Nolan Kasper graduated today (March 6) at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

The 21 year old America (he turns 22 March 27) won the second run of the World Cup slalom to finish second behind Austria’s Mario Matt. Sweden’s Axel Baeck actually tied Kasper’s two run time.

The American significance of this podium result cannot be over-stated. The last slalom podium from a U.S. male was Bode Miller in 2008. Aside from Miller and Ted Ligey (Miller skipped the Kranjska Gora stop and GS podium finisher Ligety skied out in the second run of slalom) you have to go back to Felix McGrath in 1988 to find a U.S. men’s slalom podium.

Kasper’s name now joins those of American legends from the early days of the World Cup when slalom podiums were more routine: From ’67 to ’72 Tyler Palmer, Bob Cochran, Rick Chaffee, Bill Kidd, Spider Sabich and Jimmy Huega all picked up podiums. And, of course, Phil and Steve Mahre got a full share in the late ’70’s and early 80’s, retiring in 1984.

Welcome Mr. Kasper. Just .09 from the win. Stunning.

How impressive was he?
Ask US Head Men’s Coach Sasha Rearick: “On the bottom that was some of the most impressive skiing of the season by any athlete on the World Cup. He took some chances, put pressure on the right spots and went really fast.

“He’s been skiing well and putting down solid skiing…. here he took it to another gear. He had to have a good race to make it to World Cup Finals, and he had a great race.”

Significant to the 2011 World Cup Ivica Kostelic was disqualified in the second run after missing a gate. He remains the slalom leader 478-442 over Jean-Baptiste Grange who was himself disqualified in the first run on a straddle. Third ranked Andre Myhrer finished fourth in the race, bumped down by Kasper and his own teammate. He remains alive for the title, but barely, with 382pts, and would need both Kostelic and Grange to face disaster in the last slalom of the season, at finals, in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. Matt, with the win, moves into fourth but cannot win the title.

The win was significant for Matt as well. The 31 year old seems to be getting stronger as the season wears on, and though he is a two time World Champion in the discipline, he had been kicked off the Austrian World Cup squad for a lack of results in 2010.

“It is a very important and very emotional moment,” he told reporters. “The breakthrough really came in January. I really felt I was finally getting ready. I was not missing a lot. So when you are in the right state of mind, your body is responding and you have the right equipment it makes things easier.”

Kasper said he had been specifically training for odd course sets, indicating that may have helped. “We knew going into the race that (Ante) Kostelic and the Canadian coach (Dusan Grasic) were setting. They have a really distinctive style. They don’t really follow any form or pattern which keeps you on your toes.”

He said he was relieved to have shown his speed when it counted. “I’ve had speed in training this year and I’ve been trying to put it down in races. We had flashes of it in sections. In Schladming I was second on the second run, which was sweet.”

But not as sweet as finishing second at Kranjska Gora.

Gepa image

The SCOOP
by Hank McKee
Men’s World Cup slalom, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, March 6, 2011
Equipment
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Matt, Blizzard/Tecnica/Marker
2 Kasper, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
2 Baeck, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Myhrer, Nordica/Nordica/
5 Moelgg, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
6 Valencic, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
7 Vogel, Stoeckli/Nordica/Tyrolia
8 Missillier, Dynastar/Lange/Look
9 Deville, Volkl/Tecnica/Marker
10 Hargin, Nordica/Nordica/

Men’s World Cup slalom, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, March 6, 2011 … it is the 30th race held of the men’s 38 race schedule. … with seven races remaining and one cancellation. … It is the ninth of ten slaloms. … It is the 72nd Cup race held at Kranjska Gora. … the 37th slalom.

It is the 14th World Cup win for Mario Matt (13 SL, 1 CMB) and his second of the season and second consecutive slalom win. … It is his second win at Kranjska Gora the last March 4, 2007. … It is the 15th Austrian Cup win this season. … ninth in slalom. … third in slalom for men.

It is the first career World Cup win for Nolan Kasper in five completed races, four this season…. He has one other top 10 result, from last weekend in Bansko. … He is the 11th male to earn a World Cup slalom podium.

It is the first World Cup podium for Axel Baeck. … His third top 10 result the others a sixth at Schladming this season (Jan. 25) and a tenth at Alta Badia Dec. 21, 2009.

It is the 12th career top 15 Cup result for Julien Cousineau. …  his first score at Kranjska Gora. … It is the ninth career scoring result for Trevor White, all in slalom.

With six races remaining Ivica Kostelic (2nd run DSQ) leads the World Cup overall standings 1307-725 over Didier Cuche (did not race). … Aksel Lund Svindal (did not race) is third with 722pts. … Ted Ligety (2nd run DNF) is the top American overall in seventh place with 588pts. … Michael Janyk (1st run DNF) is the top Canadian overall in 37th with 172pts. … Kostelic leads the slalom standings 478-442 over Jean-Baptiste Grange (1st run DSQ) with Andre Myhrer (4th in race) third with 383pts. … He cannot win the slalom title. … Michael Janyk is the top Canadian on the slalom list in 15th with 172pts. … Kasper the top American in 18th with 148pts. … Austria leads the men’s Nations Cup standings 4824-3286 over Switzerland. … Italy is third at 2666 and France fourth at 2636. … The U.S. is seventh with 1430. … Canada ninth with 968pts.