It's official. New Castle native Alice McKennis is headed to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

At just 20 years old, McKennis will be on the grandest scale of amateur athletics competing against some of the greatest alpine skiers in the world.

McKennis, who burst onto the alpine skiing scene with World Cup success this season, is one of 22 men and women named to the team on Tuesday.

McKennis had just one World Cup start to her name entering the 2009-10 season but made a name for herself with 10th- and 18th-place downhill finishes in Lake Louise, Alberta, in early December.

She's been racking up points in downhill and super-G races ever since, which helped her punch her Olympic ticket.

McKennis, who started skiing as a youngster at Sunlight Mountain Resort, earned guaranteed World Cup starts this season by winning NorAm Cup titles in downhill and super-G in 2008-09.

Tuesday's announcement was originally slated for Monday but was pushed back to see if any extra spots opened up.

Other western Colorado skiers to earn a trip to Vancouver are Lindsey Vonn (Vail), Sarah Schleper (Vail) and Jake Zamansky (Aspen).

There are five medal events for each gender, with downhill, super-G, super combined, giant slalom and slalom all on the Olympic calendar.

The team is subject to final review by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The Olympic Games start on Feb. 12.