Move over skiers. Here comes the snowboarders.
Three races into the World Cup season and Jeff Archibald of Salt Lake City nails his first victory in a giant slalom race in Sestriere, Italy.He was locked in a two-way tie after the first run, but beat the competition by half a second on the second run to claim the gold. Nicolas Huet of France was the runner-up. Archibald's previous high in World Cup racing was an 8th in a GS in California.
The next best finish for the Americans was a 22nd for Jeff Greenwood.
Then, Sondra Van Ert, a former Salt Laker who now lives in Ketchum, Idaho, came through with a sixth in the women's GS. The next U.S. finisher was 36th.
Van Ert, who skied for the Snowbird Ski Team and the University of Utah ski team, switched to snowboarding a few years ago. She was a member of the U.S. snowboarding team in Nagano, where she finished 12th in the GS.
Those who would like to view the success of the local boaders can do so on Thursday on the Outdoor Life network at 8 p.m. MST.
Past performances have not gone unrecognized.
The list of nominees for the United State Olympic Committee's Sportsman/Sportswoman of the Year was posted, and the names of gold medalists Jonny Moseley and Picabo Street were on it.
Other names on the men's list were cyclist Lance Armstrong and swimmer Lenny Krayzelburg. On the women's list there were tennis player Lindsay Davenport and track and field star Marion Jones.
Street, who's local ties included time with the Rowmark Ski Academy in Salt Lake, and as a frequent competitor in local races while skiing for Sun Valley, returned from reconstructive knee surgery in 1997 to win a gold in the Super G in Nagano.
Moseley used his signature "360 heli mute grab" during the freestyle mogul competition to grab the attention of the world and the gold.
The winners will be announced at a dinner Dec. 16 in Indianapolis.
So much for high-fives, now it's back to the slopes and reality. Fact: The U.S. women's ski team is young and inexperienced.
Two weeks ago in Park City, three members scored their first World Cup points. Now, back at it in Mammoth Mountain, Calif., the competition toughens. This time the only skier to qualify was veteran Kristina Koznick, who finished 27th of 30 racers.
This year, as frequently happens in tennis, skiing has its young stars.
Swedish teenager Anja Paerson, 17, the reigning world junion champion, set the ski world talking by winning the Mammoth World Cup slalom.
In the Park City event, Janica Kostelic, 16, of Croatia, placed 3rd in the slalom and 4th in the GS.
It's apparent that doubles continues to be the event for U.S. lugers.
They broke the Olympic ice earlier this year by winning the first luge medals -- a silver and a bronze.
Now, Chris Thorpe and Gordy Sheer have a bronze in the World Cup doubles held in Altenberg, Germany. It was Thorpe and Sheer who won the silver in Nagano.
One week earlier the U.S. went 1-2-4 in luge doubles.
The best U.S. finish in singles was Adam Heidt of Lake Placid, with a 10th.
Clay Ives, who used his right to dual citizenship, came from the Canadian team onto the U.S. team this past summer. He finished 11th.
There's no doubt where the power rests with the women lugers. Germany swept the top four spots.
When you've got the right feel for the road, you can go anywhere and win. And apparently that's true with the bobsled track at the Winter Sports Park.
With one week of ice time to go on, Christoph Langen of Germany rode into town with some reservations about the track, but left with golds in both the 2-man and 4-man events, and a real appreciation of the Utah track.
After the race he admitted through an interperater that, yes, he liked the track, but said he don't think about things he can't control, like the track. To him, all tracks are the same -- they have ice on them and he goes as fast as he can.
Simple.