By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Caitlin Ciccone knew she was in first place, but figured it was only a matter of time before that changed.

Ciccone was the next-to-last racer in Wednesday’s giant slalom at the U.S. Alpine Ski Championship at Sugarloaf. Though the Bethlehem, N.H., native had taken over the top spot, there was one racer left.

And the 21-year old Ciccone was fully aware of who that racer was. Julia Mancuso is only one of the top women skiers on the United States Ski Team and won the Olympic gold medal in the giant slalom in Italy last month.

“I knew I was on the podium, but I didn’t think I’d win,” said Ciccone. “I got to the bottom, and I saw that I was first. But I didn’t think I’d take it from Julia. She’s got a lot more experience on me.”

The 22-year old Mancuso made a run at the top spot but finished just behind Ciccone. Ciccone won the event in 2:17.96 while Mancuso was second in 2:18.10.

“My GS hasn’t been that great this year,” said Ciccone. “I haven’t been on any podiums.”

Ciccone had skied at Sugarloaf regularly as a kid but had not raced here often in recent years. During this year’s nationals, she had taken second in the slalom, 11th in the downhill and failed to finish in the Super G.

“This is the kind of hill that I’m good on,” said Ciccone. “It has a little pitch. The snow is really hard.”

Stacey Cook was third while Megan McJames and Libby Ludlow rounded out the top five respectively. Two of the bigger names did not finish the event. Kaylin Richardson, who won the slalom Monday, had the second fastest split during her second run. She lost control three-quarters of the way down the course and failed to finish.

“I had a little trouble on the top,” said Richardson.

“I was just trying to take it down the hill. The snow is super aggressive right now. So I just put a ton into my ski, and I just shot out.”

Raymond’s Kirsten Clark was disqualified. She missed the last gate on the course during the morning run. After winning the downhill and taking second in the Super G, Clark’s successful return to Sugarloaf ended prematurely.

“I’m going to head to Raymond a little sooner than I was planning,” said Clark, who was ninth after the first run before being disqualified. “It will be nice. I’m looking forward to going home.”

The course had plenty of casualties throughout the day. Out of the 71 starters that raced in the morning, 21 either did not finish or were disqualified. Many missed one of the final gates like Clark did. By the end of the second run, 24 racers had failed to finish or were disqualified overall.

“It’s super responsive,” said Richardson of the snow. “You put a little edge on it, and it will come out. I know I was going to get quick on the bottom. I just loaded my ski’s so fast and so hard that with those big side cuts, the rebound is so much that I couldn’t stay ahead of it.”

After the first run, Clark, in ninth, and Resi Stiegler, in second, were disqualified. Mancuso led the pack in 1:08.72. Ciccone was second in 1:08.97 and Cook, the Super G champion, was third in 1:09.03.

“I felt pretty solid,” said Clark, who had skied the GS regularly until a knee injury sidetracked her. She’s focused more on the downhill and Super G during her comeback. “I was a little round in some places, but it felt pretty good. I just got a little behind the course, and I just couldn’t make it.”

Cook had taken the lead, but Ciccone came roaring in right behind her to assume the top spot after her second run.

“Out of the start, I was just going for it,” said Ciccone. “In the middle section, I held back a little bit. I probably could have let it go a little more, but down the bottom, I gave it everything I had.”

It left Ciccone waiting to see what the Olympic medalist was going to do. Ciccone had skied a 1:08.99 run in the afternoon. Mancuso couldn’t top that, finishing 1:09.38.

“I knew I was pretty slow on the bottom,” said Mancuso. “I was just hoping it wasn’t that slow. I just wasn’t getting a good rhythm. My skis weren’t biting that well in the turns.”

Mancuso, from Olympic Valley, California, was fourth in the Super G, third in the slalom and second in the downhill at Sugarloaf..

“For me, watching the girls struggle and struggle in the World Cup, it’s really fun to come back and get beat at the Nationals,” said Mancuso. “I’m the only girl making second runs at the World Cup in GS in most of the races. For me to come back and have two decent races – I made no major mistakes – and be able to be beat is a positive thing for them to look at. There are good skiers, and they can be up there with me on the World Cup.”