Kimberley disabled WC: Podium No. 6 for Victor

Stephani Victor continued her near-perfect World Cup season Thursday, finishing second in giant slalom for her sixth podium in less than a month.
KIMBERLEY, British Columbia —Stephani Victor continued her near-perfect World Cup season Thursday, finishing second in giant slalom for her sixth podium in less than a month.
    Victor, who also won the overall title at the Huntsman Cup in early January, posted a two-run combined time of 2 minutes, 34.49 seconds, 2.8 seconds off the pace of winner Kuniko Obinata of Japan. Laurie Stephens, Wednesday's super G winner, finished just off the podium in fourth behind Tatsuko Aoki, also of Japan.
    "The hill was in really great shape today," said coach Kurt Smitz. "The sky was absolutely clear last night and took all the moisture out of the air and hardened everything up for a great race. Stephani is skiing so well right now that it's always going to be tough to knock her off the podium."
    Smitz added that Elitsa Storey and Sandy Dukat continue to impress as the pair finished sixth and seventh respectively in a race won by Canadian Lauren Woolstencroft for the second straight day.
    "Elitza and Sandy are usually a little faster in the speed events, but they're really starting to improve in slalom and we've got that coming up tomorrow — so it'll be exciting to see how they put it together."
    In the men's race, Nick Catanzarite posted the top American finish with sixth, his best World Cup finish on the season, while George Sansonetis led the standing men in eighth.
    "We know we've got some work to do with the guys," said Smitz. "After a Paralympic year, they might be letting their reins out a bit by trying some new things, but they'll hit their groove. There's just a lot more depth on that side of the board, the Austrians can really go and the Swiss are pretty tough. They know they have to step it up. We've seen them do it in training, so we know the talent is there — they just have to keep focused and let the clock take care of itself."
    The disabled alpine World Cup continues Friday from Kimberley with men's and women's slalom.

DISABLED ALPINE WORLD CUP
Kimberley, British Columbia — Jan. 25, 2007
Giant slalom
Women's sit-ski
1. Kuniko Obinata, Japan, 2:31.69
2. Stephani Victor, Park City, Utah, 2:34.49
3. Tatsuko Aoki, Japan, 2:35.80
4. Laurie Stephens, Wenham, Mass., 2:37.49
5. Claudia Loesch, Austria, 2:41.05

Women's standing
1. Lauren Woolstencroft, Canada, 2:27.04
2. Andrea Rothfuss, Germany, 2;29.20
3. Danja Haslacher, Austria, 2:34.57
4. Arly Fogarty, Canada, 2:36.78
5. Karin, Fasel, Switzerland, 2:38.76
–
6. Sandy Dukat, Vail, Colo., 2:43.95
7. Elitsa Storey, Ketchum, Idaho, 2:43.95

Men's sit-ski
1. Martin Braxenthaler, Germany, 2:17.70
2. Harald Eder, Austria, 2:19.68
3. Takeshi Suzuki, Japan, 2:21.72
4. Christoph Kunz, Switzerland, 2:22.21
5. Akira Taniguchi, Japan, 2:22.38
–
6. Nick Catanzarite, Winter Park, Colo., 2:23.19
–
DNF
Carl Burnett, Winter Park, Colo.

Men's standing
1. Thomas Pfyl, Switzerland, 2:16.44
2. Masahiko Tokai, Japan, 2:18.52
3. Gerd Schoenfelder, Germany, 2:20.93
4. Toby Kane, Australia, 2:21.57
5. Robert Meusburger, Austria, 2:22.57
–
8. George Sansonetis, Fraser, Colo., 2:26.43
14. Brad Washburn, Littleton, Colo., 2:30.15