Shiffrin takes US Champs GS to end series
Racing action at U.S. Alpine Championships in Sun Valley, Idaho, concluded on Sunday with women’s giant slalom with American superstar Mikaela Shiffrin winning her second title of the series by 0.73 seconds over her World Cup teammate Resi Stiegler in second. American independent racer Megan McJames rounded out the podium in third, 1.20 seconds off of Shiffrin’s pace.
In contrast to the previous couple of days, Sunday’s overcast skies and warmer temperatures made for a slightly more forgiving surface than the one the men dealt with on Saturday, but it was still one of the most challenging races the field had seen all year.
First run action saw Shiffrin, Stiegler, and McJames sitting in first, second, and third, respectively, with a myriad of young racers chomping at the bit for a chance to challenge the leaders. The song remained the same in the second run, with the three leaders showing strong skiing as they maintained their positions on the podium. Stephanie Lebby was the fastest junior (after Shiffrin) in eighth place.
Shiffrin has not enjoyed the same success in GS as she has in slalom so far in her career and felt a little off her game today after failing to finish her previous GS at World Cup finals in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
“To be honest, it’s nice to make it to the finish in a GS race,” Shiffrin said. “I’m going to watch my video, I felt like I struggled a bit with the skiing here and there. Both courses were demanding, second course was really turny and I was just struggling a little bit with the timing which is the age old story for me. I’m definitely really happy with the win, it’s a great place to be.”
Stiegler has also skied less GS this season than in the past and was very pleased to have made it to the end of the winter injury-free, something she has not been able to enjoy for the last few years.
“I’m cracking myself up because all three podiums, the only podiums I have this year, were in GS, so I’m starting to wonder if maybe I should be doing more of that,” Stiegler explained. “I’m pretty stoked, it’s the first season in a long time that I’ve made it to the finish and I think I was a little nervous in the last couple of days just because you put so much effort into the World Cup and you get a little tired and maybe a little lazy. Going into nationals is really fun, but to stay focused to the last day is important for me … I was stoked on my GS today, the hill was awesome and I just went into it and had a lot of fun on my last day.”
For McJames, a solid season on the NorAm circuit which saw her walk away with an overall title guaranteeing her World Cup starts next season as well as 6.00 FIS GS points was capped off with her second podium of the series. Looking ahead, she hopes to take advantage of her position and turn in some solid results at the World Cup level.
“The snow was awesome today,” said McJames. “The hill is steep, so you just have to keep turning. I think a lot of the girls at the end of the season are sort of feeling kind of tired which amplifies that, just keep turning all the way to the finish line was the goal.”
