By USSA

LAKE PLACID -– It was a great Olympic sendoff for Daron Rahlves (Sugar Bowl, CA) as the X Games gold medalist finished fourth in the Nature Valley Freestyle Cup Sunday, the last skiercross World Cup before the 2010 Games.

“It was nice to make the final. I had some good heats. It was a great track with a lot of good opportunity,” Rahlves said.

Rahlves took the lead and finished first in the semifinal run, which he said was a boost to him heading in to the last round.

“For most of the day I got in a good position to make good moves,” Rahlves said. “It gave me confidence in the semifinal to get that draft in the straightaway and keep the rhythm on the terrain.”

According to Rahlves, while he was happy with the finish, a better gate choice in the final could have landed him on the podium.

“Unfortunately in the final I was in the last gate choice on the end and there was a little bit of a kicker and I lost a little bit of ground out of the start,” Rahlves said. “In the first turn I had some line taken away and was on the outside. I got trapped. I went down on my hand, but in the first and second turn you have to keep up your speed. I lost ground there”

But, in all, Rahlves was satisfied with the day, and hopefully some reflection on the races he can better himself in Vancouver.

“It’s great being in the final but fourth place is not a great place to be. But I didn’t crash and there was some good racing today,” Rahlves said. “In retrospect I could have slowed down a little bit, taken an inside line and paced it a little more.”

Canadian Chris Delbosco won, followed by Andreas Matt of Austria in second and David Duncan of Canada in third.

In the women’s race Kelsey Serwa of Canada took the win, followed in second by Fanny Smith of Canada and Ophellie David of France in third.

It was a hot finish for Langely McNeal (Ketchum, ID) who landed in 16th to mark her career best ski cross World Cup finish.

The skiercross athletes now break from competition before the Olympics. The 2010 Olympic Freestyle Team will be announced Jan. 26.

Lake Placid, Jan. 24, skiercross

Men

1. Chris Delbosco, Canada

2. Andreas Matt, Austria

3. David Duncan, Canada

4. Daron Rahlves, Sugar Bowl, CA

5. Michael Schmid, Switzerland

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20. John Teller, Mammoth Lakes, CA

52. Patrick Duran, Fayson, VT

56. Cody Smith, Spokane, WA

57. Scott Horn, Truckee, CA

58. Victor Beckmann, Portland, OR

Women

1. Kelsey Serwa, Canada

2. Fanny Smith, Switzerland

3. Ophellie David, France

4. Ashleigh McIvor, Canada

5. Karin Huttary, Austria

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16. Langely McNeal, Ketchum, ID

21. Caitlin Ciccone, Littleton, NH