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Canadian skiers off to good start

Three qualify for second run at Soelden Although a record six women would represent the Canadian Alpine Ski Team at the first World Cup of the season at Soelden, Austria last Saturday, only one would qualify for a second run.

Three qualify for second run at Soelden

Although a record six women would represent the Canadian Alpine Ski Team at the first World Cup of the season at Soelden, Austria last Saturday, only one would qualify for a second run.

Geneviéve Simard of Val Morin, Quebec was the top Canadian in 20 th place overall with a combined time of one minute and 52.06 seconds over two runs of the GS course. Ordinarily a World Cup course takes longer to ski, but it was shortened by a third due to gusting winds up to 100 km/h at the top of the course.

"Technically I skied solidly," said the 22-year-old Simard, last season’s World Cup Rookie of the Year. "I have big expectations for myself this year. I start top 30 now and I know I belong with the big girls. If I do everything right I can be there."

Allison Forsyth of Nanaimo, who was ranked fifth in the world in GS last season, was knocked out of contention in her first run when she went wide and missed a gate at the midway point.

Gail Kelly came closest to making a second run, missing the top 30 by 9/100ths of a second after being battered by wind gusts at the bottom of the course.

"I know I can be in the top 30. I knew I was going good at the top, but then it got so windy at the bottom I couldn’t see very well," said the 23-year-old from Ste-Anges de Beauce, Quebec.

Kelly was making her first European World Cup appearance in two years after battling back from two serious concussions.

"I’m there. I just have to ski like I know I can," she said.

Whsitler’s Britt Janyk, the overall Europa Cup giant slalom champion last season, was 37 th after her first run. Although she was frustrated by the race conditions to start the season, she was still encouraged by her finish.

"Things have been going well in training, and I know that we belong here," she said.

Anna Prchal of Montreal was 44 th , and 17-year-old Sophie Splawinski of Quebec, the overall Nor Am GS champion, was dazzled by her first World Cup race.

"It was really amazing, being able to stand at the start and see thousands of people in the crowd. It’s a crazy madhouse. I’ve never even been to a World Cup, never mind racing in one."

Splawinski was 63 rd after her first run.

The podium itself was as crazy as they come, marked by the first ever three-way tie for the gold medal. Nicole Hosp of Austria, Tina Maze of Slovenia and Andrine Flemmen of Norway finished the race in identical times of 1:49:91.

Grandi, Roy crack top 30

The winds were not as severe on Sunday for the men’s GS World Cup opener, although the threat of rain prompted officials to shorten the second leg by moving the start further downhill.

Thomas Grandi of Canmore, Alberta and Jean-Philippe Roy of Ste-Flavie, Quebec, lived up to their expectations with both skiers qualifying for a second run.

It was a close shave for Roy, who was 31 st after the first run. Canadian Coach Thierry Meynet then protested the results of Tobias Gruenenfelder, claiming that the Swiss skier had straddled a gate. The jury sided with the coach, Gruenenfelder was disqualified, and Roy moved up one spot in the rankings to 30 th . Grandi, meanwhile, had qualified in 29 th .

Both skiers improved their lot in the shorter second run, with Grandi in a three-way tied for 21 st in 1:51.70, and Roy right on his coattails in 24 th place with a time of 1:51:71.

"There’s lots of nerves in the first race of the year and it’s tough to feel comfortable. But when you qualify 29 th there’s not a helluva lot to lose, so you can really put it down the mountain," said the 29-year-old Grandi. "I think I have a lot more to give. I haven’t had enough really good days on snow and I feel like I’m a little bit behind."

For Roy, 23, just qualifying was exciting.

"I’m the luckiest man in the history of Soelden," said Roy of the disqualification.

"It’s good to qualify and pick up a few World Cup points in the first race. We improved this summer, but so did everyone else – especially in GS. I think it’s the hardest discipline."

Julien Cousineau, 21, of Lachute, Quebec, started 57 th in the first race and wound up 60 th overall.

Stephan Eberharter of Austria, the most dominant force on the men’s World Cup circuit, took the top spot in 1:49.47. Frederic Covili of France took silver in 1:49.60, and Michael Von Gruenigen of Switzerland was third in 1:49.75.

The World Cup season continues at the end of November with events at Park City, Utah, Aspen, Colorado and Lake Louise, Alberta.