U.S. team takes lion’s share of podiums
The NorAm season opened in Loveland, Colorado last weekend with a strong international field. The Canadians held there own, but the most impressive showing belonged to the U.S. Team, which won five medals in four days of racing.
On day one, the first men’s slalom, American Erik Schlopy returned to the top of the podium for the second year in a row with a time of 1 minute 41.87 seconds. Tom Stiansen of Norway was two-tenths of a second back to take the silver, barely edging out Chip Knight, another American skier, by five one-hundredths of a second.
Jean-Philippe Roy was the top Canadian in 34 th . Thomas Grandi was 36 th .
Day two belonged to Schlopy once again, as it did a year ago, giving him four consecutive wins at Loveland. Knight took the silver medal this time, and Giorgio Rocca of Italy took the bronze medal.
Grandi took the brakes off on day two, and managed to finish the day in 15 th overall. Roy and Ryan Semple did not finish their first runs.
The first women’s slalom on day three when to Karin Koellerer of Austria, followed by Veronika Zuzulova of Slovakia and Kristina Koznick of the U.S.
The Canadian women fared better, with Genevieve Simard finishing in fifth place, just 0.11 seconds out of third and less than a second back of Koellerer.
Anna Prchal was 17 th , and Sara-Maude Boucher 26 th .
On the last day, the second women’s slalom went to Susanne Ekman of Sweden. Zuzulova picked up her second silver, and Christine Sponring of Austria took the bronze.
Simard slipped a few places for Canada, but still managed to finish in eighth place. Boucher moved up 11 positions to 15 th place, and Prchal once again finished in 17 th .
The Canadian Alpine Ski Team is currently racing in World Cup events in Colorado from Nov. 21 to 26. Due to a lack of snow, the women’s events were moved to Copper Mountain from Aspen. The men’s events are still being held at Aspen.
