SUGARLOAF, ME (March 28, 2015)—Mikaela Shiffrin (Vail, CO – U.S. Ski Team) cleaned up on Saturday, winning the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Champs slalom by more than four seconds over Paula Moltzan (Lakeville, MN – U.S. Ski Team). Megan McJames (Park City, UT) was third.
In front of a huge crowd cheering Shiffrin’s name, she threw down her first run with a time no one could beat. Second run, did the same. But Moltzan was on her tail. “Last year I was four seconds behind her every run and now I’m two, so it’s going down!” Moltzan joked after her second place finish. “It’s nice to have a benchmark to see how you’re progressing in your skiing.” Moltzan, a slalom specialist who is often compared to Shiffrin, won this year’s World Junior Championships. Although more than four seconds off of Shiffrin, Moltzan did hold a hefty 2.5 second lead over the rest of the field, as well—showcasing the dominance of both of these young women.
Even after winning the World Cup slalom title and World Championships slalom medal this year, Shiffrin was thrilled to be in Sugarloaf, competing at the U.S. Alpine Champs in front of the home crowd. Many of the audience members came over from Burke Mountain Academy, where she went to high school. “These kinds of races mean a lot because of who comes. It’s the next generation of skiers who shows up and watches and hopefully gets inspired by all of the racers—and not just by me or just the U.S. Ski Team athletes,” said Shiffrin, who has now won four national titles. “It’s cool for me to see the excitement. It makes me excited too. It’s the perfect way to end the season and get ready for the new season.”
Paula Moltzan shreds to second place behind Shiffrin. (Jeffrey Shiffrin)
Shiffrin remembered her first time competing at the U.S. Alpine Champs, as well, and cited it as a turning point in her ski racing career. “I see a bit of myself in all of these kids because it was not so long ago that I showed up for U.S. nationals for the first time and was thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can do well here. I don’t know if I’m that good of a skier,’” she said. “So it’s been since then—that first U.S. nationals. It’s been going quite quickly.” Shiffrin won her first U.S. Alpine Championships slalom race.
Behind Shiffrin, Moltzan and McJames, Hailey Duke (Boise, ID – Sun Valley Ski Education Fund) was fourth, Foreste Peterson (Berkeley, CA – Dartmouth Ski Team) fifth and Maisie Ide (Minneapolis, MN – Dartmouth Ski Team) sixth. Hannah Hunsaker (Park City, UT – Park City Ski Team) finished seventh, Madison Lord (Burke Mountain Academy) eighth, Francesca English (Squaw Valley, CA – Squaw Valley Ski Team) ninth and Alexandra Skovran (Waterbury, CT – Green Mountain Valley School) 10th.
Shiffrin plans to stick around on Sunday to watch her brother race the U.S. Alpine Championships men’s slalom—the last race in the series.
Mikaela Shiffrin stands in the finish with second place Paula Moltzan and Megan McJames. (Jamie Walter/Sugarloaf)
HIGHLIGHTS
- This is Shiffrin’s fourth U.S. Alpine Championships win. She has won three slalom titles and one GS title.
- Shiffrin’s national title win adds to her winning 2014/2015 season, including six World Cup wins, a World Cup title in slalom and a World Championships slalom medal.
- NBC will air the U.S. Alpine Championships men’s super G on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
QUOTES
Mikaela Shiffrin
After first run
I’ve definitely had a successful career in my teens. I’m really happy to be here. I’m really psyched to be at Sugarloaf. This is my first time skiing here. Coming back for U.S. nationals is really fun for me—I get to see all of my old friends from school and from skiing. Just kind of getting back to the roots. And there are so many kids here that are looking to be inspired by all of the racers that are skiing. It’s good to be a part of this.
I don’t think I’m ever going to think of myself on the other side of this. I’m still star-struck and looking up to my heroes and get inspiration from them.
I was home at World Champs in February, so I was a little lucky this winter to be able to go back home. It’s nice to be back in the U.S. no matter what. I’m watching my brother race tomorrow and then I get to go visit my nana in Massachusetts, so it’s always a relief to get back here.
It’s nice to be around all the excitement. I didn’t think I was going to really be here this soon. I didn’t know if I was ever going to get to this point. It’s cool to be here now and looking back on the last three years and knowing how much doubt I had, but also how much confidence I had at least in my skiing and my motivation to improve. That’s what got me here. People around me have helped tremendously. It’s cool to be at U.S. nationals, back to the roots. All of the kids are one or two years younger than me and are in the same position I was in two year ago. It’s cool to see that.
After second run
It’s really cool to see how many people are out here and how many people are excited about ski racing. It reminds me about what it was like for me even just a couple years and still is like for me now. It’s really cool to see this much excitement.
These kinds of races mean a lot because of who comes. It’s the next generation of skiers who shows up and watches and hopefully gets inspired by all of the racers—not just me or just the U.S. Ski Team athletes. It’s cool for me to see the excitement. It makes me excited too. It’s the perfect way to end the season and get ready for the new season. It gives me some motivation to keep pushing it and keep trying to do my best, because there are thousands of kids here that are trying to do their best too.
I have a good several more years in me of ski racing, I think. I see a bit of myself in all of these kids because it was not so long ago that I showed up for U.S. nationals for the first time and was thinking, “I don’t know if I can do well here. I don’t know if I’m that good of a skier.” So it’s been since then—that first U.S. nationals. It’s been going quite quickly.
Paula Moltzan
It’s more like a training run for [Mikaela], I’d say. I’m still two seconds behind here each run, so I have a lot of improving to do. It’s so much better to have such an incredible teammate to work towards. Last year I was four seconds behind her every run and now I’m two, so it’s going down! It’s nice to have a benchmark to see how you’re progressing in your skiing.
RESULTS
Women's slalom results
