Whistler (BC), Canada – Vail, Colo.’s Mikaela Shiffrin, who attends Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, was on point this weekend, taking both a bronze and gold medal finish to lead the junior U.S. athletes during the 2010 Whistler Cup.nThe double Topolino Cup gold medalist kicked things off Friday with a bronze in the women’s super G at the 18th anniversary of the competition that brings together together the top 11 to 14-year-old (K1 and K2) ski racers in the world. Canada’s Emma King, of Whistler, took the win for the home crowd, followed in second by Julia Grosshaupt of Austria.

“My coaches were just telling me to ski and have fun. It’s the last race of the year and there is no pressure. I just did what the coaches told me during inspection and I guess it paid off,” said King, who finished in a winning time of 1:08.22.

In the men’s super G Peter Papineau (Park City, Utah/Park City Ski Team) led the way for the U.S., finishing sixth. Miha Hrobat of Slovenia won the men’s race, followed in second by Italy’s Andrea Squassino and Karl Kuus of Canada in third, who finished on the podium in all three races at the recently completed President’s Choice Canadian K2 Championships in Collingwood, Ontario.

“I got a couple of good results (in Collingwood) and for sure it really pumped me up for coming here,” said Kuus.

On day two, Shiffrin showed her skills in a big way, taking the gold in the women’s giant slalom. Petra Vlhova of Slovakia was second and Austria’s Chiara Mair in third.

“Today went really well. I just tried to put it down the hill as fast a possible and it worked out. The conditions were great and the course was great, so it was perfect,” said Shiffrin, who finished with three podiums at last year’s Whistler Cup.

Max Hall (Olympic Valley, Calif./Squaw Valley) was the top men’s performer for the U.S., notching an eighth in the men’s slalom. Jakob Bjarnsason of Iceland won, followed in second by Valentijn Van Der Avoort of the Netherlands and Slovenia’s Nik Sterle in third.

Wrapping up the Whistler Cup Hall led the way for the U.S., finishing fifth in the men’s giant slalom. Slovenia’s Miha Hrobat won, followed in second by Bjarnson and Canada’s Karl Kuus again in third.

On the women’s side Breezy Johnson (Victor, Idaho/Rowmark) took charge for U.S. women, finishing ninth in the slalom. Austrians swept the top two spots of the podium with Anna Poglitsch in first and Julia Grosshaupt in second. Canada’s Adrienne Poitras was third. Shiffrin went of course near the finish line.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2010 Whistler Cup
April 9 – 11, 2010 – Whistler BC

Men’s Super G
1. Miha Hrobat, Slovenia, 1:06.94
2. Andrea Squassino, Italy, 1:07.73
3. Karl Kuus, Canada, 1:08.04
4. Slaven Dujakovi, Austria, 1:08.08
5. Thomas Muhlberger, Austria, 1:08.10

Women’s Super G
1. Emma King, Canada, 1:08.22
2. Julia Grosshaupt, Austria, 1:08.33
3. Mikaela Shiffrin, Vail, CO/Burke Mountain Academy, 1:08.37
4. Francesca Occelli, Italy, 1:08.49
5. Petra Vlhova, Slovakia, 1:08.58

April 10

Men’s Slalom
1. Jakob Bjarnsason, Iceland, 1:18.95
2. Valentijn Van Der Avoort, Netherlands, 1:19.29
3. Nik Sterle, Slovenia, 1:20.31
4. Andrea Squassino, Italy, 1:20.57
5. Alex Kreutz, Canada, 1:21.03

Women’s GS

1. Mikaela Shiffrin, Vail, CO/Burke Mountain Academy, 1:44.77
2. Petra Vlhova, Slovakia, 1:46.41
3. Chiara Mair, Austria, 1:46.42
4 (T). Julia Grosshaupt, Austria, 1:47.46
5 (T). Anna Poglitsch, Austria, 1:47.46

April 11

Men’s GS
1. Miha Hrobat, Slovenia, 1:41.80
2. Jakob Helgi Bjarnson, Iceland, 1:42.11
3. Karl Kuus, Canada, 1:43.31
4. Sebastian Luerzer, Austria, 1:43.35
5. Hughston Norton, Stateline, NV/Heavenly Valley Ski Educ Found, 1:43.44

Women’s Slalom
1. Anna Poglitsch, Austria, 1:28.28
2. Julia Grosshaupt, Austria, 1:31.71
3. Adrienne Poitras, Canada, 1:33.20
4 (T). Meg Currie, Canada, 1:33.68
4 (T). Emilie Tremblay, BC1, 1:33.68