2002 US Alpine Championships at Squaw Valley USA on MountainZone.com

Sarah Schleper successfully defended her U.S. slalom title at the Chevy Truck U.S. Alpine Championships at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, racing in near blizzard and soft snow conditions.

"I wasn't really expecting to win," Schleper, of Vail, CO, said. "I was just hoping to ski well."

Schleper, the reigning U.S. slalom title holder and winner of the 1998 giant slalom title, took a .12 second advantage after the first run and skied to a two-run victory in 1:37.43. Caroline Lalive (Steamboat Springs, CO) was 2nd at 1:37.97, followed by Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) in 3rd at 1:38.48. Mancuso was also the top junior slalom finisher.

"After the first run just having a .12 lead, I was a little nervous at the start," Schleper said. "I knew I had to put it on the line. It was a little rough and I didn’t feel too stellar. So I told myself, 'Dang girl, you gotta go.' And as soon as I hit the flats I just let them run."

Racing got underway after an army of volunteers and course workers from the Sugar Bowl racing department cleared the course of more than a foot of new snow that had fallen overnight.

"The conditions were pretty good, especially after getting almost two feet of snow last night," Schleper said. "They got all the fresh stuff off and the surface was pretty hard. But by the time I went No. 30 (in the flip-30, second run format), it was pretty chopped up. I was struggling to get down, but I was psyched to take the win when I got into the finish."

For Lalive, the 2000 U.S. slalom champion who took the U.S. super G title at Squaw Valley on Friday, 2nd was a great confidence booster after what she called a "lull" during the middle of the season, which included the Olympics.

"I kind of had some hard times, but I'm finishing the season really nicely," said Lalive. "I never doubted my ability. (The Olympics) were a bump in the road that I needed to overcome. But, I've been surrounded the entire time by awesome coaching, and my family and everyone has been so supportive. I was able to put the Olympics behind me and focus on my goals and keep climbing away."

By finishing 2nd in the slalom, Lalive took the combined title (super G and slalom after the downhill was cancelled Thursday due to soft snow conditions). Mancuso was also crowned junior combined champion.

The Chevy Truck U.S. Alpine Championships continue Monday with the women's giant slalom at Squaw Valley Resort. First run is 10 a.m., second at 1 p.m. The men's giant slalom will wrap up the U.S. Championships on Tuesday.

— Courtesy US Ski Team