FORMIGAL, Spain (Feb. 27) - U.S. Development Team skier Andy Phillips (Sandy, UT/Park City Ski Education Foundation) led the USA Wednesday finishing fifth in slalom at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships in Formigal. Austria's Marcel Hirscher took the gold in the second day of competition.


Phillips led the pack of three U.S. skiers into the top 20, including Nolan Kasper (Warren, VT) and Tommy Ford (Bend, OR).

"Another day of solid performances by the USA men's World Junior Alpine Team. The guys skied really smart in the second run," Walt Evans, national competition director and U.S. team leader, said. "Conditions were extremely warm under partly sunny skies. The surface was slipped and salted and ended up being much better than anticipated."

Phillips, 18, was racing in his first World Junior event. The Utah racer had done well in a tune-up race 10 days earlier at Park City Mountain Resort, finishing second in one of two NDS Invitational slaloms.

Hirscher won, followed by Italian Jacopo Di Ronco in second. Tomoya Ishii of Japan and Kristian Haug of Norway tied for third. It was the second career World Junior title for Hirscher, who won the giant slalom in his homeland at Flachau a year ago. He also won silver in last year's slalom.

The women had the day off Wednesday, but racing will resume Thursday with a super G for men and a women's slalom.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2008 ALPINE JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Formigal, SPA - Feb. 27, 2008
Men's slalom
1. Marcel Hirscher, Austria, 1:29.68
2. Jacopo Di Ronco, Italy, 1:30.61
3. Tomoya Ishii, Japan, 1:30.83
3. Kristian Haug, Norway, 1:30.83
5. Andrew Phillips, Sandy, UT (U.S. Development Team/Park City Ski Education Foundation), 1:30.91
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15. Nolan Kasper, Warren, VT (U.S. Development Team/Burke Mountain Academy), 1:32.32
18. Tommy Ford, Bend, OR (U.S. Development Team/Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation), 1:32.45
25. Travis Ganong, Olympic Valley, CA (U.S. C Team/Squaw Valley Ski Team), 1:33.25
28. Bump Heldman, Auburn, ME (U.S. Development Team/Gould Academy Snow Sports Club) 1:35.24
DNF: Max Hammer, Jackson Hole, WY (U.S. Development Team/Jackson Hole Ski Team)
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