Kristi Terzian, taking a big step back from knee surgery, blistered both runs Friday to win a North American Championship slalom by nearly three seconds at Attitash Ski Area.
Terzian, of Park City, Utah, won both runs - a 52-gate morning run and 56 gates after lunch - by more than a second under blue skies with temperatures in the 30s. Her two-run time was 1 minute, 32.60 seconds with Canadian Sonja Rusch a distant runnerup in 1:35.30. Canadians Anik Demers and Edith Rozsa claimed third and fourth."I had a lot of confidence going into the race today," Terzian said, "and, combined with some luck, I was able to win."
It was her first victory since capturing the giant slalom title in the U.S. Alpine Championships in March 1990 at Crested Butte, Colo. She was 15th earlier this month in a World Cup slalom at Steamboat Springs, Colo.
After scoring in 17 races during the 1990 World Cup season, Terzian tore ligaments in her right knee and missed the 1991 season. She reinjured the knee last season and underwent another operation.
Terzian led four other Americans into the top 10 in the second women's NorAm of the season. Lisl Hager of Olympic Valley, Calif., was fifth in the field of 66 in 1:35.82, and Heidi Voelker of Pittsfield, Mass., was sixth in 1:36.60.
Shannon Nobis of Park City, Utah, was eighth in 1:36.72, .02 seconds ahead of Jessica Jacobsen of Westport, N.Y., in ninth.