Italian Ballerin takes opening men’s NorAm in Wyoming
Italian national team prospect Andrea Ballerin took the opening men’s NorAm race of the season at Snow King Resort in Jackson, Wyo. After clocking the fifth fastest first run, Ballerin scorched the field, setting the fastest second run and storming towards the win by an impressive 0.93 seconds over Norwegian and former University of Denver skier Espen Lysdahl in second and American Tim Kelley in third.
A slick surface, especially towards the finish, proved challenging for the field, with only 40 racers of the 97-man start list managing to complete both runs.
The top junior on the day was Ski Quebec Alpin’s William Bruneau-Bouchard who posted a career-best NorAm result finishing in 18th overall. The University of Denver and N-UNI team member Alex Leever and Australian Harry Laidlaw of Global Racing rounded out the junior podium in 22nd and 26th overall, respectively.
European competitors had a strong showing with Ballerin, Lysdahl, Roberto Nani, Giovanni Borsotti, and Krystof Kryzl all cracking the top 10. Former University of Vermont skier Jonathan Nordbotten of the Norwegian World Cup team was in third after the morning’s run, but he was unable to finish the second.
Independent American racer Robby Kelley was the second North American on the result sheet behind his older brother, as the younger Kelley cracked the top five with a fifth-place finish, setting the second fastest second run behind Ballerin in the process. On the comeback trail was Canadian national team athlete Phil Brown who landed in eighth coming off of hip surgery in the offseason. Also noteworthy was Philippe Rivet of the University of New Hampshire charging from the 45th start position to end up 11th overall, perhaps foreshadowing top-10 results to come this winter.
The men will race another NorAm slalom on Friday before traveling to Copper Mountain, Colo., for a pair of giant slaloms Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
Results
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | Diff. | FIS Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | 290095 | BALLERIN Andrea | 1989 | ITA | 53.36 | 51.22 | 1:44.58 | 6.00 | |
| 2 | 2 | 421954 | LYSDAHL Espen | 1990 | NOR | 52.28 | 53.23 | 1:45.51 | +0.93 | 12.40 |
| 3 | 3 | 530837 | KELLEY Tim | 1986 | USA | 53.22 | 52.53 | 1:45.75 | +1.17 | 14.06 |
| 4 | 20 | 294890 | NANI Roberto | 1988 | ITA | 53.43 | 52.63 | 1:46.06 | +1.48 | 16.19 |
| 5 | 7 | 930160 | KELLEY Robby | 1990 | USA | 53.79 | 52.29 | 1:46.08 | +1.50 | 16.33 |
| 6 | 18 | 934523 | ENGEL Mark | 1991 | USA | 52.95 | 54.12 | 1:47.07 | +2.49 | 23.14 |
| 7 | 21 | 990048 | BORSOTTI Giovanni | 1990 | ITA | 54.95 | 52.74 | 1:47.69 | +3.11 | 27.41 |
| 8 | 13 | 103676 | BROWN Phil | 1991 | CAN | 54.70 | 53.01 | 1:47.71 | +3.13 | 27.55 |
| 9 | 10 | 150644 | KRYZL Krystof | 1986 | CZE | 55.50 | 53.07 | 1:48.57 | +3.99 | 33.47 |
| 10 | 5 | 103865 | PHILP Trevor | 1992 | CAN | 55.07 | 54.06 | 1:49.13 | +4.55 | 37.33 |
