After more than a decade of World Cup ski racing, three-time Olympian Kristina Koznick of Eagan, Minn., announced her retirement this month, ending her career as one of the most successful American female ski racers.
Koznick, 30, won six World Cup slalom races, tying her with Cindy Nelson for third-most World Cup victories in U.S. history behind Tamara McKinney (18) and Picabo Street (nine). Koznick also had 14 other podium finishes during her 14 years on the circuit and five U.S. slalom championships.
“Kristina had some incredible results in slalom,” U.S. alpine director Jesse Hunt said. “Twice she finished the season ranked second in the World Cup slalom standings and top 10 in the overall standings (1998 and 2002). She really put us on the map in slalom in recent years, which was a major contribution for us.”
“Koz” said in December that the 2006 season would be her last, but after a pre-Olympic injury there was speculation she might return for the 2007 season. A partial ligament tear of her right knee limited her to one slalom run at the Turin Games and effectively ended her career. A torn ligament in her left knee erased her 1994 season, eliminating her from competition at the Lillehammer Olympics as well.
Koznick and her soon-to-be husband, Dan Stripp, plan to move to Vail next month, where Stripp recently accepted a job as a juniors coach at Ski and Snowboard Club Vail.
Former Olympic, FIS World Championship and World Cup aerialist champion Eric Bergoust of Missoula, Mont., also recently announced his retirement after the most successful aerials career in international history. In 16 years on the World Cup, Bergoust competed in four Olympics, four world championships and racked up 15 World Cup victories.
SURFING: West rules X Games waves
Four years after the introduction of surfing to the X Games, the West is finally the best.
After three years of finishing second to the East Coast’s hottest surf squads, the West Coast team – led by Pat O’Connell, Tom Curren, Pancho Sullivan and coach Mike Parsons – kicked off X Games 12 in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, with a 103.3-73.85 win in the trademarked competition known as “The Game.”
The powerful break off Zicatela Beach known as the “Mexican Pipeline” showcased the talents of some of America’s top surfers for two days last week, as waves from 6 to 8 feet yielded perfect conditions for the opening event of the X Games.
Sullivan scored a 9.5 out of a possible 10 to post the highest score of the game, dropping in on a seemingly impossibly long barrel and pulling a disappearing act before coming out clean on the other side. By halftime, the West Coast had posted a score of 31.2, the highest score posted by a West Coast team in X Games history.
“The ocean played in the West’s favor today. They kept getting the bomb sets one after the other and Pancho’s wave could have easily been a 10,” East Coast coach Matt Kechele said.
Sullivan, 33, was named MVP and the oldest rookie to qualify for the prestigious World Championship Tour of surfing.
The rest of X Games 12 gets underway Aug. 3-6 in Los Angeles. The surfing competition will air Aug. 6 on ABC.
ADVENTURE RACING: Series hits Summit County
Adventure racing enthusiasts have a chance to test their mettle in Summit County this weekend, as the Adventure Xstream Adventure Race Series returns with a variety of races for all abilities Saturday and Sunday.
The new Xstream Sprint race Sunday is ideal for beginning adventure racers and families, taking three to five hours to complete as teams of two to four kayak on Lake Dillon, mountain bike for 10 miles and trek up to 5 miles. Two-person inflatable kayaks are provided for all teams and children age 11 and older are allowed to race with a parent.
The adventure weekend also features a 12-hour (60-mile) and 24-hour (100-mile) race Saturday for the truly dedicated weekend warriors. Top teams such as Nike and Crested Butte are expected to compete in the 24-hour event as they vie for a qualifying spot in this fall’s USARA national championship race. Fans will be able to track race progress online at www.checkpointtracker.com.
Volunteers are needed for Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday. Those interested should send an e-mail to events@gravityplay.com. For more information or to register, log on to www.gravityplay.com or call 970-259-7771.
(COMPILED BY SCOTT WILLOUGHBY FROM POST STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS)
