Julia Mancuso takes 15th career National title with GS win, Vonn early exit

By Published On: March 31st, 2012Comments Off on Julia Mancuso takes 15th career National title with GS win, Vonn early exit

Julia Mancuso“I’m halfway there,” said a smiling Julia Mancuso of her goal to reach 30 U.S. national titles after securing number 15 with the 2012 giant slalom crown in sunny Winter Park, Colo. today (March 31).

Unlike in yesterday’s super G that Mancuso won by more than a second, the California native had to work for her hardware today. The three-time Olympic medalist stood third in the first run after having a mid-course bobble in the soft first-run conditions. The seven-time World Cup winner’s competitive juices were brimming as she attacked the second run to win with just a seven hundredths-of-a-second cushion ahead of second-place finisher, Norwegian 19-year-old Kristine Haugen, who lead the first run.

“I just have fun, it’s motivating and of course it’s discouraging when you have a problem like [I did} first run,” said Mancuso. “These girls are skiing fast and it’s a highlight in their careers and if I can help them get highlights it’s even better for me so it’s nice.”

Mancuso, who collected two World Cup wins this season on her way to finishing the season ranked fourth in the overall standings, ended her competitive season enjoying the Colorado sunshine.

“First run was really good conditions, for the second run it is so warm here so it was tough, nothing too bad,” said Mancuso. “I really have fun skiing in the spring and I like these conditions so I never feel unsafe or that I am risking anything by being out here, it’s more that if I stay home I’m risking missing out on all the fun.”

Haugen, the younger sister of Leif Haugen who took second in this week’s men’s slalom, also claimed the honors as the top junior.

“It’s been great, I mean I never thought I could be top three here so I am really happy,” said Haugen. “This is one of my best results actually, maybe fourth at junior worlds was one of my best before this but I think it’s right up there.”

Mikaela Shiffrin, who claimed her second consecutive national slalom title earlier this week, finished second, 0.44 seconds behind Haugen. Shiffrin was also the second fastest junior in the the 81 woman field.

“I am very excited,” said Shiffrin. “I didn’t do so well in the GS at nationals last year. I have worked a lot on my GS this year so this is a really great way to end the season. Kristine Haugen got second place today and she is just making some awesome turns and I always love skiing with her and watching her. I’m sure she is going to be coming up the ranks with me for the rest of our careers. I’m very excited to be on the podium with those two.”

Anna Marno rounded out the junior podium in third with a 11th-place overall result.

Freshly minted overall World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn was the first racer on the course in the morning’s first run, but the Colorado local skied off course in the first few gates.

“This, to me, is more like an exhibition, it’s more about being there for the team, I’m not here to prove myself to anyone,” said Vonn. “I’m just here to have fun and be with the team. There is a huge crowd out here today and there are a lot of girls that are really fast so it’s cool to see that.”

After a long season on the World Cup tour, Vonn said she is looking forward to some rest and will seek solutions to long-term pain in both of her knees by getting MRI exams on Monday.

The 2012 U.S. National Championships will come to a close tomorrow with the men’s giant slalom.

