(Saint-Sauveur) Boards on his shoulders, a skier was returning to his car after a few descents at Sommet Saint-Sauveur, Tuesday morning. Are the conditions good?
“If I say ‘melamine,’ do you understand?
– More or less. »
An in-between, according to the explanations provided. At -7 degrees, the moisture in the snow had frozen, but not turned into ice. A very, very firm base, therefore. “It takes sharp skis. »
Those of the six Canadian skiers who were hurtling down La Nordique, a few meters away, were without a shadow of a doubt. Their reflexes, just as much. They took turns jumping into the final wall, kicking up a thin stream of snow dust as they cut the last four or five turns.
“Wow! », We then heard as they passed by some young people from the local competition team, probably on school leave because of the strike. Direction: Sommet Express for another lift. Repeat six times.
Lacking an accessible track for their needs in Tremblant, the women’s giant slalom group set up their stakes in Saint-Sauveur for a training session in preparation for the World Cup which will be held in the queen resort of the Laurentians on Saturday and Sunday. This competition will be the white circus’ first stop in Tremblant in 40 years. In March 1983, Canadian Laurie Graham achieved the first downhill victory of her career.
Valérie Grenier will try to imitate her this weekend in two giant slaloms contested back to back. For the 27-year-old, it’s a real homecoming. She discovered alpine skiing in Mont-Tremblant when she was 2 years old. Since her World Cup debut in 2014, she has skied six times at Lake Louise, the traditional opener of the speed season. After more than thirty years in the iconic resort of the Alberta Rockies, Alpine Canada is moving its operations to the East, where the market is more important and lucrative, for technical events.
“It’s always made me happy to ski at Lake Louise, but it’s not comparable,” said Valérie Grenier with a smile after training.
“Tremblant, this is truly my mountain. […] The feeling I feel is so intense. It means a lot more to me [than skiing] at Lake Louise. I know there will be a very big crowd, whereas in Lake Louise it was always quite small. In Eastern Canada, many people love ski racing. The atmosphere is going to be incredible! »
She will be even more so if she manages to perform as she anticipates. On January 7, she scored her first World Cup victory in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. She then began a successful streak, placing six times in the top ten in seven giant slaloms on the circuit. After a second podium at the finals in Andorra on March 19, she began the new season with renewed confidence, finishing seventh in Sölden in October and fifth in Killington, Vermont, last Saturday.
“After Sölden, I was a little relieved because I didn’t really know what to expect,” she analyzed. I had never finished a season so well and I started this one with a lot of expectations. I found it stressful. I followed that up with a fifth place at Killington, which is really good. Of course I always want more; there are things in my skiing that I am a little disappointed with and there are mistakes that I would have liked not to make. »
Seventh in the standings, Grenier approaches the Tremblant World Cup “with a lot of confidence.” “Even if I’m not necessarily skiing at my best or it’s not all my best turns, I can still be fast and do well. It’s very encouraging and I feel good about the races to come. »
His main challenge this week at Tremblant will be managing time and energy: “I think it will be quite busy with the media, fans, family, friends. I will have to be careful. I want to give something to everyone, but I have to respect myself and remain aware that I have errands to do. I have to make time for myself too. »
A local privilege, five teammates will accompany Grenier for this first women’s alpine skiing World Cup held in Quebec since a slalom in Bromont in 1986.
Returning from shoulder surgery which ended her last campaign, Stoneham’s Sarah Bennett will be looking to “get used to racing pace again”. “I progressed super quickly in training,” said the 22-year-old skier, who is starting her second season with the Canadian team. “I just have to find the right mentality in racing. »
Tenth in the first round at Killington, 20-year-old Britt Richardson of Canmore has finished in the top 30 in her two starts so far. Cassidy Gray, 22, of Invermere, has been one of the most consistent in training, but hasn’t scored a point since a 27th-place finish in March 2021.
Two Quebecers playing on the NCAA circuit received an unexpected invitation from the Canadian team: Justine Clément, 24, represents the Catamounts of the University of Vermont, while Justine Lamontagne, 21, wears the colors of the Bobcats of Montana State University. Clément, from Bécancour, will be making his first World Cup appearance in almost four years, while Lamontagne, from Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, made his first three slalom starts in Levi (twice) and in Killington.
