ALPINE:

Stevens takes super-G for 1st career Nor-Am win

Feb. 11, 2011 — Alpine Canada  

ASPEN, Colorado — Quebec team skier Victoria Stevens won her first career Nor-Am Cup race Friday in Aspen, Colorado, winning the women's super-G event.

The Canadian Prospect Group skier, of Mont-Tremblant, Que., dominated the race, finishing 0.90 seconds ahead of her nearest rival as she crossed the finish line with a time of 1 minute, 25.71 seconds.

"I'm really happy with my race today. I skied like I know I can," said Stevens. "This is my first victory in a Nor-Am race so it's pretty exciting. I've been gaining a lot of experience on the World Cup circuit this season and it helped a lot today."

"This was exactly the type of course that suits me. It was very technical with a lot of giant slalom turns. There was also a lot of terrain to move with and it's typically what I like when I race. Overall, it was a really fun race and it gave me a lot of confidence for the events to come."

Second place in the super-G event went to Anna Marno from the USA, who crossed the finish line with a time of 1:26.57. This is her second Nor-Am podium this season after her second-place result in the giant slalom race in Panorama, B.C., in December. She was also the fastest girl in the junior category.

The podium was rounded out by Thursday's super-combined winner, the USA's Kiley Staples, who crossed the finish line with a time 1:26.59.

The second-fastest Canadian was Alberta Ski Team athlete Stephanie Irwin, who finished ninth with a time of 1:27.94. Georgia Simmerling from West Vancouver, B.C., was right behind her in 10th place with a time of 1:28.05.

Downhill training for both men and women starts Saturday. The first downhill race takes place on Monday.

Thursday, Canadian Prospect Group skier Madison McLeish finished third in the super-combined. The 18-year-old from Canmore, Alta., was seventh after the super-G run but made a comeback in the slalom, earning her a place on the podium with a time of 2:8.79 seconds. She was the fastest competitor in the junior category.


"I'm still really tired and a little bit jet-lagged from being in Europe last week," said McLeish, who had a career best 14th -lace result in super-G at the World Junior Championships in Crans Montana, Switzerland, last week. "Neither of my runs were as good as I would have liked them to be, especially the super-G run. I made a bunch of mistakes this morning. I did score some points today, so I'm happy about that."