Stiegler wins women’s slalom national title at Aspen Highlands in career’s final race
And that’s how you do a victory lap.
Resi Stiegler closed out her 19-year ski racing career on Friday by winning the season-ending women’s slalom at the U.S. Alpine Championships at Aspen Highlands. The 35-year-old from Wyoming’s Jackson Hole was a three-time Olympian and one of the more exuberant and loved American skiers.
“It feels so good … this is the absolute best way to go out,” Stiegler said. “To be honest, I kind of had to stay focused to the very end, because I’m a fighter and I’ve always wanted to win everything. I know in these days you want to celebrate everything and be ready to retire, but for me, I wanted to win so badly and go out with the fight I’ve always had and the best skiing I’ve always had.”
Stiegler finished Friday’s race with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 24.21 seconds and was fourth after the first run, only 0.22 out of first place. Australia’s Madison Hoffman, who skis for the University of Utah, finished second, 0.30 back, while University of Denver skier Katie Hensien was third, 0.80 back of Stiegler.
Storm Klomhaus and Stefanie Fleckenstein, who were 1-2, respectively, after the first slalom run, failed to finish the race. Klomhaus straddled a gate just before the finish. Hoffman had the fastest second run, moving up from 14th to second overall, while Stiegler had the second fastest second run.
Lake Tahoe’s Lila Lapanja, who won both the alpine combined and giant slalom national championships this week, finished eighth in slalom.
The race was held despite fresh snowfall overnight that organizers had to pack down in order to create a raceable course Friday, a change from the warm, dry spring conditions seen throughout most of U.S. nationals these past two weeks.
-
Jackson, Wyoming alpine skier Resi Stiegler gets showered with well wishes after finishing first in the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. Stiegler believes this was her final official race and her teammates and fellow skiers celebrated with her for her win and career. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
Jackson, Wyoming alpine skier Resi Stiegler makes turns during her second, winning run at the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
American alpine skier Resi Stiegler, right, embraces Annaliese Fleck after Fleck’s second run at the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
-
Alpine skiers AJ Hunt, left, and Tricia Mangan lay on the ground catching their breath after having a wrestling match at the end of the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
Women alpine skiers pose for a group photo while holding Resi Stiegler after the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
American alpine skier Ainsley Proffit makes turns during the second run of the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
American alpine skier Resi Stiegler, center, hugs fellow skiers after winning the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
American alpine skier Resi Stiegler gives a speech to her fellow skiers after she won the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
American alpine skier Lila Lapanja makes turns during the second run of the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
Canadian alpine skier Kiara Alexander makes turns during the second run of the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
Canadian alpine skier Britt Richardson competes in the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
American alpine skier Caroline Jones competes in the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
Wyoming’s Resi Stiegler hugs friend and fellow skier Sarah Schleper after Stiegler won the women’s slalom national championship on Friday, April 16, 2021, at Aspen Highlands.
Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times
-
An alpine skier competes in the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
Canadian alpine skier Justine LaMontagne crashes during the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
American alpine skier Maddie Welling competes in the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
-
American alpine skiers Ellis Morgan, left, demonstrates her crash as friend Tea Kiesel takes a break on the ground after the Women’s Slalom National Championships at Aspen Highlands on Friday, April 16, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)
For Stiegler, the win wrapped up one of the longer careers seen in the sport. According to the U.S. ski team, Stiegler finishes with 178 World Cup starts — her lone podium having been in 2012 — eight world championship appearances, three Olympic appearances and four national championships.
“I just had to stay super focused, and today I was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been, but I had my brother (Seppi) here on the hill and my best friend (U.S. ski team alumna Sarah Schleper) went up on the hill and got me fired up … so that always helps a little bit,” Stiegler said. “And obviously racing in Aspen again, it’s like our home hill. We race World Cups here, it’s close to Jackson, and it’s in the U.S. They put on a great show for the last race of the season for all of us.”
