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World Cup racing: Marco Sullivan matches career best in super G

U.S. Ski Team reports
Alessandro Trovati/AP PhotoMarco Sullivan competes during a men's World Cup super-G race in Val Gardena, Italy, on Friday. Sullivan finished in fifth place to match a career best in super G.
AP | AP

VAL GARDENA, Italy – Weeks after nailing a career-best fifth-place finish in a super G, Truckee’s Marco Sullivan did it again, matching it at an Audi FIS World Cup in Val Gardena, Italy, on Friday.

“It was a crazy race. I was happy with my performance. I skied really well,” Sullivan said. “I had one mistake, but minus that it was really solid skiing. I was excited to have that kind of consistency in super G.”

Sullivan’s run was nearly flawless. Men’s Alpine Head coach Sasha Rearick said he would have earned a podium spot had it not been for a slight transition error.



“Marco skied really well in all the sections except for one turn where he had a late transition. He was one turn away from being on the podium,” Rearick said. “Besides the turn, he skied really well and it was an awesome performance. For him to tie his best super G result is great, and we’re really excited to see it happen.”

For Sullivan, Friday’s race, which is on the same course as Saturday’s downhill, will help him be prepared to hunt for the podium again.



“It sets me up well for tomorrow in the downhill. Carrying that confidence over is going to be a big boost, I think,” Sullivan said. “To ski the way I did today, knowing that it will be the same snow conditions tomorrow, the overall confidence I can bring will help me.”

TJ Lanning of Park City, Utah, had an incredible race, starting from 54th to finish 16th.

“He skied out of his mind. He attacked the course and was perfect after starting way back. Up to the very last split he was second ” that’s how fast he skied,” Rearick said. “He tried to take an aggressive line on the last jump and it pushed him so he had to throw the brakes on to make the gate. But, he was skiing tremendously and to pull that kind of time was unbelievable. We’re really excited.”

World Cup overall champion Bode Miller of Franconia, N.H., followed Lanning in 17th place, and Erik Fisher of Middleton, Idaho, landed his best finish in a World Cup race in 20th place.

“Fisher scored his first super G points. He skied great from top to bottom. It was solid and he stepped up,” Rearick said. “To score his first points is great. He just created another spot for us in super G.”

The men race again Saturday in a downhill.

1. Werner Heel, Italy, 1:35.04

2. Didier Defago, Switzerland, 1:35.47

3. Patrik Jaerbyn, Sweden, 1:35.49

4. Ambrosi Hoffmann, Switzerland, 1:35.51

5. Marco Sullivan, Squaw Valley, 1:35.56

16. TJ Lanning, Park City, Utah, 1:36.13

17. Bode Miller, Franconia, N.H., 1:36.18

20. Erik Fisher, Middleton, Idaho, 1:36.24

31. Andrew Weibrecht, Lake Placid, N.Y., 1:36.78

42. Kevin Francis, Bend, Ore., 1:37.18

51. Steven Nyman, Provo, Utah, 1:37.79

DNF: Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah), Scott Macartney (Crystal Mountain, Wash.)


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