Alpine

Shiffrin and Chodounsky Win Slalom Titles

by
USSA
2016-03-25 17:48
 

SUN VALLEY, ID (March 25, 2016) – Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) and David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) brought their "A" game to the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships slalom Friday, proving to the rest of the field that it’s hard to beat two of the best slalom skiers in the world.

 

“I need to congratulate Mikaela for showing the world where she stands,” said Lila Lapanja (Incline Village, NV), who finished second to Shiffrin. “It really fires me up because I have something to chase and I have some work to do, but I’m excited about it.”

 

“I think Dave is skiing as fast as anybody in the world right now,” noted Robby Kelley (Starksboro, VT), who finished second Friday. “It’s awesome just to watch that.”

 

Men's Podium
Men’s slalom podium: Michael Ankeny (left) in third, winner David Chodounsky and second-place finisher Robby Kelley. (USSA)

 

Chodounsky, who finished the season ranked in the top 15 of the best slalom skiers in the world, won his fourth U.S. national slalom title by 2.36 seconds. Behind Kelley in second, Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN) finished third. 

 

“This has been my best season, hands down,” Chodounsky said. “I just felt really good today, skiing really well and I’m just so comfortable skiing right now. To get this at the end of the season is awesome.”

 

In the women’s race, Shiffrin once again proved that she is indeed the best slalom skier in the world, en route to winning her fourth U.S. national slalom title by almost seven seconds. Canada’s Roni Remme finished third behind Shiffrin and Lapanja.  

 

“I was going for it today,” Shiffrin said. “I feel like if you’re going to race, you need to go as fast as you can. It’s a nice springtime environment. I love the sun. I love this kind of snow, so it’s more relaxing in a sense, but when I got in the starting gate, my heart was beating in my chest.”

 

Up next, is the men’s giant slalom Saturday and women’s giant slalom Sunday.

 

“The hill is so awesome, so fun. But, I’m itching to see the GS,” Shiffrin said. “I'm waiting for Sunday to roll around now.”

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • David Chodounsky won his fourth career U.S. national slalom title.
  • Mikaela Shiffrin won her fourth career U.S. national slalom title.
  • Jake Keane (Vail, CO) won the junior men’s slalom title.
  • Mikaela Shiffrin was also the top-place junior in the women’s race.

 

QUOTES

 

David Chodounsky

This has been my best season, hands down. I just felt really good today, skiing really well and I’m just so comfortable skiing right now. To get this at the end of the season is awesome. 

 

Robby Kelley

I think Dave is skiing as fast as anybody in the world right now. It’s awesome just to watch that. 

 

I thought first run I skied pretty well, a little safe. Second run I got tossed out up top, then I kind of backed off the rest of the way, which really didn’t matter because if I skied out of my mind, I wouldn’t have been able to catch Dave. 

 

Mike Ankeny

It was a great event. The snow was really aggressive, so it was easy to overturn the first run, but it held up great. 

 

Mikaela Shiffrin

I was going for it today. I feel like if you’re going to race, you need to go as fast as you can. It’s a nice springtime environment. I love the sun. I love this kind of snow, so it’s more relaxing in a sense, but when I got in the starting gate, my heart was beating in my chest. 

 

The hill is so awesome, so fun. But, I’m itching to see the GS. Waiting for Sunday to roll around now.

 

Lila Lapanja

I need to congratulate Mikaela for showing the world where she stands. It really fires me up because I have something to chase and I have some work to do, but I’m excited about it.  

 

I was really disappointed first run. I’ve been kind of tight the past couple weeks and I just wanted to let go second run a little bit - ski freely and remember why I love skiing slalom. So I just brought an attacking mentality to the second run and that tapped me into my best skiing.

 

The GS is going to be awesome. I skied spring series here two years ago and had my career-best result. I love this pitch and it’s just going to require the same mentality as I took in the second run of slalom. So when I tap into that, I’ll be fast.

 

RESULTS

Men’s slalom

Women’s slalom

 

 


 


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