Utah Skier Online

U.S. Snowboarder Pat Holland Marks First World Cup Podium Finish in Spain

LA MOLINA, Spain - It was a great end to the season for Pat Holland (Squaw Valley, CA) who took third to mark the first World Cup podium of his career during the snowboardcross competition in Spain on Friday.

"It felt really good. I just kept working hard. All year I was riding at a really high level, I just didn't have any results. It just clicked today," Holland said. "I'm really happy with the way I rode. I had to fight through every round, but I fought well and made it to the podium."

Pierre Vaultier of France won, followed in second by Australia's Alex Pullin. According to Holland, the top two had pulled away from the start, and finishing third was a battle between he and Italy's Alberto Schiavon.

"Alberto and I were behind fighting for third he pulled away from e a bit and we were going into the second of last turn and I'm determined to make the podium, so I laid it down in the last two turns and made the pass in the last bank for third," Holland said. "I made passes where I wanted to make passes in places other guys couldn’t, so I'm pumped."

U.S. Olympian Nolan Kasper Finishes Third at NorAm Slalom Event

WATERVILLE VALLEY, NH - The 2010 NorAm Cup series came to an end on Thursday afternoon. Canada's Paul Stutz topped the slalom field to take the win. 2010 U.S. Olympic Team member Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT) was the top U.S. finisher in third.

Stutz was crowned winner of the final NorAm slalom race of the season. Trailing him was fellow Canadian Patrick Biggs in second, just three tenths back. Kasper followed Biggs to take the third and final spot on the podium.

David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) just missed the top five by five hundredths placing sixth. Chodounsky had a solid second run, moving up several from spots from the first run.

The NorAm slalom title was awarded to Nolan Kasper. Canada’s Dustin Cook clinched the NorAm cup overall title a mere two points ahead of USA’s Will Brandenburg (Spokane, WA).

OFFICIAL RESULTS
NorAm Cup
Waterville Valley, NH
March 18, 2010
Men's slalom

1. Paul Stutz, Canada, 1:45.81
2. Patrick Biggs, Canada, 1:46.10
3. Nolan Kasper, Warren, VT, 1:46.40
4. Leif Kristian Haugen, Norway, 1:46.61
5. Oscar Andersson, Sweden, 1:46.43
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6. David Chodounsky, Crested Butte, CO, 1:46.48
8. Tommy Ford, Bend, OR, 1:46.98
11. Chris Frank, Windham, NY, 1:46.98
14. Will Gregorak, Longmont, CO, 1:47.17
DNF: Ben Morse, Carrabassett Valley, ME; Paul McDonald, Bellevue, WA; Tim Kelley, Starksboro, VT; Tim Jitloff, Reno, NV; Michael Ankeny, Deephaven, MN; Colby Granstrom, Lake Stevens WA; Will Brandenburg, Spokane, WA; Nick Daniels, Tahoe City, CA

Sarah Schleper, Katie Hitchcock Close NorAm Series with Podium Finishes

WATERVILLE VALLEY, NH - The women's NorAm Cup series closed on Thursday with the conclusion of the slalom race. Canada's Marie-Michele Gagnon topped the field, with Sarah Schleper (Vail, CO) and Katie Hitchcock (Sacramento, CA) in second and third.

Gagnon led the field on Thursday, beating out U.S. Alpine Ski Team member Schelper for the win. Hitchcock followed Schleper, taking the final spot on the podium.

Hailey Duke (Boise, ID) tied for fourth, missing the podium by 0.15. Sterling Grant (Amery, WI) sat just outside of the top five in sixth.

