24 Jan 2014

15-strong NZ Winter Olympic team named

11:16 am on 24 January 2014

New Zealand has named 15 athletes to compete at the Sochi Winter Olympics next month.

With the introduction of new sports, 12 of the 15 will be first time Olympians, with just three athletes having attended an Olympic Games before. Bex Sinclair in the snowboard halfpipe, Ben Sandford in the skeleton, and speed skater Shane Dobbin.

Also selected are recent World Cup gold medallists Christy Prior in the snowboard slopestyle and freeskier Jossi Wells.

Wells will be joined in the team by his two younger brothers Byron and Beau James, as well as father and coach Bruce Wells.

The New Zealand Olympic Team to Sochi 2014 is:

Olympian Age Hometown Olympic Sport

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