Today was a perfect day for racing. Clear and sunny, and the course was in great condition after yesterdays snowfall.
The racing was intense and aggressive because it was a fight to get to the first turn in the lead. Every heat had its share of rubbing and leaning for position out of the start.
In the women’s event, Julia Murray had a very French initiation into her first World Cup event with Meyrll Boulangeat (#2 in the World) and eventual winner Ophelie David (#1 in the World) in her first heat. She had a slow start , but is realizing that she might have the ability to compete with those girls. Julia finished with 9th place in her first World Cup Ski Cross. She’s fired up for Flaine.
Ashleigh was strong all the way to the final, but endured a hip check in the quarter-final a separated shoulder in the semi to get there. She was unable to make it to the start for the final and finished in 4th. We will be evaluating her condition over the next 2 days.
Davey Barr had one of his best World Cup races ever. Hole shots in the first round and quarter finals carried him to the semi-finals with heat wins, but unfortunately, what we now call a “Davey Barr-ge,” caused his elimination in the Semi’s. His false start allowed Stan to time the start perfectly and follow Casey Puckett to the finish for a birth in the final. Stan then jumped the gun a bit in the final, but managed to hang onto third, behind Thomas Krauss, and Casey Puckett for his second podium in the last 2 events.
Davey was able to survive a shot in the nose from a gate in the consolation final to finish 6th. It looked like he had just come from a “Grateful Dead” concert when he crossed the finish in his newly “tie-dyed” blood red and orange Columbia race suit. The wound in his nose required 3 stitches to stop the bleeding.
Del Bosco was sitting in second place during his first round heat, but went down in “yardsale” fashion when he came up to quick on the heat leader and left his equipment behind in a cloud of snow. He finished 17th on the day, and is absolutely convinced that his luck is about to turn. He is fine, but the snow down his pants “froze his decals.”
Bennett had some trouble getting out of the start in the first round, and was unable to make up the difference. He ended the day where he started, in 20th.
RESULTS
WOMEN
1. Ophelie David (FRA)
2. Hedda Berntsen (NOR)
3. Meryl Boulangeat
4. Ashleigh McIvor
9. Julia Murray
15. Anik Demers-Wild
Allysa Willson – DNS
MEN
1. Thomas Kraus
2. Casey Puckett
3. Stanley Hayer
6. Davey Barr
17. Chris Del Boscoe
21. Brian Bennett
Dave Duncan – DNQ
Cam Culbert – DNQ