Some of the world's best skiers ran gates here Friday in opening day of the Huntsman Cup National Handicapped Ski Championships.
The blind, mobility impaired and amputee skiers ran a Super G on C.B.'s run mid-day. It was one run on a very fast course. There was, to the observer, nothing disabled at all about the skiing. The field of athletes skied with the same fluid grace any racer would show on a tough course.According to Barbara Clark, director of marketing for the Park City National Ability Center, organizers of the event, there were 53 racers from around the country entered in Friday's event. More are expected to compete in Saturday's giant slalom and Sunday's slalom.
Friday, U. S. Disabled Ski Team members dominated.
In the men's open, Bill Bowness finished first with an adjusted time of 66.87. Second was Christopher Waddell in 67.35 and third was Christopher Young in 68.29.
Under the disabled ski format, final race times are adjusted according to the disability of the skier.
In the women's open, Nancy Gustafson finished first in 64.27, followed by Sara Billmeier in 64.99 and Jennifer Kelchner in 66.50.
In other classes, Sara Will won the women's mono-ski class in 68.01 and Todd Bittner won the men's mono-ski event in 63.34.
Brian Santos won the men's blind event in 59.73, Steven Horning won the men's junior in 96.08 and Keith Pendill won the men's senior in 83.02.
All are members of the U.S. Disabled Ski Team with the exception of Horning, who is from Winter Park, Colorado, and Pendill, who is a member of the National Ability Center. The U.S. team is current ranked No. 1 in the world.
Maggie Behle of Salt Lake, finished fifth in the women's open in 69.87.
Two finishers will qualify to ski in the world finals this year.
This is the ninth year for the Huntsman Cup, which is a part of the Utah Winter Games.