Shiffrin, Chodounsky cruise to slalom crowns in Sun Valley
SUN VALLEY, Idaho – The top-ranked American slalom skiers put on nothing short of a disco stick spectacle on Friday as Mikaela Shiffrin and David Chodounsky won their races by 6.73 (no, that’s not a typo) and 2.36 seconds, respectively.
It was a clear and cold day as hard snow and testing course sets proved quite the challenge for both genders, with much the fields in both races failing to complete both runs.
On the women’s side, Shiffrin opened the race with bib one and didn’t look back, skiing with the composure and speed all have now grown accustomed to seeing en route to taking the title. After a disappointing first run, U.S. Ski Teamer and reigning NorAm slalom champion Lila Lapanja charged from eighth place to ultimately finish in second. Canadian Roni Remme of the University of Utah managed to hang on for third place.
Although today’s race wasn’t as intense as what Shiffrin is used to on the World Cup, the world’s best slalom skier said she still feels nerves even when there’s nothing on the line.
“I was going for it today,” Shiffrin said after the race. “I feel like if you’re going to race, you need to ski as fast as you can. It’s a nice springtime environment. I love the sun and I love this kind of snow, so it’s more relaxing in a sense, but when I got in the starting gate my heart was still beating in my chest.”
For Lapanja, even though Shiffrin’s winning margin was mighty humbling, the Lake Tahoe native nevertheless took positives out of her performance and looks ahead to another season racing World Cup slalom.
“First, I need to congratulate Mikaela for showing the world where she stands,” a gracious Lapanja said. “It really fires me up because I have something to chase and have work to do, but I’m excited about it. As for my skiing, yes, I was really disappointed after first run. I’ve been kind of tight the past couple of weeks. I just wanted to let go second run a little bit and ski freely and remember why I love skiing slalom. I just brought an attacking mentality to second run and that taps me into my best skiing.”
For the men, fans were treated to high-intensity racing as a stacked field battled it out for top honors. Chodounsky turned in two dominant performances to take the win, with American independent racer Robby Kelley of Redneck Racing grabbing his first ever alpine championship slalom podium in second. Fellow World Cup skier Michael Ankeny also battled his way to third place to cap off his season. Jack Keane charged from bib 49 to capture top junior honors in ninth place.
“This has been my best season, hands down,” Chodounsky said in the finish. “I just felt really good today. I’m just so comfortable skiing right now and I really love the feeling that I have when I’m skiing right now, so in control and fast. I feel great and to get this at the end of the season is awesome.”
“It was my biggest goal, to finish the year in the top 15,” he added of his World Cup performance this season which saw him finish the year ranked 15th in the world in slalom. “After St. Moritz, I wasn’t quite sure. I didn’t have the best second run there. I thought I had moved out of it for sure. But then I looked at the rankings and there were a couple of other guys who also didn’t have a great result. That kept me in the 15 and I was so happy.”
Kelley has been focusing more on his slalom in recent years and was quick to praise Chodounsky’s skiing. Kelley no doubt is eager to make his mark on the world stage after impressive results at the Europa Cup level earlier in the year, although he admits that he still has work to do.
“I think Dave is skiing as fast as anybody in the world right now,” Kelly said. “It’s awesome just to watch that. I thought first run I skied pretty well, a little safe, and then second run I got tossed out up top and then kind of backed off the rest of the way, which didn’t really matter because even if I skied out of my mind, I wouldn’t have been able to catch Dave. I’m happy to stay in second.”
Ankeny saw himself land inside of the World Cup slalom points twice this season in Adelboden and Kitzbuehel. After several years of knocking on the door, he said it was a huge weight of of his shoulders to get into a second run and hopes to take that momentum into next season.
“It was a great event,” Ankeny said. “The snow was really aggressive, so it was easy to over-turn in the first run, but it held up great in the second run. The crew out here did a great job with the conditions. It’s fun racing and it’s fun competing against your best friends.”
See more photos from today’s race in the gallery here.
