Two Repeat Winners in Alpine Skiing Downhill; Father/Daughter Combo, Former Burned-Out Skier Also Medal at Empire State Games

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Two Repeat Winners in Alpine Skiing Downhill; Father/Daughter Combo, Former Burned-Out Skier Also Medal at Empire State Games
    LAKE PLACID, N.Y., Feb. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Coley Cole posted a time of
1:08.42 in the men's alpine downhill event to repeat as gold medal winner at
the Empire State Games in Lake Placid.  Alexandra Munteanu won the women's
downhill event, and also repeated her gold-medal performance from a year ago.
    "The course froze up a little bit last night.  The course was in good
shape," said the 18-year old Cole from Mechanicville, who is in his fourth
year of competition at the Empire State Games and says he will be back next
year.  He will also be participating in this weekend's slalom and giant slalom
events.  Masters skier Dennis Murray took the silver medal in the men's event
and in an odd twist is the father of the women's bronze medal winner.  "It's
kind of cool that we can do something together and both succeed at it," said
the 15-year old Sarah Murray from Ballston Spa.  Her father had her on skis at
the age of two and this is her fourth Empire State Games.  "I'm very proud of
my daughter, added the 44-year old Dennis.  "I'm very proud of all the other
racers that medalled."
    24-year old Sascha Adam Mehalick from Queensbury, who hadn't competed in
the Empire State Games for four years because he was "burned out," is back and
took the men's bronze.  He says he's back into skiing more for fun now and
will probably compete in a few more downhill events over the next year or two.
    The 17-year old Munteanu from Cortland, NY posted a time of 1:12.58.  She
will also be trying to repeat as gold medal winner in giant slalom
competition, which takes place Saturday.  Megan Bitter out of Manhasset was
the silver medalist in today's downhill.
    Richard Costanza of Raybrook took gold in the open men's biathlon event.
He finished with an elapsed time of 29 minutes and 47 seconds.  The biathlon
is a combination of a skier's cross country and target shooting ability.
Costanza ran the nine-kilometer course in :27.17 and made five of his 10
target shots for the final adjusted time.  Each competitor makes five target
shots from the ground and five standing up and is penalized for each missed
shot.  Todd Bergey of Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania took the silver and Mike
Kohlhas of Glenwood, NY won the bronze.
    Scholastic male competition in biathlon is for those competitors under 20
years old.  Brian Lilly of Fairport took home gold with a final adjusted time
of :30.57.  He was followed by Jeffrey Kohlhas of Glenwood and Thomas Temple
of Clifton Park.  Debbie Wood of Saugerties won the open female event.
    The New York Lottery is the primary sponsor of the 1997 Empire State
Winter Games.  The New York Lottery is an important part of funding education
in communities throughout the State.
    Following are the top-10 finishers in men's and women's alpine downhill:
                         Men's downhill
    Competitor                                       Time
    Coley Cole                                      1:08.42    G
    Dennis Murray                                   1:09.91    S
    Sascha Adam Mehalick                            1:10.05    B
    Torin Tofferi                                   1:11.09
    Lucas Dorosky                                   1:11.10
    Dylan Peck                                      1:11.34
    Robert Stewart III                              1:11.69
    Andrew Lincoln                                  1:11.93
    Robin Carleton                                  1:12.06
    Kristopher Meola                                1:12.26

                         Women's downhill

    Alexandra Munteanu                              1:12.58    G
    Megan Bitter                                    1:14.84    S
    Sarah Murray                                    1:15.04    B
    Jordan Freeman                                  1:15.32
    Logan Perkins                                   1:16.14
    Sarah MacConnell                                1:16.98
    Leslie Morden                                   1:16.99
    Annie Lapham                                    1:18.44
    Jaime Goode                                     1:18.68
    Charity Lord                                    1:18.80
SOURCE New York Lottery