| 11 | 45 | 103855 | RIVET Philippe | 1992 | CAN | 55.40 | 53.74 | 1:49.14 | +4.56 | 37.39 |
| 12 | 9 | 103729 | READ Erik | 1991 | CAN | 53.71 | 55.52 | 1:49.23 | +4.65 | 38.01 |
| 13 | 49 | 422305 | BAKKE Morten Ungersness | 1994 | NOR | 56.33 | 53.90 | 1:50.23 | +5.65 | 44.90 |
| 14 | 12 | 380318 | BRIGOVIC Sebastian | 1992 | CRO | 56.85 | 53.39 | 1:50.24 | +5.66 | 44.97 |
| 15 | 6 | 530651 | STIEGLER Seppi | 1988 | USA | 56.44 | 54.28 | 1:50.72 | +6.14 | 48.27 |
| 16 | 35 | 422318 | ROEISLAND Max | 1994 | NOR | 57.10 | 54.13 | 1:51.23 | +6.65 | 51.78 |
| 17 | 29 | 6530167 | SHIFFRIN Taylor | 1992 | USA | 56.93 | 54.48 | 1:51.41 | +6.83 | 53.02 |
| 18 | 64 | 104412 | BRUNEAU-BOUCHARD William | 1996 | CAN | 57.16 | 54.27 | 1:51.43 | +6.85 | 53.16 |
| 19 | 11 | 930188 | MARSHALL Tucker | 1990 | USA | 56.80 | 54.64 | 1:51.44 | +6.86 | 53.23 |
| 20 | 24 | 930194 | MCNEALUS Andrew | 1990 | USA | 56.55 | 54.93 | 1:51.48 | +6.90 | 53.50 |
| 21 | 23 | 103779 | GARAND Dominique | 1991 | CAN | 57.29 | 54.25 | 1:51.54 | +6.96 | 53.92 |
| 22 | 36 | 6531160 | LEEVER Alex | 1995 | USA | 57.30 | 54.53 | 1:51.83 | +7.25 | 55.91 |
| 23 | 51 | 6530538 | WOOLSON Thomas | 1993 | USA | 56.97 | 55.15 | 1:52.12 | +7.54 | 57.91 |
| 24 | 15 | 430633 | JASICZEK Michal | 1994 | POL | 54.85 | 58.06 | 1:52.91 | +8.33 | 63.35 |
| 25 | 58 | 40577 | LAIDLAW Harry | 1996 | AUS | 58.30 | 55.15 | 1:53.45 | +8.87 | 67.07 |
| 26 | 54 | 6531936 | WINTERS Luke | 1997 | USA | 58.36 | 55.27 | 1:53.63 | +9.05 | 68.31 |
| 27 | 27 | 422134 | BJERTNESS Endre | 1992 | NOR | 58.96 | 54.94 | 1:53.90 | +9.32 | 70.17 |
| 28 | 70 | 430762 | JASICZEK Jedrzej | 1997 | POL | 57.42 | 56.81 | 1:54.23 | +9.65 | 72.44 |
| 29 | 44 | 151024 | KOTZMANN Adam | 1993 | CZE | 59.29 | 55.63 | 1:54.92 | +10.34 | 77.19 |
| 30 | 48 | 194849 | COULET Gabriel | 1994 | FRA | 59.03 | 57.56 | 1:56.59 | +12.01 | 88.69 |
| 31 | 4 | 934502 | ANKENY Michael | 1991 | USA | 1:03.38 | 53.43 | 1:56.81 | +12.23 | 90.20 |
| 32 | 75 | 6532091 | KEANE Jack | 1998 | USA | 1:00.39 | 56.81 | 1:57.20 | +12.62 | 92.88 |
| 33 | 93 | 6532163 | SEYMOUR Jett | 1998 | USA | 1:00.03 | 57.43 | 1:57.46 | +12.88 | 94.67 |
| 34 | 95 | 6530613 | KEITH Jacob | 1993 | USA | 1:00.92 | 58.23 | 1:59.15 | +14.57 | 106.31 |
| 35 | 78 | 6531963 | STEFFEY George | 1997 | USA | 1:02.00 | 58.73 | 2:00.73 | +16.15 | 117.19 |
| 36 | 79 | 6531590 | KIRWOOD Clayton | 1996 | USA | 1:01.29 | 59.57 | 2:00.86 | +16.28 | 118.08 |
| 37 | 92 | 6531634 | CALARCO Matthew | 1996 | USA | 1:03.76 | 59.22 | 2:02.98 | +18.40 | 132.68 |
| 38 | 16 | 6530115 | CHRISTIANSON Kieffer | 1992 | USA | 55.55 | 1:07.52 | 2:03.07 | +18.49 | 133.30 |
| 39 | 76 | 104389 | YOUNG Joseph | 1996 | CAN | 1:00.64 | 1:03.88 | 2:04.52 | +19.94 | 143.28 |
| 40 | 65 | 6532084 | RADAMUS River | 1998 | USA | 1:24.75 | 59.15 | 2:23.90 | +39.32 | 276.71 |
| Disqualified 1st run | ||||||||||
| 56 | 934547 | MARNO Max | 1991 | USA | ||||||
| 19 | 561146 | MLINSEK Filip | 1988 | SLO | ||||||
| Did not start 1st run | ||||||||||
