Smart, Tommy Win NorAm Tech Titles

Less than a week after taking both NCAA championship titles, Amelia Smart, a 20-year-old freshman at the University of Denver, locked up the NorAm slalom title with two more podium finishes. Since joining the NorAm tour four year ago, Smart has been on a steep upward trajectory, finishing 54^th, then 10^th, 6^th and now being crowned the leader at the end of the season.

Laurence St. Germain won the first slalom of the week on March 12 with a combined time of 1:31.66. Paula Moltzan from the University of Vermont finished second, 0.30 seconds back, while Smart finished in third place, 1.42 seconds back.

Moltzan won the second race with a time of 1:32.11. Smart place second, 0.88 seconds back, and Lila Lapanja of Team CLIF Bar Ski Racing finished third, 1.21 seconds back.

Smart took the title with 410 points. Lapanja finished second with 357 points.

“I’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs this season but yeah I’m glad it’s been going well for the end of the season,” Smart said of the past two weeks.

2nd Overall in the NorAm slalom standings, which means a World Cup spot for next season. ? Ski racing is always a crazy journey and there are many ladies who could stand on that podium with us. I’m happy to be part of an amazing group of athletes who are raising the North American bar ? My team, my friends, sponsors and global family: thank you for your never-ending belief and support. This one is to honor you! Now it’s time for some GS action. And, dare I say, Super-G? ?? @clifbar @fischersports_alpine @reusch_brand @leki.ski.outdoor @pocsports @sierranevadacollege #thisiswherefreedombegins #onestepatatime #punintended #LoveYourSport #FeedYourAdventure #rockondiamondgirl

A post shared by Lila Lapanja (@lilalapanja) on Mar 13, 2018 at 7:21pm PDT

Smart also said that she is excited to compete in some slalom World Cups next season. Smart and Lapanja receive starts in all of next season World Cup slalom races next season as the top two finishers on the NorAm circuit.

Mikaela Tommy had to wait an additional day to officially win the NorAm GS title as the final run on the second day had to be postponed due to heavy fog.

Valerie Grenier won the first GS on Wednesday with a combined time of 2:28.87. Tommy finished second, 1.76 seconds back and Foreste Peterson finished in third place, 1.81 seconds back.

Tommy won the second race on Friday, with the final run placed in the middle of the men’s super combined, with a time of 2:25.63. Candace Crawford finished in second, 0.25 seconds back and Megan McJames finished in third, 0.34 seconds back.

Tommy split her time between the World Cup and the NorAm circuit this season, and Tommy noted that she has taken on a travel-heavy schedule for the past few seasons.

This season was no different as she skied across different levels and across more disciplines that usual.

“This year I was trying to do a lot of events and a lot of them were on the World Cup and it was different for me. I wasn’t specializing or just doing tech,” Tommy said.

“I was feeling like I was losing some of my GS skills and now it’s just nice to have [the GS title] and I will have a spot in every World Cup and I can focus more on that,” Tommy added.

I love spring time!!! ? won the GS overall NORAM ?? ?⚡️also congrats to my teammates for a good season so far and to keep pushing each other till the end @valeriegrenier @candacecrawford @laurencestgermain @roniremme @stef_fleck ⚡️Mucho gracias to everyone who helped me out this season when things weren’t always good cause in the end, good spirit is what keeps you going #666

A post shared by Mikaela Tommy (@mikaelatommy) on Mar 16, 2018 at 5:33pm PDT

Tommy won the NorAm GS title in 2013 and skied in her first World Cup that season as well. The Canadian did not originally plan to compete in any World Cups, but she noted when they fit into her schedule she will add them. She also suffered a knee injury in the middle of January and decided to remain on the NorAm tour when she came back from it three weeks later.

Tommy finished on the podium in every single GS this season.

“It was good to get some consistent results in the NorAms,” Tommy said.

Final NorAm standings can be found here.