WINTER PARK, Colo.—The first two days of action are complete here at the 2012 U.S. National Championships and CU placed three skiers in the top 11 of the men’s and women’s slalom races.
On Wednesday, senior Katie Hartman placed eighth in the women’s slalom race in a top-run time of 1:42.81, her best performance in a national championship race, with senior Erika Ghent just two spots back in 10th in 1:43.61, her second career top 10 finish at nationals. Junior Khyla Burrows placed 42nd in 1:57.42 and freshman Shane McLean didn’t finish her first run.
Just two days prior, Hartman placed 12th in the slalom at the Canadian National Championships in Mont Ste Anne, Quebec. She missed the 2011 Championships, but has otherwise competed in the competition since 2005 and this was her first top 10 finish there. In 2008 at Sugarloaf, Maine, she placed 14th in the Downhill race and 15th in the giant slalom as her previous best finishes.
Ghent recorded her second top 10 finish at nationals. In 2010 in Lake Placid, N.Y., she placed 10th in the GS race. Last year she placed 13th in Winter Park in the GS race. Her best overall performance may have been in 2008 in Sugarloaf, Maine, when she was 11th in both the slalom and GS races, 12th in the downhill and 13th in the Super G. She did place fourth in the Super G at the Canadian National Championships in 2008 in Whistler, British Columbia. She has also raced in seven of the past eight national championships.
In the men’s race Thursday, freshman Adam Zika placed 11th in 1:34.36. Junior Max Lamb was disqualified in the first run, sophomore Andreas Haug didn’t finish the first run and senior Taggart Spenst didn’t finish the second run.
The championships continue through the weekend. Friday both genders will compete in Super G races while the Giant Slalom races conclude the championship with the women on Saturday and men on Sunday.
