Aspen, CO – Canada’s Kelby Halbert secured a World Cup spot with a fifth-place result in final Nor-Am downhill ski race of the season on Tuesday, but there was heartbreak for her teammate Georgia Simmerling, who did not finish and missed out by a single point. The overall Nor-Am downhill title and the other World Cup spot went to the USA’s Wiley Maple, who didn’t finish Tuesday’s race but had already accumulated 250 points.nThe top two in the overall downhill standings are awarded World Cup spots in that discipline for next season. The overall men’s downhill title and a World Cup spot went to the USA’s Wiley Maple, who didn’t finish Tuesday’s race but had already accumulated 250 points. Halbert secured the second men’s slot.
“I’m pretty excited. I knew I had to put down a good run to get that spot,” said Halbert, who was 12th in Monday’s downhill. “It’s a relief more than anything. This was my goal for the year and I’m super stoked to have done it. For the rest of the season I can just focus on skiing and skiing fast and I’ve got the World Cup to look forward to for next season.”
Dustin Cook, of Lac Sainte Marie, Quebec, won Tuesday’s downhill ahead of the USA’s Erik Fisher, of Middleton, Idaho, and Thomas Biesemeyer.
“We were all really impressed with Dustin,” said Canadian men’s coach Kip Harrington of Cook, who was 11th in Monday’s downhill. “Coming back from a less than stellar day to win was great.”
On the women’s side, Simmerling, who won her first career Nor-Am race in Monday’s downhill, started the day leading the overall downhill standings. The Vancouver, British Columbia, skier fell and did not finish, leaving her stuck on 225 points. She was taken to hospital after suffering a suspected concussion and a knee injury. Further tests will be conducted in the coming days to determine the exact nature of her injuries.
Julia Ford, of Plymouth, N.H., won Tuesday’s ladies’ downhill race to claim the overall downhill title with 310 points. Her USA teammate, Kiley Staples, finished with 226 points and second place overall in the downhill standings – a single point ahead of Simmerling. The results mean both USA skiers have secured women’s World Cup downhill spots for next season.