Gerety makes world team, Picabo doesn’t
Quality results shown by 13 American racers
1990 Community School graduate Megan Gerety
of Anchorage, Ak. was one of 13 U.S. Ski Team alpine racers named Sunday
to the American squad headed over to the 2001 World Championships Jan.
29-Feb. 10 at St. Anton, Austria.
Gerety, 29, joins U.S. women Caroline
Lalive, Sarah Schleper, Kristina Koznick, Jonna Mendes and Kirsten Clark.
The men going to St. Anton are Daron Rahlves, Erik Schlopy, Chad Fleischer,
Bode Miller, Casey Puckett, Jake Fiala and Sacha Gros.
While the U.S. team is one of the smallest
in years, it’s one of the deepest in results. Of 13 members, 12 have
scored World Cup points. Earning podiums have been Schlopy (GS), Miller
(GS), Schleper (GS and SL), Koznick (SL) and Rahlves (DH).
"This is an outstanding team with
great experience. Everyone has Olympic and/or worlds experience,"
said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association vice president/athletes Alan
Ashley, announcing the team.
Conspicuous in her absence from the Yank
squad was Sun Valley’s Picabo Street, 29, still struggling along but
making progress in her comeback from a serious knee injury.
1998 Olympic super giant slalom gold
medalist Street was completely in agreement that her comeback had not
reached a point where she would be competitive in worlds. She’ll race in
Europa Cup events.
Ashley said, "Picabo’s been away for
two years and had another knee surgery in November, so she’s
disappointed. But she also understands she’s not looking just to attend
another world championships.
"She’s got a long-range vision. That’s
to be successful again next year at the 2002 Olympics, and she’s still
on that track. As Picabo has said, she knows she needs more time on her
skis."
Head coach Marjan Cernigoj said, "Picabo
has done everything, and she’s continuing to do it all. But every day
and every course is a test for her. The mental part is so tough, so
relentless, and the knee pain is always there. She’s coming from a place
she’s never been."
Street posted her best comeback result
Friday—starting 50th and finishing 15th in the women’s DH at one of
her favorite hills, Cortina, Italy, where she’s won twice. Having to
race back-to-back took its toll in Saturday’s SG. Street faded to 45th.
Meanwhile, it’s been a comeback year for
1994 Olympian Gerety including her season-best fifth-place finish in
Friday’s World Cup women’s downhill at Cortina, Italy. With six DHs in
the book, Gerety is the top American in 12th place overall with 127
points.
Two-time national DH queen Gerety, an
11th-year national team racer, sat out the 1998 and 2000 World Cup
campaigns with knee injuries.
Other team highlights so far and, here’s
a surprise—SG is the American’s weakest event:
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Rahlves, 27, broke up an
Austrian podium sweep and tied for third place in Saturday’s 61st
annual Hahnenkamm DH—only the second podium ever earned by an
American in the famed Kitzbuehel downhill.
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Schlopy, 28, finished ninth in
Sunday’s Kitzbuehel slalom, his best SL result. He has placed fourth
and second in GS. In the overall standings after 22 events, Schlopy is
13th with 299 points and Rahlves 21st, 210.
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Lalive, 21, the team’s lone
four-event skier, had four top-10 results in a little over 24 hours
Jan. 13-14 and was second in the Haus combined. She is the leading
U.S. woman in the overall standings after 25 events with 264 points,
three ahead of Koznick.
In related news:
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Podium performances lifted Schlopy,
Schleper, Miller and Mendes onto the U.S. "A" team.
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USSA and International Ski Federation (FIS)
officials on Friday reached agreement to add a second downhill to
February’s World Cup men’s event on the 2002 Olympic course
"Grizzly" at Snowbasin, Utah.
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Replacing the canceled Wengen, Switz.
DH, the first Snowbasin DH will be Friday, Feb. 23 preceded by two
days of training. The second DH will be Feb. 24 and the Snowbasin men’s
SG is set for Sunday, Feb. 25.
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Here are Street’s finishes in seven
speed events since her return Dec. 6 in France: SG—34th, DNF and
45th; in DH—24th, 46th, 35th and 15th.
