Mancuso Takes Third consecutive National GS Title

A second and a half inter-run gap wasn’t big enough to keep Julia Mancuso from claiming her third consecutive U.S. national giant slalom title today (April 1) in Winter Park, Colo.

Mancuso, the 2006 Olympic gold medalist in the discipline, trailed second-place finisher Sarah Schleper by 1.52 seconds after the first run on a sunny day in the Colorado Rockies. Mancuso cruised to the fastest run of the day (1:08.82) on the second run to take the win over Schleper with a 0.61-second margin. Downhill specialist Stacey Cook took her short skis for a ride to finish third, 1.94 seconds behind Mancuso.

“Sarah really layed it down first run. Maybe she shouldn’t have gone so fast, then I wouldn’t get so mad and want to ski fast. I like that kind of course, it was easy for me to see where I could go fast and just take risks,” said Mancuso, who landed her first World Cup victory in four years just two weeks ago. “It’s always hard to get back on the race skis after a little break, but second run I was a little more ready, it was softer but it was fun, a little wild ride like skiing in Squaw.”

The win marked Mancuso’s third straight national GS title (2009, 2010, 2011) and her 12th career national title across three disciplines.

Schleper crossed the line with a combined time of two minutes, 22.22 seconds. “It was a frustrating loss but I knew Julia could beat me on a soft, straight course,” said Schleper of the intense competition among the the U.S. Ski Team’s World Cup regulars. “I didn’t want it bad enough obviously, I didn’t risk enough. I after the first run and I heard Julia’s time, I knew I had to go as fast as I could. I didn’t do that and that was the difference.”

“We have such a competitive team and Julia is always out there to win it, so you’ve got to put on your game face and really got out there with a mission,” continued Schleper. “I still have the slalom and the super G – my first one since last nationals.”

Cook was pleasantly surprised with her ninth career Nationals podium finish, especially in a discipline she hasn’t focused on in years. “It feels a little strange, a little foreign,” said Cook. “It’s a little too much work for me, I’m used to the one-run program. It’s fun to come into nationals and have a fun, homey environment. I think I’m as surprised as everyone else that I was able to be fast today.” 

Laurenne Ross finished fourth, 3.23 seconds behind Mancuso.

Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s Abby Ghent landed eighth overall as the top junior in the field. It is her second-best Nationals result after finishing third in this season’s downhill race. “It’s nice, top junior is always a good thing but you’re always shooting for the real podium,” said Ghent. “I try to treat it like [Mancuso and Schlper] are any other competitor but it’s hard to. I’m star struck king of but it’s good watching them on the same course as me. I was two seconds of Julia’s second run and she ripped so I’d say that’s pretty good.”

After the race, Mancuso signed hundreds of autographs and posed for photos with hoards of the nations up-and-coming racers. “I think it’s really important [as a top racer] to set the pace and at least give the regional coaches the chance to see us World Cup skiers ski because we don’t always get that chance,” said Mancuso. “I remember coming to nationals as a junior and it was definitely a highlight. Every year it’s definitely a tiring season so it depends on the situation and how I feel, but I at least try to make an effort.”

National Championship competition continues in Winter Park tomorrow with men’s and women’s super G races Saturday, April 2. Slalom races are slated for Sunday, April 3.
 

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee

Putnam Investments US Alpine Championships, Women’s Giant Slalom, Winter Park, Colo., April 1, 2011

Equipment
skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Mancuso, Voelkl/Lange/Marker
2 Schleper, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
3 Cook, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

Putnam Investments US Alpine Championships, Women’s Giant Slalom, Winter Park, Colo., April 1, 2011. …The 76th Annual U.S. Alpine Championships. … Winning margin is .61. … first two skiers within the same second. … top three within two seconds.

It is a record 12th national title for Julia Mancuso and her third straight GS crown. … She has won four combineds, one downhill, five GS’s and two super G’s. … She has 28 National Championship medals.

It is the 11th national medal for Sarah Schleper. … her third in GS.

It is the ninth career national medal for Stacey Cook. … her second in GS and first since 2006.

Abby Ghent is the top junior in eighth. … It is her second best national championship result having placed third in downhill earlier this season at Aspen (Feb. 16).

 

