American Gorgone gets first World Cup podium in Whistler PGS

American Gorgone gets first World Cup podium in Whistler PGS{mosimage}USSA — The U.S. Snowboard Team’s Michele Gorgone scored her first World Cup podium Friday with a third in parallel giant slalom at Whistler, British Columbia. On the men’s side, Adam Smith was the top American in seventh.

Six U.S. riders made the finals, including four women: Lisa Kosglow wound up sixth, Rosey Fletcher ninth and Stacia Hookom 13th. For the men, Chris Klug also made the finals, finishing 13th.

Winning the women’s race was World Cup champ Ursula Bruhin of Switzerland followed by teammate Daniela Mueli. Seigfreid Grabner of Austria won the men’s race, ahead of Simon Schoch of Switzerland and Stefan Kaltschuetz, also of Austria.

“I’m really in shock right now,” said the Gorgone, 20, who won three weeks in a Continental Cup at Copper Mountain, Colorado. “I was a little jet lagged after flying all the way back from one race in Sweden, but I felt awesome this morning and it’s amazing to go from winning a national event to a World Cup podium.”

She might have finished even higher but for a fall in her semifinal against Bruhin. “I was super nervous lining up against Ursula, it was easily more nerves than I’d had all day,” she said. “The snow got soft and rutty as the day went on and the conditions were rough, but I feel this finish is a real breakthrough for me. All you need is one good result to give you the momentum.”

Momentum is what Smith has been riding throughout the early season and he maintained it at Whistler, outlasting World Cup parallel champ Mathieu Bozzetto in the first final round before bowing out to Schoch.

“Smith has been riding solid for a long time,” said head coach Peter Foley. “This season isn’t a huge jump in his ability, it’s a huge jump in his results — he’s just getting it done. He knocked out Bozzetto fair and square and that’s huge for confidence. I was hoping Michele would win and she had the shot, but the course just got more and more bumpy — her crash was the only mistake she made all day, but it was a huge learning experience.”

Next stop for the U.S. team is the Chevy Truck U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix December 17 at Park City, Utah. World Cup action continues in Whistler Saturday with a halfpipe.

Snowboard World Cup
Whistler, British Columbia
Decemer 12, 2003
Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom
1. Ursula Bruhin, Switzerland
2. Daniela Mueli, Switzerland
3. Michele Gorgone, Sudbury, Mass.
Other Americans:
6. Lisa Kosglow, Boulder, Colo.
9. Rosey Fletcher, Girdwood, Alaska
13. Stacia Hookom, Edwards, Colo.

Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom
1. Seigfried Grabner, Austria
2. Simon Schoch, Switzerland
3. Stefan Kaltschuetz, Austria
Americans:
7. Adam Smith, Tangent, Ore.
13. Chris Klug, Aspen, Colo.
25. Eric Warren, Bennington, Vt.
28. Pete Thorndike, Meredith, N.H.
29 Anton Pogue, Hood River, Ore.