Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Steamboat Springs ski racer Gaspar Perricone made a solid come-from-behind bid in Thursday's slalom race at Howelsen, but it just wasn't enough for the gold.

Perricone placed fifth in the final standings despite putting together the second fastest run on the second go around.

"I really liked the second course a lot better," Perricone said after the race. "It was good and it was fast."

Perricone admitted having a few problems on the first run, which he said was set like a World Cup course. Still, Perricone survived the run and was able to make up some ground on the field in his second attempt, finishing with a time of 1 minute, 22.19 seconds.

"It's true," Winter Sports Club Alpine Director Tony Nunnikhoven said. "We have had challenging courses all week and I think that is good. I think the best skier won every race and that's the way it should be."

The best skier on Thursday was Summit's Taylor Erdman, who posted the fastest time in the second run and the fastest combined time of the day, finishing with a total of 1:21.24 to win the race.

Park City's Will McDonald took second place with a time of 1:21.54, and Breckenridge racer Eric Scott was third with a combined time of 1:21.70. Scott won Wednesday's slalom race.

Steamboat's Carter Allen posted the seventh fastest time in the first round but fell off the pace in the second run.

"I was way too conservative," Allen said. "It's hard not to hold back a little after you ski well in the first round."

Allen skied off course in the second run of Wednesday's slalom race, which was also held at Howelsen. The mistake may have impacted the way he attacked the course in the second slalom race.

"I wanted to make sure that I finished, and I think that took something out of my last run," Allen said.

Allen was the second fastest local skier in 26th place with a time of 1:27.98. Jason Zopf was 28th at 1:28.78 and Brede Halsnes was 34th at 1:30.59. John May placed 38th at 1:31.94.

Perricone was the only Steamboat skier to finish in the top 15 of the race.

The local boys will head to Park City next for three giant slalom races and three slalom races in Park City. Perricone, who placed fourth and fifth in this week's races, was already looking forward to racing in Utah.

"These were my first races of the season," Perricone said. "It's time to get back with it."

The women's race was won by Vail's Kaylin Richardson with a time of 1:11.87. Summit's Helena Woodrow was second at 1:13.05 and Vail's Addie Robinson was third at 1:13:07.

The top Steamboat finisher was Jennifer Shively in ninth place with a time of 1:15.39. Chelsea Boone was 24th, Genny McGeary was 28th and Terra Williamson came in 30th. Rosemary Rantz came in 39th and Kelli Gleason was 44th.

A former Steamboat Springs ski racer Amelia Barr placed 12th with a time of 1:15.73. She is currently skiing with Ski Club Vail.

Alpine ski racing will continue in Steamboat Springs today with a girls giant slalom race on the Sitz/See Me ski run at the Steamboat Ski Area. The women's first run is set for 9:30 a.m. and the second should get under way at 11:30 a.m.