North Americans grab gold in Kiwi Games

North America controled the first day of competition at the 100percent New Zealand Wimter Games at CornetPeak Wednesday with Canadian Britt Janyk and American Jake Zamansky garnering the super G wins.

Delayed a day by inclement weather the races were conducted in significant winds – estimated at 80kph (roughly 50mph) – with representation from 16 nations.

North America controled the first day of competition at the 100percent New Zealand Winter Games at Cornet Peak Wednesday with Canadian Britt Janyk and American Jake Zamansky garnering the super G wins.

Delayed a day by inclement weather the races were conducted in significant winds – estimated at 80kph (roughly 50mph) – with representation from 16 nations.

Janyk outdueled Swede Maria Pietilae-Holmner 1:04.74 to 1:04.98 for the first gold medal of the Games and a jump for her Australia/New Zealand Continental Cup rankings. Canada’s Shona Rubens was third in 1:05.01.

2006 Olympic slalom gold medalist Anja Paerson exited the course, indicating the wind was a factor.

“The opportunity to train at Coronet Peak and race in the Winter Games ANC series is fantastic because it helps so much with preparation for World Cup races and the Winter Olympics next year,” Janyk said.

Zamansky grabbed the men’s gold medal with a .38 of a second edge over German Felix Neureuther. Monoco’s Olivier Jenot posted third, knocking American Travis Ganong off the medal stand by a hundredth of a second. Ganong had been granted a rerun after the wind literally blew him off the course during his first attempt.

“It was awesome,” said Zamansky, “not too rounded and the (course) conditions were great.”

The first New Zealanders were 21-year-old Lucie Tait- Jamieson of the Cardrona High Performance Centre who finished 14th in 1.08.29, virtually halving her Super G FIS points, and 22-year-old Tim Cafe of Queenstown who claimed a creditable sixth place, lowering his world ranking with a time of 1.03.88.

Ski Racing New Zealand Alpine Director James Lazor said the two Kiwi performances were stand out. “This race was a Continental Cup race and is similar to a Europa Cup event which is the drawcard for many overseas athletes, particularly in the build up to the Olympics next year. The standard of the competitors and the course enabled both Tim and Lucie to drastically reduce their points and rankings which is fantastic for them.”