Swiss riders pack the podium in Mt. Bachelor PGS; Klug, Hookom tops for U.S.

Swiss riders pack the podium in Mt. Bachelor PGS; Klug, Hookom tops for U.S.{mosimage}USSA — Swiss riders battled through blustery wind and snow Friday to win parallel giant slalom World Cup races at the Mt. Bachelor, Oregon, Snowboard Classic.

Heinz Inniger won the men’s race and Daniela Meuli the women’s, while teammates Urs Eiselin and Ursula Bruhin made it four of six with matching third-place finishes. It was the seventh win on the year for Mueli, and a career first for Inniger. Breaking up the Swiss sweep were runner-ups Mathieu Bozzetto of France and Manuela Riegler of Austria.

Former Bend, Oregon, local Chris Klug brought out just about his whole family to watch him battle to a seventh place finish, while Stacia Hookom made her third straight World Cup finals and finished sixth to lead the American women.

“We’ve seen these conditions before,” said U.S. Snowboarding head alpine coach Nick Smith, “but everyone runs the same course and I’m really pleased that the organizers decided to hold the race despite the weather. It was just like this when we were in Sweden and we raced — it’s a winter sport and this is what we do.”

“That was a superb race,” said Inniger, who was bursting with excitment after his first win.” In the beginning, I had my problems in the qualification but I was getting better with every heat. I had nothing to lose and tried to gain the maximum. It’s crazy that I also beat Mathieu in the final.”

“I’m not sure what it is that I keep winning, maybe it’s because I eat a lot of chocolate,” joked Meuli, who has wrapped up the women’s parallel title. “I’ve just become really confident with my riding regardless of the weather.”

U.S. rider Michelle Gorgone grabbed the No. 1 qualifying spot to make her seventh World Cup final of the season, but two falls in the first round of finals bumped her to ninth on the day.

The Mt. Bachelor Snowboard Classic continues Saturday with a snowboardcross, followed by a big air contest on Sunday.

Snowboard World Cup
Mt. Bachelor, Oregon
March 5, 2004
Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom Final
1. Heinz Inniger, Switzerland
2. Mathieu Bozzetto, France
3. Urs Eiselin, Switzerland
4. Siegfried Grabner, Austria
5. Daniel Biveson, Sweden
Also:
7. Chris Klug, Aspen, Colo.
14. Eric Warren, Bennington, Vt.
In qualifying:
20. Ryan McDonald, Entiat, Wash.
23. Adam Smith, Tangent, Ore.
25. Jeff Greenwood, Boulder, Colo.
26. Justin Reiter, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
32. Tyler Jewell, Sudbury, Mass.
33. David Manthei, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
36. Vic Wild, White Salmon, Wash.
37. Zach Kay, Mount Shasta, Calif.

Women’s Parallel Giant Slalom Final
1. Daniela Meuli, Switzerland
2. Manuela Riegler, Austria
3. Ursula Bruhin, Switzerland
4. Tomoka Takeuchi, Japan
5. Alexa Loo, Canada
Also:
6. Stacia Hookom, Edwards, Colo.
9. Michelle Gorgone, Sudbury, Mass.
In qualifying:
17. Rosey Fletcher, Girdwood, Alaska
19. Rebecca Bassett, Quincy, Wash.
20. Sondra Van Ert, Olympia, Wash.
23. Erica Mueller, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
24. Lindsay Lloyd, Centerville, Utah
25. Lisa Kosglow, Boulder, Colo.
26. Lynn Ott, Bend, Ore.
28. Andi Stump, East Wenatchee, Wash.
31. Ashley Nice, Gates Mills, Ohio