Men’s giant slalom is on the schedule for Saturday in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Official Women’s Results
Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | Diff. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 6535237 | SHIFFRIN Mikaela | 1995 | USA | 54.43 | 52.13 | 1:46.56 | ||
2 | 6 | 539927 | LAPANJA Lila | 1994 | USA | 1:00.60 | 52.69 | 1:53.29 | +6.73 | |
3 | 5 | 107583 | REMME Roni | 1996 | CAN | 59.89 | 53.57 | 1:53.46 | +6.90 | |
4 | 12 | 516441 | BREGOU Anne-Solene | 1996 | SUI | 58.92 | 54.92 | 1:53.84 | +7.28 | |
5 | 11 | 385041 | NOVOSELIC Sofija | 1990 | CRO | 59.38 | 54.56 | 1:53.94 | +7.38 | |
6 | 8 | 206464 | BREUNING Ann-Kathrin | 1992 | GER | 58.61 | 55.76 | 1:54.37 | +7.81 | |
7 | 27 | 6535759 | LEBBY Stephanie | 1997 | USA | 59.37 | 55.22 | 1:54.59 | +8.03 | |
8 | 21 | 6535765 | MANGAN Patricia | 1997 | USA | 1:01.22 | 53.80 | 1:55.02 | +8.46 | |
9 | 15 | 539848 | ALTRINGER Courtney | 1993 | USA | 1:00.91 | 55.84 | 1:56.75 | +10.19 | |
10 | 49 | 6535455 | JOHNSON Breezy | 1996 | USA | 1:01.47 | 56.21 | 1:57.68 | +11.12 | |
11 | 35 | 6535762 | LORD Madison | 1997 | USA | 1:01.69 | 56.03 | 1:57.72 | +11.16 | |
12 | 17 | 107562 | GARTNER Stephanie | 1996 | CAN | 1:01.82 | 56.08 | 1:57.90 | +11.34 | |
13 | 26 | 539665 | LEAVITT Sierra | 1993 | USA | 1:02.53 | 56.24 | 1:58.77 | +12.21 | |
14 | 51 | 6536232 | VESTERSTEIN Kaitlyn | 1999 | USA | 1:03.63 | 58.46 | 2:02.09 | +15.53 | |
15 | 31 | 107563 | HENRY Mia | 1996 | CAN | 1:03.77 | 58.90 | 2:02.67 | +16.11 | |
16 | 38 | 539984 | DRILLER Tenaya | 1994 | USA | 1:05.78 | 57.16 | 2:02.94 | +16.38 | |
17 | 69 | 6536166 | SMITH Erin | 1999 | USA | 1:06.56 | 58.10 | 2:04.66 | +18.10 | |
18 | 50 | 6535807 | CUTLER Haley | 1997 | USA | 1:10.76 | 56.76 | 2:07.52 | +20.96 | |
19 | 57 | 6535941 | PARKE Juliette | 1998 | USA | 1:07.44 | 1:01.42 | 2:08.86 | +22.30 | |
20 | 72 | 6535953 | GREENE Nicole | 1998 | USA | 1:08.55 | 1:01.70 | 2:10.25 | +23.69 | |
21 | 47 | 6536020 | HUST Rosie | 1998 | USA | 1:07.49 | 1:06.44 | 2:13.93 | +27.37 | |
22 | 59 | 6535572 | BOWERS Dairinn | 1996 | USA | 1:12.46 | 1:03.86 | 2:16.32 | +29.76 | |
23 | 63 | 6535749 | HOGAN Lily | 1997 | USA | 1:18.99 | 1:00.85 | 2:19.84 | +33.28 | |
24 | 37 | 539700 | WHISTLER Paige | 1993 | USA | 1:25.50 | 55.93 | 2:21.43 | +34.87 | |
25 | 70 | 6536005 | MASS Hanna | 1998 | USA | 1:16.25 | 1:09.09 | 2:25.34 | +38.78 | |
26 | 56 | 6535747 | HARRIS Katy | 1997 | USA | 1:26.70 | 1:00.59 | 2:27.29 | +40.73 | |
27 | 67 | 6536023 | BERNIER Maya | 1998 | USA | 1:28.49 | 1:01.13 | 2:29.62 | +43.06 | |
28 | 71 | 6536330 | MCMURTRY Jessica | 1999 | USA | 1:12.10 | 1:33.21 | 2:45.31 | +58.75 | |
