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Rossland's David Anderson, this year's winner of the Nor Am downhill and Super G titles, was crowned the 2004 Men's Overall Nor Am Champion at Mont Tremblant, Que., on Friday.
Anderson earned a total of 838 points to win his first Continental Cup overall.
“I'm definitely very honoured to be awarded this year's champion. It's been a great Nor Am season for me, and I'm looking forward to ripping it up on the World Cup circuit next year,” said the 23-year-old who got his start with the Red Mountain Racers and has been on the Canadian Alpine Ski Team since 1997.
American Ted Ligety made his final push at the CIBC Nor Am Cup Finals to move into second place with 607 points – jumping ahead of Wade Bishop, also of the U.S., who was third with 536 points. Bishop was one of Anderson's strongest rivals in the speed events this year.
With the celebration around Anderson's title came disappointment for the Canadian men's contingent as Whistler's Mike Janyk was forced to take the third podium step in the men's slalom standings after a costly error in the first run on Friday sent him hiking to salvage some points. The set-back meant Janyk started at the back of the pack for the second run, but he was able to manage a smooth descent in the second leg to finish 28th for the day.
“It's really too bad. The points were all so close for the overall, I just missed the World Cup spot by a hair. Cochran hiked too in the first run, just not as bad. He started before me, so if I'd known that, I could have skied a little more safe,” said a disappointed Janyk of American James Cochran who finished 19th for the day, and second in the overall. The top-two racers in the discipline standings earn a World Cup berth for the 2005 season in that discipline. Ligety earned the men's slalom title with 339 points to Cochran's 272 and Janyk's 255 points.
Men's slalom – Mont Tremblant, Que.
Top 10:
1. Ted Ligety, USA, 1:44.18; 2. Jesse Marshall, USA, 1:44.29; 3. Pierre Egger, AUT, 1:44.75; 4. Julien Cousineau, Lachute, Que., 1:45.09; 5. Noel Baxter, GBR, 1:45.42; 6. Fran