ALPINE:

Préfontaine, Stutz rule Nor-Am tech races at Whistler

March 18, 2011 — Alpine Canada  

WHISTLER, B.C. — Canada’s Marie-Pier Préfontaine took the giant slalom overall title after winning Friday's race at the Northwest Funds Nor-Am Cup finals at Whistler, B.C.

Préfontaine, of Saint-Sauveur, Que., won by almost two seconds after clocking a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 54.74 seconds.

The 23-year-old athlete finished with 580 Nor-Am points in giant slalom, 273 ahead of second place Kiley Staples of the USA. Both racers have secured a World Cup spot next year thanks to these results.

"Both of my runs today were pretty good, I'm really happy that I won again," said Préfontaine. "I needed to make sure I skied really well in the second run because yesterday I had a big advance in the first run and made a couple of mistakes in the second run. My final time was really close to the girl in second place, way too close for comfort."

Préfontaine comes from a skiing family. Her mother, Louise McNulty, coaches the women’s’ Quebec provincial team.

"On top of that, my mom set the course for the second run, so I really wanted to ski well," said Préfontaine.

Préfontaine had her best FIS World Cup result a couple of weeks ago, finishing ninth in giant slalom in Arber-Zwiesel, Germany.

"I've won five of the six Nor-Am races I've done this year. The other race, I finished second," added a cheerful Préfontaine. "I've been skiing really well in Nor-Am this season. I just wish I could ski like that at the World Cup."

Canada had another athlete on top of the podium in Friday's men's slalom. Paul Stutz of Banff, Alta., won with a time of 1:37.06.

"I was sitting in fifth after the first run and I had started 19th so I was definitely battling with the tough snow conditions, but I really put it on the line," said Stutz. "I'm a risky skier in general so I think I put everything I had out there for the second run and came out on top. 

"The points result is definitely important for us as far as world ranking and start position on the World Cup for next season, so that's definitely what I came here to do. I was disappointed with skiing out just before the finish in the second run yesterday and I felt like I was skiing fast and had the speed then, but to come out on top today is a really nice way to end the Nor-Am season."

This is Stutz's first podium of the season at a Nor-Am race. He has mainly competed in World Cup events. His best result at the World Cup level this year was a 25th-place finish in slalom in Kitzbuhel, Austria, and Schladming, Austria.   

"I didn't participate in most of the Nor-Am races this year, but where I was this season, I knew I was in a position where I was gunning for success at the top level," added Stutz. "I won't be doing the super-G here at the Nor-Am finals because I'm going to get ready for national championships and be prepared for those races."

Canada had another woman on the podium in the giant slalom race Friday, with Madison Irwin of Collingwood, Ont., finishing third with a combined time of 1:56.62.

The Prospect Group athlete, who had never recorded a Nor-Am podium prior to Whistler, has three top-three finishes in as many days. She finished second in slalom and the giant slalom event.

"This has been an amazing week for me," said Irwin. "I'm just in the zone and my focus is there. I'm trying not to think about it too much but I'm definitely excited with how everything is turning out."

Eve Routhier of Sherbrook, Que., finished eighth with a time of 1:57.37. Erin Mielzynski of Collingwood, Ont., and Brittany Phelan of Mont-Tremblant, Que., did not finish the race.

Trevor White of Calgary, Alta., was fifth after the first run of the men's slalom but made a huge mistake in the mid-section of the course in the second run, which bumped him back to 16th place (1:38.82). Brad Spence of Calgary and Patrick Biggs of Orleans, Ont., did not finish the first run. 

Saturday will be a full day of racing as the men will compete in the super-G and the women in the super-combined. Once those races are completed, the athletes will compete in the GMC Nations'Cup, in which American and Canadian skiers go head-to-head in a friendly competition.