Canada’s Eve Routhier won the women’s NorAm slalom title. Laurenne Ross (Klamath Falls, OR) was crowned NorAm Cup overall winner on Thursday. Teammates Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH) and Megan McJames (Park City, UT) followed in second and third in the overall standings.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
NorAm Cup
Waterville Valley, NH
March 18, 2010
Women's slalom

1. Marie-Michele Gagnon, Canada, 1:48.07
2. Sarah Schleper, Vail, CO, 1:48.29
3. Katie Hitchcock, Sacramento, CA, 1:48.81
4. Hailey Duke, Boise, ID, 1:48.96
4. Erin Mielzynski, Canada, 1:48.96
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6. Sterling Grant, Amery, WI, 1:49.09
8. Megan McJames, Park City, UT, 1:50.10
10. Devin Delaney, North Conway, NH, 1:50.37
11. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:50.82
13. Julia Ford, Plymouth, NH, 1:50.92
14. Kiley Staples, Park City, UT, 1:51.01
DNF: Felicia Byers, Sandy, UT; Lauren Samuels, Golden Valley, MN; Vanessa Berther, Bellevue, WA; Stacey Cook, Mammoth, CA; Leanne Smith, Conway, NH; Kaylin Richardson, Edina, MN; Greta Byrne, Medford, NJ; Alice McKennis, Glenwood Springs, CO

Eliza Outtrim Closes World Cup Moguls Season with First Career Win

SIERRA NEVADA, Spain - Eliza Outtrim (Steamboat Springs, CO) closed out the World Cup season in a big way Thursday as she took the win to mark the first podium performance of her career during the moguls competition in Spain. She was joined on the podium by teammate Heather McPhie (Bozeman, MT) who was third.

"It's pretty incredible. I honestly couldn't believe it. It was so surreal for so long," Outtrim said. "I really did not expect this at all. I was really just hoping to get a top five, so this win is unbelievable."

On a brand new World Cup course, Outtrim said conditions improved throughout the day, enabling her to have her best run of the year.

"The course got better throughout the day. We had bad weather and poor visibility in the morning, and by the afternoon it had cleared out and the snow got better," Outtrim said. "I came off the top air and went fairly large, and from there I tried skiing fast and I nailed my bottom air. They were probably my best two jumps this year."

Ben Farrow, Allyson Carroll Win U.S. Revolution Tour Halfpipe Event

MT. HOOD, OR - The U.S. Revolution Tour wrapped up its final day of halfpipe competition of the season Wednesday. Ben Farrow (Mt, Holly, VT) and Allyson Carroll (Truckee, CA) took home the win.

Farrow landed the top spot of the podium on after falling during his first run. He stepped up to the plate and laid down a solid second run to take the win. Jd Dennis (Bend, OR) and Cody Tyler Weselis (Park City, UT) trailed Farrow to take second and third.

“I actually had to take my second run, go back and calm down a little,” said Farrow. “I had to give it something I could really land.”

Allison Jones Leads U.S. at Paralympic Giant Slalom Event

WHISTLER CREEKSIDE, BC - Allison Jones (Colorado Springs, CO; standing) was the USA’s top finisher in Wednesday’s standing giant slalom at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games, coming in ninth place among women.

Jones posted a first run time of 1:23.07, which placed her in seventh only 1.19 seconds off of the first run third place finisher Andrea Rothfuss of Germany (1:21.18). Knowing she had to lay down an aggressive run on the second course of the day, Jones came out of the gate doing just that. However, she nearly fell and dropped two places in Wednesday’s final standings, covering both runs in 2:52.26.

“That was it,” said Jones. “I threw an aggressive run and lost it. That's what you do in the sport, you go or blow. I'd rather go out proud than take it easy and not fall.”

Jones finished 18.23 seconds behind gold medalist Lauren Woolstencroft (2:34.03) of Canada, who also took the slalom gold on Monday. Rothfuss, the silver medalist in the slalom, picked up her second silver with a time of 2:41.60 (+7.57), while Slovakia’s Petra Smarzova claimed the bronze in 2:41.63 (+7.60).

Sarah Schleper, Megan McJames Finish 2-3 at NorAm Giant Slalom Event

WATERVILLE VALLEY, NH - U.S. Alpine Ski Team veteran Sarah Schleper (Vail, CO) led the U.S. in Wednesday’s NorAm Cup Finals giant slalom. Canada’s Marie-Michele Gagnon clinched the win.

Gagnon was strong in the final women’s NorAm GS of the season, winning the race by two seconds. Schleper raced to second followed by Megan McJames (Park City, UT) in third.

Jess Kelley (Starksboro, VT) and Leanne Smith (Conway, NH) pushed into the top five, finishing in fourth and fifth. The U.S. women took four out of the top five finishes.