Disqualified 2nd run | ||||||||||
16 | 6535773 | O BRIEN Nina | 1997 | USA | ||||||
Disqualified 1st run | ||||||||||
73 | 539363 | GHENT Abby | 1992 | USA | ||||||
34 | 6536213 | CASHMAN Keely | 1999 | USA | ||||||
9 | 425949 | HOLE Kari Bergheim | 1992 | NOR | ||||||
Did not finish 2nd run | ||||||||||
36 | 6535789 | UTTER Kathleen | 1997 | USA | ||||||
25 | 6535485 | REINHART Jessica | 1996 | USA | ||||||
10 | 426032 | TRULSRUD Tonje Healey | 1994 | NOR | ||||||
Did not finish 1st run | ||||||||||
68 | 6535761 | LIVRAN Heidi | 1997 | USA | ||||||
66 | 6535840 | THORSON Berit | 1997 | USA | ||||||
65 | 6535792 | GAILIUNAS Kara | 1997 | USA | ||||||
64 | 6535947 | DECKER Cecily | 1998 | USA | ||||||
62 | 6535538 | SPENCE Erin | 1996 | USA | ||||||
61 | 6535992 | THOMAS Claire | 1998 | USA | ||||||
60 | 6535771 | NAWROCKI Rachel | 1997 | USA | ||||||
58 | 6536109 | MATTSSON Ava | 1998 | USA | ||||||
55 | 6535774 | OSTERGREN Madison | 1997 | USA | ||||||
54 | 6536236 | TOWNSHEND Charlotte | 1999 | USA | ||||||
53 | 6535942 | LEBEL Maureen | 1998 | USA | ||||||
52 | 506693 | BECKMAN Emma | 1996 | SWE | ||||||
48 | 6535907 | ENGLISH Francesca | 1997 | USA | ||||||
46 | 6535661 | STANDTEINER Tenaya | 1996 | USA | ||||||
45 | 6535456 | JOHNSON Hannah | 1996 | USA | ||||||
44 | 6536179 | TALBOT Nellie Rose | 1999 | USA | ||||||
43 | 6535999 | DEKKO Madeleine | 1998 | USA | ||||||
42 | 6535934 | KLOMHAUS Storm | 1998 | USA | ||||||
41 | 539457 | MARNO Anna | 1992 | USA | ||||||
40 | 539904 | PALMER Teagen | 1994 | USA | ||||||
39 | 307386 | DENDA Kayo | 1995 | JPN | ||||||
33 | 6535978 | BAILEY Lucia | 1998 | USA | ||||||
32 | 6535193 | HUNSAKER Hannah | 1995 | USA | ||||||
30 | 6536177 | UTTER Hannah | 1999 | USA | ||||||
29 | 6536028 | CURTIS Ellie | 1998 | USA | ||||||
28 | 197371 | AUFRERE Marie | 1993 | FRA | ||||||
24 | 536481 | SCHLEPER Sarah | 1979 | MEX | ||||||
23 | 6535600 | MERRYWEATHER Alice | 1996 | USA | ||||||
22 | 6535930 | WARDLE Galena | 1998 | USA | ||||||
20 | 6535806 | MCGREW Megan | 1997 | USA | ||||||
19 | 426069 | LYCHE Benedicte Oseid | 1994 | NOR | ||||||
18 | 539678 | PETERSON Foreste | 1993 | USA | ||||||
14 | 425918 | SEKSE Tonje | 1992 | NOR | ||||||
13 | 538284 | MCJAMES Megan | 1987 | USA | ||||||
7 | 539909 | MOLTZAN Paula | 1994 | USA | ||||||
4 | 426160 | MOHAGEN Julie Flo | 1996 | NOR | ||||||
3 | 537772 | STIEGLER Resi | 1985 | USA | ||||||
2 | 107556 | MCCARTHY Jocelyn | 1996 | CAN |
Official Men’s Results
Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | Diff. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 | 534508 | CHODOUNSKY David | 1984 | USA | 51.49 | 51.98 | 1:43.47 | ||
2 | 6 | 930160 | KELLEY Robby | 1990 | USA | 52.31 | 53.52 | 1:45.83 | +2.36 | |