Many of the competitors will now head to various spring series races across the country before ending their seasons in the next few weeks.
Official Results
Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total Time | Diff. | FIS Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | 6535237 | SHIFFRIN Mikaela | 1995 | USA | 1:07.27 | 1:10.09 | 2:17.36 | 8.00 | |
2 | 4 | 537772 | STIEGLER Resi | 1985 | USA | 1:08.02 | 1:10.07 | 2:18.09 | +0.73 | 13.21 |
3 | 2 | 538284 | MCJAMES Megan | 1987 | USA | 1:08.25 | 1:10.31 | 2:18.56 | +1.20 | 16.56 |
4 | 5 | 536481 | SCHLEPER Sarah | 1979 | MEX | 1:09.14 | 1:10.09 | 2:19.23 | +1.87 | 21.34 |
5 | 3 | 426032 | TRULSRUD Tonje Healey | 1994 | NOR | 1:08.70 | 1:10.80 | 2:19.50 | +2.14 | 23.27 |
6 | 8 | 206464 | BREUNING Ann-Kathrin | 1992 | GER | 1:10.79 | 1:09.00 | 2:19.79 | +2.43 | 25.34 |
7 | 26 | 537582 | COOK Stacey | 1984 | USA | 1:09.57 | 1:10.30 | 2:19.87 | +2.51 | 25.91 |
8 | 11 | 6535759 | LEBBY Stephanie | 1997 | USA | 1:08.92 | 1:11.01 | 2:19.93 | +2.57 | 26.34 |
9 | 10 | 6535947 | DECKER Cecily | 1998 | USA | 1:09.12 | 1:10.91 | 2:20.03 | +2.67 | 27.05 |
10 | 19 | 539848 | ALTRINGER Courtney | 1993 | USA | 1:11.40 | 1:09.06 | 2:20.46 | +3.10 | 30.12 |
11 | 18 | 107562 | GARTNER Stephanie | 1996 | CAN | 1:10.06 | 1:10.68 | 2:20.74 | +3.38 | 32.11 |
12 | 21 | 6535600 | MERRYWEATHER Alice | 1996 | USA | 1:11.09 | 1:09.95 | 2:21.04 | +3.68 | 34.26 |
13 | 6 | 6535773 | O BRIEN Nina | 1997 | USA | 1:09.51 | 1:11.59 | 2:21.10 | +3.74 | 34.68 |
14 | 27 | 6535765 | MANGAN Patricia | 1997 | USA | 1:09.96 | 1:11.29 | 2:21.25 | +3.89 | 35.75 |
15 | 24 | 539363 | GHENT Abby | 1992 | USA | 1:11.20 | 1:10.15 | 2:21.35 | +3.99 | 36.47 |
16 | 14 | 6536179 | TALBOT Nellie Rose | 1999 | USA | 1:11.72 | 1:09.91 | 2:21.63 | +4.27 | 38.46 |
17 | 30 | 539665 | LEAVITT Sierra | 1993 | USA | 1:11.38 | 1:10.35 | 2:21.73 | +4.37 | 39.18 |
18 | 22 | 6536213 | CASHMAN Keely | 1999 | USA | 1:11.90 | 1:10.13 | 2:22.03 | +4.67 | 41.32 |
19 | 28 | 385041 | NOVOSELIC Sofija | 1990 | CRO | 1:10.76 | 1:11.82 | 2:22.58 | +5.22 | 45.24 |
20 | 15 | 307386 | DENDA Kayo | 1995 | JPN | 1:10.61 | 1:12.05 | 2:22.66 | +5.30 | 45.81 |
21 | 35 | 6535907 | ENGLISH Francesca | 1997 | USA | 1:11.93 | 1:11.74 | 2:23.67 | +6.31 | 53.02 |
22 | 23 | 107563 | HENRY Mia | 1996 | CAN | 1:12.52 | 1:11.44 | 2:23.96 | +6.60 | 55.09 |
23 | 43 | 6535992 | THOMAS Claire | 1998 | USA | 1:13.04 | 1:11.30 | 2:24.34 | +6.98 | 57.80 |
24 | 32 | 6535485 | REINHART Jessica | 1996 | USA | 1:14.62 | 1:10.98 | 2:25.60 | +8.24 | 66.79 |
25 | 29 | 539904 | PALMER Teagen | 1994 | USA | 1:14.67 | 1:11.27 | 2:25.94 | +8.58 | 69.21 |
26 | 62 | 6536166 | SMITH Erin | 1999 | USA | 1:14.71 | 1:11.59 | 2:26.30 | +8.94 | 71.78 |
27 | 45 | 6535941 | PARKE Juliette | 1998 | USA | 1:14.61 | 1:12.64 | 2:27.25 | +9.89 | 78.56 |
28 | 44 | 6535789 | UTTER Kathleen | 1997 | USA | 1:13.92 | 1:14.07 | 2:27.99 | +10.63 | 83.84 |
