J2 Nationals: Byers wins 2nd gold skiing smart

Felicia Byers skied smart to win the J2 National GS Monday at Aspen, Colo. She's not all that use to that.
    "Both courses were really good, but there were definitely some spots where you had to be patient. The second course was set every which way over every knoll. It was definitely a challenge. You had to know where the money turns are, where you needed to absorb and where you needed to ski smart. I probably skied smarter than I ever have." Byers won both runs for her second gold medal of the championships. She said her slalom is "not so good," but her position in the paper race for the combined title before the slalom puts her well out in front.
    Abby Fucigna pulled out a podium for the East in second place, well behind the winner. She said she was far enough behind after the first run that the second run strategy was pretty basic. "I definitely knew I had to attack," Fucigna said. "If I fell, oh well, but I didn't want to have to wonder later." She said a podium had been the goal when she arrived at Aspen, "but I didn’t know if I could do it. I guess I can."

FELICIA BYERS skied smart to win the J2 National GS on Monday at Aspen, Colo. She's not all that used to doing that.
    "Both courses were really good, but there were definitely some spots where you had to be patient," Byers said. "The second course was set every which way over every knoll. It was definitely a challenge. You had to know where the money turns are, where you needed to absorb and where you needed to ski smart. I probably skied smarter than I ever have."
    Byers won both runs for her second gold medal of the championships. She said her slalom is "not so good," but her position in the paper race for the combined title before the slalom puts her well out in front.
    Abby Fucigna pulled out a podium for the East in second place, well behind the winner. She said she was far enough behind after the first run that the second run strategy was pretty basic. "I definitely knew I had to attack," Fucigna said. "If I fell, oh well, but I didn't want to have to wonder later." She said a podium had been the goal when she arrived at Aspen, "but I didn’t know if I could do it. I guess I can."
    Third went to Devon Delany, also an eastern skier who, like most, was finding the transition to the thin air of Aspen a trial. She ran into trouble on the first run. "It was a tight, technical course," she said. "I got a little late and it was hard to stay ahead of it." She said she got bounced off on one ski over a roll and was lucky to have completed the course.
    "After the first run I was almost two seconds back. It was an ugly time." The second run, however, worked out just fine. "The second run felt good," Delaney said. "It felt how skiing should feel."

J2 National Junior Olymics
Women's Giant Slalom
Aspen, Colo.
March 10, 2008
1 Felicia BYERS USA      1:56.91
2 Abigail FUCIGNA USA      1:58.61
3 Devin DELANEY USA      1:58.98
4 Jenna KANTOR USA      1:59.03
5 Vanessa BERTHER USA      1:59.28
6 Rose CASTON USA      1:59.38
7 Delainey ACKERMAN USA      1:59.52
8 Hayley BEST USA      1:59.60
9 Jacqueline MAIER USA      1:59.69
10 Emily JAMES USA      1:59.75
11 Zoe LIVINGSTON USA      1:59.78
12 Anna MARNO USA      1:59.97
13 Whitney SETTERBERG USA      1:59.99
14 Mikaela BRUCE USA      2:00.54
15 Emily HAMMEL USA      2:00.58
16 Shane MCLEAN USA      2:00.64
17 Lindsey ANDERSON USA      2:01.02
18 Joanna COFFEY USA      2:01.26
19 Joelle CHEVALIER USA      2:01.39
20 Cate KISTLER USA      2:01.94
21 Aylin WOODWARD USA      2:02.02
22 Abby GHENT USA      2:02.24
23 Amelia ROWLAND USA      2:02.61
24 Jetta RACKLEFF USA      2:02.70
25 Cassady ROBERTS USA      2:03.64
26 Carly MCDOWELL USA      2:03.65
27 Jessa BARDIN USA      2:03.92
28 Paige MINANA USA      2:04.03
29 Bridget GILROY USA      2:04.07
30 Annie LEITER USA      2:04.55
31 Andrea RADKE USA      2:05.02
32 Mary SACKBAUER USA      2:05.14
33 Christie PATIENT USA      2:05.73
34 Sara ANDREWS USA      2:06.27
35 Samantha HALL USA      2:06.51
36 Morgan BLACK USA      2:08.15
37 Kara SHAW USA      2:08.76
38 Charlotte CORNALI USA      2:10.06
39 Cayla WEBER USA      2:10.54
40 Rylee BURROWS USA      2:12.14
41 Rebecca WOLF USA      2:12.54
42 Laura STRACHOTA USA      2:15.44
43 Kelsey LOCKE USA            2:30.68