( L - R ) Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, Errol Kerr, Jamaican skier. - file photos

A Jamaican team now competing at the Ski Cross World in Austria is receiving strong support from Sports Minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange.

Twenty-year-old American-born skier, Errol Kerr, rated 24th in the world and a former member of the United States ski cross team, is into the 32-man final round, after placing 30th overall.

"I want to personally say 'best wishes' to the Jamaica ski team now in Austria. This is another positive for our country on the international stage and I do want to wish them all the success at this event and for the rest of the season," said Grange.

"I would also like to assure the local ski fraternity that the Ministry of Sport is doing everything humanly possible to support our skiers, who have once again demonstrated the audacity of hope that is the true Jamaican spirit."

Grange, who is also the Minister of Information, Culture and Youth, believes that Jamaica can recreate the magic of the 1988 appearance of the bobsled team at the Calgary Winter Olympics, if she can drum up similar enthusiasm for Kerr.

With this level of attention, Grange hopes to pursue other channels and identify creative ways to help raise the US$240,000 needed to finance the team (which includes 20-year-old English-born skier Gregg Samuels) through to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada.

Kerr has been grabbing the spotlight since switching allegiance and was featured in the 2009 January edition of Skiing Magazine, the top ski tabloid covering the sport.