Waddell, Will Win at Annual Ski Spectacular for Disabled

Breckenridge, CO, Dec. 8, 2000–Paralympic and world mono-ski champions Chris Waddell (LW-10, Park City, UT) and Sarah Will (LW-11, Vail, CO) were the giant slalom winners Friday in the annual Ski Spectacular sponsored by The Hartford at Breckenridge Ski Area.

Waddell had a two-run adjusted time of 1:59.78 with Swedish racer Ronny Persson (LW-10) in second place at 2:05.17 on Breck’s Sundown racing trail. Andy Parr (B-3; Rockland, ME), a blind skier in his first year on the U.S. Disabled Ski Team, took third place at 2:07.37.

Completing the top five: Australia’s outstanding LW-2 (i.e., one-legged) skier, Michael Milton, took fourth place in 2:07.52 with Monte Meier (LW-2; Hastings, MN) fifth in 2:07.90.

Will was a little harder pressed by another Paralympic and World Championships gold medalist, Mary Riddell (LW-4; Dove Creek, CO). Will’s adjusted time was 2:12.95 with Riddell runnerup in 2:14.60. Rounding out the first five: Muffy Davis (LW-10; Sun Valley, ID), third in 2:15.04 with Rachael Battersby (LW-6; Winter Park, CO), fourth in 2:21.74 and Lee Joiner (LW-9/1; Red Lodge, MT) in fifth place at 2:23.02.

“We had some fun. We saw some good skiing. It was our first race of the season, so it wasn’t perfect for our guys and girls, but there were some good things,” said U.S. Disabled Ski Team Head Coach Ewald Zirbisegger.

“Having Ronny Persson and Michael Milton in the field added some motivation for our guys; it was a good competition…and Sarah Will, of course, is always tough. Mary Riddell skied well and, coming off our two training camps at Keystone and Copper Mountain, this gave us a good look at who we should be taking to Europe next month for our World Cup trip. We’ll have 13 athletes, so these races gave us some good information.”

THE HARTFORD SKI SPECTACULAR
Breckenridge, CO – Dec. 8

Giant Slalom (All times adjusted)

Men

1. Chris Waddell, LW-10, Park City, Utah, 1:59.78
2. Ronny Persson, LW-10, Sweden, 2:05.17
3. Andy Parr, B-3, Rockland, Maine, 2:07.37
4. Michael Milton, LW-2, Australia, 2:07.52
5. Monte Meier, LW-2, Hastings, Minn., 2:07.90
6. Jake Rife, LW-3/1, Pocatello, Idaho, 2:08.47
7. Jim Lagerstrom, LW-4, Dearborn, Mich., 2:08.56
8. Jason Lalla, LW-2, Bradford, NH, 2:08.79
9. Adam Fromma, LW-6, Winter Park, Colo., 2:11.25
10. Carl Burnett, LW-11, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, 2:12.49
—
Women

1. Sarah Will, LW-10, Vail, Colo., 2:12.95
2. Mary Riddell, LW-4, Dove Creek, Colo., 2:14.60
3. Muffy Davis, LW-10, Sun Valley, Idaho, 2:15.04
4. Rachael Battersby, LW-6, Winter Park, Colo., 2:41.74
5. Lee Joiner, LW-9/1, Red Lodge, Mont., 2:23.02
6. Jennifer Kelchner, LW-4, Truckee, CA, 2:25.14
7. Kelly Carpenter, LW-10, Sun Valley, Idaho, 2:26.03
8. Allison Jones, LW-2, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2:27.49
9. Sandra Dukat, LW-2, Winter Park, Colo., 2:32.56
10. Hannah Pennington, LW-3/1, 2:32.54