WSC Alpine Skiers off to a Good Start; Bryant wins slalom in Steamboat, Delaney takes second
Jan. 27, 2009 -- Dylan Bryant won the men’s slalom as the Western State alpine ski team had its first competition of the year in Steamboat Springs this past weekend.
Western State skiers (l-r) Lizzy Clay, Laura Andrews and Kara Delaney in Steamboat Springs last weekend. The United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Assocation (USCSA) sanctioned race was their first of the season. Photo by: Chris Foti
The competition was also the first United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) sanctioned event for the season.
Bryant, a senior, won the slalom by a healthy margin.
“He won by nearly three seconds, which is a long time in alpine ski racing,” Coach Eric Grand said. “He smoked the men’s field.”
Bryant’s victory came while skiing in what Grand described as difficult conditions: low visibility in white-out conditions and 50-60 mph gusts.
On the women’s side, Kara Delaney, a senior, took second in the slalom.
In the giant slalom (GS), Bryant took fourth place and Charlie Davidson, a freshman, took 16th. Grand reported that Davidson was in third place for the GS but missed a gate in his second run, causing him to have to ski uphill to finish the run.
The men’s team finished in third place for the weekend and the women’s team came in at seventh. All in all, there are 11 colleges in the Rocky Mountain Conference of the USCSA. The team is part of Western’s club sports program.
The top five in the conference will advance to regionals, which take place in Snowbasin,
Related Links:
Utah, in late Feb. The next race for the team will take place this weekend in Winter Park. The Nordic team will compete in Grand Mesa this weekend as well.
