Spencer wins NorAm GS in Park City; Schleper fourth in Winter Park

Spencer wins NorAm GS in Park City; Schleper fourth in Winter ParkDane Spencer of the United States and Elisabeth Goergl of Austria won NorAm/Super Series races held simultaneously at two western resorts. The men raced giant slalom at Park City, Utah, and the women ran slalom at Winter Park, Colorado.

“I’m making really fast turns right now,” said Spencer, who finished 13th on the same hill in the World Cup two days earlier. “I had a decent cushion of time going into the second run, so I could afford to punch it a little. That false flat lures you into thinking you can go fast there,” he said, referring to the middle section of the course, where teammate Erik Schlopy injured his knee two days earlier.

Spencer edged Canada’s Francois Bourque and Sweden’s Fredrik Nyberg for the win. His total time was 2:22.68. Bourque — the top junior on the day — was 0.36 behind, and Nyberg was 0.24 further back. Park City’s Ted Ligety, who made his World Cup debut on the hill Saturday, was fourth.

Over in Winter Park, Austria’s Elizabeth Goergl won the women’s slalom, assuring herself a start position in this Saturday’s World Cup at Park City; the second half of America’s Opening — a women’s GS and SL — takes place Friday and Saturday.

In an extremely tight race, the USST’s Sarah Schleper finished fourth, two hundredths off the podium — and three hundredths out of second. Trine Bakke-Rognmo of Norway and Veronika Zuzulova of Slovakia tied for second.

NorAm/Super Series
Men’s Giant Slalom
Park City, Utah
November 24, 2003
1. Dane Spencer (USA) 2:22.68
2. Francois Bourque (CAN) 2:23.04
3. Fredrik Nyberg (SWE) 2: 23.28
4. Ted Ligety (USA) 2:23.31

Women’s Slalom
Park City, Utah
November 24, 2003
1) Elisabeth Goergl (AUT) 1:27.12
2t) Trine-Bakke Rognmo (NOR) 1:27.95
2t) Veronika Zuzulova (SVK) 1:27.95
4) Sarah Schleper (USA) 1:27.97