JOs: Brownwell-Patty, Mitchell take J3 downhills

Competition at the J3 Junior Olympics got underway today (March 6) at Golden Peak in Vail, Colo. with men’s and women’s downhill races.

A pair of Aspen skiers topped the women’s podium as Dannielle Brownwell-Patty (46.36) and Julia Muller-Ristine (46.93) finished 1,2 on the 1220-meter course. Brownwell-Patty put down a great run, beating Muller-Ristine by more than half a second. Buck Hill skier Montana Marzario, winner of the overall at J4 JOs last season, (47.43) rounded out the podium in third place, just more than a second off the winning pace.

Brownwell-Patty’s win was no surprise, as she had the fastest and second-fastest times in this week’s training runs.

Just off the podium was Suzanne Lyon in fourth place with a time of 47.49.

The men’s race also saw a clear winner as Welch Valley Minnesota‘s Nicholas Mitchell (45.45) won by .71 seconds after leading both training runs. Fellow Minnesotan Connor Croasdale of Buck Hill (45.16) finished second ahead of Ski Club Vail’s Nick Santaniello in third with a time of 46.27.

“It feels great,” Mitchell told the Vail Daily. “I trained really hard for this all season. I built up to it. I’m glad that I’m peaking and skiing real well.”

Taos’ Nicolas Veth finished just off the podium in fourth with a time of 46.32.

Junior Olympic racing continues tomorrow in Vail with men’s and women’s super G races. 

Click here for complete results.