Julia Mancuso takes 15th career National title with GS win, Vonn early exit
“I’m halfway there,” said a smiling Julia Mancuso of her goal to reach 30 U.S. national titles after securing number 15 with the 2012 giant slalom crown in sunny Winter Park, Colo. today (March 31).
Unlike in yesterday’s super G that Mancuso won by more than a second, the California native had to work for her hardware today. The three-time Olympic medalist stood third in the first run after having a mid-course bobble in the soft first-run conditions. The seven-time World Cup winner’s competitive juices were brimming as she attacked the second run to win with just a seven hundredths-of-a-second cushion ahead of second-place finisher, Norwegian 19-year-old Kristine Haugen, who lead the first run.
“I just have fun, it’s motivating and of course it’s discouraging when you have a problem like [I did} first run,” said Mancuso. “These girls are skiing fast and it’s a highlight in their careers and if I can help them get highlights it’s even better for me so it’s nice.”
Mancuso, who collected two World Cup wins this season on her way to finishing the season ranked fourth in the overall standings, ended her competitive season enjoying the Colorado sunshine.
“First run was really good conditions, for the second run it is so warm here so it was tough, nothing too bad,” said Mancuso. “I really have fun skiing in the spring and I like these conditions so I never feel unsafe or that I am risking anything by being out here, it’s more that if I stay home I’m risking missing out on all the fun.”
Haugen, the younger sister of Leif Haugen who took second in this week’s men’s slalom, also claimed the honors as the top junior.
“It’s been great, I mean I never thought I could be top three here so I am really happy,” said Haugen. “This is one of my best results actually, maybe fourth at junior worlds was one of my best before this but I think it’s right up there.”
Mikaela Shiffrin, who claimed her second consecutive national slalom title earlier this week, finished second, 0.44 seconds behind Haugen. Shiffrin was also the second fastest junior in the the 81 woman field.
“I am very excited,” said Shiffrin. “I didn’t do so well in the GS at nationals last year. I have worked a lot on my GS this year so this is a really great way to end the season. Kristine Haugen got second place today and she is just making some awesome turns and I always love skiing with her and watching her. I’m sure she is going to be coming up the ranks with me for the rest of our careers. I’m very excited to be on the podium with those two.”
Anna Marno rounded out the junior podium in third with a 11th-place overall result.
Freshly minted overall World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn was the first racer on the course in the morning’s first run, but the Colorado local skied off course in the first few gates.
“This, to me, is more like an exhibition, it’s more about being there for the team, I’m not here to prove myself to anyone,” said Vonn. “I’m just here to have fun and be with the team. There is a huge crowd out here today and there are a lot of girls that are really fast so it’s cool to see that.”
After a long season on the World Cup tour, Vonn said she is looking forward to some rest and will seek solutions to long-term pain in both of her knees by getting MRI exams on Monday.
The 2012 U.S. National Championships will come to a close tomorrow with the men’s giant slalom.
Image by Susan Theis
Rank | Bib | Name | Team | Club | Class | Result 1 | Result 2 | Combined |
1 | 2 |
MANCUSO, Julia
|
USA
|
84
|
SR
|
1:11.70 (3)
|
1:11.54 (1)
|
2:23.24
|
2 | 3 |
HAUGEN, Kristine Gjelsten
|
NOR
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:10.69 (1)
|
1:12.62 (5)
|
2:23.31
|
3 | 4 |
