Driller, O’Brien win parallel slalom titles at nationals

WATERVILLE VALLEY, N.H. (AP) — Garret Driller and Nina O’Brien won parallel slalom titles at the U.S. championships on Saturday at Waterville Valley Resort.

O’Brien has won three consecutive national titles after winning the super-G and Alpine combined earlier this week at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. The parallel slalom is a first-time championship event.

O’Brien was in second, 0.08 seconds back, after her qualification run and faced Canadian and Dartmouth student-athlete Stephanie Currie in a knockout round, head-to-head final. Alice Merryweather, who won the downhill title on Tuesday, rounded out the podium.

Driller sat in third after the qualifying round and advanced to face Tucker Marshall, who injured his back two gates from the finish in the semifinals and was unable to start the finals. It was Driller’s first U.S. title. Alex Leever finished third.

The men and women will race the slalom on Sunday. O’Brien is the defending champion.