wells boys says, “I’m really proud to have been named to the Olympic team and to have the opportunity to represent New Zealand in Sochi. With my sport being part of the Winter Olympics for the first time ever I’m even more stoked to be going”
Twelve of the fifteen athletes are first time Olympians, with only 3 having competed at the games in previous years; Rebecca (Bex) Sinclair (snowboard halfpipe, Vancouver 2010), Ben Sandford (skeleton, Torino 2006, Vancouver 2010) and Shane Dobbin (speed skating, Vancouver 2010).
Its looking like an epic Games for New Zealand this year – We’ll be honing in on the Womens Snowboard Slopestyle and Mens Ski Halfpipe in Sochi this February. Watch this Space!
Here’s our team!
The New Zealand Olympic Team to Sochi 2014 is:
Janina Kuzma, 28, Wanaka, Freeski Halfpipe
Lyndon Sheehan, 25, Wanaka, Freeski Halfpipe
Jossi Wells, 23, Wanaka, Freeski Halfpipe and Slopestyle
Byron Wells, 21, Wanaka, Freeski Halfpipe
Beau-James Wells, 18, Wanaka, Freeski Halfpipe and Slopestyle
Anna Willcox, 21, Northshore, Akl Freeski Slopestyle
Shane Dobbin, 34, Gold Coast, Aus, Ice Speed Skating – Long Track
Katharine Eustace, 38, Wanaka, Skeleton
Ben Sandford, 34, Rotorua, Skeleton
Adam Barwood, 21, Queenstown, Slalom and Giant Slalom
Shelly Gotlieb, 33, Ohakune, Snowboard Slopestyle
Stefi Luxton, 22, Wanaka, Snowboard Slopestyle
Christy Prior, 25, Helensville, Akl, Snowboard Slopestyle
Rebecca Sinclair, 22, Wanaka, Snowboard Halfpipe
Rebecca Torr, 23, Te Puke, Snowboard Slopestyle
