Mike Schultz of St. Cloud won the world title in banked slalom Wednesday at the world para snowboard championships in Pyha, Finland.
The victory gave Schultz his first-ever world championships gold. His time of 50.63 seconds on the second run boosted him past U.S. teammate Noah Elliott, who had the top first-run time of 51.21. Elliott took silver in the LL1 class.
"I still had one more goal after winning Paralympic gold and silver last year," Schultz said. "That was to win at the world championships. I'm so pumped to bring home gold for the USA once again."
Schultz won silver in banked slalom at the 2018 Paralympics and 2017 world championships. He will compete Saturday in snowboardcross, the event in which he won Paralympic gold in 2018.
RACHEL BLOUNT
U gymnasts honored
Lexy Ramler of the Gophers was named to the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association's first All-America team in the beam and the second team in all-around and uneven bars. Teammate Ivy Lu also was named to the second All-America team in uneven bars.
Etc.
• The Gophers baseball team beat Augsburg 9-3 in its home opener at Siebert Field. Jordan Kozicky had a homer and two-run double for Minnesota (9-13).
• Rochester John Marshall's Matthew Hurt had eight points and five rebounds in 16 minutes for the West boys' basketball team in the McDonald's All-America Game in Atlanta. The East won 115-110.
• Gophers senior forward Jack Ramsey signed an amateur tryout contract with the Indy Fuel, the ECHL affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks — the organization that drafted Ramsey in the seventh round of the 2014 NHL entry draft.
• Mandan senior Johnny Mindt, a three-time state diving champion in North Dakota, will compete for the Gophers next season.
• The St. Paul Saints signed former Twins farmhand Todd Van Steensel, 28. The righthanded Aussie was 5-1 with a 3.07 ERA and four saves for Chattanooga of the Class AA Southern League before being released in last August.
