Crans-Montana, Switzerland – Ryan Siegle, of Starksboro, Vt., hit the top spot for the U.S. men finishing 11th in the FIS Alpine Junior World Championships Friday at Crans-Montana, Switzerland in the super G.nSiegle finished strong, leading the U.S. in 11th. The gold medal went to Slovenia’s Bostjan Kline who picked up his second gold medal of the Junior World Championships. The silver medal went to Frederic Berthold of Austria with Justin Murisier of Switzerland in third also picking his second medal of this Junior World Championship.
Canadian Philip Brown put the finishing touches on a successful FIS World Junior Championships by clocking Friday’s seventh fastest time. Brown, 19, was been Canada’s most consistent athlete at the series, landing on the podium with a third-place finish in the combined, finishing 10th in the slalom, 11th in the giant slalom and 14th in the downhill.
“My super G was okay, I was pretty happy when I came down but I was hoping for a top five finish today, and I know I could have made it,” said Brown. “I made some mistakes and I wasn’t on the line that I should have been in certain parts of the course. The top was pretty slow but the bottom was really rough.”
Friday’s super G wrapped up men’s competition at the FIS Alpine Junior World Championships. “I’m happy I’m done, I feel like I can finally breathe and think,” added a relieved Brown. “I was so focused these past few days on what I had to do and the races to come. I feel like I had so much to think about, it was mentally draining, but I’m happy with how things went and finishing in the top 15 in every race is amazing.”
Brown led four Canadians into the top 30 on Friday. Calgary, Alberta’s Erik Read, who was sixth in the WJC’s slalom and fifth in the combined, was the second fastest Canadian Friday as he finished 20th tied with Norway’s Joergen Brath. Canmore, Alberta-based athlete Andy Trow finished 27th, while Trevor Philp from Calgary was 30th and Tyler Werry from Fernie, British Columbia, wrapped up Friday’s race in 47th.
“I’m really proud of our boys. I do believe that we could have been on the podium in certain events, but as a team I think we did really well,” said Canadian men’s head coach Kip Harrington. “I was really impressed with the way they handled everything. It was a long haul and the conditions were not always easy. It took great focus and composure and there isn’t much between them and the guys that won the events. I’m confident that within a year we will be able to close the gap between them.”
One other American, Nick Daniels of Tahoe City, Calif., cracked the super G top 30 Friday with a 23rd-place finish. Michael Ankeny, of Wayzata, Minn., finished 41st, followed by fellow American Matthew Strand, of Lakeville, Minn., in 60th. Brennan Rubie, of Salt Lake City, Utah, did not finish, while Keith Moffat of Berkeley, Calif., did not start Friday’s race.
The FIS Alpine Junior World Championships will conclude Saturday at Crans-Montana, Switzerland with the women’s super G.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Alpine Junior World Championships
Crans-Montana, Switzerland – Feb. 4, 2011
Super G
Gold: Bostjan Kline, Slovenia, 1:22.43
Silver: Frederic Berthold, Austria, 1:22.67
Bronze: Justin Murisier, Switzerland, 1:23.19