Mancuso Wins 3rd Straight U.S. GS Title at the Alpine Championships in Winter Park.
A second and a half inter-run gap wasn’t big enough to keep Julia Mancuso from claiming her third consecutive U.S. giant slalom title today at the Putnam Investments U.S. Alpine Championships in Winter Park.
Sarah Schleper, Julia Mancuso and Stacey Cook finish 1-2-3 in the women's GS at the Putnam Investments U.S. Alpine Championships. (Doug Haney/U.S. Ski Team)
Mancuso, the 2006 Olympic gold medalist in the discipline, trailed second-place finisher Sarah Schleper by 1.52 seconds after the first run on a sunny day in the Colorado Rockies. Mancuso cruised to the fastest run of the day (1:08.82) on the second run to take the win over Schleper with a 0.61-second margin. Downhill specialist Stacey Cook took her short skis for a ride to finish third, 1.94 seconds behind Mancuso.
“Sarah really layed it down first run. Maybe she shouldn't have gone so fast, then I wouldn't get so mad and want to ski fast. I like that kind of course, it was easy for me to see where I could go fast and just take risks,” said Mancuso, who landed her first World Cup victory in four years just two weeks ago. “It’s always hard to get back on the race skis after a little break, but second run I was a little more ready, it was softer but it was fun, a little wild ride like skiing in Squaw.”
The win marked Mancuso’s third straight national GS title (2009, 2010, 2011) and her 12th career national title across three disciplines.
Schleper crossed the line with a combined time of two minutes, 22.22 seconds. “It was a frustrating loss but I knew Julia could beat me on a soft, straight course,” said Schleper of the intense competition among the the U.S. Ski Team’s World Cup regulars. “I didn’t want it bad enough obviously, I didn’t risk enough. I after the first run and I heard Julia’s time, I knew I had to go as fast as I could. I didn’t do that and that was the difference.”
“We have such a competitive team and Julia is always out there to win it, so you’ve got to put on your game face and really got out there with a mission,” continued Schleper. “I still have the slalom and the super G - my first one since last nationals.”
Cook was pleasantly surprised with her ninth career Nationals podium finish, especially in a discipline she hasn’t focused on in years. “It feels a little strange, a little foreign,” said Cook. “It’s a little too much work for me, I’m used to the one-run program. It’s fun to come into nationals and have a fun, homey environment. I think I’m as surprised as everyone else that I was able to be fast today.”
Laurenne Ross finished fourth, 3.23 seconds behind Mancuso.
Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s Abby Ghent landed eighth overall as the top junior in the field. It is her second-best Nationals result after finishing third in this season’s downhill race.
After the race, Mancuso signed hundreds of autographs and posed for photos with hoards of the nations up-and-coming racers. “I think it’s really important [as a top racer] to set the pace and at least give the regional coaches the chance to see us World Cup skiers ski because we don’t always get that chance,” said Mancuso. “I remember coming to nationals as a junior and it was definitely a highlight. Every year it’s definitely a tiring season so it depends on the situation and how I feel, but I at least try to make an effort.”
The Putnam Investments U.S. Alpine Championships continue in Winter Park tomorrow with men's and women's super G races Saturday, April 2. Slalom races are slated for Sunday, April 3.
For more details including results visit SkiRacing.com.
