15 September 2005: 

Ross And Campbell Win Giant Slalom Titles At Volkswagen Alpine National Ski Championships

Mickey Ross (Oamaru) and Nicola Campbell (Dunedin) are the new national giant slalom champions following the Volkswagen Alpine National Ski Championship event at Turoa.

The men's race was tight with just 0.47secs between the top four finishers. Ross was lying sixth after the first run in the 51 strong men's field but pulled out a sizzling second run (51.96) to win the race in a combined time of 1.43.29.

Hugh Stevens of Australia clocked 1.43.60 to finish second. New Zealand's Angus Howden (Wellington), who is making a comeback to ski racing after a break from the sport, was fastest in the first run (50.70). However a slower second run dropped him into third place in 1.43.65. National team member Mark Bridgwater (Christchurch) was fourth in 1.43.65

Ross's national title win caps off a good New Zealand season after he won the prestigious Air New Zealand Cup FIS race at Coronet Peak, achieving the best result ever recorded by a New Zealand male skier, virtually assuring him of a place on the New Zealand team for the Winter Olympics in Italy in February next year.

Nicola Campbell was unchallenged in the women's race which attracted 31 competitors. Her combined time of 1.48.75 was more than two seconds ahead of second placed Kirsten McGarry of Ireland in 1.51.08 just ahead of Swiss competitor Carmen Buesser in 1.51.43

New Zealand national team member Sarah Jarvis (Hamilton) who was fifth in 1.52.51 won the Junior Women's title. Tim Cafe ,who is also on the national team, was eighth overall in the men's field and took out the men's junior award.

The J1 women's title was won by Alice Ralston (Auckland) who was seventh overall and Leighton Winsloe (Wanaka)who placed 10th won the men's J1 title.

Results were:

Men: M. Ross (NZE) 1.43.29 1, H.Stevens (Australia) 1.43.50 2, A,Howden (NZE) 1.43.65 3, M.Bridgwater (NZE) 1.43.76 4, S.Gange (Australia) 1.45.09 5, J.Moon (Korea) 1.45.09 5, S.Hur (Korea) 1.45.38 7, T.Cafe (NZE) 1.45.61 8, S.An (Korea) 1.46.58 9, L.Winsloe (NZE) 1.48.68 10.

Women: N.Campbell (NZE) 1.48.75 1, K.McGarry (Ireland) 1.51.08 2, C.Buesser (Switzerland) 1.51.43 3, K.Crema (Australia) 1.51.73 4, S.Jarvis (NZE) 1.52.51 5, K.Dunleavy 1.55.09 6, A.Ralston (NZE) 1.56.75 7, S. Ovenden (GBR) 1.58.49 8, L.Tait-Jaimeson 1.58.65 9, V.Ferrata (Italy) 1.59.52 10.