Mancuso picks up her 12th title

WINTER PARK, CO – Olympic champion Julia Mancuso of Squaw Valley overcame a 1.52 first run deficit to win her 12th U.S. title with giant slalom victory at the 2011 Putnam Investments U.S. Alpine Championships.

It was Mancuso’s third consecutive U.S. giant slalom championship and extended the American record for U.S. titles she set last season when she bumped a mark held by Andrea Mead Lawrence for 55 years.

First run leader Sarah Schleper (Vail, CO) finished second with Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CO) third in sunny Winter Park. U.S. Development Team racer Abby Ghent (Edwards, CO) earned top junior honors ahead of Burke Mountain Academy athlete Mikaela Shiffrin. The U.S. championships continue Saturday with men’s and women’s super G.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Putnam Investments U.S. Alpine Championships

Winter Park, CO – April 1, 2011

Giant Slalom

1. Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA, 2:21.61

2. Sarah Schleper, Vail, CO, 2:22.22

3. Stacey Cook, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 2:23.55

–

Juniors

1. Abby Ghent, Edwards, CO, 2:25.42

2. Mikaela Shiffin, Burke Mountain, VT, 2:26.55

3. Devin Delaney, North Conway, NH, 2:27.05

–U.S. Ski Team