Volkswagen National Ski Team member Janelle Miller 22 (Queenstown) capped two solid days of giant slalom racing yesterday with a podium finish in third place at the Air New Zealand Southern Cup series at Coronet Peak today.

Miller was placed fifth and first Kiwi on the first day of racing yesterday (August 19).

Today’s result will improve her world ranking after she finished third behind American Megan McJames who completed the race in a combined time of 1.42.13. Stacey Cook , also of USA, was second in 1.44.28 and Miller clocked 1.45.09.

Second Kiwi woman in both giant slaloms was Queenstown Alpine Ski Team’s Alice Ralston 19 (Auckland) in sixth place today turning in a good result in 1.47.54. and ninth overall yesterday.

Sixteen-year-old Harriet Miller-Brown (Queenstown) of the Volkswagen National Ski Team was third New Zealander both days in the international field of 34 women.

The men’s giant slalom today saw Volkswagen National Team member Tim Cafe 21 (Queenstown) put in a fast time, particularly on the first run to score a 31 point result and improve his ranking. He was first Kiwi in 12th place in the  strong international field finishing in 1.41.99. The race was won by Warner Nickerson (USA) in 1.40.28, Sweden’s Niklas Rainer was second in 1.40.71 and Leif Kristian Haugen of Norway was in close contention in third place in 1.40.93.

Cafe was second New Zealander home in yesterday’s giant slalom behind fellow Volkswagen National Ski team member Angus Howden 27 (Wellington). High profile US World Cup skier Erik Schlopy (1.39.36) and fellow team members Jimmy Cochran (1.39.39) and Ted Ligety (1.39.40) battled hard for the three top placings.

The Air New Zealand Southern Cup slaloms will be raced tomorrow (August 21) and Friday (August 22).