CARRABASSETT VALLEY – New Englanders, specifically Patriots fans, will have to excuse Sacha Gros, newly crowned U.S. giant slalom champion and John Elway fan.

The Coloradan did win his first U.S. title his first year on the U.S. Ski Team Saturday as he captured the giant slalom in the U.S. Alpine Championships at Sugarloaf/USA. And Gros was wearing No. 7.

If you were a native of Colorado, who would you be thinking of for inspiration?

“One joker wrote that,” Gros said of the “Elway” written in capital letters on the back of his bib. “Everybody on the ski team who’s from Colorado is an Elway fan. The others give us hell. But that’s because they’re [Pats fans]. I just thought of Elway power.”

Gros not only won the GS title, the 22-year-old who skis for Vail Ski Club came away looking like an iron man. After the first six skiers in the morning run wiped out in the fresh snow that fell Friday night, Gros was the first skier to manage the soft, fast course and finish. He was treated to a standing ovation by hundreds of spectators.

Only 83 skiers out of 110 finished the first run. Knocked out were U.S. Ski Team veterans Chip Knight, Zachary Crist and technical specialist Daron Rahlves who, of four U.S. alpine skiers competing at the World Cup finals this season, had the best finish with a sixth in the super G.

“I wanted to place in the top three. The first run I played it safe,” said Gros, who concentrates on the slalom and giant slalom. “It was pretty tough.”

Going into the second run with the fourth-best time, Gros had nothing to gain by skiing cautiously again. He fell in the GS last year, so he attacked the course this time.

Gros won by more than a second with a combined time of 2 minutes, 25.91 seconds, defeating Uros Pavlovcic who finished in 2:26.59. Pavlovcic, a Slovenian, races for Sierra Nevada College in Lake Tahoe.

“I knew I could beat these guys,” Gros said. “Some were taking a cautious line. I knew I had to take a straight run. [Fourth] was one of my better places going into the second run at an event like this. I’m stoked.”

After his first major win, Gros said the future for the U.S. Ski Team’s technical alpine skiers looks good as the team prepares for the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan.

“Giant slalom is a different breed. The [U.S.] team is weak in the techi events, but we’re young,” Gros said. “Daron Rhalves has had a lot of good races. I haven’t been doing that great in the GS. This morning I had an alright run, so I changed my mind.”

For Gros, who skied for the Whiteman Ski Academy in Steamboat, Colo., during high school, the experience of racing on a course made fast and unpredictable by fresh snow is not new. Once, in Europe, Gros was in a race in which only 18 of 77 skiers finished. But then, Gros wasn’t one of them.

This season has been Gros’ most productive, taking second at three different NorAms – two at Attitash, N.H., and one at Sunday River – in addition to the U.S. title. So Gros may start going easy on Pats’ fans.

“The East has treated me right. This is my biggest victory by far,” Gros said. “I hope to compete in the World Cup next year. I have a jersey with Elway’s number, but I didn’t bring it. I’ve had his number a few times. It’s good to have the Elway power.”

On Sunday, Carrie Sheinberg turned in her best performance of the season to win the women’s giant slalom in a combined 2:14.56.

Skiing

U.S. Alpine Championships

CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Leading results Saturday of the giant slalom at the U.S. Alpine Championships: Men

1. Sacha Gros, Vail, Colo., 2 minute, 25.91 seconds (1:12.70, 1:13.21); 2. Uros Pavlovcic, Slovenia, 2:26.59 (1:12.29, 1:14.30); 3. Dane Spencer, Boise, Idaho, 2:26.67 (1:12.50, 1:14.17); 4. Chris Puckett, Crested Butte, Colo., 2:27.57 (1:12.75, 1:14.82); 5. Thomas Vonn, Newburgh, N.Y., 2:27.92 (1:13.54, 1:14.38); 6. Andy Leroy, Silverthorne, Colo., 2:27.93 (1:13.24, 1:14.69); 7. Michael Reed, Sun Valley, Idaho, 2:28.33 (1:13.76, 1:14.57); 8. Brandon Dyksterhouse, Burlington, Vt., 2:28.39 (1:14.12, 1:14.27); 9. Andy Martin, Warner, N.H., 2:28.55 (1:13.65, 1:14.90); 10. Rich Hadley, Freedom, N.H., 2:28.87 (1:14.12, 1:14.75);

