Battelle Fattens World Cup Moguls Lead

Inawashiro, Japan, Feb. 5–Defending World Cup moguls champion AnnBattelle (Steamboat Springs, CO) won her second contest in threeweekends Saturday to lead three teammates into the top seven places. Inthe men’s event, Alex Wilson (Buffalo, NY) had the top U.S. men’sresult, finishing seventh behind men’s leader Janne Lahtela, who won forthe fourth time in six events.

Battelle, who was second Friday behind Sweden’s Marja Elfman inqualifying, received 22.64 points to 22.37 for Elfman. German SandraSchmitt finished third with 22.34.

Other Americans included Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) in fourth placeat 22.24 with Justine Van Houte (Telluride, CO) sixth with 21.44 andJillian Vogtli (Ellicotville, NY) seventh at 21.38.

Lahtela received 24.31 for his final run to stop Japan’s Yugo Tsukita(23.88). Norwegian Stian Overaa finished third (23.54). Wilson wasseventh at 23.08 while Evan Dybvig (Tunbridge, VT) was 11th at 21.41.

In the World Cup standings, with one contest remaining, Battelle leadswith 384 points to 372 for Elfman; Bahrke is sixth (340) and Vogtli,coming back from a year off after knee surgery, 11th. Lahtela is therunaway leader among the men with 400 points to 368 for teammate SamiMustonen; top U.S. skiers: Wilson in seventh (316) and Dybvig in eighth(308).

The U.S. moguls skiers return home for some down time before going toLake Placid, N.Y., for the inaugural Winter Goodwill Games Feb. 16-20.The next World Cup bumps contest is World Cup Finals March 15 inLivigno, Italy.

WORLD CUP MOGULS

Inawashiro, JPN – Feb. 5

Women

1. Ann Battelle, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 22.64
2. Marja Elfman, Sweden, 22.37
3. Sandra Schmitt, Germany, 22.34
4. Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, Calif., 22.24
5. Corinne Bodmer, Switzerland, 21.82
6. Justine Van Houte, Telluride, Colo., 21.44
7. Jillian Vogtli, Ellicotville, N.Y., 21.38
8. Maria Despas, Australia, 20.87
9. Anne-Marie Pelchat, Canada, 20.43
10. Ingrid Berntsen, Norway, 18.71
11. Margaret Marbler, Austria, 12.44
12. Kari Traa, Norway, RNS

Men

1. Janne Lahtela, Finland, 24.31
2. Yugo Tsukita, Japan, 23.88
3. Stian Overaa, Norway, 23.54
4. Sami Mustonen, Finland, 23.43
5. Marko Ronkainen, Finland, 23.37
6. Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau, Canada, 23.35
7. Alex Wilson, Buffalo, N.Y., 23.08
8. Adrian Costa, Australia, 22.99
9. Scott Bellavance, Canada, 22.82
10. Katsuya Nakamoto, Japan, 21.47
11. Evan Dybvig, Tunbridge, Vt., 21.41
12. Jim Schiman, Canada, 20.17

World Cup points (6 events)

Women

1. Battelle, 384
2. Elfman, 372
3. Schmitt, 364
4. Aiko Uemura, Japan, 360
5. Traa, 352
6. Bahrke, 340
7. Tami Bradley, Canada, 328
8. Tae Satoya, Japan, 300
9. Bodmer, 284
10. Minna Karhu, Finland, 280
–
11. Vogtli, 264

Men

1. Lahtela, 400
2. Mustonen, 368
3. Lauri Lassila, Finland, 332
4. Rousseau, 328
5. Ronkainen, 324
6. Wilson, 316
7. Dybvig, 308
8. Jean-Luc Brassard, Canada, 296
9. Costa, 268
10. Rochon, 268
–
11. Luke Westerlund, Scarsdale, N.Y., 244