The rest of the Olympic team is a bit of a surprise as far as qualifying is concerned, but that
doesn’t mean that the Games won’t be the place
to push it.
Hailey Duke had an eighth place in slalom last
season, but her best result this season was 21st
Hailey Duke
Hailey
Duke
Megan McJames
Julia Mancuso
Stacey Cook Mammoth Mountain, Calif., 25
Hailey Duke Boise, Idaho, 24
Julia Mancuso Olympic Valley, Calif., 25
Chelsea Marshall Pittsfield, Vt., 23
Megan McJames Park City, Utah, 22
Alice McKennis Glenwood Springs, Colo., 20
Kaylin Richardson Edina, Minn., 25
Sarah Schleper Vail, Colo., 30
Leanne Smith Conway, N.H., 22
Lindsey Vonn Vail, Colo., 25
— Shauna Farnell
Kaylin
Richardson
in Levi. Chelsea Marshall posted a 10th place in the
World Cup St. Moritz downhill just before the Games.
Leanne Smith is clearly on a roll, landing a career best
15th in the Cortina downhill this and is fueled by confidence she’s never had before. Megan McJames is in
the same boat, with a 14th her career best, but is proving with each race that she is more and more consistent in GS. Kaylin Richardson has a pair of top 25s
this season (in slalom and super-combined) and has
one top 10 dating back to 2007 (seventh in slalom).
But all of these women are going into the Games fired
up and ready to compete. And if there was ever a
place for surprises, it’s the Games.
