SUGARLOAF, ME (March 27, 2015)—Giant slalom specialist Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV – U.S. Ski Team) threw down on bumpy snow at the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships to take his third national title in a row ahead of first run leader Tommy Ford (Bend, OR – U.S. Ski Team). Former University of Utah racer and current Team Geronimo member Nick Cohee (Gardnerville, NV – Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club/Team Geronimo) took third.
“It was fun,” said Jitloff, who was a favorite going into the race. “We’re all really tired here, but anytime you can come back and see little kids who want to be doing what you’re doing is huge. That’s what these are all about.”
Jitloff was second after first run behind Tommy Ford, who was going for his ninth national title. Ford put down a solid second run, but couldn’t hold first place–bobbling a bit on the on the last face. This was Jitloff’s sixth U.S. Alpine Championships win.
Tim Jitloff stands on the podium with Tommy Ford and Nick Cohee.
Jitloff’s season had its ups and downs. He took a couple of top 10s in World Cups, but it wasn’t quite what he had hoped. For the man who competes closely with Ted Ligety in training, he couldn’t keep up when it came to race day. But he still kept a good attitude—looking for the next race, the next result. “The last two races I had at the end of the year on the World Cup did not go how I wanted it to go, so I was a little bummed out,” said Jitloff about his DNF in Kranjska Gora and a disappointing 19th in the World Cup Finals. “If I can end the year on a win—a national title—that’s always awesome and something to be proud of.”
Behind the podium, Mark Engel (Truckee, CA – U.S. Ski Team) put down the fastest second run, finishing in fourth place. David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO – U.S. Ski Team) was fifth. Team America racer Hig Roberts (Steamboat Springs, CO – Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) took sixth, Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT – U.S. Ski Team) seventh, Jack Gower of Great Britain eighth, Team America's Seppi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY – Jackson Hole Ski Club) ninth and NorAm champion and Team America racer Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN – Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) was 10th.
The women race slalom on Saturday, with first run kicking off at 9 a.m. ET.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Tim Jitloff has now won six national titles—five GS and one combined. This is his third GS title in a row.
- Tommy Ford has won nine national titles—three in 2010, three in 2011 and two in 2012.
- Jitloff was fourth in the U.S. Alpine Championships super G on Wednesday.
Tim Jitloff skis to first place in the U.S. Alpine Championships.
QUOTES
Tim Jitloff
Sometimes being the favorite is the hardest part! I’m really happy for Tommy—he’s had a really tough go at it for the last two years. I always know nationals is Tommy Ford’s stomping ground, so I was like, maybe it’s good that he’s leading after first run—put a little pressure on him and maybe I can claw my way back.
It was fun. We’re all really tired here, but anytime you can come back and see little kids who want to be doing what you’re doing is huge. That’s what these are about. Everybody’s tired, but it’s good to be here. People are excellent. The people that volunteered are fired up.
We’re all happy to be here. It’s really fun for us. It’s good to hang out with each other and decompress from the season and see some of the young kids coming up. We saw the young buck winning the super G the other day—[Drew] Duffy. It’s really cool for us, too. It’s a privilege, for sure.
The conditions were very fair. It’s a little bumpy, but for everybody, it was a fair deal. Obviously, I probably weigh like 50 pounds more than those kids running in the back, so I might feel it less than they do. As per the last time I remember being here, my first national title was here and I remember it also being the same way—really well done on Narrow Gauge. And obviously the people that put this on have done an excellent job.
I know it’s my third [national title] in a row on the GS. I thought maybe I had a chance at the super G the other day, but then I saw Steve Nyman on the bottom flat and was like “eehhhh.” I think he weighs more than I do.
It’s pretty cool. I was thinking and reminiscing between runs today and was thinking it would be kind of nice to be able to do it 10 years later. Which then reminded me that I’m getting quite old. But it’s a good way to go. The last two races I had at the end of the year on the World Cup did not go how I wanted it to go, so I was a little bummed out. If I can end the year on a win—a national title—that’s always awesome and something to be proud of.
RESULTS
Men's GS results
