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Teen-ager thrilled with sixth-place finish Posted: Thursday February 14, 2002 7:48 PMSNOWBASIN, Utah (AP) -- Just four months past her 17th birthday, Lindsey Kildow was thrilled simply to be competing in a Winter Olympics. Her surprising sixth-place finish in the women's combined event Thursday left her breathless with excitement, and a name to watch in ski racing in the coming years. "I expect the next Olympics I'll be on the podium in every event," Kildow said. "I think this was definitely a great race." The finish was the highest by an American in the event -- two slalom runs and a downhill -- since Gretchen Fraser won the silver medal in St. Mortiz in 1948. "Phenomenal," U.S. women's coach Marjon Cernigoj said. "Seventeen years old, first Olympics. We brought her to get some experience, and to get this result, incredible." She was supposed to ski only in the combined, but her strong showing earned her the fourth spot on the U.S. slalom team that will compete in Park City next Wednesday. Kildow and Julia Mancuso, also 17, were in the event to gain precious experience, but when top American Caroline Lalive withdrew after falling in the first slalom run, they were the only home country skiers left. Mancuso finished 13th. Both were sorry for Lalive. "She's the best person in the world," Kildow said. But they also knew what an opportunity it was. "I thought about being the fastest American," Kildow said. "It felt good. I'm pumped." Four years ago in Nagano, the unheralded Lalive was seventh in the combined. Kildow's performance was even more unexpected. She hadn't made it through two slalom runs all season, either failing to qualify for the second run or crashing somewhere along the way. But after her first run Thursday, she was in sixth. Her second run wasn't as strong, but she got through it and was ninth heading into the downhill. "I just wanted the best run of my life," Kildow said. "I could have been faster, but I put it all on the line, and I'm proud of myself." When she burst over the big jump and headed down the straight stretch that leads to the finish line, she was greeted by cheers from the mostly American crowd of at least 20,000. She had the fourth-fastest downhill time of all the competitors. "The crowd was so awesome. They came out here and stayed the whole day," Kildow said. "They're awesome, the best I've ever seen." She even held the lead briefly. "It was real exciting, especially coming down into first place," Kildow said. "I've never had that feeling, and I had it today, and I will never forget it." Her sixth-place finish in the women's combined on Thursday, the highest place for an American skier in the event since Gretchen Fraser won the silver medal in 1948. Before Thursday, Mancuso had the best resume of the two. Kildow had struggled through an awkward growth spurt over the past year, but her raw talent was undeniable. Born in St. Paul, Minn., she moved to Vail, Colo., three years ago and made her World Cup debut at 16. She skis all four disciplines. "We've said all along that she and Julia are the next four-event skiers," Cernigoj said. "We're just going to try to nurture all four events for as long as we can." Mancuso, from Squaw Valley, Calif., earned her first World Cup points last year and was the bronze medalist in the combined at the 2001 world junior championships. She skied her first World Cup race at 15 and was the NorAm giant slalom champion at age 16, and was Ski Racing magazine's top U.S. junior female the last two seasons. "This was an awesome experience for me and I'm psyched," Mancuso said. Since both will be 21 at the next Olympics in Turin, Italy, a Kildow vs. Mancuso rivalry seems on the horizon. "Yeah," Mancuso said with a smile. "It looks that way."
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