SHIFFRIN, Mikaela
|
USA
|
95
|
J-2
|
1:11.46 (2)
|
1:12.29 (2)
|
2:23.75
|
4 | 5 |
MCJAMES, Megan
|
USA
|
87
|
SR
|
1:12.01 (4)
|
1:13.02 (11)
|
2:25.03
|
5 | 11 |
KANEKO, Misato
|
JPN
|
88
|
SR
|
1:12.81 (7)
|
1:12.73 (7)
|
2:25.54
|
6 | 8 |
ROMAR, Tii-Maria
|
FIN
|
86
|
SR
|
1:12.69 (5)
|
1:12.93 (9)
|
2:25.62
|
7 | 10 |
FORD, Julia
|
USA
|
90
|
SR
|
1:12.79 (6)
|
1:13.17 (13)
|
2:25.96
|
8 | 6 |
COOK, Stacey
|
USA
|
84
|
SR
|
1:13.58 (9)
|
1:12.63 (6)
|
2:26.21
|
9 | 14 |
SMITH, Leanne&nbs
p; |
USA
|
87
|
SR
|
1:13.86 (11)
|
1:13.05 (12)
|
2:26.91
|
10 | 39 |
MCDONALD, Amanda
|
USA
|
90
|
SR
|
1:14.78 (15)
|
1:12.43 (3)
|
2:27.21
|
11 | 18 |
MARNO, Anna
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:14.20 (13)
|
1:13.44 (16)
|
2:27.64
|
12 | 17 |
HARTMAN, Katie
|
USA
|
88
|
SR
|
1:13.59 (10)
|
1:14.13 (22)
|
2:27.72
|
13 | 7 |
STAPLES, Kiley
|
USA
|
89
|
SR
|
1:13.03 (8)
|
1:14.71 (27)
|
2:27.74
|
14 | 22 |
CRAWFORD, Candace
|
CAN
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:15.83 (22)
|
1:12.52 (4)
|
2:28.35
|
15 | 9 |
WALES, Brooke
|
USA
|
90
|
SR
|
1:14.49 (14)
|
1:13.90 (20)
|
2:28.39
|
16 | 47 |
GIBSON, Libby
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:15.33 (18)
|
1:13.18 (14)
|
2:28.51
|
17 | 25 |
LAPANJA, Lila
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:15.10 (17)
|
1:13.68 (17)
|
2:28.78
|
18 | 20 |
PETERSON, Foreste
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:15.00 (16)
|
1:14.12 (21)
|
2:29.12
|
19 | 24 |
SAMUELS, Lauren
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:15.83 (22)
|
1:13.31 (15)
|
2:29.14
|
20 | 28 |
NAATZ, Emma
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:16.17 (28)
|
1:13.01 (10)
|
2:29.18
|
21 | 16 |
ROSS, Laurenne
|
USA
|
88
|
SR
|
1:16.41 (31)
|
1:12.80 (8)
|
2:29.21
|
22 | 37 |
DUKE, Hailey
|
USA
|
85
|
SR
|
1:15.86 (24)
|
1:13.70 (18)
|
2:29.56
|
23 | 12 |
GHENT, Abby
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:15.74 (21)
|
1:14.17 (23)
|
2:29.91
|
24 | 42 |
IDE, Maisie
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:16.14 (27)
|
1:13.80 (19)
|
2:29.94
|
25 | 29 |
LONZA, Geordie
|
USA
|
89
|
SR
|
1:15.98 (25)
|
1:14.30 (24)
|
2:30.28
|
26 | 26 |
WILES, Jacqueline
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:15.50 (19)
|
1:14.79 (29)
|
2:30.29
|
27 | 32 |
SHAW, Kara
|
USA
|
91
|
SR
|
1:16.10 (26)
|
1:14.50 (25)
|
2:30.60
|
28 | 38 |
MCKENNIS, Alice
|
USA
|
89
|
SR
|
1:16.24 (29)
|
1:14.65 (26)
|
2:30.89
|
29 | 34 |
FARROW, Katie
|
CAN
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:16.46 (32)
|
1:14.79 (29)
|
2:31.25
|
30 | 58 |
JOHNSON, Breezy
|
USA
|
96
|
J-2
|
1:17.34 (35)
|
1:15.68 (33)
|
2:33.02
|
31 | 21  ; |
KNOWLES, Natalie
|
CAN
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:18.41 (42)
|
1:14.73 (28)
|
2:33.14
|
32 | 72 |
ENDERS, Destrey
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:17.91 (40)
|
1:15.47 (32)
|
2:33.38
|
33 | 68 |
ANDERSON, Nicole
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:17.53 (37)
|
1:16.11 (35)
|
2:33.64
|
34 | 46 |
CALCAGNI, Lexi
|
USA
|
95
|
J-2
|
1:17.45 (36)
|
1:16.37 (36)
|
2:33.82
|
34 | 45 |
HASKELL, Mardene
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:18.00 (41)
|
1:15.82 (34)
|
2:33.82
|
36 | 35 |
BURROWS, Khyla
|
USA
|
90
|
SR
|
1:17.29 (34)
|
1:17.74 (41)
|
2:35.03
|
37 | 54 |
PEARL, Natalie
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:17.66 (38)
|
1:17.47 (40)
|
2:35.13
|
38 | 59 |
ROLFS, Elizabeth
|
USA
|
95
|
J-2
|
1:18.81 (46)
|
1:17.05 (37)
|
2:35.86
|
39 | 41 |
ANDREWS, Lena
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:17.78 (39)
|
1:18.62 (44)
|
2:36.40
|
40 | 65 |
KENNEDY, Allene
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:19.20 (50)
|
1:17.31 (38)
|
2:36.51
|
41 | 71 |
SEDBERRY, Chandler
|
USA
