PARALYMPICS: U.S. earns four top-10 results on opening day of DH

By Published On: March 12th, 2006Comments Off on PARALYMPICS: U.S. earns four top-10 results on opening day of DH

PARALYMPICS: U.S. earns four top-10 results on opening day of DH{mosimage}On the first day of downhill competition, the U.S. Paralympic alpine team secured four top-10 finishes in the men’s and women’s standing categories.

Four-time Paralympian Jim Lagerstrom placed highest among the men, finishing sixth with a time of 1:22.49.

On the women’s side, Americans Allison Jones, Sandy Dukat and Elitsa Storey finished seventh, eighth and ninth, respectively.

While the first day of downhill racing did not translate to any medals for the U.S., head coach Kevin Jardine was still pleased with the team’s performance.

‘They skied well and everyone should be proud of their performance’ Jardine said. ‘It’s a good start for the week.’

Many of the U.S. team members agreed with Jardine and were happy with their results.

‘CDY [Chris Devlin-Young] gave me some great advice before the start’ Dukat said. ‘He reminded me that I’m a good competitor and told me ‘Don’t think. You know how to do it. Just attack it.” And she did.

‘This is the best I’ve felt in a long time. It seemed like everyone else was skiing slower today but I skied faster and that’s what makes me feel really good.’

Monte Meier, who finished 17th, felt the same way. ‘That was the best run of the last three days and I’m happy with that. I was way too late on that last gate, but I still did everything I could, and I’m pretty stoked by how I skied’ he said.

Downhill competition continues tomorrow for the United States with the women mono-skiers at 11:05 a.m., followed by the men’s visually impaired and sitting categories.

‘Our strength is the sit-skiers and I’m definitely looking forward to tomorrow’ Jardine said. ‘For the women, it’s a mental game — whoever is the most confident who will win. And with the men, it’s going to be a race between the guys on our own team.’

– USOC

IX PARALYMPIC WINTER GAMES
Sestriere Borgata, Italy March 11, 2006

Women’s downhill
1. Solene Jambaque (FRA) 1:28.00
2. Reinhild Moeller (GER) 1:30.00
3. Iveta Chlebakova 1:30.43
Also
7. Allison Jones (Colorado Springs, Colo.) 1:35.18
8. Sandy Dukat (Vail, Colo.) 1:35.53
9. Elitsa Storey (Sun Valley, Idaho) 1:37.17

Men’s downhill
1. Gerd Schoenfelder (GER) 1:18.49
2. Michael Milton (AUS) 1:19.86
3. Walter Lackner (AUT) 1:20.19
Also
6. Jim Lagerstrom (Dearborn, Mich.) 1: 22.49
17. Monte Meier (Park City, Utah) 1:24.31
21. Brad Washburn (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) 1:25.05
26. George Sansonetis (Fraser, Colo.) 1:26.15
29. Reed Robinson (Incline Village, Nev.) 1:27.33

DNF
Ralph Green (Vail, Colo.)

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About the Author: Pete Rugh