With two weeks to go until the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, the Australian Team is shaping up to be one of the strongest yet, comprising both youth and experience.

“We have a big spread across a broad range of sports and ages,” Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said.

“We’ve got a veteran like Jacqui Copper, at 37 and off to her fifth Olympic Games, down to Britteny Cox and Scott James, off to their first at just 15 years of age.”

Over the past five weeks, the Australian Olympic Committee has selected athletes in 10 disciplines, demonstrating the strength and diversity that is building across winter sports in Australia.

“We have so many young Australians out there with the dream of going to an Olympic Games, and it is just fantastic that so many are now fulfilling those dreams,” Chesterman said.

“Since the last Games in Torino alone, Australians have won over 65 World Cup or World Championship medals.

 “We know medals in Vancouver will be tough to get, but we are better placed than ever before to make our mark as a winter sports nation.”

Australian athletes have medalled at the past four Olympic Winter Games starting with a short track relay bronze in Lilehammer in 1994. There are high hopes for the 2010 Team adding to Australia’s current Olympic Winter medal tally of 3 gold (Bradbury, Camplin, Begg-Smith) and 3 bronze (Short track relay, Steggall, Camplin).

With a number of reallocation of quota places taking place over the weekend, the full Team will be announced early next week.

At present there are 35 athletes confirmed, two subject to fitness assessments and eight still in contention awaiting quota reallocations.

An updated Team list including notifications of prospective athletes follows.

Alpine Skiing

Craig Branch (33), Sydney, NSW - Downhill, Super-G
Jono Brauer (28), Thredbo, NSW - Downhill, Super Combined, Super-G

Biathlon

Alex Almoukov (19), Berridale, NSW - 10km Sprint, 20km Individual, 15km Mass Start, 12.5km Pursuit

Bobsleigh *see note

Duncan Harvey (28), Sydney, NSW - Two-Man (AUS1), Four-Man    
Duncan Pugh (35), Perth, WA - Two-Man (AUS2), Four-Man
Jeremy Rolleston (37), Sydney, NSW - Two-Man (AUS2), Four-Man
Anthony Ryan (29), Sydney, NSW - Four-Man
Chris Spring (25), Calgary, Canada - Two-Man (AUS1)

Bobsleigh Note: Australia is on the list to be allocated an additional quota place in the women’s bobsleigh by FIBT under the quota reallocation process. If this occurs, Astrid Loch-Wilkinson and Cecilia McIntosh have been nominated as the athletes to be added to the Team.

Cross Country

Esther Bottomley (27), Mt Beauty, VIC -  1.5km Sprint Classic
Paul Murray (32), Mt Beauty, VIC - 1.5km Sprint Classic, Team Sprint Free
Ben Sim (24), Bunyan Vale, NSW - 15km Individual Free, 1.5km Sprint Classic, 30km Pursuit, 50km Classic Mass Start, Team Sprint Free

Freestyle Skiing *see note

Jacqui Cooper (37), Melbourne, VIC - Aerial skiing
Liz Gardner (29), Melbourne, VIC - Aerial skiing
Lydia Lassila (28), Melbourne, VIC - Aerial skiing
Bree Munro (28), Melbourne, VIC - Aerial skiing
David Morris (25), Melbourne, VIC - Aerial skiing
Dale Begg-Smith (25), Vancouver, Canada - Moguls
Britteny Cox (15), Mt Beauty, VIC - Moguls
* Ramone Cooper (21), Jindabyne, NSW - Moguls
Katya Crema (21), Middle Park, VIC - Ski Cross
Scott Kneller (20), Jindabyne, NSW - Ski Cross       
* Jenny Owens (31), Sydney, NSW - Ski Cross

* Subject to a satisfactory medical assessment on or by 31 January 2010.

Freestyle Note: If Australia is allocated an additional quota place by FIS under the quota reallocation process or Ramone Cooper does not pass a medical assessment on or by 31 January 2010 Sam Hall has been nominated as the moguls athlete to be added to the Team.

Freestyle Note: If either (a) being allocated two additional quota places by FIS under the quota reallocation process or (b) being allocated one additional quota place by FIS under the quota reallocation process and Ramone Cooper not passing a medical assessment on or by 31 January 2010, Matthew Graham has been nominated as the moguls athlete to be added to the Team.

Freestyle Note: If Australia is allocated two additional quota places by FIS under the quota reallocation process Sami Kennedy has been nominated as the Ski Cross athlete to be added to the Team.

Luge

Hannah Campbell-Pegg (27) - Sydney, NSW    

Short Track Speed Skating

Tatiana Borodulina (25), Brisbane, QLD - 1000m, 1500m, 500m
Lachlan Hay (23), Brisbane, QLD - 1000m

Skeleton

Anthony Deane (25) - Sydney, NSW
Melissa Hoar (26) - Dalmeny, NSW
Emma Lincoln-Smith (24) - Sydney, NSW

Snowboard

Torah Bright (23), Cooma, NSW - Halfpipe
Holly Crawford (26), Sydney, NSW - Halfpipe
Damon Hayler (33), Dee Why, NSW - Snowboard Cross
Stephanie Hickey (24), Melbourne, VIC - Snowboard Cross
Scott James (15), Melbourne, VIC - Halfpipe
Ben Mates (26), Batemans Bay, NSW - Halfpipe
Alex Pullin (22), Mansfield, VIC - Snowboard Cross
Johanna Shaw (27), Melbourne, VIC - Parallel Giant Slalom

Speed Skating *see note

Sophie Muir (26), Sydney, NSW - 500m, 1000m

Speed Skating Note: Australia is on the list to be allocated an additional quota place in the men’s 1000m by ISU under the quota reallocation process. If this occurs, Daniel Greig has been nominated as the athlete to be added to the Team.

Speed Skating Note: Australia is on the list to be allocated an additional quota place in the men’s 1500m by ISU under the quota reallocation process. If this occurs, Ben Southee has been nominated as the athlete to be added to the Team.

Speed Skating Note: Australia is on the list to be allocated an additional quota place in the men’s 5000m by ISU under the quota reallocation process. If this occurs, Joshua Lose has been nominated as the athlete to be added to the Team.