Huntsman Cup: Victor captures overall title

By Published On: January 8th, 2007Comments Off on Huntsman Cup: Victor captures overall title

Paralympic gold medalist and Park City local Stephani Victor captured the overall title for the 20th annual Huntsman Cup on Sunday with a slalom win over teammate Laurie Stephens (sit-ski). It was her second win in two days and third podium on a weekend where U.S. skiers combined for 24 podium finishes.
PARK CITY, Utah — Paralympic gold medalist and Park City local Stephani Victor captured the overall title for the 20th annual Huntsman Cup on Sunday with a slalom win over teammate Laurie Stephens (sit-ski). It was her second win in two days and third podium on a weekend where U.S. skiers combined for 24 podium finishes.
    “I’ve been racing in this event for seven years and it’s taken me this long to win the overall, so today feels pretty good,” said Victor. “I learned to ski right here at Park City when my husband Marcel [Kuonen] gave me my first lesson. It’s nice to see things go full circle.”
    Victor and Stephens have been battling for the top of the podium all season, but Victor, a slalom specialist, was able to win Saturday’s giant slalom, which coupled with a second in GS on Friday and Sunday’s SL victory, secured her the overall crown. Development skier Ricci Kilgore rounded out the sit-ski podium for the third straight day.
    “Today’s victory was sweet, but yesterday’s was sweeter because it’s so tough to beat Laurie in a giant slalom. We always push each other, but I’ve always been in her shadow when it comes to GS, so yesterday’s win was a big confidence booster. I’m looking forward to being out in front a little bit more this season in GS — I’m ready to test myself on the World Cup.”
    Also a three-time podium finisher in Park City, Elitsa Storey (standing) moved up one spot from her pair of thirds to finish second behind Sandy Dukat, who took her first win of the weekend. Completing the women’s standing podium was Canadian Arly Fogarty.
    “This race is always so much fun,” said Storey. “It’s great to see all the up-and-coming skiers and really good for preparing for the World Cup season because we had the Canadians here along with the Australians and New Zealand. It seems like such a long time since the Paralympics and I’m excited to see how all the Europeans are doing.”
    Next stop for the U.S. Disabled Alpine Team is Aspen, Colorado, for the Jan 17-22 start to the World Cup season. One which head coach Ray Watkins is excited for both his women’s and men’s skiers, who claimed a collected 24 podium finishes at the Huntsman Cup.
    “You can’t help but be excited for the way this team is skiing,” said Watkins. “Stephani and Laurie are just amazing right now, Sandy is skiing great and there’s a lot to be excited about with the men too. Tyler Walker [sit-ski] is really flying and so is Carl Burnett [sit-ski]. Our sit-skiers are pretty much dialed and we’ve got some work to do yet with our standing men, but we’ll get there.”
    On the men’s side, Walker claimed his second win of the weekend with Nick Catanzarite earning his first podium of the season, finishing second ahead of Burnett.
    “It was also great to see Nick get his first podium of the year, especially since it was in slalom,” added Watkins. “He’s really been working hard and he deserved this one. I’ve also got to give it to the Park City race crew again. We had horrible winds overnight and another eight or so inches of snow and they whipped this course into amazing shape again. This was a perfect warm-up for the World Cup — we’re ready.”


20th ANNUAL HUNTSMAN CUP
Park City, Utah — Jan. 7, 2007
Slalom
Men — sit-ski

1. Tyler Walker, Franconia, N.H.
2. Nick Catanzarite, Winter Park, Colo.
3. Carl Burnett, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Standing
1. Camero Rahls-Rahbula, Australia
2. Marty Mayberry, Australia
3. Adam Hall, New Zealand

Women — sit-ski
1. Stephani Victor, Park City, Utah
2. Laurie Stephens, Wenham, Wash.
3. Ricci Kilgore, Reno, Nev.

Standing
1. Sandy Dukat, Vail, Colo.
2. Elitsa Storey, Ketchum, Idaho
3. Arly Fogarty, Canada

Overall
Women: Stephani Victor, Park City, Utah — sit-ski
Men: Christopher Williamson, Canada — visually impaired
Guide: Emily Glossop

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About the Author: Pete Rugh