The Bread Bakers Guild Team USA 2005 held its first formal practice sessions Aug. 15-18 at the IBIE show in Las Vegas. The team is preparing for the prestigious Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (World Cup of Baking) to be held next April in Paris, France. IBIE attendees will be able to view the open practice session.

Led by Team Manager Tim Foley of Bit of Swiss Pastry Shoppe in Stevensville, Mich. and Team Coach Didier Rosada of the San Francisco Baking Institute, the three-man team will spend hundreds of hours together and independently studying, planning and training for the international competition.

The U.S. team members and the categories they represent are: Jory Downer of Bennison’s Bakeries, Evanston, Ill., viennoiserie; Team Captain William Leaman of The Essential Baking Company, Seattle, Wash., artistic design; and Jeffrey Yankellow of the San Francisco Baking Institute, San Francisco, Calif., baguette and specialty breads.

"We are thrilled to be representing the United States in Paris, and we plan to be very competitive. Practice sessions like these are crucial to our timing and teamwork," said Foley who served as team captain of silver-medal winning Team USA 2002.