The NorAm overall GS title was awarded to Norway’s Anne Ceilie Brusletto. Canada’s placed second and third with Marie-Pier Prefontaine and Marie-Michele Gagnon.

Dash Kamp, Caty O'Connor Win Revolution Tour Slopestyle Event

MT. HOOD, OR (March 16) – Dash Kamp (Sandpoint, ID) and Caty O’Connor (Auburn, CA) won the last slopestlye Revolution Tour competition of the season on Tuesday.

Kamp topped the podium with Nichols Sibayan (Wrightwood, CA) trailing in second. Max Warbington (Bend, OR) rounded out the podium in third.

O’Connor was the top women’s competitor, beating out the field. Mikaela Casey (Mound, MN) and Haille Soderholm (Proir Lake, MN) followed O’Connor placing second and third.

Mt. Hood will host the Rev Tour halfpipe competition on today.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Revolution Tour
Mt. Hood, OR
March 16, 2010
Slopestyle

Men
1. Dash Kamp, Sandpoint, ID
2. Nicholas Sibayan, Wrightwood, CA
3. Max Warbington, Bend, OR

Women
1. Caty O’ Connor, Auburn, CA
2. Mikaela Casey, Mound, MN
3. Haille Soderholm, Prior Lake, MN

Alana Nichols, Stephani Victor Finish 1-2 at Paralympic Women's GS Event

WHISTLER CREEKSIDE, BC (March 16) – In heavy rain and bitter cold, Alana Nichols (Farmington, NM; sit-ski) and Stephani Victor (Park City, UT; sit-ski) won gold and silver in the sitting division of Tuesday’s giant slalom race. With the gold medal, Nichols becomes the first female U.S. Paralympian to claim gold in both summer and winter Games. It was Victor’s second silver of the 2010 Games.

Nichols won with a combined time of 2:57.57. Victor came in at 3.01.78 (+4.21) and Japan’s Kuniko Obinata won the bronze with 3:08.71 (+11.14).

Nichols had the fastest time in the first run of day, giving her a comfortable cushion for the second run. Even with a mistake in the bottom part of the course, she maintained her lead.

Paralympic Gold Medalist Allison Jones Finishes 5th at Standing Slalom Event

WHISTLER CREEKSIDE, BC - Allison Jones (Colorado Springs, CO; standing), Monte Meier (Park City, UT; standing) and Brad Washburn (Winter Park, CO; standing) finished among the top ten in Monday’s standing slalom event.

Jones, the defending Paralympic slalom gold medalist, was the USA’s top finisher, coming in fifth place among women after closing her first run in seventh position. Five-time Paralympian Meier, who has said he will retire from ski racing after this year, moved up from 11th to finish in eighth place and two-time Paralympian Washburn, who was eighth after the first run, got bumped by Meier and finished in ninth place.

“Today was a tough day with real unique conditions with a lot of moisture,” said U.S. Adaptive Alpine Head Coach Ray Watkins. “The courses were deteriorated. Allison Jones was in the worst possible spot that you could be in a Paralympic Games. The first run she really wasn’t herself. She needed to be firing on all cylinders in both runs. It didn’t happen. She had a great second run. Good for her on that and I’m sure she’s going to use this day as motivation to come back and kick (butt) the rest of the time.”

“The first run I didn’t like,” said Jones, who also competes in cycling in the Paralympic Summer Games. “The second run I definitely came back knowing that I had nothing to lose and I felt like I put down a pretty good run. Two little mistakes and that’s about it. Otherwise I felt really good. I wish I would have gone up further, but it is what it is. I felt like I came back and had a strong run. I felt like I showed everybody what I can do.”

Laurenne Ross, Julia Ford Win NorAm Cup Super G, Super Combined Titles

BURKE, VT - Due to bad weather in the New England region, the NorAm Cup Finals women's super G and super combined were canceled Monday. Laurenne Ross (Klamath Falls, OR) and Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH) were awarded the super G and the super combined titles in lieu of the cancelation.

