Vail’s Schleper on top in GS

ACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — While it may not ever make it out on DVD, the footage of Hunter Schleper’s ski race Thursday was noteworthy for at least one person.

After reviewing his race Thursday, in which he made a mistake and had to hike, Vail’s Schleper came back Friday to win in a giant slalom in Jackson Hole.

“I watched the video up to where I tripped, and I was really fast and would have been winning or almost winning,” said Schleper, who skis with Iced Out Racing.

On Friday, there were no mistakes for Schleper, who had the fastest first run amid a deep field and held on to win with a combined time of 1 minute, 32.63 seconds.

“Today was really good even though the course was super straight, and I don’t really know how to ski straight courses,” he said.

Thursday didn’t end up all that bad, either. Despite his first-run hike, Schleper had one of the best second runs, coming from way back in the pack.

“I had a really good second run,” Schleper said.

With the win, Schleper should see his already low points drop when the next listing comes out. Iced Out’s Kitt Flowers was 16th in Thursday’s giant slalom.

Anyone else?

TELLURIDE, Colorado — Ski & Snowboard Club Vail racers did their best Austrian impression Friday at a Colorado Ski Cup giant slalom in Telluride.

The SSCV boys grabbed the top four spots, with Bryan Shpall leading the way. Will Gregorak, who won Thursday’s giant slalom, was second, followed by John Kemp in third. Nathan Asoian took fourth.

Shpall was in fourth after his first run but had a screaming second run — best by more than a half-second — to finish in a combined time of 1 minute, 36.03 seconds.

On the girls side, SSCV’s Erika Ghent won her second giant slalom in as many days. Both of Ghent’s runs were tops among all competitors, and she finished more than a second ahead of second-place Ann West. Five more SSCV kids were in the top 16.

Hochtl wins

HAYWARD, Wisc. — Vail’s Kevin Hochtl put on a quick show for one of the biggest American cross-country audiences Thursday.

Hochtl won the American Birkebeiner elite sprint race, besting a tough field in head-to-head competition. As the No. 2 seed, Hochtl had a first-round bye and advanced to the finals against No. 9 Zach Simmons.