RINN, Austria (Jan. 8) – The U.S. Alpine Adaptive Ski Team had a strong day on Friday. Chris Devlin-Young (Campton, NH; sit-ski) and Stephani Victor (Park City, UT; sit-ski) found themselves on the podium for their respective classifications.

Conditions were difficult for the first World Cup of the season in Rinn. An injected hill made for a fast and slick track forcing racers to really set their edges to make clean turns.

"We had a great GS race on the Olympic course from 1976. It was some of the most difficult conditions that our team has been on, with the natural Austrian injection," said Head Adaptive Alpine Coach Ray Watkins. "It is just rock hard, you couldn't tell anybody had even been on it, just slick and icy. It was a great first opening World Cup for our team."

Devlin-Young (CDY) proved he still can point it downhill, racing to second place. He was the top men's finisher in all classifications, including his own, sit-ski. Victor laid down two solid runs, to take the final spot on the podium in the women's sit-ski category.

"CDY and Stephani Victor did awesome," said Watkins. "CDY came and showed he is still the man. Stephani still has it, even though she didn’t feel she skied as well as she could have, she was happy with it."

Austria and Germany tallied most of the wins. Austrian's Clausia Loesch won the women's sit-ski and Sabine Gasteiger won the women's visually impaired. Germany's Martin Braxenthaler won the men's sit-ski and Gerd Schoenfelder won the men's standing. The men's visually impaired was won by Italian Gianmaria Dal Maistro. Canada's Lauren Woolstensroft won the women's standing.


Victor and Nichols pose together at the medal ceremony in Rinn. (Erik Leirfallom/U.S. Ski Team)

Also landing in the top five for their respective disciplines were Alana Nichols (Winter Park, CO; sit-ski) and Danelle Umstead (Taos, NM; visually impaired). Both competitors skied well, proving they race to win. Nichols, skied particularly well, fighting nerves and jet lag in her  World Cup debut.

"Everybody skied well," expressed Watkins. "This was Alana's first World Cup against the best and she is right behind Stephani Victor, so that's a good strong showing for our team."

The U.S. Adaptive Alpine Team will be in the start gate again on Saturday for a slalom race, using every race and training day from here on out as preparation for Vancouver.

"This course was just glorified training for what's really important, which is Vancouver," said Watkins. "This definitely pushed their envelope to the maximum and the staff and I are really pleased with how they did."

OFFICIAL RESULTS
World Cup
RINN, Austria
January 8, 2010
GS

Men Sit-Ski

1. Martin Braxenthaler, Germany, 2:05.81
2. Christopher Devlin-Young, Campton, NH, 2:08.03
3. Sang Min Han, Korea, 2:08.62
4. Taiki Morii, Japan, 2:09.13
5. Akira Kano, Japan, 2:09.96
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21. Tyler Walker, Franconia, NH, 2:25.41
24. Nick Catanzarite, Winter Park, CO, 2:48.66
DNF: Carl Burnett, Winter Park, CO

Men Standing

1. Gerd Schoenfelder, Germany, 2:01.56
2. Lionel Brun, France, 2:04.73
3. Vincent Gauthier-Manuel, France, 2:05.23
4. Cameron Rahles-Rahbula, Austria, 2:05.51
5. Michael Bruegger, Switzerland, 2:05.92
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21. George Sansonetis, Fraser, CO, 2:17.97

Men Visually Impaired

1. Gianmaria Dal Maistro, Italy, 2:05.08
2. Chris Williamson, Canada, 2:06.16
3. Jakub Krako, Slovakia, 2:06.50
4. Ivan Frantsev, Russia, 2:14.08
5. Daniel Cintula, Slovakia, 2:14.38

Women Sit-Ski

1. Clausia Loesch, Austria, 2:23.09
2. Kimberly Joines, Canada, 2:28.09
3. Stephani Victor, Park City, UT, 2:35.81
4. Alana Nichols, Farmington, MN, 2:38.74
5. Anna Schafflehuber, Germany, 2:55.67

Women Standing

1. Lauren Woolstencroft, Canada, 2:11.32
2. Andrea Rothfuss, Germany, 2:16.29
3. Petra Smarzova, Slovakia, 2:17.87
4. Karolina Wisniewska, Canada, 2:19.73
5. Arly Fogarty, Canada, 2:22.86
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11. Allison Jones, Colorado Springs, CO, 2:40.84

Women Visually Impaired

1. Sabine Gasteiger, Austria, 2:19.56
2. Vivian Forest, Canada, 2:19.83
3. Henrieta Farkasova, Slovakia, 2:21.65
4. Danelle Umstead, Taos, NM, 2:29.86
5. Alexandra, Russia, 2:31.57
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7. Caitlin Sarubbi, Brooklyn, NY, 2:38.21
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