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THE MARS CANADIAN JUVENILE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2006 KICK START IN MONT TREMBLANT RESORT
THE MARS CANADIAN JUVENILE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2006 KICK START IN MONT TREMBLANT RESORT
Irwin and Long succeed in taking first Super-G victory.
Mont Tremblant, March 20th 2006 – Cold weather was back in the province of Quebec after spring-like temperatures had made a short – but more than welcomed - come back in the past few weeks. A weather that couldn’t stop Canada’s 160 best juvenile athletes from taking part in the first event of this week’s Mars Canadian juvenile Championships, the most important competition for 13-14 year-old ski racers.
A strong field on athletes skied down a challenging Super-G course today to crown the two first champions and it was Madison Irwin and Richard Long standing tallest at the end.
Canada and US battle for Top-3
Top skiers from Canada and USA competed today in this friendly event.
Canada’s Madison Irwin managed to take the first spot ahead of two American skiers in a time of 56.74.
‘’I’m very surprise to win this race. I was late at every gate and I made a lot of mistakes. My expectations are very high in all disciplines this week. I want Top-3 every day or I won’t be happy with my performance,’’ said the athlete who now lives in Toronto (ON) but train in Craigleith ski club (ON).
‘’My shoulder was injured in December and January. I wanted to do good today. For me, it was a nice way to prove that I’m back on track, ready to win in all disciplines,’’ added Irwin.
United States’ Abigail Fucigna didn’t expect her second place as she skied down in 56.91 with bib 59, a few hundredths ahead of her teammate Jenna Kantor.
‘’The US took international spots here at the Canadian juvenile Championships. As a team, we didn’t know what to expect since we never see Canadian K2 skiers racing. Our coaches prepared us very well and since I come from Eastern US, I’m used to ski on very hard snow,’’ commented Fucigna, from New Hampshire. ‘’I wanted to do well so a second place is overwhelming! We had Junior Olympics in the US to qualify juvenile skiers for the Whistler Cup. The Top-3 athletes will be in Whistler (BC) in April and the next five were sent here for the Canadian Juveniles,’’ concluded the American who is looking forward the GS and SL races.
Vermont’s Jenna Kantor climbed the last step of the podium with a time of 56.98. Kantor skied in Eastern Canada for the first time today.
‘’Honestly, I wanted to win so it is a bit deceiving. I have to accept that the field is strong and that I can be beaten by any girl. Tomorrow, I will lower my expectations to a Top-3, but I really want to stay on the podium,’’ admitted Kantor who travelled to Canada with 9 other American skiers (5 boys and 4 girls)
‘’I can’t wait for the GS. It’s my favourite discipline and the hill is just great for that! ,’’ said the skier who wore bib 31.
Camille Gilbert, from St-Alphonse de Rodriguez (QC), and Karel Bouchard, from Saint-Sauveur (QC), take 2nd and 3rd place of the Canadian juvenile Championships ranking as US’ skiers are not eligible for Canadian points. Gilbert came 4th in a time of 57.51 as Bouchard followed with 57.57.
Top-10 – Ladies – SG#1 – Tremblant
1 20 IRWIN, Madison ON CRAIG 56.74
2 59 Fucigna, Abigail USA USA 56.91
3 31 Kantor, Jenna USA USA 56.98
4 5 GILBERT, Camille QC VALST 57.51
5 2 BOUCHARD, Karel QC STSAV 57.57
6 30 McLEISH, Madison BC WHIST 57.60
7 8 CAMPBELL, Shannon ON GEORG 57.66
8 12 PHELAN, Brittany QC TREMB 57.70
9 18 Livingston, Zoe USA USA 57.78
10 62 Brown, Makayla USA USA 57.95
A colourful podium: Ontario, Alberta and Quebec take the lead
In a time of 53.92, Ontario’s Richard Long claimed gold. The 13 year-old skier from Georgian Peaks ski club was ecstatic.
‘’I skied well today. I’m very happy about this win, even more because I’m a first year K2,’’ began Long, whose name was already whispered in the crowd as the forerunners were going down the course.
‘’The ice is now broken and I’m very confident for this week. Tremblant is an awesome place to stay and it’s cool to get to meet new people. As K2s, we are not used to form one big Ontario team, one big Quebec team, etc. It’s a very good social and athletic experience for us.’’
Alberta’s Erik Read got the second best time with 54.35.
‘’I came in Tremblant when I was young with my mom (Lynda Robbins) and dad (Ken Read) because my mom had participated in a World Cup here. It’s great to be part of a famous ski family but the name brings also a lot of pressure. The expectations are high about my performances. Not from my parents but more from the general crowd who sees ‘’Read’’ on the start list,’’ said Read, the slalom specialist from Calgary.
‘’Long is a complete skier. I met him at the Whistler Cup two years ago. He beat me in GS but I got my revenge in SL. I was a bit nervous at the starting gate, as I always am, but once I’m on the course, I’m so pumped up,’’ added the skier who said he wants to be part of more podiums this week.
Third today was Quebec’s Marc-Olivier Vermette. The skier, from Mont Olympia ski club (QC), had already won the overall title of Quebec’s provincial K2 Championships before heading to Tremblant.
‘’I got caught by one of the jumps. Blue lines had been drawn all over it and we didn’t know where it started and where it ended. I wasn’t nervous at all since I know the hill very well. It’s steep and icy…exactly my style,’’ confided Vermette, aiming for a Top-3 in SL and a Top-5 in GS.
‘’I finished 6th in GS at last year’s Canadian Championships, but this season I want to go to the Whistler Cup. The field is way stronger than last year on the men’s side,’’ added Vermette.
A second Super-G is on the program for tomorrow on Tremblant’s ‘’Flying Miles’’.
Top-10 – Men – SG#1 – Tremblant
1 10 LONG, Richard ON GEORG 53.92
2 6 READ, Erik ALB BANFF 54.35
3 7 VERMETTE, Marc-Olivier QC OLYM 54.44
4 17 SOLOMON, Andrew ON ALPIN 54.49
5 31 Mulhern, Liam USA USA 54.50
6 13 TOUTANT, Simon-Claude QC VALST 54.52
7 21 Morse, Ben USA USA 55.10
8 3 WILLIAMS, Benjamin ON CRAIG 55.13
9 11 WELTON, Michael ON OSLER 55.16
10 4 Diamond, Evan USA USA 55.25
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Super-G: Tuesday, March 21st 2006, at 9.30am
Slalom géant: Wednesday, March 22nd 2006, at 9am
Slalom: Thursday, March 23rd 2006, at 9am
Skills event: Friday, March 24th 2006, at 9am
About MARS
Mars is a lead supporter of juvenile ski racing in Canada, with programs from coast to coast. Mars sponsors the Canadian Junior Alpine (J1) Championships, the Canadian Juvenile Alpine Championships, the BC Alpine FIS Series, and the Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta juvenile series of races.
About live timing
www.canadianjuvenilechampionships.ca
Pictures from the Mars Canadian Juvenile Championships 2006
www.lephotoshoppe.com
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For information :
Valérie Clément
Communication manager
Ski Québec alpin
(514) 252-3090
Telus : (514) 966-2593
valerie@skiquebec.qc.ca
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