While the weather has changed almost every half hour for the last couple days, it stayed pretty stable today for the season's sixth parallel giant slalom at Santa Present Park. The sun came out just in time for the finals and stayed through until the end of the race.
Christophe Segura from France was among those who came to this Asahikawa race to fight for a quota spot on his nation's 2002 Winter Olympic team. Second after the qualifications, he made his way through the finals by knocking out the Austrians Sigi Grabner and Alexander Maier, and then faced Jasey Jay Anderson from Canada in the semi-finals. In the first run, Segura opened up the gap to within 24 hundredths of a second and advanced to the final when Anderson lost his balance in his second run without being able to catch up to the Frenchman.
In the final duel, Segura met US rider Christopher J. Klug, who looked very strong and was the number one contender for a win today. Segura won the first run and then further increased his advantage to ultimately take the gold.
"This was great," Segura said, "the conditions have been perfect, the slope was great and it was a high level. I really had fun racing. The slope was not the steepest I have ever seen, but those who ride at this level should be good on any kind of course."
Klug took 2nd place and seemed to have mixed feelings about his result: "It was a great day with perfect snow and all that sunshine - it could have hardly been any better," he said. "I had a good qualification run, continued like that also in the finals and I felt like a was gaining momentum. I am excited about second place right before Park City - that will be an exciting race for me and it is good to have two podiums before going there." Klug is taking a little break now in Hawaii before next week's Olympic dress rehearsal.
Anderson faced Austria's Werner Ebenbauer in the small final for 3rd place and pulled it together for another podium. "I am really happy," the Canadian said, "and it is good that the one who kicked me out finally got it. The hill was not one of my favorite slopes, but the conditions made it fun racing and I felt pretty confident. It did not feel like a victory day but it felt like a podium day. I could not pull it together against Segura. On a flat hill like this you cannot make any mistakes, you have to get every turn and gain every hundredth you can. It was a struggle for me but thank God we had these kinds of conditions."
Matthieu Bozzetto missed making the finals and finished 34th, but still keeps the lead in the standings. His teammate and friend Nicolas Huet took 9th place today and moved up to 2nd in the World Cup. Richard Richardsson, who also did not qualify for the finals today, dropped back to 3rd.
Julie Pomagalski made it a double win for the French team after gaining her first World Cup victory ever. She met Rosey Fletcher in the finals and had to leave the first run with the US rider, but made it up in the second run when Fletcher fell. "This is unbelievable," Pomagalski said, "it was kind of magic when others took win after win and it feels so great to be a winner finally. Today I tried to stay cool and it paid off. It was also good since I know now that I am able to do well in the discipline which will be held at the Olympics - that really means something."
Rosey Fletcher pulled 2nd and looked as if she had really expected to win today. "It was pretty tough all day and the others were so strong," she said. "After the first run in the finals I felt confident but there was nothing I could do after the crash. I would have loved to take the yellow bib today to wear it at Park City next week. There is still three races left and it is really tied - I just got to reach over the finish line..."
Italian riders Marion Posch and Carmen Ranigler faced each other in the duel for 3rd place and Posch finally got it under her belt when Ranigler made a mistake in the first run and was then disqualified in the second run after a false start.
However, Ranigler claimed the lead in the World Cup and sent Karine Ruby from France, who finished 5th today, to 2nd place. Fletcher is still in 3rd overall.
A halfpipe contest is scheduled for tomorrow before the riders will head on to Park City for the Olympic test event.
— Britta Semmler, MountainZone.com Correspondent
