Chodounsky successfully defends US slalom title at Sugarloaf

By Published On: March 29th, 2015Comments Off on Chodounsky successfully defends US slalom title at Sugarloaf

SUGARLOAF, Maine — With a come-from-behind second run, David Chodounsky confirmed his status as a skiing star by winning the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships slalom for the second year in a row. The win also gave him the combined victory, on paper — adding up both the slalom and the super G races. AJ Ginnis finished second and Redneck Racing’s Tim Kelley was third in the slalom. In the alpine combined, Tim Jitloff was second and Drew Duffy took third.

After a great start to the season — teetering on the edge of top-10 World Cup finishes — Chodounsky had a rough go at the end of the year. And it looked like nationals were going to go the same way for him, as he broke his pole during the first run and finished third. But he was determined to see it through in the second run, and his persistence gave him the slalom win.

“It feels great. I’m really happy. This year hasn’t been the best year for me. It has kind of been a struggle at the end especially, so I really wanted to come back home and make a strong showing at U.S. nationals,” said Chodounsky, who has now won three national slalom titles in total. “It really does mean a lot to me to win here and end the season on a good note.”

Kelley, who was first after first run, had a big mistake second run, which dropped back to third. Up-and-comer Ginnis slid into second place for another trophy to add to his case after taking third at the World Junior Championships this season.

Both Kelley and Chodounsky, World Cup veterans, were ecstatic for the young gun.

“He’s such a talented skier. Everyone has known it all season. He’s been really pushing strong this year and has really broken out,” said Chodounsky. “He’s going to be a great skier. We’re just helping him along and I have no doubt he’s going to start winning these races soon.”

Ginnis was equally as thankful for the help Kelley and Chodounsky gave him this season.

“Timmy and David, we spend the entire season in Europe, just grinding it out together. It’s fun to be here at home and race against each other under blue skies, at a great resort — it’s awesome,” said Ginnis. “Tim was actually the guy when I was up-and-coming that guided me. This year on the World Cup, David really showed me how everything works. To be with those guys on the podium was awesome.”

Rounding out the top five was the University of Denver’s Alex Leever in fourth, as the second-place junior, and Team America’s Seppi Stiegler fifth.

In the alpine combined, Sugarloaf-native Sam Morse finished fourth and Green Mountain Valley School’s Ryan Mooney was fifth.

The slalom wrapped up a fun week at Sugarloaf with racers having nothing but good things to say about the East Coast venue. It was a close fight between East and West rivals, with the western skiers sneaking out the win with 2220 total points from the week and the easterners with 2026 points. Rocky/Central skiers took third with 1509 points.

Release courtesy of USSA, photo courtesy of Cory Ransom

 

