Brandenburg leads U.S. sweep in NorAm GS
Will Brandenburg led a U.S. sweep of the top four places Tuesday in a Chevrolet Super Series giant slalom as NorAm Cup racing resumed at Sunday River. He edged Tim Jitloff by three-hundredths of a second for the victory.
BETHEL, Maine — Will Brandenburg led a U.S. sweep of the top four places Tuesday in a Chevrolet Super Series giant slalom as NorAm Cup racing resumed at Sunday River. He edged Tim Jitloff by three-hundredths of a second for the victory.
In blowy weather, with temperatures in the low 20s, Brandenburg was second on the first run and took the victory when Canadian Jean-Philippe Roy skied off-course early in his second run. The time for Brandenburg's first Super Series triumph was 2 minutes, 35.36 seconds; the Super Series represents U.S. races in the NorAm Cup series.
Jitloff, the 2005 Junior World Championships combined gold medalist who is returning after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament a year ago, was second in 2:35.39. Warner Nickerson — who skied plenty at Sunday River before he graduated from Colby College in Maine — completed the podium in 2:35.75.
"The guys really stepped up in the second run," said coach Tom Sell. "It's the first podium for all three of 'em — for Will, 'Jit' and Warner, so that's pretty special. Will really attacked and it just put some smack down. All the guys were ready to go.
"It was definitely windy. They said something like 100 mile an hour gusts in the morning — we were on a wind hold for a while, once we started it was windy, but I don't think anyone got super rocked. It was quite a field — 92, including the full 40 Canadians with their quota … and I think we'll see some more of this tomorrow in the second GS," Sell said.
The annual Super Series visit to Sunday River continues Wednesday with another GS, beginning at 10 a.m. with the second run set for 1 p.m. ET. Click here to follow the race via live interval timing.
ALPINE NORAM CUP
Super Series
Bethel, Maine — Jan. 2, 2007
Men's giant slalom-1
1. Will Brandenburg, Spokane, WA, 2:35.26
2. Tim Jitloff, Reno, NV, 2:35.39
3. Warner Nickerson, Gilford, NH, 2:35.75
4. Erik Fisher, Middleton, ID, 2:35.78
5. Scott Barrett, Canada, 2:35.80
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U.S. skiers in the top 20:
6. Andrew Weibrecht, Lake Placid, NY, 2:36.41
8. Tim Kelley, Starksboro, VT, 2:36.63
10. Roger Brown, Norwich, VT, 2:38.07
11. Jeremy Transue, Hunter, NY, 2:38.14
12. Scott Veenis, Salt Lake City, 2:38.39
13. David Chodounsky, Crested Butte, CO, 2:38.40
15. Jack Reed, Stowe, VT, 2:38.72
16. Paul Epstein, Carlisle, MA, 2:38.73
17. Travis Gaylord, Park City, UT, 2:38.76
18. Greg Hardy, Jamaica, VT, 2:39.03
19. Chris Frank, Windham, NY, 2:39.09
About the Author: Pete Rugh
