SUN VALLEY, ID (March 24, 2016) – Anna Marno (Centennial, WY – U.S. Ski Team) took her first national title as five-time U.S. national giant slalom champion Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV – U.S. Ski Team) scored his first in super G Thursday at the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships. Thursday’s super G was also Marco Sullivan’s (Squaw Valley, CA – U.S. Ski Team) final race, capping a 17-year U.S. Ski Team career.
In the afternoon women’s race, Marno nipped World Cup veteran Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) by .28 for the victory. Tricia Mangan (Buffalo, NY – U.S. Ski Team), who was third in Wednesday’s alpine combined, grabbed her second bronze medal of the National Championships. Mangan was also the top junior.
Anna Marno skis to a win.
“I’ve been to eight Nationals now, and I’ve been close a few years. So this is a good place to do it – I love Sun Valley,” Marno said. “I’ve had some good results here and I finally made it up to the top step.”
Jitloff grabbed his first super G national title on a tight, twisty and technical track that kept the racers on their toes. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT – U.S. Ski Team) was second, followed by Erik Arvidsson (Woodside, CA – U.S. Ski Team), who was the top-placed junior, in third.
Tim Jitloff took his first super G national title in Sun Valley. (USSA)
“The course is very challenging,” Jitloff said. “I think when people come to nationals they think that maybe it’s going to be a little bit easier, but they definitely didn’t give us an easy track here. A lot of guys were close to going out, or (did) go out. I certainly was on the limit. But the track is excellent. They did a heck of a job with the new (trail) they made here for us. It’s kind of unforgiving the whole way down.”
While 51 of the 52 racers were hanging on the entire way down the mountain, Sullivan made the most out of his final ski race. Sporting Lederhosen and a flannel shirt, Sullivan glided down the track sporting his infectious smile, while hand shaking, high-fiving and hugging coaches and course workers. At the finish, he was greeted by a champagne shower from his teammates to celebrate his retirement.
Tim Jitloff wins the men's super G.
“So much goes into ski racing - over the years – it’s a pretty small community,” Sullivan said. “Going down the course, I knew a lot of the course workers, coaches—they’ve had a hand in my career helping me up along the way. I was just giving thanks to them and saying that it’s been a great ride.”
Marco Sullivan celebrates his retirement in Lederhosen.
Up next, the men and women compete in slalom Friday, followed by men’s giant slalom Saturday and women’s giant slalom Sunday.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Tim Jitloff, a five-time U.S. national GS Champion, won his first super G title Thursday in Sun Valley.
- Anna Marno won her first U.S. national super G title.
- Current Junior World Downhill Champion Erik Arvidsson finished third and won his first junior Men’s national super G title.
- Tricia Magnan finished third and won the junior women’s U.S. national super G title.
- Marco Sullivan, a 17-year member of the U.S. Ski Team, skied his final super G race.
QUOTES
Tim Jitloff
The course is very challenging. I think when people come to Nationals they think that maybe it’s going to be a little bit easier, but they definitely didn’t give us an easy track here. A lot of guys were close to going out, or (did) go out. I was certainly on the limit. But the track is excellent. They did a heck of a job with the new (trail) they made here for us. It’s kind of unforgiving the whole way down. I enjoyed myself a lot.
I’ve had a hard end of the season. The beginning was really good this year, but then I had some issue towards the end. So anytime you can come back to Nationals and win a title, it makes you feel good. It’s a lot of fun to see the next generation (of ski racers) too. Hopefully it inspires them to pick up where we’re at.
I’ve done a lot of racing here at Sun Valley growing up. I love racing here, not just racing, but I actually really like skiing here too. This place has amazing vertical.
Steven Nyman
It’s a demanding track, a very technical track. I wanted to redeem myself because as a kid I’d always come here and I was horrible. And I didn’t finish either run. But in two years when we come back, I’ll have another chance.
Tanner Farrow
It’s probably my best super G in a while, so I’m going to move forward with that and then get into the events that I’ve been training more (GS and slalom) and hope to do well.
Everywhere I go in town people are talking about it. It’s pretty awesome that the town is so excited. An event like this has been missing way too long and the town does an awesome job making it happen.
Marco Sullivan
It’s a ton of mixed emotions for sure. I’ve been on the U.S. Ski Team for 17 years—right out of high school that’s been my passion and my job and my whole life basically. To kind of hang it up after all these years, it’s sad in a way, but at the same time I see all these young kids with so much passion for it, just like I had at that age. It’s just exciting to see their journey is continuing and I’m kind of wrapping it up, so good things are still to come.
So much goes into ski racing over the years; it a pretty small community. Going down the course, I know a lot of the course workers, coaches—they’ve had a hand in my career helping me up along the way. I was just giving thanks back to them and saying that it’s been a great ride.
[On his favorite career memory]
If I had to say one, it was the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake. It was my first Olympics, it was close to home and I had stars in my eyes. That was a great memory.
Tricia Magnan
It feels good (to be the top Junior). (All of the Development Team athletes) are so fast and it’s always competitive between us. But we all have each other’s backs, so it’s awesome to be on top today. It’s nice to know that they’re all cheering for me and when it’s vice-versa, I’ll be psyched for them as well.
Towards the end of the season, I was starting to ski a little bit faster, so hopefully that continues into the slalom.
Anna Marno
I’ve been to eight Nationals now, and I’ve been close a few years. So this is a good place to do it – I love Sun Valley. I’ve had some good results here and I finally made it up to the top step.
On one hand I had a really successful season: I was in the top 30 for the first time at World Cups and won the NorAm (super G title). But I was kind of struggling to break through on the World Cup level. So it was really good, but on the other hand it was a little bit less than I wanted.
RESULTS
Men’s super G
Women’s super G