11. Jon Emil Furuseth, Norway, 2:29.08 (1:13.87, 1:15.21); 12. Kevin Stell, Juneau, Alaska, 2:29.61 (1:14.55, 1:15.06); 13. Travis Svensrud, Bozeman, Mont., 2:29.88 (1:14.65, 1:15.23); 14. Brad Hogan, Holmes, N.H., 2:30.02 (1:14.73, 1:15.29); 15. John Minahan, Sodus, N.H., 2:30.43 (1:14.31, 1:16.12); 16. Ben Robinson, Kingfield, Maine, 2:30.54 (1:14.22, 1:16.32); 17. Jakub Fiala, Breckenridge, Colo., 2:30.63 (1:15.30, 1:15.33); 18. Josh Nolting, Winter Park, Colo., 2:30.79 (1:14.82, 1:15.97); 19. Jeff Sarchett, Sun Valley, Idaho, 2:30.95 (1:15.21, 1:15.74); 20. Drew Thorne-Thomsen, Stratton Mountain, Vt., 2:31.06 (1:15.25, 1:15.81)

Women Giant Slalom

1. Carrie Sheinberg, Port Washington, N.Y., 2 minutes, 14.56 seconds (1:06.15, 1:08.41); 2. Tatum Skoglund, Bellevue, Wash., 2:14.66 (1:06.10, 1:08.56); 3. Heidi Voelker, Park City, Utah, 2:14.67 (1:06.20, 1:08.47); 4. Megan Gerety, Anchorage, Alaska, 2:15.54 (1:06.55, 1:08.99); 5. Christina Guptill, Glen, N.H., 2:15.82 (1:06.42, 1:09.40); 6. Kirsten Clark, Raymond, Maine, 2:15.86 (1:06.75, 1:09.11); 7. Kazuko Ikeda, Japan, 2:16.89 (1:07.56, 1:09.33); 8. Sarah Schleper, Vail, Colo., 2:17.06 (1:07.13, 1:09.93); 9. Caroline Lalive, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 2:17.26 (1:07.89, 1:09.37); 10. Marcella Bioni, Italy, 2:18.42 (1:07.81, 1:10.61);

11. Edda Mutter, Germany, 2:19.05 (1:07.93, 1:11.12); 12. Jonna Mendes, S. Lake Tahoe, Calif., 2:19.30 (1:07.43, 1:11.87); 13. Madaileine Sparks-Krebs, Waitsfield, Vt., 2:19.38 (1:09.31, 1:10.07); 14. Lela Hebard, Ellsworth, Maine, 2:19.50 (1:08.72, 1:10.78); 15. Tasha Nelson, Stratton Mountain, Vt., 2:20.12 (1:08.93, 1:11.19); 16. Libby Ludlow, Bellevue, Wash., 2:20.32 (1:09.36, 1:10.96); 17. Courtney Strait, Clifton Park, N.Y., 2:21.11 (1:09.76, 1:11.35); 18. Aimee Mulkern, Magnolia, Mass., 2:21.84 (1:10.28, 1:11.56); 19. Jenni Wolk, La Crescent, Minn., 2:22.27 (1:09.44, 1:12.83); 20. Tove Pashkowski, Leavenworth, Wash., 2:22.79 (1:10.43, 1:12.36)

Rolex Junior National Giant Slalom AT SUGARLOAF

Mens Results (Saturday): 1. Travis Svensrud, Bozeman, Mont., 2:29.88; 2. Brad Hogan, Holmes, N.Y., 2:30.02; 3. John Minahan, Sodus Point, N.Y., 2:30.02; 4. David Mullany, Waitsfield, Vt., 2:31.82; 5. Parker Gray, Newry, 2:32.10; 6. Geoffrey Stephenson, Wilson, Wyo., 2:32.27; 7. Mike Prado, Tahoe City, Calif., 2:33.49; 8. Gordon Gray, Newry, 2:33.64; 9. Bryon Friedman, Park City, Utah, 2:34.09; 10. Tyler Conrad, Lunenburg, Mass., 2:34.93

Womens Results (Sunday): 1. Tatum Skoglund, Bellevue, Wash., 2:14.66; 2. Sarah Schleper, Vail, Colo., 2:17.06; 3. Caroline Lalive, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 2:17.26; 4. Jonna Mendes, Bendyr Cove, Ore., 2:19.30; 5. Madeline Sparks-Krebs, Waitsfield, Vt., 2:19.38; 6. Libby Ludlow, Bellevue, Wash., 2:20.32; 7. Courtney Strait, Clifton Park, N.Y., 2:21.11; 8. Jenni Wolk, La Crescent, Minn., 2:22.32; 9. Tove Pashkowski, Leavenworth, Wash., 2:22.79; 10. Kimberly Rodgers, Albany, N.Y., 2:23.46