Image by Susan Theis

Rank  Bib   Name Team Club Class Result 1 Result 2 Combined
2  
MANCUSO, Julia 
USA
84
SR
1:11.70   (3)
1:11.54   (1)
2:23.24 
3  
HAUGEN, Kristine Gjelsten 
NOR
92
J-1
1:10.69   (1)
1:12.62   (5)
2:23.31 
4  
SHIFFRIN, Mikaela 
USA
95
J-2
1:11.46   (2)
1:12.29   (2)
2:23.75 
5  
MCJAMES, Megan 
USA
87
SR
1:12.01   (4)
1:13.02 (11)
2:25.03 
11  
KANEKO, Misato 
JPN
88
SR
1:12.81   (7)
1:12.73   (7)
2:25.54 
8  
ROMAR, Tii-Maria 
FIN
86
SR
1:12.69   (5)
1:12.93   (9)
2:25.62 
10  
FORD, Julia 
USA
90
SR
1:12.79   (6)
1:13.17 (13)
2:25.96 
6  
COOK, Stacey 
USA
84
SR
1:13.58   (9)
1:12.63   (6)
2:26.21 
14  
SMITH, Leanne&nbs
p;
USA
87
SR
1:13.86 (11)
1:13.05 (12)
2:26.91 
10  39  
MCDONALD, Amanda 
USA
90
SR
1:14.78 (15)
1:12.43   (3)
2:27.21 
11  18  
MARNO, Anna 
USA
92
J-1
1:14.20 (13)
1:13.44 (16)
2:27.64 
12  17  
HARTMAN, Katie 
USA
88
SR
1:13.59 (10)
1:14.13 (22)
2:27.72 
13  7  
STAPLES, Kiley 
USA
89
SR
1:13.03   (8)
1:14.71 (27)
2:27.74 
14  22  
CRAWFORD, Candace 
CAN
94
J-1
1:15.83 (22)
1:12.52   (4)
2:28.35 
15  9  
WALES, Brooke 
USA
90
SR
1:14.49 (14)
1:13.90 (20)
2:28.39 
16  47  
GIBSON, Libby 
USA
94
J-1
1:15.33 (18)
1:13.18 (14)
2:28.51 
17  25  
LAPANJA, Lila 
USA
94
J-1
1:15.10 (17)
1:13.68 (17)
2:28.78 
18  20  
PETERSON, Foreste 
USA
93
J-1
1:15.00 (16)
1:14.12 (21)
2:29.12 
19  24  
SAMUELS, Lauren 
USA
92
J-1
1:15.83 (22)
1:13.31 (15)
2:29.14 
20  28  
NAATZ, Emma 
USA
93
J-1
1:16.17 (28)
1:13.01 (10)
2:29.18 
21  16  
ROSS, Laurenne 
USA
88
SR
1:16.41 (31)
1:12.80   (8)
2:29.21 
22  37  
DUKE, Hailey 
USA
85
SR
1:15.86 (24)
1:13.70 (18)
2:29.56 
23  12  
GHENT, Abby 
USA
92
J-1
1:15.74 (21)
1:14.17 (23)
2:29.91 
24  42  
IDE, Maisie 
USA
93
J-1
1:16.14 (27)
1:13.80 (19)
2:29.94 
25  29  
LONZA, Geordie 
USA
89
SR
1:15.98 (25)
1:14.30 (24)
2:30.28 
26  26  
WILES, Jacqueline 
USA
92
J-1
1:15.50 (19)
1:14.79 (29)
2:30.29 
27  32  
SHAW, Kara 
USA
91
SR
1:16.10 (26)
1:14.50 (25)
2:30.60 
28  38  
MCKENNIS, Alice 
USA
89
SR
1:16.24 (29)
1:14.65 (26)
2:30.89 
29  34  
FARROW, Katie 
CAN
93
J-1
1:16.46 (32)
1:14.79 (29)
2:31.25 
30  58  
JOHNSON, Breezy 
USA
96
J-2
1:17.34 (35)
1:15.68 (33)
2:33.02 
31  21&nbsp
KNOWLES, Natalie 
CAN
92
J-1
1:18.41 (42)
1:14.73 (28)
2:33.14 
32  72  
ENDERS, Destrey 
USA
94
J-1
1:17.91 (40)
1:15.47 (32)
2:33.38 
33  68  
ANDERSON, Nicole 
USA
94
J-1
1:17.53 (37)
1:16.11 (35)
2:33.64 
34  46  
CALCAGNI, Lexi 
USA
95
J-2
1:17.45 (36)
1:16.37 (36)
2:33.82 
34  45  
HASKELL, Mardene 
USA
94
J-1
1:18.00 (41)
1:15.82 (34)
2:33.82 
36  35  
BURROWS, Khyla 
USA
90
SR
1:17.29 (34)
1:17.74 (41)
2:35.03 
37  54  
PEARL, Natalie 
USA
93
J-1
1:17.66 (38)
1:17.47 (40)
2:35.13 
38  59  
ROLFS, Elizabeth 
USA
95
J-2
1:18.81 (46)
1:17.05 (37)
2:35.86 
39  41  
ANDREWS, Lena 
USA
94
J-1
1:17.78 (39)
1:18.62 (44)
2:36.40 
40  65  
KENNEDY, Allene 
USA
94
J-1
1:19.20 (50)
1:17.31 (38)
2:36.51 
41  71  
SEDBERRY, Chandler 
USA
96
J-2
1:19.90 (54)
1:17.42 (39)
2:37.32 
42  66  
CLARKE, Devon 
CAN
94
J-1
1:19.61 (52)
1:17.93 (42)
2:37.54 
42  61  
LATHROP, Brittany 
USA
95
J-2
1:18.69 (45)
1:18.85 (46)
2:37.54 
44  43  
KIKUT, Sara 
USA
93
J-1
1:18.83 (47)
1:18.79 (45)
2:37.62 
45  52  
STRONG, Anne 
USA
93
J-1
1:19.03 (48)
1:18.92 (47)
2:37.95 
46  53  
CARTER, Laurel 
USA
86
SR
1:19.33 (51)
1:18.98 (48)
2:38.31 
47  55  
KLEIN, Morgan 
USA
93
J-1
1:19.18 (49)
1:19.60 (50)
2:38.78 
48  76  
HOSTETLER, Katie 
USA
94
J-1
1:21.00 (58)
1:19.29 (49)
2:40.29 
49  78  
GUILMINEAU, Celine 
USA
94
J-1
1:20.68 (57)
1:19.63 (51)
2:40.31 
50  60  
MINANA, Paige 
USA
92
J-1
1:20.60 (56)
1:19.75 (52)
2:40.35 
51  62  
BJORKMAN, Julia 
USA
95
J-2
1:22.07 (62)
1:18.32 (43)
2:40.39 
52  79  
SHEELY, Miranda 
USA
94
J-1
1:21.49 (60)
1:20.09 (53)
2:41.58 
53 < /td>