Ross won the super G title by 258 points over Canada's Georgia Simmerling. Ford trailed Simmerling in the standings by 21 points to take the bronze.

Ford wrapped up the super combined title 60 points ahead of teammates Ross and Megan McJames (Park City, UT). Both Ross and McJames scored 100 points this season, trying for second place in the overall super combined standings.

U.S. Skiers Julia Mancuso, Bode Miller Named USOC Athletes of the Month

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO - The U.S. Olympic Committee announced alpine skiers Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) and Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) as its February Athletes of the Month.

After not making the World Cup podium in two seasons, Mancuso won two Olympic silver medals at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in the super combined and downhill. The three-time Olympian finished 0.56 seconds behind winner and teammate Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) in the downhill, and in the super combined, finished 0.94 seconds behind gold medalist Germany's Maria Riesch of Germany.

Miller won three Olympic medals in the Vancouver Games including bronze in the downhill, silver in the super-G, and gold in the super combined. The four-time Olympian has become the all-time winningest male in U.S. alpine skiing history. With three medals in Vancouver, Miller becomes the 12th alpine skier to win three medals at a single Olympic Winter Games. His five total Olympic medals moves him to second on the all-time alpine skiing medal list among men behind Norway's Khetil Andre Aamodt with eight medals.

Placing second in the team voting was the USA Nordic Combined Ski Team. The U.S. team of Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO), Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO), Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY), and Brett Camerota (Park City, UT), won a historic silver medal in the relay.

Spillane and Demong also won independent medals throughout the Games. Spillane won two silvers, ending the wait for the U.S. winning the first Olympic medal since 1924, while Demong won the first gold and the relay team won the first Olympic medal in U.S. history for Nordic Combined.

12-Time Paralympic Medalist Chris Waddell Inducted Into Hall of Fame

WHISTLER, BC – One of the most decorated U.S. Adaptive Ski Team athletes of all time, Chris Waddell, was honored Sunday with induction into the Visa Paralympic Hall of Fame. The ceremony was held in Whistler in conjunction with the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) selected three Paralympic greats for induction in 2010 including cross-country skier Tanja Kari of Finland, biathlon and cross country skiing coach Rolf Hettich of Germany and Waddell. The three inductees were nominated by member organizations of the IPC based on their athletic performance, history of fair play and participation in community service. Kari, Waddell and Hettich then were selected by the IPC’s Governing Board.

Utah's Stephani Victor Wins Silver at Paralympic Women's Sit-Ski Slalom

WHISTLER CREEKSIDE, BC - U.S. Adaptive Alpine Team member, Stephani Victor (Park City, UT; sit-ski) has won a silver medal in the women's sit-ski slalom. This is Victor's third career Paralympic medal and the first U.S. alpine skiing medal of the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver.

Victor finished her two runs in 2:12.63, trailing Austria’s Claudia Loesch by just 0.58. The bronze medal when to Japan’s Kuniko Obinata, who finished with a time of 2:18.60.

"Life is good. I can’t complain at all. I would have liked it to have been gold for the U.S., but that’s how it goes," Victor said after the race.

After placing first in the training run earlier in the day, a slight mistake near the middle of the course cost Victor the gold medal. "A little hesitation cost me the race, but I wanted to make sure I was on my line and because I wasn’t sure and hesitated, that ate up all my time," she said.

Victor, a gold medalist in slalom from Torino and bronze medalist in downhill from Salt Lake City, was confident and prepared for the opening event after Saturday's downhill was postponed. "There are a lot of nerves for a defending gold medalist, but I have trained, I have prepared, I have studied this course," she said after the first run.

Her preparation though, couldn’t help the weather conditions and the more difficult course set in the afternoon. A heavy, wet snow began to fall just before the start of the second run, shortening visibility and changing course conditions to a softer surface. The afternoon course set also had more turns and was wider than the morning’s set.

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Kearney, Bahrke Finish 1-2 at World Cup Dual Moguls, Deneen Finishes 3rd

ARE, Sweden - The U.S. Freestyle Moguls Team isn't slowing down for anyone as Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) and Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) went 1-2 and Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA) took third during the dual moguls competition in Sweden on Saturday.

