Cook, Lanning Downhill Champs

SUGARLOAF, Maine (March 24) - Stacey Cook (Mammoth, CA) captured her second U.S. title in two days winning the downhill at the 2008 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships, while TJ Lanning (Park City, UT) took the men's downhill for his first U.S. crown. Combined gold went to Jimmy Cochran (Keene, NH) and Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO).

TJ Lanning picked up his first U.S. title in the downhill. (Kris Dobie/U.S. Ski Team)

Cook, who won the super G a day earlier, notched her third national win, all of which have come at Sugarloaf.

"I knew with Lindsey coming out of the gate right behind me, I needed to have a fast start so that was really my focus and then just to relax on the way down," Cook said. "I put no pressure on myself. I got my title yesterday and today it was just to have fun and let it run. But I brought my game today and it was enough."

Vonn, the World Cup overall and downhill champion finished second on the Narrow Gauge course with a time of 1:11.78, just .08 behind Cook, followed by Chelsea Marshall (Pittsfield, VT) in third with 1:11.84.

"It's incredible to have Lindsey and Julia [Mancuso; Olympic Valley, CA] to watch. No other team has two skiers of that caliber so it's pretty cool to be right beside them and feed off of them," Cook said.

Though Cook took a more relaxed approach to the downhill race, her win was monumental to her.

"I think the downhill title is the big one to win at U.S. Championships. It's the event that people strive most to be best at. Downhill has a place in my heart and this is a special title for sure," Cook said.

A member of the U.S. Ski Team from the time he was 15, Lanning marked his first national crown with his downhill win.

"The surface is impeccable. To end the year on a nice solid run like that has me pretty excited. It's always fun to win a U.S. championship," Lanning said. "Hopefully things keep going the way they are. I'm looking forward to World Championships next year and hopefully making the Olympic team."

Lanning, who was sixth in the downhill at two years ago at Sugarloaf, was happy to add another win into his season.

"Honestly, I did think I could take the title. I've had a really good season in downhill," Lanning said. "I won a Europa Cup downhill by over a second this year, and that was my first real big win before this."

Lannings winning time of 1:09.04 led teammates Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY), who was second in 1:09.26, and Chris Beckmann (Guilderland, NY) in 1:10.07.

Cochran, who won the slalom gold, finished 10th in the downhill to capture the prestigious combined, an honor his father Bob captured 37 years ago. Vonn, who also won the slalom took the women's combined. Combined pairs the results from slalom and downhill to determine the victors.

"It's always satisfying to get a win. I knew I had a good chance. I'm really not a downhiller and you've got to do both, so I'm pretty psyched," Cochran said.

Tim Jitloff (Truckee, CA) was second in the combined standings with Chelsea Marshall (Pittsfield, VT) second in women's.

The 2008 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships continues Tuesday with men's giant slalom.

MULTIMEDIA:
For photos from Sugarloaf click here.
For audio from the athletes click here.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2008 NATURE VALLEY U.S. ALPINE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sugarloaf, ME - March 24, 2008
Downhill

Men
1. TJ Lanning, Park City, UT, 1:09.04
2. Andrew Weibrecht, Lake Placid, NY, 1:09.26
3. Chris Beckmann, Guilderland, NY, 1:10.07
4. Kevin Francis, Bend, OR, 1:10.25
5. Samuel Sweetser, Cumberland Center, ME, 1:10.60

Women
1. Stacey Cook, Mammoth, CA, 1:11.69
2. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:11.78
3. Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT, 1:11.84
4. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 1:12.16
5. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:13.38

Junior Men
1. Travis Ganong, Olympic Valley, CA, 1:10.79
2. Bump Heldman, Auburn, ME, 1:11.31
3. Marcus Caston, Salt Lake City, 1:11.32

Junior Women
1. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:13.38
2. Julia Ford, Plymouth, NH, 1:13.84
3. Kirsten Cooper, Eagle, CO, 1:14.04

Combined (downhill and slalom)

Men
1. Jimmy Cochran, Keene, NH
2. Tim Jitloff, Truckee, CA
3. Andrew Phillips, Sandy, UT

Women
1. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO
2. Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT
3. Keely Kelleher, Big Sky, MT
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For complete results click here.