19  
DUPRATT, Jaime 
USA
90
SR
1:27.84 (65)
1:15.08 (31)
2:42.92 
54  80  
HASLAU, Jessica 
AUS
92
J-1
1:21.98 (61)
1:21.33 (54)
2:43.31 
55  77  
WHALER, Emily 
USA
93
J-1
1:23.42 (63)
1:21.41 (55)
2:44.83 
56  75  
DAVIDSON, Katie 
USA
94
J-1
1:23.69 (64)
1:21.99 (56)
2:45.68 
57  51  
GENCHEFF, Alex 
USA
94
J-1
1:20.27 (55)
1:27.27 (57)
2:47.54 
  23  
BERTHER, Vanessa 
USA
92
J-1
1:14.09 (12)
DNF      
 
  30  
IRWIN, Katharine 
USA
94
J-1
1:15.60 (20)
DNF      
 
  50  
MCVICKER, Victoria 
USA
92
J-1
1:16.33 (30)
DNF      
 
  40  
BYRNE, Greta 
USA
93
J-1
1:17.00 (33)
DNF      
 
  67  
ANDREINI, Isabella 
USA
95
J-2
1:18.45 (43)
DNF      
 
  44  
KIKUT, Anna 
USA
93
J-1
1:18.59 (44)
DNF      
 
  73  
HUSSON, Emily 
USA
94
J-1
1:19.72 (53)
DNF      
 
  74  
GRAUER, Taylor 
USA
93
J-1
1:21.08 (59)
DNF      
 
  70  
MOUNSEY, Anna 
USA
95
J-2
DNF      
DNS      
 
  69  
REILLY, Amanda 
USA
94
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  64  
HANSELER, Haley 
USA
94
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  57  
HALL, Madeleine 
USA
94
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  56  
HUDSON, Piera 
NZL
96
J-2
DNF      
DNS      
 
  49  
RYAN, Katherine 
USA
93
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  48  
FRENCH, Bridget 
USA
92
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  36  
ALTRINGER, Courtney 
USA
93
J-1
DNF      
DNS  &
nbsp;   
 
  33  
MOLTZAN, Paula 
USA
94
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  31  
KISTLER, Lizzie 
USA
92
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  27  
CASTON, Rose 
USA
92
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  15  
GHENT, Erika 
USA
88
SR
DNF      
DNS      
 
  13  
MCLEAN, Shane 
USA
92
J-1
DNF      
DNS      
 
  1  
VONN, Lindsey 
USA
84
SR
DNF      
DNS      
 
  81  
MOSENTHAL, Kia 
USA
90
SR
DNS      
DNS      
 
  63  
RAPLEY, Taylor 
NZL
91
SR
DNS      
DNS      
 

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About the Author: Eric Williams