Rank	Bib	FIS Code	Name	Year	Nation	Run 1	Run 2	Total Time	FIS Points
1	3	537545	MANCUSO Julia	1984	USA	1:12.79	1:08.82	2:21.61	8.00
2	7	536481	SCHLEPER Sarah	1979	USA	1:11.27	1:10.95	2:22.22	11.75
3	6	537582	COOK Stacey	1984	USA	1:12.76	1:10.79	2:23.55	19.92
4	4	538573	ROSS Laurenne	1988	USA	1:13.39	1:11.45	2:24.84	27.84
5	5	538305	SMITH Leanne	1987	USA	1:13.60	1:11.26	2:24.86	27.97
6	2	535585	STAPLES Kiley	1989	USA	1:13.91	1:11.14	2:25.05	29.13
7	12	538855	FORD Julia	1990	USA	1:14.80	1:10.29	2:25.09	29.38
8	14	539363	GHENT Abby	1992	USA	1:14.66	1:10.76	2:25.42	31.41
9	11	505799	HJERTMAN Sara	1987	SWE	1:15.34	1:11.05	2:26.39	37.37
10	15	6535237	SHIFFRIN Mikaela	1995	USA	1:14.28	1:12.27	2:26.55	38.35
11	22	539109	DELANEY Devin	1991	USA	1:14.86	1:12.19	2:27.05	41.42
12	28	539379	KISTLER Lizzie	1992	USA	1:15.76	1:11.52	2:27.28	42.83
13	9	538496	GHENT Erika	1988	USA	1:14.04	1:13.27	2:27.31	43.02
14	21	539347	BERTHER Vanessa	1992	USA	1:15.52	1:11.92	2:27.44	43.82
15	16	538975	WALES Brooke	1990	USA	1:16.59	1:11.01	2:27.60	44.80
16	10	538470	CONE Lindsay	1988	USA	1:14.81	1:12.95	2:27.76	45.78
17	18	539404	SAMUELS Lauren	1992	USA	1:16.29	1:11.62	2:27.91	46.70
18	19	245051	BERECZ Anna	1988	HUN	1:16.16	1:11.91	2:28.07	47.69
19	30	539356	CASTON Rose	1992	USA	1:16.05	1:12.35	2:28.40	49.72
20	34	539390	MCLEAN Shane	1992	USA	1:17.47	1:11.08	2:28.55	50.64
21	25	538611	WETTLAUFER Georgia	1988	USA	1:16.82	1:12.37	2:29.19	54.57
22	42	539735	STAPLES Sydney	1993	USA	1:17.69	1:11.76	2:29.45	56.17
23	38	6535086	GIBSON Libby	1994	USA	1:18.07	1:12.21	2:30.28	61.27
24	35	539848	ALTRINGER Courtney	1993	USA	1:18.17	1:13.06	2:31.23	67.10
25	33	539344	BARTHOLD Jeanne	1992	USA	1:17.70	1:13.54	2:31.24	67.16
26	39	538348	WOODWORTH Natasha	1987	USA	1:19.18	1:14.76	2:33.94	83.75
27	50	539904	PALMER Teagen	1994	USA	1:19.24	1:15.26	2:34.50	87.19
28	62	539805	PEARL Natalie	1993	USA	1:19.59	1:15.30	2:34.89	89.59
29	47	539617	BARCLAY Katelyn	1993	USA	1:19.56	1:15.37	2:34.93	89.83
30	36	539661	KIKUT Anna	1993	USA	1:19.38	1:15.67	2:35.05	90.57
31	46	539927	LAPANJA Lila	1994	USA	1:20.41	1:14.87	2:35.28	91.98
32	67	539887	MURPHY Morganne	1994	USA	1:21.04	1:14.44	2:35.48	93.21
33	41	539685	RYAN Katherine	1993	USA	1:19.76	1:15.90	2:35.66	94.32
34	49	539361	FRENCH Bridget	1992	USA	1:19.62	1:16.31	2:35.93	95.98
35	43	539499	HINES Tara	1992	USA	1:20.46	1:15.65	2:36.11	97.08
36	27	538909	MCDONALD Amanda	1990	USA	1:15.24	1:20.98	2:36.22	97.76
37	68	538738	SHANNON Danielle	1989	USA	1:21.20	1:15.88	2:37.08	103.04
38	48	415171	RAPLEY Taylor	1991	NZE	1:20.59	1:17.41	2:38.00	108.69
39	45	175043	MOE-LANGE Yina	1993	DAN	1:21.36	1:16.78	2:38.14	109.55
40	65	539484	MCVICKER Victoria	1992	USA	1:22.14	1:16.21	2:38.35	110.84
41	37	539660	KIKUT Sara	1993	USA	1:21.51	1:17.40	2:38.91	114.28
42	54	538449	BABCOCK Ashley	1988	USA	1:21.73	1:17.39	2:39.12	115.58
43	59	539273	WILLIAMS Sarah	1991	USA	1:23.06	1:18.07	2:41.13	127.92
44	69	539962	HANSELER Haley	1994	USA	1:21.95	1:19.52	2:41.47	130.01
45	29	539623	BROWN Makenzie	1993	USA	1:21.31	1:20.65	2:41.96	133.02
46	63	539381	KRONEBERGER Tracie	1992	USA	1:24.33	1:18.66	2:42.99	139.35
47	71	45279	HASLAU Jessica	1992	AUS	1:25.73	1:20.21	2:45.94	157.47
48	70	6535250	KOPRUCKI Elizabeth	1995	USA	1:26.90	1:20.48	2:47.38	166.32
49	51	539536	WILES Jacqueline	1992	USA	1:36.05	1:16.24	2:52.29	196.49
Did not start 2nd run
	61	539787	DUFF Noah	1993	USA
	55	539944	HASKELL Mardene	1994	USA
	44	539673	NAATZ Emma	1993	USA
Did not finish 2nd run
	64	539974	HUSSON Emily	1994	USA
	57	539893	ANDERSON Nicole	1994	USA
	52	539693	STRONG Elizabeth	1993	USA
	32	539656	IDE Maisie	1993	USA
	31	539628	BYRNE Greta	1993	USA
	24	539932	IRWIN Katharine	1994	USA
	20	538841	DUPRATT Jaime	1990	USA
	17	535019	ALLEN Jennifer	1989	USA
	8	539119	FUCIGNA Abigail	1991	USA
	1	425707	BRUSLETTO Anne Cecilie	1988	NOR
Did not finish 1st run
	66	6535043	ZELIFF Caite	1994	USA
	60	539373	HILLENBRAND Maria	1992	USA
	58	145003	KRONE Kristina	1990	PUR
	56	539853	KLEIN Morgan	1993	USA
	53	539352	BURROWS Rylee	1992	USA
	40	539386	MAIER Jacqueline	1992	USA
	26	539172	SHAW Kara	1991	USA
	23	505812	KOCKEN Anna	1987	SWE
	13	535629	WILLIAMS Kate	1989	USA