Jimmy Cochran takes national slalom title in Vermont podium sweep

Jimmy Cochran takes national slalom title in Vermont podium sweep{mosimage}Jimmy Cochran, the well-educated Vermonter with a rich ski racing pedigree, won the national championship slalom on Saturday by over half a second. Jesse Marshall and Chip Knight, also of the Green Mountain State, finished second and third.

Cochran, who at this time last year was a University of Vermont student earning his way onto the U.S. Ski Team’s C Team, comes from the famous Cochran family of Vermont, much of which was present for the event. There are three members of the family in the race. Jessica Kelley of the U.S. Ski Team and Roger Brown of Dartmouth College are both decendents of the family’s matriarch.

“When I came through and saw the number one flash, it was pretty incredible,” said Cochran. “That’s a feeling that’s hard to describe. There’s so much hanging in the balance…So many emotions, from relief to pure excitement. I can’t imagine what it’s like for Bode to come through and win a World Cup. It’s gotta be amazing.”

Bode Miller, one of the top slalom skiers in the world, crossed the Alyeska finish line and saw the number 54 flash on the scoreboard. He hiked on the first run, having been tripped up by a tempo change in the course.

On the second run, Miller started dead last, but nailed the run, cutting inside the ruts and grabbing his tuck for the last ten gates, head butting the gates and winning the run.

Warner Nickerson, who skis for Colby College, had a huge race, turning in the second-fastest second run (0.05 behind Miller) and finishing fourth overall. Nickerson was one of four collegiate skiers in the top 10. The other three were Dartmouth’s Roger Brown, Eric Kankainen and Paul McDonald, who finished sixth, seventh and eighth.

Jesse Marshall, the second-place finisher, has come on strongly at the end of the season. He scored a podium at NorAm Finals. “I skied solid all season,” he said. “I didn’t have any outstanding results, but I was just a touch a way from putting it all together.”

It was a bright, sunny day in Alyeska, and cold throughout much of the morning, keeping the snow hard for the second run. The U.S. Ski Team’s staff has had rave reviews for the mountain’s enthusiastic staff and volunteer force (the latter of which consists of over 300 people).

As the race was finishing up, the winner of the previous day’s super G, Daron Rahlves, went helicopter skiing. Rahlves doesn’t know slalom.

Chevrolet U.S. Alpine Championships

Men’s slalom

March 21, 2004

1) James Cochran 1:31.91

2) Jesse Marshall 1:32.51

3) Chip Knight 1:32.89

4) Warner Nickerson 1:33.08

5) Jake Zamansky 1:33.51