"I can't believe it. I was trying for a medal in every event but for it to actually happen – to go up and hear the national anthem – it's pretty surreal," said Granstrom, a third-year member of the U.S. Development Team. "This is when I was trying to peak and this is the race that I was looking forward to all prep period during the summer and through all those days in the gym."
Granstrom's seventh in Tuesday's night slalom paired with a 15th in today's downhill, bought him membership to the world's elite. Also in the downhill top 15 was Wiley Maple (Aspen, CO; Aspen Ski and Snowboard Club) in ninth and Will Gregorak (Longmont, CO; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail) with 13th.
"The competition at the World Junior level is extremely tight, even a small mistake here is costly," said U.S. Development Team coach Tommy Eckfeldt. "As we saw in the slalom, there was only a couple of tenths separating almost 20 positions. It's just splitting hairs and Colby was able to maintain good quality skiing with the smallest number of mistakes to be right in there."
The event was originally scheduled to close the week on Saturday, but fearing adverse weather, organizers ran both the men's and women's downhill races Thursday under bluebird skies and perfect conditions. Italian Mattia Casse took the men's downhill title, while Jeromine Geroudet of France captured the women's crown. Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH; Holderness Ski Team) was the top U.S. woman in 22nd.
Granstrom credited long days in the gym at the Center of Excellence in Park City, where he and fellow Development Team members spent the months of July and August honing their conditioning for the long season.
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