After hanging out with YOG Ambassador Yuna Kim in California, Yoggl made the short hop over to the two-time Olympic resort of Lake Placid to meet some young American athletes hoping to compete at the first Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck.

Always on hand to support budding stars of the future, Yoggl watched the talented teenagers take part in the US YOG team’s final qualifying events for Nordic combined and ski jumping as part of the annual Flaming Leaves Festival.

Following the competition, our friendly mountain goat was on hand to congratulate Nordic combined skier Ben Berend from Colorado and ski jumpers Emilee Anderson of Wisconsin and Illinois’s A.J. Brown, who were subsequently nominated to represent the US. The three athletes completed a list of 15 American skiers and snowboarders announced as potential members of the US team at the event.

Away from the tension of qualification, and not forgetting this was a festival after all, Yoggl found time to sample some of the amazing bbq food on offer and even show off his fancy footwork to the tunes of a local blues band! Yee-hah!

Good luck to all the other young athletes hoping to qualify for Innsbruck 2012. We look forward to seeing you there!