ALPINE:

Manny being Manny: Osborne-Paradis evolves into an elite racer

Dec. 3, 2009 - The Canadian Press          ►Photo: Manny Osborne-Paradis at Lake Louise (Agence Zoom)

Many Canadian athletes remember the excitement they felt back in the summer of 2003 when Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The news only brought a shrug from Manuel Osborne-Paradis.

"I was working construction in Invermere,'' the downhill skier says with a smile during a recent interview. "I thought 'That's not going to affect me. I don't care.'

"I had no aspirations. I wanted to ski but I was never the guy that needed to be the best in the world, or on the national team. I was just doing it for fun. It's funny now how it is a big deal and how I am going to compete for an actual medal.''

There has been a transformation in Osborne-Paradis. He's gone from the kid who just wanted to have fun on the snow to the 25-year-old who could win one of Canada's first medals when the men's downhill race is held in Whistler, B.C., on the opening day of competition at the Games.

Paul Kristofic, head coach of the Canadian men's ski team, has watched the unpredictable colt grow into a trained thoroughbred.

"It's an evolution in most racer's careers, where they mature by experiencing the top levels of the sport,'' says Kristofic. "Then they decide they can make a go at being the best in the world.

"Manny is at that point where he has realized (he) can win races. He needs to do a lot of work to win consistently. That just takes time to really soak in.''

He's already off to a good start this season. Osborne-Paradis won gold in a super-giant slalom World Cup race at Lake Louise, Alta., last weekend.

But the success brings responsibility.

"Every year it has gotten more serious,'' says Osborne-Paradis. "There are more expectations for myself, from people, from sponsors.

"As you grow up, you are going to become a better athlete and role model.''

The maturation process hasn't robbed Osborne-Paradis of his sense of fun. He has a deep laugh, a keen sense of humour and isn't afraid to give his opinion.

He doesn't mince words over criticism that Canada is limiting training access to foreign athletes prior to the Olympics. Sometimes Canadians are just too nice, especially in a competitive environment, Osborne-Paradis says.

The question of a how a skier born in North Vancouver ended up being named Manuel brings a chuckle.

"My mom had done a lot of traveling in Mexico,'' he says. "She liked the name.

"Growing up, most kids were named Ted or Steve. Manuel was different, but I didn't mind being different.''

This fall Osborne-Paradis learned he needed contact lenses. That helped explain the problems he experienced skiing in poor light conditions.

"Everybody thinks they can't see (in flat light),'' he says. "Apparently, I can't see a little bit more than them.''

Away from skiing, Osborne-Paradis has quit downhill bike racing but still surfs and has taken up golf.

"He can be the fun-loving guy, the life of a dinner party and the jokester,'' says Kristofic. "As soon as it comes time to perform, he is 100 percent business. He's able to switch to race mode very easily, very quickly.

"When you work with him on the hill it's very exciting. You see a guy that completely transforms into this racing machine. Most people don't get a chance to see that.''

With his super-G crown in Lake Louise, Osborne-Paradis has shown he could be a double threat at the Olympics. His previous best super-G finish was a 13th.

Last winter he won his first career downhill race at Kvitfjell, Norway, then the next day was third on the same hill.

There will be a lot of pressure on the ski team to win some hardware at Whistler. Alpine Canada has received over $10 million in funding from Own the Podium over the last fives years, more than any other sport.

The ski team has set a goal of winning three medals at the Games, one more than Own the Podium's projection. But Canada will be without one of its top medal contenders after Calgary's John Kucera broke his leg in the super-G race Osborne-Paradis won over the weekend.

Canada's last Olympic skiing medal was Edi Podivinsky's bronze in the downhill at the 1994 Games in Lillehammer, Norway. The last Canadian skier to earn gold was Kerrin Lee-Gartner who won the downhill at the 1992 Albertville Games.

Osborne-Paradis understands and appreciates the hype surrounding the Olympics. He also doesn't want it to distract him from the World Cup races before and after the Games.

"The World Cup, that is my livelihood, that's what I train for,'' he says. "The Olympics I feel is a bonus.

"If I go to the Olympics, and win a gold medal, that's great. Everybody is happy. If I crash or suck, nothing else changes. I go back and race the World Cup again. My life hasn't changed at all.''

Don't think an Olympic medal isn't important for Osborne-Paradis. He just tries to keep the Olympics in perspective.

"If you put all the pressure on one race, you're not going to able to perform on that race,'' he says. "Every race I do this year is as important as the next race.''

While Osborne-Paradis may hedge his bets on the Games, Kristofic is willing to place money on his chances for a medal.

"Whistler plays to a lot of his strengths,'' says the coach. He knows the course really well, he's skied it in all conditions.

"Most of the courses that we've raced on in the World Cup that are similar (to Whistler) he's done well on. All the indicators are there he is posed to be a contender for a medal.''  SRC