For the record...here is the Irish team, congratulations on being the best in the country at what you do and the verey best of luck to them all.
The Olympic Council of Ireland wrote: Aoife Hoey
DOB 6/9/83
In the year 2000 she attended trials in Dublin held to select a women’s team to attend Bobsleigh school in Lillehammer Norway. At the trials she was selected as an alternate brake athlete as was too young to attend school or compete (she was only 16 years old).
In 2001-2002 she raced on the World Cup circuit as brake athlete for the Irish team.
Following the Winter Games in Salt Lake City, she was given the opportunity to train as sled pilot and has raced in European Cup , World Cup and World Championship events.
Aoife works as a sports administrator with Athletics Ireland
and her team are beneficiaries of Olympic Council of Ireland Olympic Scholarships and technical equipment funding.
Claire Bergin,
DOB: 1/2/85
Age 23, former Muckcross School pupil and has a science degree from DCU, currently doing post grad in Accountancy
Former100/200 metre sprinter, competed at the world juniors Kingston, Jamaica 2002 and Grosseto, Italy 2004, competed at World student games Ismere Turkey, 2005
Bobsleigh brakewomen for Aoife Hoey; her bobsleigh career started in 2008 and has competed in Europa Cups in Igls, Winterberg, and Altinberg
Targeting qualification for 2010 Vancouver
Leona Byrne,
DOB: 28/2/87
Age 21, former St Leos School Carlow pupil, currently final year DCU sports science and health degree student
Former multi-eventer and represented Ireland at the EYOF in Paris 2003
Bobsleigh breakwoman; her bobsleigh career started 2008 and has competed in Europa Cups in Igls, Winterberg, and Altinberg
Targeting qualification for 2010 Vancouver
Slalom Skiers:
Malahide skier Shane O'Connor has declared that he wants to compete for Ireland at the next Winter Olympic Games in 2010.
The experienced ski star is fresh from a fine performance at the world championships in France and will spend the next 10 months working towards his goal of making the Games.
'I intend to put a lot of effort in to the next year and see where it takes me. I'd love a go at the Olympics,' he stated.
The recent world finals saw him compete in the slalom and he competed in the qualifier, enjoying a top 50 placing. This has been heralded as the best result ever by an Irish male in slalom.
Then he went on to compete in two more high profile races in France in the following week and scored an 88 and a 79 in two races, again easily the best ever set of results for any Irish slalom skier.
That results has suddenly brought the Olympics into view but at the same time means the challenge is even greater to maintain the high standards.
His French results were well within B-standard qualification for the Olympic Games and as the current no. 1 male in his class, Shane has certainly put himself in the shop window for consideration.
'Nothing is guaranteed in this sport and I will be training for the next 10 months with the goal of representing Ireland at the 2010 Winter Olympics,' he stated.
But for that he's going to have to make some fairly big sacrifices in terms of training and finance.
Kirsty McGarry
Name: Kirsten Kate Llewellyn McGarry
Nickname: Kirsty
Born: 25/07/1985, Dublin, Ireland
Height: 172cm, Shoe: 40/41,
Glove size: ladies M / 7.5
Schools: Rathdown Dublin, Ecole Primaire de Chatel, Ecole Franco Irlandaise, Dublin.
Ski Clubs: The Kandahar, The Ladies Ski Club, Ski Club of Ireland.
Favourites:
Music: Eclectic mix as I appreciate lots of music styles. R & B for dancing, otherwise Pop-Rock and I enjoy classical and even country music. Irish musicians and singers touch on of all of these, though of course my sister is the best singer/songwriter of all.
Film: I tend to prefer light entertainment at the cinema such as romantic comedies or Harry Potter; but if based on a book I often prefer the book. T.V. The original series of Pride and Prejudice still appeals.
People: I admire people like Mohammed Ali, for his determination, raw talent and self belief. I like Aksel Lund Svindal because he’s always smiling (as well as being a brilliant skier). I’m lucky to have my family and some great friends who all mean a lot to me.
Books: The Da Vinci Code, Harry Potter, The Hitchhikers Guide, several Adriana Trigiani books.
Foods: Fruit-a-holic, Nutella and banana crepes, and Spaghetti Bolognese (spag. bol. was apparently my first solid food!).
First learned to ski: In Chatel before 2yrs old, with Mum, Dad and sister Tam.
Favourite ski area: Chatel, in the Portes Du Soleil, France is still my favourite ski area, it‘s so big and varied; but I also love New Zealand.
Funding: Benefits from an Olympic Council Scholarship
Skeleton Bobsleigh
Pat Shannon
Profile
Date of Birth: 10.04.1977
Height: 177 cm
Weight: 85 kg
Residence:
Year began competition: 2003
Year national team: 2003
Funding: Olympic Council of Ireland scholarship
Cross Country Skiing
Paul Griffin
Place of birth: Kerry.
A member of Muckross Rowing Club in Kerry, Paul rowed in his second Olympics in Beijing at the age of 29.
A world silver medallist in 2005, which added to the bronze he won in 2006, and he was a member of the Irish team that finished 6th in the Olympics in Athens and 10th at the Beijing Olympic Games.
Cross country skiing formed a significant part of Paul’s training for rowing. It became apparent that he had an aptitude for this wintersport. Paul; after much consideration, has decided to pursue the challenge of representing Ireland at the Vancouver Olympic Games in 2010.
Funding: Olympic Scholarship holder
PJ Barron, Cross Country Skier
Born in Aberdeen, 13/12/89 , represents the Huntly Nordic Ski Club
PJ started skiing when he was about 13years old. Friends kept invited him to open days at the local nordic centre in Huntly and his enjoyment of the sport has just grown from there. He began to take it seriously in 2007 when taking a Gap year and went to Canmore, Canada (the XC Venue for the Calgary Games) That year he raced across Canada and Europe racing in the 2008 World Junior Championships. He recieved his licence to compete for Ireland in December 2008.
Last season he began at University at The Robert Gordons University, Aberdeen and struggled with injury, however still raced at the World Junior Champs and the World Nordic Ski Champs. Training is about 15hours a week with a mix of Gym based strength training i.e. Weights, Rollerskiing in both classic and Skate, Running and a bit of cycling . Recently he's been studying for University exams and training before heading out for the World U23 Champs.
