Whitefish skier Maggie Voisin named to U.S. Olympic team

Whitefish slopestyle skier Maggie Voisin was nominated as a member of the 2014 U.S. Olympic team by the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Assiciation on Tuesday, making her the youngest Winter Olympian the country has had since 1972 when she competes at next month’s Games in Sochi, Russia.

Voisin, who turned 15 on Dec. 14, was one of six additional freestyle skiers nominated as coaches discretionary selections and will be the youngest athlete on the team. 

Slopestyle skiing is making its Olympic debut this year. In the event, athletes ski downhill with various obstacles and jumps on which they do tricks that are scored based on difficulty and execution. The women’s ski slopestyle event is scheduled for Feb. 11.

Voisin is the youngest U.S. Winter Olympian since 1972, when 14-year-old speed skaters Kay Lunda and Connie Carpenter-Phinney competed in Sapporo, Japan. She is the youngest U.S. Olympian in either Games since 1996, overtaking swimmer Michael Phelps, who was 15 years and two months old when he competed in Sydney, Australia in 2000.

The USSA also nominated Montana moguls skiers Bradley Wilson of Butte and Heather McPhie of Bozeman. Wilson will be competing in his first Olympics, while McPhie competed in 2010. Wilson’s older brother, Bryon, won a bronze medal in moguls at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The U.S. Olympic Committee will formally name the 2014 U.S. Olympic Team on Jan. 27.

Voisin is currently in Aspen, Colo., where she is preparing to compete in the Winter X Games this weekend. The invite-only contest is thought as the highest non-Olympic competition. She is one of three U.S. women who will compete at the event.