Kranjska Gora, Slovenia – Warren, Vt.’s Nolan Kasper produced the fastest second run of slalom on Sunday to tie for second in Kranjska Gora and earn the first Audi FIS Alpine World Cup podium of his young career.nKasper, seventh after the opening run, dominated the steep Podkoren slope to miss the top step by a mere .09 to Austrian Mario Matt while tying Sweden’s Axel Baeck. His podium capitalized on an extremely difficult day that saw slalom leaders Ivica Kostelic of Croatia and Jean-Baptiste Grange of France land among the 40 competitors to disqualify or fail to finish.
“To get a podium this early in my career is special,” said an excited Kasper. “I talked to my dad right after the race and he said everyone was fired up back in Vermont. I have a lot of family in New Jersey too and they’re completely stoked.”
Kasper moved to 18th in the World Cup slalom standings to secure a start at World Cup Finals.
“The bottom was some of the most impressive skiing from any guy on the World Cup,” U.S. Ski Team men’s Head Coach, Sasha Rearick, said of Kasper’s performance. “He took some chances, put the pressure on in the right spots and went really fast. He’s been skiing well and putting down top 10s which is solid skiing. Here he took it to another gear. He had to have a good race to make it to World Cup Finals and he had a great race.”
Kasper’s performance was a bright spot on an otherwise bleak day for the U.S. men. Giant slalom points leader Ted Ligety, of Park City, Utah, failed to finish his second run, a fate met on the first run by teammates Will Brandenburg, of Spokane, Wash., and Longmont, Colo.’s Will Gregorak. Tim Jitloff, of Reno, Nev., failed to qualify to start.
The men’s alpine World Cup now moves to Kvitfjell, Norway for two downhills and a super G prior to World Cup Finals. Two of Canada’s best technical skiers have qualified for the finals after a tough day on the slopes at Kranjska Gora. Julien Cousineau, of Lachute, Quebec, was the top Canadian finisher in Sunday’s slalom with a 15th place result as fellow Canadians Michael Janyk, of Whistler, British Columbia, Calgary’s Brad Spence and Patrick Biggs, of Orleans, Ontario were among the day’s course casualties. Sunday’s results mean Janyk and Cousineau are 15th and 20th, respectively, in the overall World Cup slalom standings. Both men will compete at the World Cup finals.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Alpine World Cup
Kranjska Gora, Slovenia – March 6, 2011
Slalom
1. Mario Matt, Austria, 1:49.14
2. Nolan Kasper, 1:49.23
2. Axel Baeck, Sweden, 1:49.23