"I'm very happy with my result for a couple reasons," Puckett said. "One, I was unsure of how I was feeling with my back and my knee coming in to this. Two, the course was extremely difficult. Considering that I qualified 16th, to end up fourth was really awesome."
Switzerland's Michael Schmid won the event, followed by Austrian Andreas Matt in second and Tommy Eliasson of Sweden in third.
As far as U.S. Ski Team Ski Cross Head Coach Tyler Shepherd is concerned, Puckett skied a smart race to get to fourth.
"It's a good way to start the season," Shepherd said. "He skied really well. He was smart on the tight short course. There were really no open passing lanes. It was really smart skiing on his part. He wasn't trying to do too much."
According to Puckett, the course presented challenging conditions that were difficult for him.
"It wasn't the greatest course to start on for me because it was rock hard. The jumps were sending me really high and down onto the flats," Puckett said. "The course was really hard on my body. It would have been just fine for me to leave here getting out or St. Johann healthy."
Shepherd said the course was unlike any other he has encountered due to its icy conditions.
"It was one of the most difficult ski cross courses either of us has ever seen," Shepherd said. "The athletes were very challenged because they injected the hill, which, for ski cross, is a bit of a shock. It was an ice rink, so we are happy he just made it out unscathed."
In the women's race, Marion Josserand of France won, followed by Austrian Katharina Gutenssohn in second and Kelsey Serwa of Canada in third.
X Games champion Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) will join the Team later this month for the World Cup in Lake Placid. Former U.S. Ski Team alpine racer Caitlin Ciccone (Littleton, NH) competed in her first ski cross World Cup in St. Johann but did not make finals.
Now, Puckett is focused on what will be a long and exciting ski cross season ahead.
"It's a long season this year and I feel great about getting past the first race. I look forward to World Championships, the X Games and our World Cup in Lake Placid," Puckett said. "But I just can't stress enough that I am happy with fourth place in the first event and I think I can continue to improve from there."
Next up for World Cup Ski Cross is an event in Les Contamines, France, this Saturday.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
2009 FREESTYLE FIS WORLD CUP
St. Johann/Oberndorf, Austria - Jan. 5, 2009
Ski Cross
Men
1. Michael Schmid, Switzerland
2. Andreas Matt, Austria
3. Tommy Eliasson, Sweden
4. Casey Puckett, Aspen, CO
5. Tomas Kraus, Czech Republic
Women
1. Marion Josserand, France
2. Katharina Gutenssohn, Austria
3. Kelsey Serwa, Canada
4. Ophelie David, France
5. Hedda Berntsen, Norway
