Keely Kelleher has always had strong results at the U.S. National Championships with podium visits in each of the past two seasons, but until Saturday (March 20) she had never won a title. Check that one off the list. Keely Kelleher is the 2010 U.S. super G champion.

Kelleher powered through an upgraded course at Lake Placid, NY, in the first bib, to a time of 1:06.31. In 50degree temperatures the course improvements, $10,000 worth, couldn’t prevent the course from softening and massive amounts of “salt,” didn’t stop the deterioration, either. Kelleher’s time held up through 50 racers, including seven Olympians.

“It was soft, but fun,” said Kelleher. “I had a good course inspection. I carried my speed, but it didn’t feel that good because of the conditions. It was softer in some spots, harder in others.”

With the two biggest guns listed as no shows, Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso declined to race, the field was still formidable. Chelsea Marshall posted second and Nor-Am champion Laurenne Ross third.

Kelleher credited her Atomic tech rep, Ryan Cornish with the win. “He’s the one who picked the skis and he’s the one who made me fast,” she said.

Katie Hitchcock, Megan McJames, Stacey Cook, Alice McKennis and Leanne Smith finished in the fourth through eight positions respectively while Canada posted the top junior result via Madison Irwin in ninth. The remainder of the junior podium included Felicia Byers in 10th and Julia Ford 12th.

Kelleher said the soft snow didn’t bother her at all and said a lack of familiarity with the course may have played to her advantage. “I never free skied here, and I raced it once, I think, back in 2003. I knew it was important carry speed onto the flat,” she said, beyond that it was just a matter of finding as much speed as she could, and Cornish took care of that.

Keely Kelleher is interviewed by Boston television. USSA photo by Haney

U.S. ALPINE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Women’s super G
Lake Placid, NY
March 20, 2010
1 KELLEHER, Keely USA/84    1`06.31
2 MARSHALL, Chelsea USA/86    1`06.67
3 ROSS, Laurenne USA/88    1`06.70
4 HITCHCOCK, Katie USA/85    1`06.85
5 MCJAMES, Megan USA/87    1`06.93
6 COOK, Stacey USA/84    1`06.94
7 MCKENNIS, Alice USA/89    1`07.01
8 SMITH, Leanne USA/87    1`07.21
9 IRWIN, Madison CAN/91    1`07.79
10 BYERS, Felicia USA/91    1`07.98
11 RICHARDSON, Kaylin USA/84    1`08.11
12 FORD, Julia USA/90    1`08.26
13 DELANEY, Devin USA/91    1`08.37
14 HARTMAN, Katie USA/88    1`08.38
15 STAPLES, Kiley USA/89    1`08.48
16 BERTHER, Vanessa USA/92    1`08.82
17 WEST, Ann USA/87    1`08.95
18 MARNO, Anna USA/92    1`09.00
19 SCHLEPER, Sarah USA/79    1`09.05
20 GHENT, Abby USA/92    1`09.11
21 SAMUELS, Lauren USA/92    1`09.49
22 MCLEAN, Shane USA/92    1`09.96
23 RYLEY, Kate CAN/89    1`10.07
24 CORTOPASSI, Kaylee USA/90    1`10.21
25 ACKERMAN, Delainey USA/91    1`10.46
26 PETERSON, Foreste USA/93    1`10.66
27 KELLEY, Jessica USA/82    1`10.71
28 WILLIAMS, Sarah USA/91    1`10.76
29 BARCLAY, Katelyn USA/93    1`10.77
30 CONE, Lindsay USA/88    1`10.82
31 BELL, Karen Nichole USA/90    1`10.84
32 WILES, Jacqueline USA/92    1`11.13
33 CORNALI, Charlotte USA/91    1`11.14
34 MAIER, Jacqueline USA/92    1`11.29
35 ROWLAND, Amelia USA/91    1`12.26
36 DUNLEAVY, Avril USA/92    1`12.33
37 LEBEL, Jacqueline USA/92    1`12.54
38 GRANT, Sterling USA/87    1`13.15
39 MASSON, Catherine CAN/91    1`14.76
40 BYRNE, Greta USA/93    1`15.12