Jenny Lathrop closing book on alpine career

As the top few racers gathered in the finish area of the women’s giant slalom at U.S. nationals on Wednesday, Jenny Lathrop stood apart. The former U.S. Ski Team member was third after the first run, and as she waited to see how her overall time would stand up, she stood next to the current team members — her old blue Spyder team suit contrasting with this year’s black version.
    It was telling. As Jenny poled out of the finish area, ending up sixth overall in GS, she quietly announced that this was probably her last race. Smiling — always smiling — she acknowledged that she didn’t “charge as hard” second run but that it was OK. Despite just missing a second medal from this championship — after a bronze in slalom last Saturday — she seemed content.
    She started the championship by winning bronze in the women’s slalom. Was that enough to turn her focus back to trying to qualify for the U.S. Ski Team? No, she claimed. “I’m very happy with school,” she said. “I think this might have been my last race.”
CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — As the top few racers gathered in the finish area of the women’s giant slalom at U.S. nationals on Wednesday, Jenny Lathrop stood apart. The former U.S. Ski Team member was third after the first run, and as she waited to see how her overall time would stand up, she stood next to the current team members — her old blue Spyder team suit contrasting with this year’s black version.
    It was telling. As Jenny poled out of the finish area, ending up sixth overall in GS, she quietly announced that this was probably her last race. Smiling — always smiling — she acknowledged that she didn’t “charge as hard” second run but that it was OK. Despite just missing a second medal from this championship — after a bronze in slalom last Saturday — she seemed content.
    Jenny came to Sugarloaf from her new life at the University of Denver, where she matriculated last fall after two years on the U.S. Ski Team and two years before that at Colby College. Did she have expectations coming to nationals?
    “Not at all,” she said, “because I haven’t been on hard snow and haven’t skied much being in that I’ve been in college. I’m really thrilled with how I’ve done here.”
    She started the championship by winning bronze in the women’s slalom. Was that enough to turn her focus back to trying to qualify for the U.S. Ski Team? No, she claimed. “I’m very happy with school,” she said. “I think this might have been my last race.”
    But it wasn’t a teary good-bye for the petite blond who, since the days of chasing her older sister Christin around New Hampshire’s Attitash Mountain along with her identical twin sister Abbi, has always shown natural ski talent. Like always, Jenny was smiling, seemingly at peace with her decision to pursue studio art with a minor in business administration at Denver.
    When asked why she chose to attend Denver rather than returning to Colby, she explained that her friends whom she started with at Colby in 2002 have all graduated, and now at age 25, she is finally ready to live farther from her North Conway, N.H., roots.
    She raced for the Denver Pioneers this season, helping the team to its 19th NCAA title and earning a bronze in slalom along the way—her second NCAA medal (she won silver in the 2003 slalom while racing for Colby) and the fourth overall for the family (Abbi won silver in GS in 2005 and gold in 2006). She is no longer eligible to race NCAA but says she might try to qualify for the World University Games next winter.
    As she moves on, the ski racing community will surely miss her smile and enthusiasm. It’s been a good run.