January 24, 2002

KREISCHBERG, Austria (Jan. 24) -- 1998 Olympian Chris Klug (Aspen,CO), Peter Thorndike (Meredith, NH) and Lisa Odynski (Reno, NV) came up big Thursday, mathematically clinching Olympic snowboard berths in parallel giant slalom in the last PGS selection qualifier, a World Cup in Kreischberg. The full Olympic Team will be announced Friday.

Austrian Siegfried Grabner knocked off Frenchman Nicolas Huet while Italy's Marion Posch edged Julie Pomagalski of France in the World Cup races, but -- for the Americans -- it was a question of their order of finish in Finals that helped fill the three PGS slots. Selection is based on a rider's two best results in five designated races, including the Kreischberg World Cup.

In the "race within the race" (for U.S. selection points), Jeff Greenwod (Hartford, CT), who was the first 2002 Olympic rider when he was top American in the first two selection events, had the top U.S. result Thursday, finishing 11th overall. Klug was 20th but, as the next American, earned enough points in the U.S. selection tally to mathematically clinch a PGS berth, as did Thorndike, who was the third U.S. rider (35th overall) in Kreischberg.

In the women's race, Rosey Fletcher (Girdwood, AK) and Lisa Kosglow (Boise, ID), who already had clinched a spot in their second Olympics with their earlier results in the USA, were the top two Americans, Fletcher 11th and Kosglow 13th. Odynski, who also had a first and second in earlier qualification rankings, clinched although she was the No. 6 American, 44th overall. Sondra Van Ert (Ketchum, ID) was the No. 3 American Thursday in 15th place.

FIS WORLD CUP SNOWBOARDING
Kreischberg, AUT - Jan. 24
Parallel GS (Four make semifinals)
Men
1. Siegfried Grabner, Austria
2. Nicolas Huet, France
3. Dieter Krassnig, Austria
4. Urs Eiselin, Switzerland,
5. Lukas Gruener, Austria
-
11. Jeff Greenwood, Hartford, CT
20. Chris Klug, Aspen, CO
35. Peter Thorndike, Meredith, NH
42. Anton Pogue, Hood River, OR
44. Eric Warren, Bennington, VT
55. Ryan McDonald, Entiat, WA
--
Women
1. Marion Posch, Italy
2. Julie Pomagalski, France
3. Aasa Windahl, Sweden
4. Manuela Riegler, Austria
5. Heidi Renoth, Germany
-
11. Rosey Fletcher, Girdwood, AK
13. Lisa Kosglow, Boise, ID
15. Sondra Van Ert, Ketchum, ID
17. Stacia Hookom, Edwards, CO
24. Claire Cetera, Sun Valley, ID
44. Lisa Odynski, Reno, NV