Aspen: Stiegler posts career-best 20th in GS

ASPEN, Colorado — Known around the world for her slalom expertise and creative helmet décor, Resi Stiegler on Saturday proved to her teammates, fans and even to herself that maybe there’s hope for her yet in the GS event.

ASPEN, Colorado — Known around the world for her slalom expertise and creative helmet décor, Resi Stiegler on Saturday proved to her teammates, fans and even to herself that maybe there’s hope for her yet in the giant slalom.   
    Although Stiegler went into Saturday's race with little expectations, running in the back of the pack wearing bib No. 62, she seemed elated and surprised to qualify for a second run, eventually finishing a career-best 20th in GS.
    “I felt really prepared for today and felt like I was in the best place I could be," Stiegler said. "But I didn’t think my first run was going to be good enough for a second run. I came down and I was 33rd. I was just happy to be pretty close [to qualifying for a second run]. Then my coach told me that there were two disqualifications so I got super excited."
    Stiegler said she was feeling a bit fatigued with a cough that made it difficult to breath while tearing down the challenging 49-gate course. She added that qualifying for a second run was that much more rewarding, and being able to start first during the second run as the final qualifier at No. 30 made her able to “just hammer it."
    With few solid finishes in GS in the past, Stiegler was forced to run toward the back of the pack in the first run. For some, a high bib number can break an athlete’s mental state, but for Stiegler it just made her want it more. 
    “I haven’t started 62 for like five years. It was kind of weird but you have to do it," she said with a laugh. "It makes it more gratifying when you make top 30 to qualify for second run. For the second run I was just trying to put down a solid run because I really need the points right now, so I don’t have to start 62nd all year."
    Like many of the veterans on the team, Stiegler had some positive things to say about the depth of the team this season. 
    “Yeah there were a lot of first-timers in there. Our team is skiing so well right now," she said. "Caitlin Ciccone, Katie Hitchcock, Jess [Kelley] were skiing so well, so it’s a bummer that they didn’t get in there, but I’m sure that they were skiing well but just made mistakes — I know that they can get in there, so I was pretty psyched that I got in there.”   
    Stiegler walked away from Saturday's race with a solid finish, a little more confidence and a lot more smile. Asked for some enthusiastic words at the bottom from a group of fans, Stiegler responded with, “Yes, it was the sickest course ever!”

Click here to see the postrace video interview with Resi.