Jules rules

Congratulations to Julia Mancuso for winning the gold medal in the giant slalom Friday, the first medal in these Olympics for the American women’s ski team. She also became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold in the giant slalom since Debbie Armstrong in Sarajevo in 1984.

I talked to Mancuso by phone here before she competed, and spoke to her after covering two of her earlier races. Based on three short conversations, I certainly can’t claim that I really know her. But the 21-year-old does seem to have a playful, rebellious streak.

She stayed in a rented RV instead of the Athletes Village. She wore a tiara on her head during a slalom run of the combined event. She angered some American journalists when she skipped through the mixed zone without talking after that race. Mancuso tried the same stunt after the Super G, but bumped into her boyfriend, American skier Steven Nyman, giving an Olympic official enough time to catch her and make her come back through the mixed zone.

I assume she had plenty to say today.