By Elizabeth Karam, USSA

VAL ST. COME, QE -– Megan McJames (Park City, UT) started 2010 with a win in Saturday’s NorAm Cup slalom race at Val St. Come. McJames was joined by Canadian’s Erin Mielzynski and Eve Routher on the podium.

McJames put together two solid runs to have the fastest time of the day with Mielzynski and Routher trailing in second and third place.

Katie Hitchcock (Sacramento, CA) just missed the podium by two-tenths, landing in fourth. Five other Americans joined McJames and Hitchcock in the top 15 with three out the five finishing in the top 10.

Laurenne Ross (Klamath Falls, OR), Devin Delaney (North Conway, NH), and Erika Ghent (Edwards, CO) finished seventh, ninth, and 10th. Lindsay Cone (Killington, VT) and Lizzie Kistler (Truckee, CA) respectively finished in 12th and 14th.

The women will be in the starting gate again on Sunday for the second slalom race at Val St. Come.

NorAm Cup, Val St. Come, QE Women’s Slalom

1. Megan McJames, Park City, UT, 1:34.59

2. Erin Mielzynski, Canada, 1:34.61

3. Eve Routher, Canada, 1:34.95

4. Katie Hitchcock, Sacramento, CA, 1:35.18

5. Malin Hemmingsson, Sweden, 1:35.66

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7. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:35.95

9. Devin Delaney, North Conway, NH, 1:36.48

10. Erika Ghent, Edwards, CO, 1:36.51

12. Lindsay Cone, Killington, VT, 1:36.80

14. Lizzie Kistler, Truckee, CA, 1:37.32

DNF: Felicia Byers, Sandy, UT, Vanessa Berther, Bellevue, WA, Julia Ford, Plymouth, NH