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Fall dashes U.S. skier's medal hopes in the slalom
By Ray Grass
Deseret News sports writer
DEER VALLEY — Close the door. Don't look back. Attack.
Nowhere, in Kristina Koznick's game plan was there mention of a mistake. But in slalom, the riskiest of skiing events, there's always room for a mistake — and Koznick made one. A few gates from the finish, with a great run going, she hit a hole and fell. She said she didn't see it coming.
Nor did Sarah Schleper or Tasha Nelson. Neither finished the first run. In fact, the only U.S. skier to make the two runs was Lindsey Kildow, who finished 32nd of 38 finishers.
With Koznick's fall went the U.S. Ski Team's best hope of salvaging these Olympics on the women's side of the ledger.
To this point the U.S. women are medal-less. The only event left is the women's giant slalom Friday at Park City, and this is the only one of the five alpine events were the United States has no clear challenger.
Koznick was a real gold-medal threat. And, up until the fall, everything was headed in that direction.
"It couldn't have been more perfect," she said in the finish, admitting the emotional swing hadn't hit her yet. "I was so excited when my coach brought me (starting) bib No. 3. It was great for me. I'm skiing the best I've ever skied. I totally peaked, and I'm in great shape."
This race was especially important to Koznick. Two years ago she left the umbrella of the U.S. ski team and declared herself an "American independent." She trains on her own, travels on her own, registers to race on her own and pays all expenses for her coaches, trainers and herself.
Standing near the finish area, her father, Jeff Koznick, paused as he reflect on the fall, then lamented, "(A win) would have paid a lot of bills. She was ready."
As it is now, she goes into the giant slalom as an underdog. Her best finish in the GS has been ninth.
"I've never gone into an Olympic race as an underdog. It's going to be kinda fun," she said, as she tried to make something good of what turned into a bad day.
The men's GS race is scheduled today and the women's Friday at the Park City Mountain Resort. The final alpine race will be the men's slalom at Deer Valley on Saturday.
E-MAIL: grass@desnews.com
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February 21, 2002
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