NorAms switch gears to Whiteface speed

By Published On: February 12th, 2016Comments Off on NorAms switch gears to Whiteface speed

The NorAm circuit has moved on to the speed events for the remainder of their series at Whiteface Mountain, New York. Following giant slalom races on Tuesday and Wednesday, the men and women both raced super G on Thursday, with the women also adding a run of slalom for a separately scored alpine combined as well.

On the men’s side, U.S. Ski Team member Erik Arvidsson took his third career NorAm victory, winning the super G with a total time of 1:01.76 seconds. Arvidsson was also the top junior on the day. Finishing in second, 0.19 seconds back, was the Canadian Ski Team’s Morgan Pridy, with Pridy’s compatriot Morgan Megarry in third, 0.26 seconds off the winning pace. Canadian development team member Jack Crawford continued his strong season taking fourth place, finishing 0.59 seconds out.

With Arvidsson demonstrating some strong results in the speed events this season, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to see a new American Downhiller make his World Cup debut in the near future.

For the women, it was the second and third wins in a row for American independent skier Megan McJames. McJames took the super G win with a total time of 1:05.70 seconds, a slim 0.11 seconds ahead of runner-up Candace Crawford of the Canadian Ski Team. Rounding out the super G podium in third was the U.S. Ski Team’s Anna Marno, 0.40 seconds back. Top junior honors went to U.S. development teamer Alice Merryweather in fourth, 0.73 seconds off of the pace set by McJames.

McJames backed up her super G win with a dominating performance in the afternoon’s slalom run, taking the combined victory with a total time of 1:46.66 seconds. Over two seconds behind was U.S. D teamer Patricia Mangan, also the top junior on the day, in second place and her U.S. teammate Nina O’Brien in third, 2.30 seconds back.

After Thursday’s race, Arvidsson holds the lead of the men’s NorAm super G standings with 180 points, 44 points clear of Canada’s Tyler Werry in second. With two super G races left on the calendar, the race for the discipline title is hot as the top 5 places in the standings are separated by less than 100 points.

McJames widened her lead in the overall, super G, and alpine combined standings with her wins, now sitting 151 points clear of American Lila Lapanja in the overall standings. However, McJames is far from guaranteed an overall win as there is plenty of racing yet to come before the title is decided in Vail this March.

Racing action continues in New York on Friday with another super G for the men and women and an alpine combined for the men.

Full men’s results are available here.

Full women’s results are available for the super G and combined.

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About the Author: Sean Higgins

A Lake Tahoe native and University of Vermont graduate, Higgins was a member of the Catamounts' 2012 NCAA title winning squad and earned first team All-American honors in 2013. Prior to coming to Ski Racing Media, he coached U14s for the Squaw Valley Ski Team.