Alpine

High Level of Competition at U18 Championships

by
USSA
2014-03-10 10:39
 

COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO (March 10) – The 2014 U.S. Alpine U18 National Championships, which concluded last week on the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain, displayed an elevated level of athlete high performance amongst U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) regional club programs. According to USSA Regional Development Director Lester Keller, the boost is due to a combination of the Best in the World training and racing facility in Copper Mountain and the early success of the newly established National Training Groups (NTG) and Regional Development Programs (RAD).  

HIGHLIGHTS

  • A successful U.S. Alpine U18 National Championships concluded Thursday on the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain.
  • On display was an incredibly high level of competition among individual athletes and amongst all USSA regional programs and club athletes.
  • According to USSA Regional Development Director Lester Keller, the jump is due to early success with newly established U18 and U16 National Training Groups and a Regional Development Program focused on providing regional clubs with tools for success.
  • The NTG and RAD programs are closing their first full year and each has contributed to a higher emphasis on peer-to-peer competition, which has in turn boosted both individual athlete and group athletic performance at the development level.
  • Next up for many of these the athletes is the NorAm Finals March 11-16 in Canada followed by the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships March 19-23 in Squaw Valley, CA.

QUOTES
Lester Keller
, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Regional Development Director
As a practice, the USSA has placed a growing emphasis on elevating the level of peer-to-peer competition for alpine skiing in the United States. We’ve done that through the National Training Groups and the Regional Development Programs, but it is the outstanding leadership at the club level that has driven the success.

We saw an excellent level of competition at this year’s championships due in part to the success of our development programs, but also due to the world class venue we have at Copper Mountain. The Speed Center continues to be a vital asset to the growth of successful alpine programs in the United States. 

The athletes that stood on the podium at these championships deserved to be there. There wasn’t a fluky result in any race. They put in the hard work and that dedication was on display with their performances. It’s a true testament that they are making the right steps to successfully transition to the next level of alpine competition.

2014 U.S. ALPINE U18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Official Results

(Athlete, Region; Club) NTG=National Training Group

Downhill – March 2
Men
1. Cody Wilson - Western; NTG (Squaw Valley Ski Team)
2. James Lebel - Western; Lake Tahoe Racing
3. Jeffrey Read - Canada
4. Ian Griffith  - Western; NTG (Park City Ski Team)
5. Peter Fucigna - Eastern; Waterville Valley Black and Blue Trail Smashers

Women
1. Isabella Wright - Western; NTG
2. Haley Cutler - Western; Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation
3. Alexander Skovran - Eastern; Green Valley Mountain School
4. Nina O’Brien - Eastern; NTG (Burke Mountain Academy)
5. Heidi Livran - Rocky/Central; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail 

Super G – March 3
Men
1. Cody Wilson - Western; NTG (Squaw Valley Ski Team)
2. Florian Szwebel – Rocky/Central; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail
3. Jordan Cashman - Western; Squaw Valley Ski Team
4. Jack Leitch - Canada
5. James Lebel - Western; Lake Tahoe Racing

Women
1. Stephanie Lebby - Western; NTG
2. Alexandra Skovran - Eastern; Green Valley Mountain School
3. Patricia Mangan - Eastern; NTG (Holimont Racing Club)
4. Isabella Wright - Western; NTG
5. Lindsay Ahmann - Western; Mission Ridge Ski Education Foundation

Giant Slalom – March 4
Men
1. Philp Huston - Canada
2. Peter Fucigna - Eastern; Waterville Valley Black and Blue Trail Smashers
3. James Ferri - Eastern; Killington Mountain School
4. James Lebel - Western; Lake Tahoe Racing
5. Corey McConville – Canada; Burke Mountain Academy

Women
1. Stephanie Lebby - Western; NTG
2. Nina O’Brien - Eastern; NTG (Burke Mountain Academy)
3. Erika McCormick – Rocky/Central; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail
4. Danielle Brownell-Patty – Eastern; Burke Mountain Academy
5. Patricia Mangan – Eastern; NTG (Holimont Racing Club)

Slalom - March 5
Men
1. Erik Arvidsson – Western; Squaw Valley Ski Team
2. Benjamin Throm – Rocky/Central; Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club
3. James Ferri – Eastern; Killington Mountain School
4. Colby Lane – Rocky/Central; Aspen Valley SSC
5. Aleck Sullivan – Eastern; Burke Mountain Academy

Women
1. Stephanie Lebby – Western; NTG
2. Nina O’Brien – Eastern; NTG (Burke Mountain Academy)
3. Megan McGrew Rocky/Central; NTG (Ski and Snowboard Club Vail)
4. Patricia Mangan – Eastern; NTG (Holimont Racing Club)
5. Isabella Wright – Western; NTG

Combined 
Men
1. Florian Szwebel – Rocky/Central; Ski and Snowboard Club Vail
2. Jeffrey Read - Canada
3. James Ferri – Eastern; Killington Mountain School
4. Aleck Sullivan – Eastern; Burke Mountain Academy
5. Cody Wilson – Western; NTG (Squaw Valley Ski Team)

Women
1. Stephanie Lebby – Western; NTG
2. Nina O’Brien – Eastern; NTG (Burke Mountain Academy)
3. Patricia Mangan – Eastern; NTG (Holimont Racing Club)
4. Alexandra Skovran – Eastern; Green Valley Mountain School
5. Danielle Brownell-Patty – Eastern; Burke Mountain Academy

Parallel Slalom – March 6
Men
1. James Ferri – Eastern; Killington Mountain School
2. George Steffey – Eastern; Stratton Mountain School
3. Peter Fucigna – Eastern; Waterville Valley Black and Blue Trail Smashers
4. Wyatt Queirolo – Eastern; Killington Mountain School

Women
1. Nina O’Brien – Eastern; NTG (Burke Mountain Academy)
2. Stephanie Lebby – Western; NTG
3. Danielle Brownell-Patty – Eastern; Burke Mountain Academy
4. Anna Wilson – Eastern; Burke Mountain Academy

REGIONS CUP POINTS
Western – 213
Eastern – 200
Rocky/Central - 139

RESULTS
Official Results

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