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max gartner blows a gasket

 

 

Max Gartner

Q: You’ve had so many close results, with fourths and fifths, and no medals yet but we can still be more satisfied with being spread out like that rather than get

 

“I think it just shows that the program… we are actually contending in a lot of events now and I’m very happy with that. In almost every event we have a challenger and a couple hundredths here or there we could walk away with a bunch of medals.

We knew at the beginning it was going to be close. We didn’t have people coming here who had won a lot of World Cups, we knew we had people who could make the podium but on a given they could be first, fourth, fifth, sixth. For me, I have to look beyond the medals, and I think for me being in giant slalom and super G, being among the best in the world is looking good for us in the future.

 

Erik, Allison injuries.

 

Also, Brigitte Acton (results) all personal bests, so she stepped up her game at the Olympics, so those are the things I look at: How did they do in relation to their expectation level, so there’s lots of positives.

 

With Thomas we’re not sure. Thomas and Emily I’d say right now we’re not so sure, but everybody else is pretty dedicated to staying around.

I think in giant slalom and super G we are amongst the best in the world.

 

Homefield advantage in 2010.

Well hopefully a lot. I think we’ve got a much stronger plan going into 2010, we’re already thinking about what we can do. We know in Whistler weather might be an issue, so we want to make sure we train on sites that are good. With the Own the Podium program and VANOC being supportive I think we should really take advantage of having those Olympics at home.

 

Program momentum

 

 

 

 

 

 

Max Gartner before in the morning before races started.

“It could be a great day.”

 

Bode Miller leading Olympics in one category: quick escapes without talking to anyone.

 

“Is he related to Ray Bourque?”

 

 

 

 

 

Men’s GS

Bourque

Pretty disappointed to finish like that, fourth, and be so close but that’s the way it is.

On the other side I was thinking top five, I would have been happy with that.

 

I didn’t start as good as the first run on the top. After that it was better. I think where the other guys made the difference was I came too round one turn and had to put too straight the other one, so it kind of screwed my whole timing, and I made a couple mistakes. And at the bottom it was straighter than I expected so I kind of over-skied the last section.

 

I was disappointed but, I guess that’s the way it goes. Better luck next time.

 

 

First time ever one first run (at top level)

 

Before 2 nd run

 

Age compared to Maier etc.

You look at the three guys in front of me I think there’s seven years or six years between the closest to me, and the other ones are 12 years older than me.

But I still have to work hard because there’s more young guys coming. It’s not because you’re there.

I have a lot of respect for those guys and being able to ski as fast as them is good.

 

 

Thomas Grandi:

The rhythm but also the snow conditions made it difficult for me.

 

GS is my favourite discipline, I’ve always loved it the most. It’s the one that I’ve pointed on more and maybe put more pressure on myself, so I think that now I’m more relaxed I can really enjoy myself here and focus on the slalom from this point forward.

 

Talked to Bourque between runs

We didn’t talk too much about the race. I think it’s good to try and keep your mind off the race. We were both pretty quiet between runs, but we had a bit of lunch together.

 

I think once I got in the start was great. I felt relaxed and comfortable. The lead-up maybe the last few days were a little bit more stressful than I would have liked, a little bit sleepless last night. But I had a good feeling about myself today. In the second run, having JP (Roy) start in front of me, it was like training. And Frankie behind me, I was relaxed and I was looking for a great race.

 

Sarah here, waiting for me.

 

It’s great to be in Italy, I really enjoy myself. Unfortunately the food in the village isn’t what we expect in Italy, but it’s okay. Our lead up to this was great. We were staying in a little town called Grayd? They treat us like kings and fed us like, I don’t know, like pigs. We didn’t overeat.

I always have a great time in Italy. I love to be here.

Mom and cousins here.

 

Won’t be back for 2010; will have to think about racing next year.

 

 

 

 

Swiss Bruno Kernen, who won the bronze medal in Sunday’s downhill at Sestriere, won the 1997 world championship downhill on the same course. He wore bib number 14 in both races.

