Gagnon dials in tech savvy for Nakiska giant slalom gold
3/30/2011
Marie-Michèle Gagnon gritted her teeth and turned on the jets Wednesday to claim the national title she coveted above all others at the GMC Canadian Championships at Nakiska, Alta.
"I really wanted this," said Gagnon, of Lac-Etchemin, Que., who won the giant slalom by nearly a second with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 43.52 seconds. "I knew that the one who wanted it the most would win. It's a tight, short course. I really tried to go for it."
Gagnon, who won the super-combined event on Sunday and was third in the super-G on Monday, won both the slalom and super-combined titles at last year's national championships.
"Giant slalom is my best event," said Gagnon, who finished the season ranked 16th in the world in the discipline. "But I have some good opponents here."
Gagnon was fastest in both runs Wednesday after the race was delayed following an early morning snow slide. She took the win on a shortened course ahead of Britt Janyk of Whistler, B.C., who had a combined time of 1:44.27.
"It was fun. It was a great race," said Janyk, who earlier won the super-G and downhill national titles. "I'm definitely happy to be on the podium.
"On this course you've really got to fight for every one-hundredth. I'm feeling tired but when you get into the gate, it's fun and I'm happy to be here."
Victoria Stevens, 21, of Mont-Tremblant, Que., picked up her second third-place result of the week following her podium finish in the downhill on Saturday. She crossed the line with a combined time of 1:44.70.
The Prospect Group athlete, a member of the Quebec Ski Team, said the result was a pleasant surprise.
"My runs didn't feel awesome, especially my second run," said Stevens, who leads the GMC Cup points standings on the women's side. "I didn't ski it well so I'm a little disappointed. I really wasn't expecting to be on the podium but it's fun to be in there."
Marie-Pier Préfontaine of Saint-Sauveur, Que., was fourth in 1:44.97.
"I had a better first run but it was still not great," said the Canadian Alpine Ski Team skier, who was third in the super-combined on the weekend but has been battling illness all week.
The race marked another great result for Madison McLeish of Canmore, Alta., who was fifth in Wednesday's giant slalom — and the top junior — with a time of 1:45.01.
The Prospect Group athlete, a member of the Raymond James Alberta Ski Team, tied for first with Janyk in the super-G on Monday. Watching McLeish's run Wednesday in Nakiska was her dad Robin, who won the national downhill title in Lake Louise, Alta., back in 1981.
ALPINE:
Gagnon dials in tech savvy for Nakiska giant slalom gold
NAKISKA, Alberta — Marie-Michèle Gagnon gritted her teeth and turned on the jets Wednesday to claim the national title she coveted above all others at the GMC Canadian Championships at Nakiska, Alta."I really wanted this," said Gagnon, of Lac-Etchemin, Que., who won the giant slalom by nearly a second with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 43.52 seconds. "I knew that the one who wanted it the most would win. It's a tight, short course. I really tried to go for it."
Gagnon, who won the super-combined event on Sunday and was third in the super-G on Monday, won both the slalom and super-combined titles at last year's national championships.
"Giant slalom is my best event," said Gagnon, who finished the season ranked 16th in the world in the discipline. "But I have some good opponents here."
Gagnon was fastest in both runs Wednesday after the race was delayed following an early morning snow slide. She took the win on a shortened course ahead of Britt Janyk of Whistler, B.C., who had a combined time of 1:44.27.
"It was fun. It was a great race," said Janyk, who earlier won the super-G and downhill national titles. "I'm definitely happy to be on the podium.
"On this course you've really got to fight for every one-hundredth. I'm feeling tired but when you get into the gate, it's fun and I'm happy to be here."
Victoria Stevens, 21, of Mont-Tremblant, Que., picked up her second third-place result of the week following her podium finish in the downhill on Saturday. She crossed the line with a combined time of 1:44.70.
The Prospect Group athlete, a member of the Quebec Ski Team, said the result was a pleasant surprise.
"My runs didn't feel awesome, especially my second run," said Stevens, who leads the GMC Cup points standings on the women's side. "I didn't ski it well so I'm a little disappointed. I really wasn't expecting to be on the podium but it's fun to be in there."
Marie-Pier Préfontaine of Saint-Sauveur, Que., was fourth in 1:44.97.
"I had a better first run but it was still not great," said the Canadian Alpine Ski Team skier, who was third in the super-combined on the weekend but has been battling illness all week.
The race marked another great result for Madison McLeish of Canmore, Alta., who was fifth in Wednesday's giant slalom — and the top junior — with a time of 1:45.01.
The Prospect Group athlete, a member of the Raymond James Alberta Ski Team, tied for first with Janyk in the super-G on Monday. Watching McLeish's run Wednesday in Nakiska was her dad Robin, who won the national downhill title in Lake Louise, Alta., back in 1981.
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