In total the U.S. put all six women in finals for the second day in a row with three in the final round of four.

"I feel fantastic. With it being the first dual, that's always a different ballgame. To win that as well as being able to win singles is really satisfying," Kearney said.

For the first duals of the season, Kearney was happy to be able to not only win, but show her consistency.

"Duals is a tough thing to win because you have to ski five races in a day and that's a tribute to my consistency. I did have some mistakes, but I competed through them and that's what makes it duals," Kearney said.

Hannah Kearney Wins Women's World Cup Moguls Event in Sweden

ARE, Sweden - In a virtual replay of the Olympic women's moguls event in Cypress a month ago, Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) returned to the World Cup to win, with Canada's Jenn Heil second and Olympic bronze medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) third. Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA) had his best finish of the year in second for the men.

After a month long break from skiing, Kearney found herself in a similar situation to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Like the Olympics, Kearney sat in the number one spot after qualifying on Thursday. Standing at the top of the course, Kearney knew that Heil had laid down a great run, holding on to the first place position as competitor after competitor went down.

"I was in first place after qualifying, but Jen Heil had a much better second run. She stayed in first place as my other teammates, Heather and Shannon, went down," explained Kearney.  "I knew I needed to ski a good run, a similar situation to the Olympics."

Kearney's break proved to be a smart move. She threw a back lay out off the first jump and a helicopter off the second along with the fastest time for the women. Kearney's near perfect run bumped Heil into second and Bahrke to third, identical to the Olympics.

U.S. Ski Team's Ted Ligety Wins Second World Cup Giant Slalom Title

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) clinched the second Audi FIS World Cup giant slalom title of his career on Friday with  third in the season's final event. The victory places Ligety in some pretty illustrious company as he joins Phil Mahre to become the only American men to earn two World Cup giant slalom titles.

"Having two globes is awesome," Ligety said. "It's cool to have those and to be the best in giant slalom over the last couple of years is nice."

Ligety's GS title is his second in three years, having won in 2008. Phil Mahre is the only other American man to win two, taking back-to-back titles in 1982 and '83. Bode Miller won the GS crown in 2004.

The GS was won by Carlo Janka of Switzerland, who locked the men's overall World Cup title with the win, followed by Davide Simoncelli of Italy in second.

Ligety had a solid first run and, after falling slightly behind at the third interval, he picked up the pace in the second run to tie for third in the giant slalom race with Austrian Philipp Schoerghofer.

U.S. Women's Mogul Team Sweeps World Cup Quals in Sweden.

ARE, Sweden - Five American men and five women qualified Thursday for Friday's FIS Freestyle World Cup moguls finals in Sweden. Olympic champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) led a 1-2-3 U.S. finish in qualifying ahead of recent bronze medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) and Heather McPhie (Bozeman, MT). David DiGravio (Farmington, ME) led the U.S. men qualifying third.

Lindsey Vonn Wins World Cup Overall Title, Ted Ligety Clinches GS Globe

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - Olympic Champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) locked in yet another accolade this season as she clinched the Audi FIS World Cup Overall title while winning the super G at the series finals in Germany on Friday.  This is Vonn's third straight overall title and is now the American with most World Cup wins at 33. Bode Miller has 32.

Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) added to his trophy collection Friday as he clinched the World Cup giant slalom title after finishing third in the season's final event.

Lindsey Vonn will Ski for World Cup Title Friday Despite Hard Crash Today

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany - According to U.S. Ski Team Medical Director Richard Quincy, Lindsey Vonn suffered a small bone bruise on the outside of her right knee resulting from a hard crash today during the World Cup giant slalom event but expects to be prepared to race in Friday's World Cup super G.

Vonn crashed when her skis locked up in a right hand turn. Germany's Maria Riesch finished third narrowing the gap in the hunt for the overall title to just 165 points.

Despite the pain in her knee, Vonn intends to race on Friday.

"I'm going to race tomorrow. I'm not going to back down from this. At this point, I'm used to fighting through pain," Vonn said.

Vonn needs only a top-7 finish in the super G  to take the overall title. Riesch, meanwhile, would need a win and a second with Vonn finishing outside the top-15 in both races.

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