3 | 2 | 934502 | ANKENY Michael | 1991 | USA | 53.53 | 52.83 | 1:46.36 | +2.89 | |
4 | 15 | 934523 | ENGEL Mark | 1991 | USA | 53.79 | 52.73 | 1:46.52 | +3.05 | |
5 | 8 | 930194 | MCNEALUS Andrew | 1990 | USA | 53.77 | 54.43 | 1:48.20 | +4.73 | |
6 | 52 | 934568 | RUBIE Brennan | 1991 | USA | 54.63 | 53.91 | 1:48.54 | +5.07 | |
7 | 25 | 501814 | OESTER Carl-johan | 1992 | SWE | 54.67 | 54.64 | 1:49.31 | +5.84 | |
8 | 26 | 6530538 | WOOLSON Thomas | 1993 | USA | 54.46 | 54.86 | 1:49.32 | +5.85 | |
9 | 49 | 6532091 | KEANE Jack | 1998 | USA | 56.34 | 53.69 | 1:50.03 | +6.56 | |
9 | 18 | 930188 | MARSHALL Tucker | 1990 | USA | 55.77 | 54.26 | 1:50.03 | +6.56 | |
11 | 35 | 6531486 | FUCIGNA Peter | 1996 | USA | 55.41 | 55.27 | 1:50.68 | +7.21 | |
12 | 17 | 6531160 | LEEVER Alex | 1995 | USA | 56.61 | 54.50 | 1:51.11 | +7.64 | |
13 | 14 | 530651 | STIEGLER Seppi | 1988 | USA | 56.59 | 54.79 | 1:51.38 | +7.91 | |
14 | 41 | 6531127 | DUFFY Drew | 1995 | USA | 56.33 | 55.72 | 1:52.05 | +8.58 | |
15 | 12 | 422134 | BJERTNESS Endre | 1992 | NOR | 57.00 | 55.23 | 1:52.23 | +8.76 | |
16 | 28 | 6531145 | HALL Max | 1995 | USA | 56.49 | 56.32 | 1:52.81 | +9.34 | |
17 | 58 | 6290244 | NOGARA Nicolo | 1992 | ITA | 57.05 | 55.95 | 1:53.00 | +9.53 | |
18 | 57 | 6532163 | SEYMOUR Jett | 1998 | USA | 57.13 | 56.01 | 1:53.14 | +9.67 | |
19 | 47 | 6531520 | MORSE Sam | 1996 | USA | 57.90 | 55.44 | 1:53.34 | +9.87 | |
20 | 67 | 6532149 | MILLER Andrew | 1998 | USA | 57.52 | 56.49 | 1:54.01 | +10.54 | |
21 | 29 | 422305 | BAKKE Morten Ungersness | 1994 | NOR | 1:00.11 | 54.73 | 1:54.84 | +11.37 | |
22 | 78 | 6532347 | DILLING Jacob | 1999 | USA | 58.65 | 57.54 | 1:56.19 | +12.72 | |
23 | 81 | 6532406 | MACALUSO Matthew | 1999 | USA | 58.78 | 58.10 | 1:56.88 | +13.41 | |
24 | 61 | 6530845 | BOARDMAN Michael | 1994 | USA | 59.21 | 57.75 | 1:56.96 | +13.49 | |
25 | 3 | 103729 | READ Erik | 1991 | CAN | 1:05.31 | 53.84 | 1:59.15 | +15.68 | |
26 | 38 | 6531192 | SANTANIELLO Nick | 1995 | USA | 1:09.75 | 55.97 | 2:05.72 | +22.25 | |
27 | 62 | 6531681 | DE JONG Devin | 1996 | USA | 1:06.91 | 59.11 | 2:06.02 | +22.55 | |
28 | 44 | 6531610 | HANCOCK Andrew | 1996 | USA | 1:06.02 | 1:01.20 | 2:07.22 | +23.75 | |
29 | 82 | 6531971 | HENDERSON Macintyre | 1997 | USA | 1:02.45 | 1:13.25 | 2:15.70 | +32.23 | |
30 | 83 | 6531965 | BRAZEROL Dominik | 1997 | USA | 1:18.64 | 1:02.01 | 2:20.65 | +37.18 | |
Disqualified 2nd run | ||||||||||
54 | 6532116 | KRUPKA Jimmy | 1998 | USA | ||||||
11 | 990051 | BOSCA Giulio | 1990 | ITA | ||||||
Disqualified 1st run | ||||||||||
66 | 6532165 | ANDERSON Tommy | 1998 | USA | ||||||
53 | 6531474 | DVORACEK Addison | 1996 | USA | ||||||
