Chythlook-Sifsof's Olympic status in limbo

Published on January 22nd, 2010

By VAN WILLIAMS

With the Winter Olympics in Vancouver right around the corner, Alaska snowboarder Callan Chythlook-Sifsof appears to be on the bubble with one qualifying race remaining before the U.S. Team is revealed Monday.

In reality, though, her fate may have already been sealed.

The U.S. Olympic Team hasn't announced how many women it will take to Vancouver for boardercross in addition to defending silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis, who has already clinched a berth based on her No. 2 world ranking.

Only two other Americans are in the running for an Olympic berth in boardercross, Faye Gulini of Salt Lake and Chythlook-Sifsof of Girdwood by way of Dillingham. But both may be out of luck.

The U.S. can send a total of 16 snowboarders (men and women) to the Olympics in three disciplines - halfpipe, boardercross and parallel giant slalom - and officials have the option of taking spots from one squad and giving them to another, and vice versa, if it increases the potential for medals.

So despite the fact that she's peaking at just the right time, Chythlook-Sifsof might not get the opportunity to fulfill her dream of competing in the Olympics because the perception is that the U.S. committee will likely take only Jacobellis in women's boardercross because the Americans are stronger in other events and women's boardercross is loaded with world-ranked Swiss, Canadian and Norwegian riders.

The reality is nobody knows what will happen, but it's enough to drive Gloria Chythlook crazy.

"I think all of these ladies at this level, but particularly for the U.S. women in boardercross, their ability to really focus on the job at hand and go in there and compete, I am so impressed with all of them, but I'm especially impressed with my kid," she said.

"I couldn't be prouder of her right now and really, in our house and for me personally, the idea of making the Olympics ... is almost lost. An Olympic spot is definitely the icing on the cake, but at this point we don't know what they're going to do and the criteria is a little odd. It's bizarre."

It's easy to understand how these athletes would be on edge with their Olympic dreams being dangled in front of them like a carrot on a stick.

Gloria Chythlook prefers a more balanced structure than the mix-and-match strategy being employed by the U.S. Olympic Team.

"Lots of pressure and very, very stressful," she wrote in an e-mail updating her daughter's progress. "Either way, Callan's likely the alternate."

Chythlook-Sifsof, 20, has been a member of the U.S. Ski Team since 2006. She started on the C Team and climbed to the B Team after a breakout season that saw her post five top-10 finishes. But disaster struck in 2009 when she suffered a season-ending knee injury.

She returned to the slopes this winter better than ever. She has improved her overall finish in her last three World Cups, going from 21st at Telluride to 16th at Bad Gastein, Austria, to 14th at Veysonnaz, Switzerland.

"In terms of overall performance, this is great," her mom said of her most recent result. "She's done very, very well coming back from the injury. She's plugged solid results from the very beginning, and she's jumped up three and four spots and gotten faster and faster on each course."

In last Friday's, Jacobellis was the top American, with Chythlook-Sifsof next and Gulini third. It was a good result for the Alaskan because Gulini is ranked higher in the world rankings.

"It's really awesome, especially considering the field," Gloria Chythlook said. "The field is astonishing. It is freaky good and people who haven't been in top 10 in three years are really pulling it out. The nothing, no-name from all-over-the-world are top 15 all of a sudden. It's just crazy."

From the outside looking in, it's remarkable how Chythlook-Sifsof can remain upbeat, according to her mom, heading into the last Olympic qualifying race Jan. 21 in Quebec.

No matter what happens around her, she remains cool, calm and collected.

"Callan is holding steady on the course. The consistency is really significant because it means she's bringing it every single time," her mom said. "She's been working every single course, taking a lot of direction from the coaches, nightly video review and re-hashing the day. To be able to make finals two World Cups in a row is consistent with her performance before she was injured. And with the field that's there, every single woman in the top 10 is ... the top of the top of the top."

Take last week's race, for example. Chythlook-Sifsof didn't advance to her final heat because she was beaten by Norway's Helene Olafsen (who went on to win gold) and Canada's Dominique Maltais (who wound up winning the silver).

So on paper, a 14th-place showing may not look sparkling, but when you consider that she is on the heels of the medalists then you can see just how close Chythlook-Sifsof is to making the podium once again.

"She's doing really well," Gloria Chythlook said.