Americans sweep alpine events in New Zealand

David Chodounsky file photo – Gepa

Indicating it was a career building result, Paula Moltzan took her first Continental Cup win with a Australia/New Zealand Cup slalom win at Coronet Peak Wednesday (Aug. 21) with Megan McJames claiming the bronze medal spot in third. In the men’s event the win went to David Chodounsky giving the Americans an alpine sweep of the day in the New Zealand Winter Games.

Chodounsky had to outlast Japan’s Akira Sasaki. With his coach setting the second of two courses, Sasaki made up ground on the first round leader, but fell eight-hundredths shy of overtaking the American.

“I’m on a roll,” said Chodounsky as he added the win to a list that started earlier this summer with a couple of slalom wins at Thredbo, Australia, including the Australian National Championship.

Third place went to Slovak Adam Zampa. Strong US results were recorded by Colby Granstrom in fifth and Tim Kelley in eighth. Micheal Ankeny was 15th and Will Gregorak 16th.

Will Brandenburg was third after the first run an appeared destine to score well before straddling in the second heat and being claimed by the course.

Moltzan had to come up with a second run charge to unseat Swiss first run winner Michelle Gisin. McJames had a stand-out second run moving to the podium despite a first run effort that left her 13th.

Although Austria claimed half of the top ten finish spots it was kept off the podium by McJames’ charge.