EAST BURKE, Vermont ??” Caitlin Ciccone, a 2003 graduate of Burke Mountain Academy, edged Olympic Gold Medalist Julia Mancuso to claim the Giant Slalom title yesterday at the US Nationals in Sugarloaf, Maine.

In collecting the first U.S. title of her career, Ciccone had a two-run time of 2:17.96 to top Mancuso by .14. Newly crowned super G champion Stacey Cook (Truckee, CA) took the bronze medal in 2:18.24. Mancuso had led Ciccone by .25 in the first run with Cook another .06 off the pace.

Burke Mountain Academy alum and current students have been storming the national scene during 2005/06 season, with dominating finishes at both the US Nationals and US Junior Nationals, held recently at Sun Valley, Idaho.

At the Junior Nationals, BMA qualified more athletes than any other program with 9, and Nolan Kasper (BMA’07) had three 2nd place finishes, in the Slalom, Super G and Giant Slalom.

At the U.S. Nationals, Chip Knight (BMA ’93), a recent competitor at the Toreno Olympics, finished 3rd in both the men’s Slalom and GS. Stephan Hughes (BMA ’04), Colin Devore (BMA ’04) and Bradley Wall (BMA ’97) finished 8th, 12th and 15th respectively in the Slalom.

Among the women at the U.S. Nationals, besides Ciccone’s 1st place finish, Laurel Carter (BMA ’05) finished 8th, Megan Hughes (BMA ’01) 9th and Tasha Woodworth (BMA ’05)15th in the Giant Slalom.

In the Slalom, Ciccone finished 2nd, with Carter, Hughes and Woodworth finishing 7th, 8th and 14th respectively.

In the women’s Super G, Bryna McCarty (BMA’02) finished 8th, with Carter coming in 15th.

In the women’s Downhill, McCarty finished 8th and Ciccone 11th.