Miller has tight edge in stretch
Maier has speed to catch up in Cup
Bode Miller of Franconia, N.H., enters the weekend at the top of the World Cup overall standings with a narrow lead over rival Hermann Maier of Austria.
With six races left, Miller has 1,084 points and Maier 1,076. But Maier excels in the speed events and the men are headed for a downhill and super G north of Lillehammer at Kvitfjell, Norway.
Miller, who won Saturday's giant slalom in Slovenia, missed a gate in Sunday's slalom and a golden opportunity to build his lead.
Flying high
Lindsey Jacobellis is flying high after completing a World Cup sweep in Japan, making her the first US snowboarder to do so in two disciplines. The Bondville, Vt., rider capped off back-to-back snowboard cross wins with a halfpipe victory last weekend and moved into second place in the overall World Cup standings. Next stop is Oregon and Mount Bachelor for a shot at the Cup top spot . . . Patrick Weaver of Lee, N.H., took first in the third annual Banknorth Great Glen to Bretton Woods Nordic Adventure, skiing the 50-kilometer course around the northern half of Mount Washington in 2 hours 43 minutes 14.9 seconds. About 500 skiers joined Sunday's race, with Joann Hanowski of Duluth, Minn., finishing first in the women's division with a time of 3:18:11.5 . . . Hundreds of young cross-country skiers and their families are expected at Waterville Valley, N.H., for the New England Bill Koch Youth Ski League Festival, which features two days of racing and tours.
Some downtime
Steve Briggs, a ski coach from Jackson, N.H., skied down the Lynx trail 61 times Monday and totaled 128,832 vertical feet during the inaugural 100K Challenge at Wildcat, a fund-raiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Twenty-six of the 27 participants reached the mark by skiing down the trail's 2,112 vertical feet at least 48 times. Many had their sights on skiing down 52 times, an achievement accomplished by ski instructor Mark "Homer" Holmes once on a day off. Sixteen people reached that number, as did Holmes, who made it to 58. Extreme skier Dan Egan tallied 57 runs, even with a late start because he drove overnight from Baltimore.
Making a mark
Demo gear, clinics, and races are planned for this weekend at the New England Telemark Festival at Wildcat in Pinkham Notch, N.H. Over in Franconia Notch, Cannon Mountain is having a weekend of telemark lesson specials. The telemark craze continues in Dixville Notch March 13 with the Balsams Telemark Festival, complete with workshops and barbecue. In Vermont, Mad River Glen hosts the 29th annual Telemark Festival, put on by the North American Telemark Organization. The March 13-14 event, based in Waitsfield, traditionally draws hundreds of freewheelers. The Tele Spring Fling, April 3 at Stowe, will have a telemark halfpipe championship . . . $10,000 is up for grabs at this weekend's Budweiser Anti-Gravity Grail at Mount Snow in Vermont. Ace freeskiers such as Sarah Burke and Dave Crichton will do exhibitions, while pro and semi-pro skiers and riders compete in halfpipe, ridercross, and big-air events . . . Stowe's Spruce Peak will be the site for tomorrow and Saturday's Green Mountain Skiercross Classic, with $7,500 in prize money . . . Wachusett's Smith Walton trail is the place for tomorrow's Ralph Crowley Classic.
