U.S. Nationals: Ross beats Ross for GS crown

SUGARLOAF, Maine — Lauren beat Laurenne who beat Libby as the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships ended in a steady snowfall at Sugarloaf USA with the women's Giant Slalom.
    Lauren Ross had been fifth after the first run, but calmly charged through the second heat to snare the win and take it away from Laurenne Ross, the first run leader. Picking up third was Libby Ludlow who had been sixth after the first run ended with four tenths of a second.
    "I was solid in a difficult section," the new champ said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Aw, I cry when I do bad or when I do good it seems."
    "Last week I had the flu," she said, and because of that she wasn't sure how her body was going to hold up to the rigors of a tough and long GS course. The first run, she felt, had not gone that well, which helped in the start for the second heat. "I definitely had a little more fire under my ass," she said, "I really didn't have anything to lose."
    That prospect fell to Laurenne Ross, as the 19 year old had to wait out the top 29 skiers starting in front of her for the second heat. "Yeah I was nervous," she said. "And I don't usually do well in those situations. I didn't choke. So I guess it was good."

SUGARLOAF, Maine — Lauren beat Laurenne who beat Libby as the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships ended in a steady snowfall at Sugarloaf USA with the women's Giant Slalom.
    Lauren Ross had been fifth after the first run, but calmly charged through the second heat to snare the win and take it away from Laurenne Ross, the first run leader. Picking up third was Libby Ludlow who had been sixth after the first run ended with four tenths of a second.
    "I was solid in a difficult section," the new champ said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Aw, I cry when I do bad or when I do good it seems."
    "Last week I had the flu," she said, and because of that she wasn't sure how her body was going to hold up to the rigors of a tough and long GS course. The first run, she felt, had not gone that well, which helped in the start for the second heat. "I definitely had a little more fire under my ass," she said, "I really didn't have anything to lose."
    That prospect fell to Laurenne Ross, as the 19 year old had to wait out the top 29 skiers starting in front of her for the second heat. "Yeah I was nervous," she said. "And I don't usually do well in those situations. I didn't choke. So I guess it was good."
    Having two Ross' at the top of the finish order, particularly two with such similar first names, was no surprise to either young lady as they have started, and finished, near each other in many competitions, and occasionally have their win records switched back and forth.
    "It's always confusing for announcers and reporters," said Laurenne, seven years the younger of the two, "but I'm really happy for her.
    Laurenne said her biggest goal is to even out her performances. She said she's had some good results in the past season, but had more poor ones.
    "I am pretty inconsistent. I just need to work my way up. Starting in the twenties or thirties it's really hard to get your nose in it, but I'm getting there, working my way up," she said.
    This finish would help knock roughly 12 points off her point profile.
    Ludlow, the 2004 GS champion, was fine with getting third place. For her, this championship was more a matter of getting back on track than any placing she could have earned.
    "I've really struggled the last couple of months with a back injury," she said. "I've never had a back injury before and I've skied with knee pain all the time. But with the back on top of the knee pain, everything just falls apart. I've learned a lot. I've had more injuries than anyone my age should have to go through."