Results

 1  1  534508 CHODOUNSKY David 1984 USA  49.89  53.99  1:43.88  8.00
 2  11  6531063 GINNIS AJ 1994 USA  50.03  54.00  1:44.03  +0.15  9.04
 3  3  530837 KELLEY Tim 1986 USA  49.34  55.43  1:44.77  +0.89  14.17
 4  10  6531160 LEEVER Alex 1995 USA  50.97  55.64  1:46.61  +2.73  26.92
 5  13  530651 STIEGLER Seppi 1988 USA  51.36  55.97  1:47.33  +3.45  31.91
 6  23  103855 RIVET Philippe 1992 CAN  51.36  56.11  1:47.47  +3.59  32.88
 7  28  6530538 WOOLSON Thomas 1993 USA  52.17  56.15  1:48.32  +4.44  38.77
 8  26  6530121 FARRELL Brad 1992 USA  52.11  56.32  1:48.43  +4.55  39.54
 9  58  534959 JITLOFF Tim 1985 USA  52.02  56.79  1:48.81  +4.93  42.17
 10  21  6530250 MORSE Ben 1992 USA  52.37  57.14  1:49.51  +5.63  47.02
 11  43  6531127 DUFFY Drew 1995 USA  52.16  57.53  1:49.69  +5.81  48.27
 12  34  6531135 FRANCIS Brian 1995 USA  53.33  57.39  1:50.72  +6.84  55.41
 13  22  104044 READ Kevyn 1993 CAN  51.14  59.74  1:50.88  +7.00  56.52
 14  40  6531520 MORSE Sam 1996 USA  53.36  57.66  1:51.02  +7.14  57.49
 15  49  6531847 DOMONOSKE David 1997 USA  55.20  57.00  1:52.20  +8.32  65.67
 16  32  6530009 OGLE Jay 1991 USA  54.36  58.08  1:52.44  +8.56  67.33
 17  35  6531523 O BRIEN Keilan 1996 USA  54.28  58.59  1:52.87  +8.99  70.31
 18  15  930188 MARSHALL Tucker 1990 USA  57.32  55.72  1:53.04  +9.16  71.49
 19  41  934627 CLIFFORD James 1991 USA  55.50  57.93  1:53.43  +9.55  74.19
 20  39  6531519 MOONEY Ryan 1996 USA  54.85  59.05  1:53.90  +10.02  77.45
 21  52  6531987 KELSEY Sky 1997 USA  52.80  1:01.36  1:54.16  +10.28  79.25
 22  61  6531206 TAYLOR Darwin 1995 USA  55.59  59.42  1:55.01  +11.13  85.14
 23  56  6530913 MACKIE Logan Rip 1994 USA  54.93  1:00.80  1:55.73  +11.85  90.13
 24  14  6530167 SHIFFRIN Taylor 1992 USA  1:00.93  57.87  1:58.80  +14.92  111.41
 25  68  6532086 GUTSTEIN Trent 1998 USA  56.09  1:03.40  1:59.49  +15.61  116.19
 26  20  934524 FARRELL Bobby 1991 USA  51.16  1:13.40  2:04.56  +20.68  151.33
 27  51  6532165 ANDERSON Tommy 1998 USA  55.96  1:10.23  2:06.19  +22.31  162.63
 28  47  6531885 SHEILS Paul 1997 USA  1:08.45  1:06.90  2:15.35  +31.47  226.12
 29  53  6531262 OLIN Teagan 1995 USA  1:21.61  59.13  2:20.74  +36.86  263.48
 30  17  934740 WUNSCH Taylor 1991 USA  1:17.47  1:36.06  2:53.53  +1:09.65  490.75
Disqualified 2nd run
 64  6531856 GUTSTEIN Grant 1997 USA
Disqualified 1st run
 54  6531981 SLATTERY Logan 1997 USA
 38  6531610 HANCOCK Andrew 1996 USA
 7  930160 KELLEY Robby 1990 USA
Did not start 2nd run
 19  934643 GOLDBERG Jared 1991 USA
 8  531799 FORD Tommy 1989 USA
Did not start 1st run
 57  6531401 MITCHELL Nicholas 1995 USA
Did not finish 2nd run
 70  6531482 FERRI James 1996 USA
 45  104389 YOUNG Joseph 1996 CAN
 44  6530500 MCLAUGHLIN Brian 1993 USA
 30  6531203 SPROCK Ty 1995 USA
 29  6530493 MACOMBER Sam 1993 USA
 18  6530115 CHRISTIANSON Kieffer 1992 USA
 16  6530534 VIETZE Sandy 1993 USA
 9  930214 OLIVER Coley 1990 USA
Did not finish 1st run
 69  6532265 FULLER Duncan 1998 USA
 67  6531702 LAYMAN Brooks 1996 USA
 66  6532159 DESPRES Jack 1998 USA
 65  6531598 JORDAN Colby 1996 USA
 63  6532009 CASHMAN Jordan 1997 USA
 62  6530539 WRIGHT Bronson 1993 USA
 60  6530925 VAN DEURSEN Jake 1994 USA
 59  6531927 HOPFINGER Jacob 1997 USA
 55  6531892 WAGNER Kalle 1997 USA
 50  6531917 CAMPBELL Pate 1997 USA
 48  6531936 WINTERS Luke 1997 USA
 46  6531726 SZWEBEL Florian 1996 USA
 42  6530814 MOYER Bobby 1994 USA
 37  221213 RAPOSO Charlie 1996 GBR
 36  6531371 TOMLINSON Henry 1995 USA
 33  6531217 WEISEL Kipling 1995 USA
 31  6530140 MCLAUGHLIN Prescott 1992 USA
 27  6530104 BENNETT Bryce 1992 USA
 25  6531106 AUTY Jack 1995 USA
 24  6531545 SULLIVAN Aleck 1996 USA
 12  930194 MCNEALUS Andrew 1990 USA
 6  934523 ENGEL Mark 1991 USA
 5  934566 ROBERTS Hig 1991 USA
 4  930107 GREGORAK Will 1990 USA
 2  934502 ANKENY Michael 1991 USA

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