Ford Posts Career-Best To Lead Three Americans Into Top 14

Tommy Ford (Bend, Ore.) posted a career-best World Cup finish in ninth, and Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, Vt.) posted a career-best giant slalom result in 10th as the FIS Ski World Cup circuit resumed in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia Saturday.

“It was a fight,” said Ford. “Two big mistakes, one from each run, but the skiing was there. It’s been a battle throughout the season, but I’m glad to have this race today on this kind of snow.”

Ford, who finished 10th in a World Cup giant slalom at Beaver Creek last season, led three U.S. Ski Team athletes into the points as Tim Jitloff (Reno, Nev.) finished 14th. Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah) did not finish the first run.

“That second run, I couldn’t be happier with it,” said Cochran-Siegle, who posted the third fastest second run time on a hard, fast course. “I got to sit down in that (leader’s chair) for a while, which is always fun too.”

“It was cool watching Tommy,” Cochran-Siegle added. “He had that little mistake and I think he could’ve really moved up, but he skied great as well.”

Marcel Hirscher of Austria won the race by a massive 1.66 seconds over Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen. Alexis Pinturault of France was third. Hirscher extended his overall World Cup lead to 249 points over Kristoffersen.

Up next, the men race slalom Sunday in Kranjska Gora.

McKennis Top American in Super-G

Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) was the only member of the U.S. Ski Team to finish in the points in Saturday’s World Cup super-G, finishing 23rd in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho) finished 34th, Laurenne Ross (Bend, Ore) was 45th and Alice Merryweather (Hingham, Mass.) was 50th. Both Lindsey Vonn (Vail, Colo.) and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, Colo.) are sitting out this weekend’s events.

Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein won the race, followed by Austria’s Anna Veith in second and Wendy Holdener of Switzerland in third. Shiffrin continues to lead the overall World Cup standings by 611 points over Holdener.

Up next, the women compete in alpine combined Sunday with one run of super-G, followed by one run of slalom.

RESULTS
Men’s giant slalom
Women’s super-G