Rank	Bib	FIS Code	Name	Year	Nation	Run 1	Run 2	Total Time	FIS Points
1	12	537145	ROSS Lauren	1982	USA	1:07.51	1:07.71	2:15.22	8.37
2	8	538573	ROSS Laurenne	1988	USA	1:07.18	1:08.13	2:15.31	8.96
3	6	536884	LUDLOW Libby	1981	USA	1:07.57	1:08.14	2:15.71	11.56
4	4	537230	KELLEY Jessica	1982	USA	1:07.61	1:08.11	2:15.72	11.62
5	11	537582	COOK Stacey	1984	USA	1:07.40	1:08.59	2:15 .99	13.38
6	15	537360	LATHROP Jenny	1983	USA	1:07.34	1:09.01	2:16.35	15.72
7	5	537565	KELLEHER Keely	1984	USA	1:07.74	1:08.82	2:16.56	17.09
8	19	538041	MCDONALD Jilyne	1986	USA	1:08.31	1:08.35	2:16.66	17.74
9	1	537848	CICCONE Caitlin	1985	USA	1:07.33	1:09.62	2:16.95	19.63
10	18	537144	MIELKE Kristen	1982	USA	1:07.77	1:09.41	2:17.18	21.13
11	24	538496	GHENT Erika	1988	USA	1:08.99	1:08.94	2:17.93	26.01
12	13	537792	DUKE Hailey	1985	USA	1:08.51	1:09.54	2:18.05	26.79
13	9	538258	HAMMOND Courtney	1987	USA	1:08.50	1:09.98	2:18.48	29.59
14	20	538471	COOPER Kirsten	1988	USA	1:10.69	1:08.05	2:18.74	31.28
15	21	538514	HARTMAN Katie	1988	USA	1:09.01	1:10.15	2:19.16	34.01
16	23	537993	CROW Kara	1986	USA	1:09.52	1:10.21	2:19.73	37.72
17	25	538256	GRANT Sterling	1987	USA	1:09.92	1:09.85	2:19.77	37.98
18	27	538685	MCKENNIS Alice	1989	USA	1:09.99	1:09.80	2:19.79	38.11
19	31	538856	FRY Kayla	1990	USA	1:10.30	1:09.87	2:20.17	40.58
20	34	539096	BYERS Felicia	1991	USA	1:10.07	1:10.22	2:20.29	41.37
21	28	535614	VANWAGNER Jennifer	1989	USA	1:10.28	1:10.37	2:20.65	43.71
22	17	537987	CARTER Laurel	1986	USA	1:10.34	1:10.51	2:20.85	45.01
23	22	538855	FORD Julia	1990	USA	1:09.38	1:12.02	2:21.40	48.59
24	49	538909	MCDONALD Amanda	1990	USA	1:11.42	1:10.36	2:21.78	51.06
25	47	538825	COLLINSON Angel	1990	USA	1:10.95	1:10.88	2:21.83	51.39
26	35	538922	PACKARD Madeline	1990	USA	1:11.64	1:10.56	2:22.20	53.80
27	60	535374	COFFIN Emma Peck	1989	USA	1:11.83	1:10.63	2:22.46	55.49
28	43	538881	HOSTETTER Mary Rachel	1990	USA	1:12.00	1:11.78	2:23.78	64.08
29	37	535473	LONZA Geordie	1989	USA	1:12.58	1:12.28	2:24.86	71.11
30	55	538974	WADDLE Kristin	1990	USA	1:12.74	1:12.74	2:25.48	75.14
31	45	538684	LEONARD Molly	1989	USA	1:13.10	1:13.91	2:27.01	85.10
32	38	539183	HAMMEL Emily	1991	USA	1:13.87	1:14.00	2:27.87	90.70
33	48	539132	KISTLER Cate	1991	USA	1:13.41	1:14.47	2:27.88	90.76
34	54	539080	ACKERMAN Delainey	1991	USA	1:14.20	1:13.81	2:28.01	91.61
35	61	539363	GHENT Abby	1992	USA	1:13.57	1:14.93	2:28.50	94.80
36	62	538882	HOUSER Katie	1990	USA	1:14.39	1:14.55	2:28.94	97.66

 

Did not start 1st run :

WOODS Elizabeth (USA)

Did not finish 1st run :

NEWELL Allyson (USA), ANTHONY Gabrielle (USA), MARNO Anna (USA), NOVA Chelsea (USA), WALES Brooke (USA), RALSTON Alice (NZE), JACOBSON Erica (USA), FUCIGNA Abigail (USA), MIELKE Gretchen (USA), WEST Ann (USA), LEGGETT Kristin (USA), DELANEY Devin (USA), GOVAN Danielle (USA), JANOWIAK Lyndee (USA), MARSHALL Chelsea (USA), MCJAMES Megan (USA), VONN Lindsey (USA), SMITH Leanne (USA)

Did not finish 2nd run :

MCLAUGHLIN Amy (USA), SAMUELS Lauren (USA), JAMES Emily (USA), CHEVALIER Joelle (USA), CORTOPASSI Kaylee Ann (USA), WONG Julia (USA), ALLEN Jennifer (USA), SHAW Kara (USA)

Disqualified 1st run :

HITCHCOCK Katie (USA)

Disqualified 2nd run :

STRACHOTA Maddie (USA)