29 | 42 | 6535807 | CUTLER Haley | 1997 | USA | 1:15.12 | 1:13.24 | 2:28.36 | +11.00 | 86.48 |
30 | 50 | 6535456 | JOHNSON Hannah | 1996 | USA | 1:16.19 | 1:13.21 | 2:29.40 | +12.04 | 93.90 |
31 | 54 | 6536236 | TOWNSHEND Charlotte | 1999 | USA | 1:15.59 | 1:14.06 | 2:29.65 | +12.29 | 95.68 |
32 | 47 | 6535978 | BAILEY Lucia | 1998 | USA | 1:15.33 | 1:15.02 | 2:30.35 | +12.99 | 100.68 |
33 | 57 | 6535538 | SPENCE Erin | 1996 | USA | 1:15.69 | 1:14.90 | 2:30.59 | +13.23 | 102.39 |
34 | 55 | 539700 | WHISTLER Paige | 1993 | USA | 1:16.62 | 1:15.48 | 2:32.10 | +14.74 | 113.16 |
35 | 33 | 107556 | MCCARTHY Jocelyn | 1996 | CAN | 1:16.63 | 1:15.83 | 2:32.46 | +15.10 | 115.73 |
36 | 63 | 6536109 | MATTSSON Ava | 1998 | USA | 1:18.58 | 1:15.78 | 2:34.36 | +17.00 | 129.29 |
37 | 38 | 506693 | BECKMAN Emma | 1996 | SWE | 1:17.15 | 1:17.47 | 2:34.62 | +17.26 | 131.14 |
38 | 69 | 6536023 | BERNIER Maya | 1998 | USA | 1:18.14 | 1:16.66 | 2:34.80 | +17.44 | 132.43 |
39 | 59 | 6536232 | VESTERSTEIN Kaitlyn | 1999 | USA | 1:20.25 | 1:14.60 | 2:34.85 | +17.49 | 132.78 |
40 | 66 | 6535572 | BOWERS Dairinn | 1996 | USA | 1:17.38 | 1:18.67 | 2:36.05 | +18.69 | 141.34 |
41 | 56 | 6536005 | MASS Hanna | 1998 | USA | 1:19.77 | 1:20.22 | 2:39.99 | +22.63 | 169.45 |
42 | 72 | 6535792 | GAILIUNAS Kara | 1997 | USA | 1:19.50 | 1:20.76 | 2:40.26 | +22.90 | 171.38 |
43 | 70 | 6535840 | THORSON Berit | 1997 | USA | 1:27.53 | 1:23.56 | 2:51.09 | +33.73 | 248.65 |
44 | 65 | 6535763 | MACGREGOR Kayleigh | 1997 | USA | 1:30.17 | 1:28.10 | 2:58.27 | +40.91 | 299.87 |
Disqualified 1st run | ||||||||||
61 | 6535749 | HOGAN Lily | 1997 | USA | ||||||
Did not start 1st run | ||||||||||
49 | 6536177 | UTTER Hannah | 1999 | USA | ||||||
Did not finish 2nd run | ||||||||||
71 | 6536330 | MCMURTRY Jessica | 1999 | USA | ||||||
68 | 6535953 | GREENE Nicole | 1998 | USA | ||||||
51 | 516441 | BREGOU Anne-Solene | 1996 | SUI | ||||||
48 | 6535193 | HUNSAKER Hannah | 1995 | USA | ||||||
40 | 539984 | DRILLER Tenaya | 1994 | USA | ||||||
12 | 539927 | LAPANJA Lila | 1994 | USA | ||||||
Did not finish 1st run | ||||||||||
67 | 6535999 | DEKKO Madeleine | 1998 | USA | ||||||
64 | 6536020 | HUST Rosie | 1998 | USA | ||||||
60 | 6535761 | LIVRAN Heidi | 1997 | USA | ||||||
58 | 6535771 | NAWROCKI Rachel | 1997 | USA | ||||||
53 | 6535806 | MCGREW Megan | 1997 | USA | ||||||
52 | 6536028 | CURTIS Ellie | 1998 | USA | ||||||
46 | 6535747 | HARRIS Katy | 1997 | USA | ||||||
41 | 6535661 | STANDTEINER Tenaya | 1996 | USA | ||||||
39 | 6535774 | OSTERGREN Madison | 1997 | USA | ||||||
37 | 6535942 | LEBEL Maureen | 1998 | USA | ||||||
36 | 6535762 | LORD Madison | 1997 | USA | ||||||
34 | 6535934 | KLOMHAUS Storm | 1998 | USA | ||||||
31 | 425949 | HOLE Kari Bergheim | 1992 | NOR | ||||||
25 | 6535930 | WARDLE Galena | 1998 | USA | ||||||
20 | 197371 | AUFRERE Marie | 1993 | FRA | ||||||
17 | 425918 | SEKSE Tonje | 1992 | NOR | ||||||
16 | 107583 | REMME Roni | 1996 | CAN | ||||||
13 | 539678 | PETERSON Foreste | 1993 | USA | ||||||
9 | 539457 | MARNO Anna | 1992 | USA | ||||||
7 | 539909 | MOLTZAN Paula | 1994 | USA |