A 'super stoked” Rebecca Torr is still pinching herself after being selected to represent New Zealand at this year's Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

The 23-year-old Te Puke athlete is part of the 15-strong NZ Olympic Winter Team consisting of snowboard, freeski, alpine skiing, ice speed skating and skeleton announced today.

Te Puke's Rebecca Torr grinding a rail in Colorado.

Speaking to SunLive from her home base in Breckenridge, Colorado, Rebecca says it is incredible hearing her name announced after such a short amount of time in the sport of slopestyle.

Rebecca began snowboarding in 2002 but only began competing in snowboard slopestyle in 2010. She enjoyed a rapid rise up the elite ranks and in 2011 was named the Ball Park Rookie of the Year for the 2010-11 Winter Dew Tour season.

Torr received the award for her consistent performances – two fifths and a third place finish, making the finals at all three stops earning her second place overall on the tour. She has also placed third in slopestyle at the 100% Pure NZ Winter Games in 2011 and attended two X Games; the European X Games in 2011 and the US XGames in 2012.

'It seems like it has all happened so fast and it's so it hard to take it all in,” says Rebecca.

'I'm super stoked to hear everyone's response about how proud they are. It's cool to have a contest to represent your country because it's usually just a competition for yourself.”

Currently ranked 16 in the world in women's snowboard slopestyle, Rebecca knows she has to be on top of her game come qualifying but believes she has what it takes to make it through to the final rounds.

With the introduction of new sports to the games, 12 of the 15 selected New Zealand team members will be first time Olympians, with just three athletes having attended an Olympic Games previously.

They are; Rebecca Sinclair, snowboard halfpipe, Vancouver 2010; Ben Sandford, skeleton, Torino 2006, Vancouver 2010; and Shane Dobbin, speed skating, Vancouver 2010.

New Zealand Olympic Committee chief executive Kereyn Smith says the team is exciting.

'New Zealand has had some strong results in the adrenaline-filled freeski and snowboard disciplines and we're delighted that our athletes will be at Sochi 2014 competing in cutting edge Olympic sports,” says Kereyn.

'We also welcome back athletes competing in ice speed skating and skeleton where selection criteria have been tougher than in previous years.”

Head coach of the Olympic park and pipe snow sports team, Tom Willmott, says blood, sweat and tears have gone into Olympic preparation for his athletes.

'It's been four long years and we're looking to maintain the recent strong momentum heading into the Olympic Games and deliver the results that the team is capable of,” says Tom.

'The recent momentum gained at the final qualifying events has given the team a boost and we will travel to Sochi with pride and confidence, ready to perform on the world's biggest sporting stage.”

Rotorua skeleton racer Ben Sandford, who suffered a bone-jarring crash ahead of his final Olympic qualification event, is also delighted to be heading back to the Olympic Winter Games.

Ben is joined in the skeleton by first time Olympic athlete Katharine Eustace, who finished her qualification season with strong performances, resulting in a World Ranking of 11th heading into the games.