ALPINE:

Michael Janyk, Gagnon rule GMC nationals slaloms

March 27, 2010 — Alpine Canada         ►Photo: Michael Janyk (Agence Zoom)

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NAKISKA SKI AREA, Alberta — Michael Janyk became the only winner from last season to repeat at the 2010 GMC Canadian Championships by taking Satuday’s slalom at Nakiska Ski Area on the final day of the national alpine ski racing championships.

In the women’s slalom, Marie-Michèle Gagnon was able to achieve her goal of winning more than one national title at the 2010 event by finishing with the top time.

And the GMC Cup race series also has its champions 2010 champions, with Toronto Ski Club's Kelby Halbert the men's winner and Mont Tremblant's Victoria Stevens the women’s winner.

GMC CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS VIDEO BONUS: Click here to play the video.

Janyk, now a four-time men's slalom champ including most recently in 2009 in Quebec, won the race in a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 29.54 seconds.

"This is pretty good. I have to try to keep up with my sister," Janyk said. His older sister, Britt, picked up the 13th GMC Canadian Championships title of her career in Friday’s giant slalom.

"It's always a good way to end the season. You're in Canada, competing against your teammates and the younger guys. It's fun and we really get a chance to enjoy competition that is a little less intense and you can just ski for fun," Michael Janyk added.

It wasn't an easy day for the men's slalom skiers however, as just 27 of the 85 racers were able to cross the finish line in both runs.

Gagnon said it was her mission to win the race after finishing a disappointing fourth in Friday’s GS.

"I was going for three titles this week. I took revenge today because yesterday was the GS, my favourite discipline, and I did not do so well. So I just wanted to come out today and get my revenge and I'm glad that I did," said Gagnon, who said it's been a great week of celebrating the sport in Nakiska.

"It's awesome. I really like speed skiing. There's no pressure, we are just out here having fun," she added.

Gagnon won the super-combined earlier in the week.

Halbert led the overall men's GMC Cup points race coming into Saturday and held on for the title after placing seventh in the slalom.

"It went pretty well," said the 20-year-old Halbert of his week in Nakiska. "The icing on the cake was definitely finishing second (overall) in the downhill. That brought me up and it's great to be the overall GMC Cup champion."

For Stevens, the GMC Cup championship was even sweeter after just missing out on the title last season.

"I am really excited to win the GMC Cup. Last year I was close, second or third I think. So to win it this year, it means a lot to come back strong," said the 20-year-old Stevens. "I wasn't leading coming to the nationals so I am happy with my results here and winning.”

The GMC Cup alpine ski series is the brain-child of Olympic champion Nancy Greene Raine, who approached GMC more than four decades ago with the concept of creating a strong domestic ski racing series for up-and-coming Canadian alpine racers.  SRC