For Immediate Release
March 19, 2009
Media Contact:
John Dakin
(970) 390-0481
KLAMMER AND WIBERG CLAIM VOLVO LEGENDS GIANT SLALOM TITLES
AS 2009 KORBEL CALIFORNIA CHAMPAGNE AMERICAN SKI CLASSIC KICKS OFF IN VAIL
VAIL, Colorado—The 2009 Korbel California Champagne American Ski Classic got off to a fast and raucous start Thursday evening at Vail Mountain’s Golden Peak as “The Kaiser”, Austria’s Franz Klammer, and “The Ice Queen”, Sweden’s Pernilla Wiberg outdistanced the rest of their respective Legends competitors to take top honors in the Volvo Legends Giant Slalom event.
The opening event of the three-day annual celebration of skiing originally conceived by the late President Gerald R. Ford, the Volvo Legends Giant Slalom featured a head-to-head racing format with a field comprised of some of the greatest names in ski racing history.
Klammer, the 1976 Olympic gold medalist in Downhill, earned a spot in the finals by dispatching American rookie Legend Chris Puckett before downing another newcomer to the Volvo Legends competition, Austrian Fritz Strobl. The gold medal match-up proved to be an all-Austrian affair as Klammer bested Hannes Trinkl to take the win, while Strobl held off Norwegian Stein Halsnes to collect the bronze.
On the ladies’ side of the brackets, Wiberg took out American Barbara Ferries Hendeerson in the quarterfinal round before notching a semi-final win over former U.S. Ski Team member Holly Flanders to propel her into the finals. Close after one run, Wiberg, matched up against Canada’s Karen Stemmle, took advantage of a second run mistake by the Canadian and breezed to an easy victory.
The 2009 Korbel California Champagne American Ski Classic will continue on Friday with the opening day of Korbel Ford Cup celebrity team competition, concluding Saturday with the second day and finals of the Korbel Ford Cup. All Korbel California Champagne American Ski Classic racing takes place at Golden Peak and is free to the public.
The 2009 Korbel California Champagne American Ski Classic is a project of the Vail Valley Foundation. For additional information, visit www.vvf.org.
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For press inquiries please contact John Dakin with the Vail Valley Foundation at 970-949-1999.
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