Jitloff Wins FIS Slalom in NZ

CORONET PEAK, NZ (Aug. 24) – The U.S. Ski Team's Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV) added a check to the confidence department last weekend after capturing a FIS slalom win at Coronet Peak during the first races of the 2010 competition calendar.

"I am feeling really good about the win because I was able to pick up a missing FIS point result, so my standings in slalom should go back to normal," said Jitloff, who scored his first World Cup points last season. "Initially the thought behind racing was just to use it as training since it is just August; but it turned out to be a smart move."

Jitloff's Aug. 21 victory was in the first of two slalom races, though Coronet also hosted a pair of giant slalom races to kick off the series. FIS points acquired in these races determine athlete starting positions throughout the season. Those with the fewest points gain the best starting slots. Jitloff's win, for example, earned him 9 points, while the 5th place finisher, Robby Kelley (Starksboro, VT) took 37.28 points.

"The slope was steep and icy. I think it would be a challenge even to the veteran World Cup ski racers," said Jitloff, who watched 27 athletes fail to finish the first run. "It was not the kind of course where you go too far beyond yourself because the hill would take you out. I'm excited about it but I also know I have a lot of work to do in slalom before I am ready to go for the World Cup."

Top American giant slalom skiers were Dane Spencer (Boise, ID), who was 4th in the first giant slalom and Warner Nickerson (Gilford, NH) with a pair of 6th place finishes in each race. Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT) also landed on the podium with 3rd in the closing slalom on Aug. 22.

The races also served as a prelude to alpine portion of the New Zealand Winter Games which begin Tuesday with a super G at Coronet Peak followed by giant slalom on Aug. 27 and closing with slalom on Aug. 30.  

The U.S. men will be represented by Jake Zamansky (Park City, UT) and Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) in super G with Kasper, Tim Kelley (Starksboro, VT), Tommy Ford (Bend, OR), Thomas Biesemeyer (Keene, NY) and David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) joining them in the gate for giant slalom. 

Ford, Kelley, Biesemeyer, Kasper and Chodounsky will also race slalom along with Paul McDonald (Bellevue, WA). The women's U.S. Ski Team returned to the U.S. last week in order to rest up for their upcoming speed and technical camps slated to begin early Sept. in Chile.

For complete results from the Coronet Peak FIS races and the New Zealand Winter Games, go to www.fis-ski.com.

Tags: Dane Spencer, Giant Slolam, Nolan Kasper, Robby Kelley, Slolam, Tim Jitloff, Warner Nickerson