9 | 530165 | BRANDENBURG Will | 1987 | USA | ||||||
Did not start 1st run | ||||||||||
85 | 6532419 | TERJESON Hayden | 1999 | USA | ||||||
84 | 6531509 | LEBEL James | 1996 | USA | ||||||
27 | 6531963 | STEFFEY George | 1997 | USA | ||||||
Did not finish 2nd run | ||||||||||
80 | 310410 | VUKOVIC Andrija | 1994 | SRB | ||||||
75 | 6531598 | JORDAN Colby | 1996 | USA | ||||||
73 | 6531560 | WILSON Cody | 1996 | USA | ||||||
72 | 6531987 | KELSEY Sky | 1997 | USA | ||||||
68 | 6531262 | OLIN Teagan | 1995 | USA | ||||||
60 | 6532357 | LANGE Colby | 1999 | USA | ||||||
56 | 6530544 | BENDA Jake | 1993 | USA | ||||||
55 | 6532001 | COOPER Michael | 1997 | USA | ||||||
43 | 6531203 | SPROCK Ty | 1995 | USA | ||||||
40 | 501810 | HOEGBOM Erik | 1992 | SWE | ||||||
39 | 6530168 | SMITH Cameron | 1992 | USA | ||||||
37 | 104311 | GRASIC Martin | 1995 | CAN | ||||||
33 | 6531444 | ARVIDSSON Erik | 1996 | USA | ||||||
31 | 6531135 | FRANCIS Brian | 1995 | USA | ||||||
24 | 6530534 | VIETZE Sandy | 1993 | USA | ||||||
23 | 104044 | READ Kevyn | 1993 | CAN | ||||||
19 | 6530115 | CHRISTIANSON Kieffer | 1992 | USA | ||||||
7 | 934566 | ROBERTS Hig | 1991 | USA | ||||||
1 | 530837 | KELLEY Tim | 1986 | USA | ||||||
Did not finish 1st run | ||||||||||
79 | 6532137 | BIRKNER Alexander | 1998 | USA | ||||||
77 | 6531854 | GRIFFITH Ian | 1997 | USA | ||||||
76 | 6530925 | VAN DEURSEN Jake | 1994 | USA | ||||||
74 | 6531401 | MITCHELL Nicholas | 1995 | USA | ||||||
71 | 6532009 | CASHMAN Jordan | 1997 | USA | ||||||
70 | 6531928 | KENNEY Patrick | 1997 | USA | ||||||
69 | 6531917 | CAMPBELL Pate | 1997 | USA | ||||||
65 | 6531872 | MATHERS Luke | 1997 | USA | ||||||
64 | 6532354 | GILE Bridger | 1999 | USA | ||||||
63 | 6531865 | LARSEN Gray | 1997 | USA | ||||||
59 | 6532123 | NEGOMIR Kyle | 1998 | USA | ||||||
51 | 6531847 | DOMONOSKE David | 1997 | USA | ||||||
50 | 6531981 | SLATTERY Logan | 1997 | USA | ||||||
48 | 6531519 | MOONEY Ryan | 1996 | USA | ||||||
46 | 502236 | FRISK David | 1997 | SWE | ||||||
45 | 6532084 | RADAMUS River | 1998 | USA | ||||||
42 | 6531217 | WEISEL Kipling | 1995 | USA | ||||||
36 | 6530454 | FARROW Tanner | 1993 | USA | ||||||
34 | 103942 | BELL Jeffrey | 1993 | CAN | ||||||
32 | 6531115 | BROWN Griffin | 1995 | USA | ||||||
30 | 6531545 | SULLIVAN Aleck | 1996 | USA | ||||||
22 | 54171 | NEUHAUSER David | 1993 | AUT | ||||||
21 | 6530500 | MCLAUGHLIN Brian | 1993 | USA | ||||||
20 | 6530104 | BENNETT Bryce | 1992 | USA | ||||||
16 | 6531472 | DRILLER Garret | 1996 | USA | ||||||
13 | 6530167 | SHIFFRIN Taylor | 1992 | USA | ||||||
10 | 531799 | FORD Tommy | 1989 | USA | ||||||
4 | 6531063 | GINNIS AJ | 1994 | USA |