|
96
|
J-2
|
1:19.90 (54)
|
1:17.42 (39)
|
2:37.32
|
42 | 66 |
CLARKE, Devon
|
CAN
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:19.61 (52)
|
1:17.93 (42)
|
2:37.54
|
42 | 61 |
LATHROP, Brittany
|
USA
|
95
|
J-2
|
1:18.69 (45)
|
1:18.85 (46)
|
2:37.54
|
44 | 43 |
KIKUT, Sara
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:18.83 (47)
|
1:18.79 (45)
|
2:37.62
|
45 | 52 |
STRONG, Anne
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:19.03 (48)
|
1:18.92 (47)
|
2:37.95
|
46 | 53 |
CARTER, Laurel
|
USA
|
86
|
SR
|
1:19.33 (51)
|
1:18.98 (48)
|
2:38.31
|
47 | 55 |
KLEIN, Morgan
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:19.18 (49)
|
1:19.60 (50)
|
2:38.78
|
48 | 76 |
HOSTETLER, Katie
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:21.00 (58)
|
1:19.29 (49)
|
2:40.29
|
49 | 78 |
GUILMINEAU, Celine
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:20.68 (57)
|
1:19.63 (51)
|
2:40.31
|
50 | 60 |
MINANA, Paige
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:20.60 (56)
|
1:19.75 (52)
|
2:40.35
|
51 | 62 |
BJORKMAN, Julia
|
USA
|
95
|
J-2
|
1:22.07 (62)
|
1:18.32 (43)
|
2:40.39
|
52 | 79 |
SHEELY, Miranda
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:21.49 (60)
|
1:20.09 (53)
|
2:41.58
|
53 < /td> | 19 |
DUPRATT, Jaime
|
USA
|
90
|
SR
|
1:27.84 (65)
|
1:15.08 (31)
|
2:42.92
|
54 | 80 |
HASLAU, Jessica
|
AUS
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:21.98 (61)
|
1:21.33 (54)
|
2:43.31
|
55 | 77 |
WHALER, Emily
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:23.42 (63)
|
1:21.41 (55)
|
2:44.83
|
56 | 75 |
DAVIDSON, Katie
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:23.69 (64)
|
1:21.99 (56)
|
2:45.68
|
57 | 51 |
GENCHEFF, Alex
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:20.27 (55)
|
1:27.27 (57)
|
2:47.54
|
23 |
BERTHER, Vanessa
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:14.09 (12)
|
DNF
|
|
|
30 |
IRWIN, Katharine
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:15.60 (20)
|
DNF
|
|
|
50 |
MCVICKER, Victoria
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
1:16.33 (30)
|
DNF
|
|
|
40 |
BYRNE, Greta
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:17.00 (33)
|
DNF
|
|
|
67 |
ANDREINI, Isabella
|
USA
|
95
|
J-2
|
1:18.45 (43)
|
DNF
|
|
|
44 |
KIKUT, Anna
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:18.59 (44)
|
DNF
|
|
|
73 |
HUSSON, Emily
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
1:19.72 (53)
|
DNF
|
|
|
74 |
GRAUER, Taylor
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
1:21.08 (59)
|
DNF
|
|
|
70 |
MOUNSEY, Anna
|
USA
|
95
|
J-2
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
69 |
REILLY, Amanda
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
64 |
HANSELER, Haley
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
57 |
HALL, Madeleine
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
56 |
HUDSON, Piera
|
NZL
|
96
|
J-2
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
49 |
RYAN, Katherine
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
48 |
FRENCH, Bridget
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
36 |
ALTRINGER, Courtney
|
USA
|
93
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS &
nbsp; |
|
|
33 |
MOLTZAN, Paula
|
USA
|
94
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
31 |
KISTLER, Lizzie
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
27 |
CASTON, Rose
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
15 |
GHENT, Erika
|
USA
|
88
|
SR
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
13 |
MCLEAN, Shane
|
USA
|
92
|
J-1
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
1 |
VONN, Lindsey
|
USA
|
84
|
SR
|
DNF
|
DNS
|
|
|
81 |
MOSENTHAL, Kia
|
USA
|
90
|
SR
|
DNS
|
DNS
|
|
|
63 |
RAPLEY, Taylor
|
NZL
|
91
|
SR
|
DNS
|
DNS
|
|