Miller gives U.S. best finish since 1988

ASPEN, Colo. – An Austrian victory in the men’s slalom was no surprise. A second-place finish by a U.S. skier was a stunner.

Mario Matt of Austria, the reigning world champion, earned the victory Monday on Aspen Mountain, but Bode Miller pulled off the biggest surprise by finishing second, the best result by the United States in a World Cup men’s slalom since 1988.

Miller, known for a reckless style that often ends in crashes, had not scored a World Cup point in the slalom since 1999, when he finished fourth twice. He is a graduate of Carrabassett Valley Ski Academy.

Matt, with his fourth World Cup slalom victory, won in 1 minute, 39.08 seconds. He was third Sunday in the first of the two slalom races at Aspen, the only World Cup men’s stop in the United States this season.

“Today I was able to adjust and be much straighter in my line and much faster,” Matt said. “I knew I could be better than yesterday.”

Downhill and super G races scheduled this weekend at Beaver Creek were canceled because of a lack of snow and warm weather during course preparation last week.

With a combined time of 1:39.69, Miller seemed headed for the first U.S. men’s slalom victory in the World Cup since 1983 until Matt, the next-to-last skier in the field, came down the hill. Jean-Pierre Vidal of France was third in 1:40.06.

No U.S. skier has finished this high since Felix McGrath was second to Alberto Tomba at Are, Sweden, on March 20, 1988. No American has had a podium finish – top three – since then. The last U.S. winner in the men’s slalom was Steve Mahre on Feb. 6, 1983, at St. Anton, Austria.

“We’re on the way up. We have a young team that’s growing,” Miller said.

Miller’s performance enhanced his status as a medal hopeful for the Salt Lake City Olympics. He was third in a World Cup giant slalom last season in Val d’Isare, France. He crashed twice last week in the Alpine Cup NorAm slalom races at the Loveland, Colo., Ski Area, then crashed again in his second run in Sunday’s World Cup race.

Considered stubborn and reluctant to tone down his attacking style, Miller did just that in the latter stages of his second run on Monday.

“I had to make a choice there,” he said. “I could have probably pushed the limit more and maybe won or maybe blown out. The decision I made I felt really confident about, just to back off a little bit and try to not make any mistakes. That was probably the best way for me to ski that course.”

U.S. men’s slalom coach Jesse Hunt said Miller showed what he can do when he uses the correct strategy. Miller started 54th in Monday’s opening run. The 24-year-old skier from Franconia, N.H., improved to 16th after the first run.

But he had the fastest time of all competitors in the second run – 50.93 seconds – a smooth performance in stark contrast to his nearly out-of-control effort on Sunday.

Miller’s finish more than salvaged an otherwise difficult day for the United States.