| 33 | 934740 | WUNSCH Taylor | 1991 | USA | ||||||
| Did not finish 2nd run | ||||||||||
| 72 | 104488 | FOURNIER Simon | 1997 | CAN | ||||||
| 69 | 6530108 | BROOKS Dylan | 1992 | USA | ||||||
| 68 | 104436 | QUENNEVILLE Raphael | 1996 | CAN | ||||||
| 62 | 6531523 | O BRIEN Keilan | 1996 | USA | ||||||
| 52 | 103942 | BELL Jeffrey | 1993 | CAN | ||||||
| 50 | 6531115 | BROWN Griffin | 1995 | USA | ||||||
| 47 | 6531145 | HALL Max | 1995 | USA | ||||||
| 46 | 104468 | READ Jeffrey | 1997 | CAN | ||||||
| 37 | 180667 | HIETANEN Kasper | 1991 | FIN | ||||||
| 34 | 512082 | REYMOND Marco | 1994 | SUI | ||||||
| 32 | 410364 | FEASEY Willis | 1992 | NZL | ||||||
| 30 | 6531472 | DRILLER Garret | 1996 | USA | ||||||
| 28 | 180737 | LUUKKO Max | 1994 | FIN | ||||||
| 26 | 410365 | BARWOOD Adam | 1992 | NZL | ||||||
| 8 | 421860 | NORDBOTTEN Jonathan | 1989 | NOR | ||||||
| Did not finish 1st run | ||||||||||
| 97 | 104535 | LLEWELLYN Carson | 1997 | CAN | ||||||
| 96 | 104577 | ALKIER Justin | 1998 | CAN | ||||||
| 94 | 6532009 | CASHMAN Jordan | 1997 | USA | ||||||
| 91 | 6531987 | KELSEY Sky | 1997 | USA | ||||||
| 90 | 104538 | YATES Cooper | 1997 | CAN | ||||||
| 89 | 6531851 | FREEMAN Adam | 1997 | USA | ||||||
| 88 | 430668 | DZIEDZIC Andrzej | 1995 | POL | ||||||
| 87 | 6532149 | MILLER Andrew | 1998 | USA | ||||||
| 86 | 6531872 | MATHERS Luke | 1997 | USA | ||||||
| 85 | 6531865 | LARSEN Gray | 1997 | USA | ||||||
| 84 | 422402 | MAURSTAD Fredrik | 1995 | NOR | ||||||
| 83 | 6531681 | DE JONG Devin | 1996 | USA | ||||||
| 82 | 6531614 | KJOS Zak | 1996 | USA | ||||||
| 81 | 104625 | DYMOND Cameron | 1998 | CAN | ||||||
| 80 | 6531885 | SHEILS Paul | 1997 | USA | ||||||
| 77 | 104238 | KUUS Karl | 1995 | CAN | ||||||
| 74 | 6531892 | WAGNER Kalle | 1997 | USA | ||||||
| 73 | 6530544 | BENDA Jake | 1993 | USA | ||||||
| 71 | 6530500 | MCLAUGHLIN Brian | 1993 | USA | ||||||
| 67 | 6531847 | DOMONOSKE David | 1997 | USA | ||||||
| 66 | 103953 | CARRY Roger | 1993 | CAN | ||||||
| 63 | 6531371 | TOMLINSON Henry | 1995 | USA | ||||||
| 61 | 221213 | RAPOSO Charlie | 1996 | GBR | ||||||
| 60 | 6531192 | SANTANIELLO Nick | 1995 | USA | ||||||
| 59 | 6531203 | SPROCK Ty | 1995 | USA | ||||||
| 57 | 6530168 | SMITH Cameron | 1992 | USA | ||||||
| 55 | 6530140 | MCLAUGHLIN Prescott | 1992 | USA | ||||||
| 53 | 110266 | ANGUITA Martin | 1991 | CHI | ||||||
| 43 | 104153 | MCCONVILLE Patrick | 1994 | CAN | ||||||
| 42 | 150834 | ZIKA Adam | 1989 | CZE | ||||||
| 41 | 6530534 | VIETZE Sandy | 1993 | USA | ||||||
| 40 | 104097 | UNTERBERGER Dominic | 1994 | CAN | ||||||
| 39 | 54171 | NEUHAUSER David | 1993 | AUT | ||||||
| 38 | 202567 | BREU Raffael | 1994 | GER | ||||||
| 31 | 501529 | GUNNARSSON Henrik | 1991 | SWE | ||||||
| 25 | 104023 | STEINKE Chris | 1993 | CAN | ||||||
| 22 | 202437 | LUITZ Stefan | 1992 | GER | ||||||
| 14 | 103857 | ST-GERMAIN William | 1992 | CAN | ||||||
| 1 | 934566 | ROBERTS Hig | 1991 | USA | ||||||
Podium photo courtesy of Dan Leever (Facebook)
About the Author: Sean Higgins
