Innichen, Italy – American John Teller raced his way onto the podium Sunday with third in the skicross World Cup in Innichen. Australia’s Scott Kneller won the men’s race while Switzerland’s Fanny Smith won for the women, followed by Canada’s Ashleigh McIvor in second.nTeller, a former University of Colorado Ski Team captain now living in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., marked a career best on the World Cup stage. He qualified for the finals in 11th and made the most of it, finishing second in each heat to advance to the four man final race.
Sunday’s finish was the best showing for Teller in all competitions since February 2010, where he finished second in the NorAm Cup race at Sugar Bowl, Calif. He followed in Casey Puckett’s footsteps, making it the second consecutive year an American has placed third in Innichen. He is also the first American to stand on a World Cup skicross podium since Daron Rahlves finished second in St. Johann, Austria, last January.
Teller was one of only two athletes from the U.S. who competed. He was joined by Pat Duran, of N. Fayston, Vt., in 34th. For the Canadian men, X Games gold medalist Chris Del Bosco (Sudbury, Ontario) led the way, finishing in fifth position. Nick Zoricic (Toronto, Ontario) was not far behind in eighth while Dave Duncan (Golden, British Columbia / London, Ontario) placed 12th, Davey Barr (Whistler, British Columbia) 19th and Stanislas Rey (Whistler, British Columbia) set a new best for his young career, grabbing 27th spot.
Olympic ski cross champion Ashleigh McIvor, from Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, returned to the women’s World Cup podium. McIvor, who was sitting in third place midway through the final, was heading toward the finish line behind Smith and Anna Holmlund of Sweden. She said she felt the win was within her grasp but she came up just short.
“I know Fanny is a really good skier, she’s super dialed in with her technical ability. So I just stayed right on her the whole way down and waited for an opportunity to get by Anna,” said McIvor.
Smith and McIvor would eventually pass Holmlund, who ended up in fourth.
“I pulled out to pass (Fanny) off the last jump and didn’t quite catch her,” said McIvor, who was pleased with the result, particularly considering the previous day’s seventh place finish.
“Yesterday I was pretty frustrated with myself,” she said. “I had strong starts I just kept blowing it at the same corner.”
McIvor also said she and the other racers have enjoyed the slightly less stressful post-Olympic atmosphere at the opening World Cup races of a new Olympic cycle.
“This course was so much fun. There was nice weather. There is a really positive atmosphere and positive energy flowing,” she said. “It was a really intense race. There was some good solid passes here and there. That’s the way ski cross should be, it’s a spectator sport. There should be lots of passing and some jostling here and there.”
German Heidi Zacher would pass Holmlund as well to claim third.
Marielle Thompson, also of Whistler, finished eighth in just the second World Cup race of her career. Saturday’s podium finisher Kelsey Serwa, of Kelowna, British Columbia, ended up 11th on Sunday followed by Danielle Poleschuk of Calgary in 12th and Julia Murray of Whistler 14th to wrap up a strong finish by Canadian women. There were no women competitors from the U.S.
The next World Cup skicross is scheduled for Jan. 7 in St. Johann, Austria. The event is also on the docket for the 2011 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships at Utah’s Deer Valley Resort in early February.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Freestyle World Cup
Innichen, Italy – Dec. 19, 2010
Skicross
Men
1. Scott Kneller, Australia
2. Alex Fiva, Switzerland
3. John Teller, Mammoth Lakes, CA
4. Tomas Kraus, Czech Republic
5. Christopher Delbosco, Canada
Women
1. Fanny Smith, Switzerland
2. Ashleigh Mcivor, Canada
3. Heidi Zacher, Germany
4. Anna Homelund, Sweden
5. Andrea Limbacher, Austria