“I’m not superstitious, it’s a coincidence, but maybe it brings me luck,” he said.

 

 

The frustrations of the Canadian ski team continued at the women’s downhill Wednesday, where one of the most talented skiers contemplated her future.

Fernie’s Emily Brydon has long been considered a potential champion, but injuries and inconsistent results have followed her throughout her career. Wednesday she was asked about her future.

“I have… a lot of unfinished dreams and a lot of unfinished goals,” she said.

“The fact that the Olympics are in Vancouver in 2010 is a huge… pro. But to be honest I have to sit back and think. If I go I go for four years, and I have to decide if I want to do that, if I want to be 29 years old and still skiing.

“I think if I left I’d feel like I didn’t give it all I had. But, on the other hand, there’s more out there.

“There’s other things I want to do, other things I want to try. But I don’t want to go out a loser, in a sense. I think that if I gave up… if I stopped this year I’d feel like I was giving up. That would be hard to live with.”

 

Guay to make decision Thursday

Erik Guay, the best Canadian hope for a medal in the speed events, has been sidelined for nearly three weeks but he is still hopeful of starting Saturday’s super G.

“Erik’s been skiing the last two or three days and we’re still going day by day but he has been on snow every day, freeskiing, giant slalom and a little super G so we’ll have to see, but it’s looking positive,” said Max Gartner, Alpine Canada’s chief athletic officer.

“I think after tomorrow’s training we’ll have a pretty good idea (on whether he’ll race).

Guay injured his leg nearly three weeks ago. He is not in any pain most of the time but his leg is sensitive to the stress and vibrations that occur with skiing on an icy course.

 

 

 

Brydon

It’s frustrating for me because I know for myself, there’s a lot more potential in there than I showed today. And as a team there’s a lot more potential in there than what we showed today, and that’s what’s frustrating.

It’s not only about yourself, I’m here representing Canada and you always want to do well and represent your country well, so that’s a hard pill to swallow.

 

On frustrations

Whenever I do well I’m at the end of my string so maybe something will happen because I’m getting pretty near the end of it.

That’s what makes champions champions is when they learn how to be good consistently, and there’s more people that don’t ever figure it out than do. And I hope that one day I’ll be one of those people that does figure it out. I have to just learn, I have to build from it. As frustrating as today was and as disappointing, I have to learn from it and walk away.

 

Allison

When Alli got hurt that really hurt our team. We’re really close this year, we have a really good bond. We’re friends and we’re teammates and so when someone goes down it’s hard, because you feel their sadness and their pain. She’s had a really tough year this year, she’s overcome a lot. She’s one of the strongest people I know, so to see her sidelined as her dreams are within reaching distance from her that’s really hard and it’s really sad. You have to remember that it’s part of sports, it’s what we signed up for, it’s part of the sport of ski racing. The good news is I’ve had similar injuries and I know you can come back and I know you can come back stronger than when you left.

 

Her future

(pause) I have… a lot of unfinished dreams and a lot of unfinished goals. The fact that the Olympics are in Vancouver in 2010 is a huge… pro. But to be honest I have to sit back and think. If I go I go for four years, and I have to decide if I want to do that, if I want to be 29 years old and still skiing.

I think if I left I’d feel like I didn’t give it all I had. But, on the other hand, there’s more out there.

There’s other things I want to do, other things I want to try. But I don’t want to go out a loser, in a sense. I think that if I gave up… if I stopped this year I’d feel like I was giving up. That would be hard to live with.

 

Will do combined and super G

Slalom, ice, men’s combined results

 

Super G has been my best event this year, so the Games aren’t over yet.

 

Wasn’t fluid on the rollers. I got a little late before the first big jump and it just kills your speed and those halfpipe turns I just cannot get this year. I got them last year and I can’t get them this year. You know, when you enter a flat section 15 km/h slower than the winning time how do you compete with that, how do you make that up? I know I’m a good glider but I’m not that good.