SUGARLOAF, ME (March 29, 2015)—With a come-from-behind second run, David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO – U.S. Ski Team) confirmed his status as a slalom star by winning the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships slalom. The win also gave him the combined victory—adding up both the slalom and the super G races. AJ Ginnis (Waitsfield, VT – U.S. Ski Team) finished second and Redneck Racing’s Tim Kelley (Starksboro, VT – Cochran Ski Club) was third in the slalom, while in the alpine combined, Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV – U.S. Ski Team) was second and Drew Duffy (Warren, VT – Green Mountain Valley School) took third.
After a great start to the season—teetering on the edge of top-10 World Cup finishes—Chodounsky had a rough go at the end of the year. And it looked like nationals were going to go the same way for him, as he broke his pole during the first run and finished third. But he was determined to not give up and shred a fast second run that gave him the slalom win.
“It feels great. I’m really happy. This year hasn’t been the best year for me. It has kind of been a struggle at the end especially, so I really wanted to come back home and make a strong showing at U.S. nationals,” said Chodounsky, who has now won three slalom national titles. “It really does mean a lot to me to win here and end the season on a good note.”
Kelley, who was first after first run, had a big mistake second run, which put him back in third. Instead, the up-and-coming Ginnis took second place—another trophy to add to his case after taking third at the World Junior Championships this season. Both Kelley and Chodounsky—World Cup veterans—were ecstatic for the young gun. “He’s such a talented skier. Everyone has known it all season. He’s been really pushing strong this year and has really broken out,” said Chodounsky. “He’s going to be a great skier. We’re just helping him along and I have no doubt he’s going to start winning these races soon.”
Ginnis was equally as thankful for the help Kelley and Chodounsky had given him this season. “Timmy and David, we spend the entire season in Europe, just grinding it out together. It’s fun to be here at home and race against each other under blue skies, at a great resort—it’s awesome,” said Ginnis. “Tim was actually the guy when I was up-and-coming that guided me. This year on the World Cup, David really showed me how everything works. To be with those guys on the podium was awesome.”
Tim Kelley skis to third place at the U.S. Alpine Champs. (Jamie Walter/Sugarloaf)
Rounding out the top 10 in the slalom, University of Denver skier Alex Leever (Vail, CO – Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) was fourth, Team America’s Seppi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY – Jackson Hole Ski Club) fifth, Philippe Rivet of Canada sixth, Thomas Woolson (Warren, VT – Dartmouth Ski Team) seventh, St. Michael’s College racer Brad Farrell (West Windsor, VT) eighth, Tim Jitloff ninth and local Ben Morse (Carrabassett Valley, ME – Dartmouth Ski Team) 10th. Drew Duffy, the super G champion was 11th.
In the alpine combined, Sugarloaf-native Sam Morse (Carrabassett Valley, ME – U.S. Ski Team) finished fourth, Ryan Mooney (Charlemont, ME – Green Mountain Valley School) fifth and David Domonoske (Park City, UT – Park City Ski Team) sixth. Darwin Taylor (Park City, UT – Park City Ski Team) was seventh, Logan Rip Mackie (Cortlandt Manor, NY – Park City Ski Team) eighth, Trent Gutstein (Stowe, VT – Mount Mansfield Ski Club) ninth and Paul Sheils (Rochester, NY – Burke Mountain Academy) 10th.
The slalom wrapped up a fun week at Sugarloaf with racers having nothing but good things to say about the east coast venue. It was a close fight between east and west rivals, with the western skiers sneaking out the win with 2220 total points from the week and the easterners with 2026 points. Rocky/central skiers took third with 1509 points.
HIGHLIGHTS
- AJ Ginnis charmed the crowd when he gave his bib to a kid in the finish. “When I was 7 or 8, I loved bibs, so I gave it to somebody,” he laughed.
- David Chodounsky plans on skiing spring series races in order to work on his giant slalom for next season.
- Men’s Tom Garner Regions Cup results: East—1222 points, West—1091 points, Rocky/Central—497
- Women’s Tom Garner Regions Cup results: West—1129 points, Rocky/Central—1012 points, East—804 points
QUOTES
David Chodounsky
It’s been really cool. Every body has been killing it on the world tour. I was hoping to ski a little faster myself, but the team as a whole has been skiing great. It’s awesome to come home and celebrate that. It’s great to be home again.
It feels great. I’m really happy. This year hasn’t been the best year for me. It has kind of been a struggle at the end especially, so I really wanted to come back home and make a strong showing at U.S. nationals. It really does mean a lot to me to win here and end the season on a good note. I’m really happy. To have the combined on top of that is really cool too. Last year they didn’t have the super G there, so they canceled the combined. It’s awesome. I’m so psyched right now.
[AJ Ginnis is] such a talented skier. Everyone has known it all season. He’s been really pushing strong this year and has really broken out. He did well overseas, in Europe and Europa Cups, and he’s coming on strong. He’s going to be a great skier. We’re just helping him along and I have no doubt he’s going to start winning these races soon.
The course was really tough second run. There was a lot going on. A lot of speed, straight sections and then it starts turning. It makes it really tough because you have to adjust your speed to the course. It’s not always easy to adjust your speed, especially when it gets rutty and more guys have gone down. It was tough course. The conditions were tough, too—just variable. Everything factors in there to make it a pretty tough race.
AJ Ginnis
Couple bobbles first run, couple bobbles up top second run, but I really finished strong and was really happy about that. [The conditions] were perfect. Hats off to Sugarloaf. The organizers put on such a great event. It held up for everybody—a fair race. It was awesome.
First run, I wasn’t used to the conditions. I got a little bounced around. I had a good bottom split so it gave me confidence going into the second run—knowing if I skied well and clean, I’d be right in there with the top guys. It felt good. I came into the finish. I wasn’t quite sure, I thought it was really good, but once I saw the time on the board I was ecstatic.
Timmy and David, we spend the entire season in Europe, just grinding it out together. It’s fun to be here at home and race against each other under blue skies, at a great resort—it’s awesome. Tim was actually the guy when I was up-and-coming that guided me. This year on the World Cup, David really showed me how everything works. To be with those guys on the podium was awesome.
RESULTS
Men's slalom results