2008 US Standing Team Update, June 2, 2008 Following the Team Trails over the May 24-26 weekend, Executive Steering Committee chair Peter Gagarin asked the Standing Team Committee to reconvene, and they added two more members to the standing team for 2008: Alison Crocker and Leif Anderson. Alison Crocker (photo) Alison is originally from Poughkeepsie, NY, and went to college (physics and math double major) at Dartmouth College. In her senior year at Dartmouth, she won a Rhodes Scholarship which took her to Oxford. She is now in the second (of only 3!) years of her PhD program in astrophysics. Before arriving at Oxford, she was a very competitive cross-country skier, skiing both on the team at Dartmouth and for the U.S. at Junior and U23 World Championships. Top results included a second place at U.S. nationals, and a top-20 placing at U23 worlds. She also was on the U.S. to Junior Worlds for rowing, where the team won third place. Starting her first winter at Oxford in January of 2007, she noticed that there was no snow, and that the skis under her bed were unlikely to be useful. A friend re-introduced her to orienteering (she had gone a few times in New England in high school) and she really enjoyed it. Since then, she has been orienteering as much as possible. Her top orienteering results so far have been eighth in the JK Festival Long race, and tenth in the British Middle Championships. She is currently ranked 13th on W21L courses in Britain. When not orienteering, she runs cross-country, track, and mountain marathons. Her family hasn't orienteered much, but she got her dad and sister out ski-orienteering (her first time too) last December, and had her mom try an easy course in Edinburgh when she visited Alison in Britain! Alison's next major O' events include the French 5-Day in August, and the Swiss World Cup races in early October. Leif Anderson (photo) Leif is from Washington state, where he got involved in orienteering through the high school orienteering league in the Seattle area. He has a B.S. in Earth Sciences (Geology) with Honors with Highest Distinction from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, where he is currently living. His best orienteering results include 30th place in the A-final Middle distance race at the 2005 Junior World Championships (JWOC) in Switzerland, and first place in M21L at the 2005 Scottish 6-Day. He was the U.S. Interscholastic Champion in 2003 and the U.S. Intercollegiate Champion in 2006. A week ago he was named as first alternate for the U.S. Team to the World Championships (WOC) in the Czech Republic in July. He is planning on competing in the Swedish World Cup races as part of the O'Ringen in July, and the World University Championships in July/August in Estonia. His other interests include Ultimate Frisbee, alpine climbing, traveling, and literature. His sister Maiya Anderson is also very active in orienteering. Congratulations to both Alison and Leif! Biographies by Peter Gagarin Team Selection Report, December 19, 2007 The Standing Team Committee (Don Davis, Kristin Hall and Vladimir Gusiatnikov) has selected the following orienteers for the 2008 Standing Team (Foot-O). Selection was based on A-meet M/F21 performances in 2007 with preference given to championship events, the Team Trials, and rankings. In the case of potential members living abroad, the committee considered their known competition results and training regimens. It is from this list — which is subdivided into A, B, and C — that orienteers are eligible to represent USOF in IOF-sanctioned elite events*. Standing team members are encouraged to attend all team meetings and training camps, are urged to assist with team fund raising events, are monitored and assisted by the team coaches, and are eligible for funding assistance to IOF events. It is noted that because the Team Trials (the competition from which the men's and women's teams are selected to represent USOF in the world championships) are open competition, and because the top three men and women are automatic team members, it is possible that a USOF member who is not on the standing team could become one by placing in the top three at that event. Some notable orienteers are not listed on the 2008 Standing Team. In almost all cases this is because they communicated that they are no longer, or at least presently, interested in competing at the IOF elite level. In the past couple of years these orienteers were included as "honorary" members. However this category has been dropped because the criteria seemed too arbitrary, and really had no tangible purpose. Although the selection committee tried to be as objective as possible in picking the team, subjectivity was an inevitable and necessary factor in some cases. If for any reason someone selected for the 2008 team wishes for their name to be deleted, contact the Team Fund Administrator, Peter Gagarin (pg [at] crocker [dot] com). The criteria for placement on the A, B, and C lists have not changed. They are: "A" list — Those who, if we were naming a squad now for a major international competition, would almost certainly be included. "B" list — Those from whom you could reasonably expect the rest of the major international squad to come. "C" list — Those who either lack the experience, consistency, or fitness because of a lack of time or training program to regularly challenge those on the "A" or "B" lists, although they can and do on any given day. * The IOF rules state that only citizens (meaning passport holders) of the country they represent may compete in IOF events. However, since USOF allows resident aliens (aka "green card" holders) to compete for "US Champion" titles, we will continue to name resident aliens to the standing team. There are tangible benefits for USOF in doing this, including the possibility that some in this status may eventually become US citizens. Congratulations to all those named to the team! Don Davis, Committee Chair December 18, 2007 (In alphabetical order by list) FEMALE: A — Samantha Saeger, Sandra Zürcher B — Pavilina Brautigam, Viktoria Brautigam, Erin Nielsen, Hillary Saeger C — Suzanne Armstrong, Cristina Luis, Ekaterina Orekhova, Angelica Riley MALE: A — Eric Bone, Boris Granovsky B — Eddie Bergeron, John Fredrickson, Clem McGrath, Wyatt Riley C — Gregory Balter, Jonathon Campbell, Thomas Carr, Ross Smith, Sergey Velichko, Ken Walker, Jr. Last update: June 4, 2008 USOF Home