By Andrew Mitchell
The Canadian Alpine Ski Team followed up Erik Guay’s two-medals in Garmisch, Germany with another two medals in Italy and Slovenia this past weekend, bringing the team’s total to 12 podium appearances on the season. — a milestone in Alpine Canada’s drive to be among the top alpine nations in 2010. The team also had a goal of two world championship medals this season, but missed that by just a few hundredths of a second in three different races.
Ken Read, a former downhill racer and the current CEO of Alpine Canada, was floored by the results to date.
“The only reason we set the goal of 12 (medals) this year, to match last year’s total, was that Thomas (Grandi) decided not to retire,” he said. “What’s been amazing about this group is that we’ve reached that goal of 12, early, without one podium from Thomas.
“He had five of our 12 a year ago, remember. This year the mix is very different. The young kids on our team, the Hudecs and Bourques and Osborne-Paradis, have come through in a big way, maybe ahead of schedule.
“Two years ago, we originally set a target of six medals and seven for this year.”
Read acknowledged that the team still has a few weak spots. Following the injury and retirement of Melanie Turgeon, and the injuries that have sidelined Allison Forsyth, the women’s team has had a tough time winning medals this season. Kelly VanderBeek won a super G medal at Lake Louise in early December, and last weekend Emily Brydon picked up a bronze in the downhill at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Whistler’s Britt Janyk has three top-four results so far, while Brydon has been consistently in the top-30. Genevieve Simard is also struggling to get back on the podium after winning two medals in the 2005-06 season.
Still, Read acknowledged that there are some things that are out of Alpine Canada’s control. “Injuries and slumps are always factors,” he said, suggesting that Canada needed to broaden its depth on the women’s side. “You always want as many chances as possible to win a medal going into every race.”
Emily Brydon started off Canada’s medal weekend with a modest 14 th in the super combined at Tarvisio, Italy, securing 10 th overall in the World Cup standings with her consistent skiing.
A day later she was on the downhill podium, earning the fourth World Cup medal of her career, as well as her first medal since 2005. Although she has been skiing consistently, the lack of podiums was frustrating for Brydon — she was a rising star with the national team until the first of a series of knee injuries struck in 2004.
Brydon’s bronze medal, just 0.21 seconds behind Julia Mancuso of the U.S. and 0.04 seconds back of Austria’s Renate Goetschl, also preceded two other Canadians into the top-10. VanderBeek was fifth, while Britt Janyk placed 10 th . Shona Rubens also earned points for finishing in the top-30, placing 23 rd .
“Yesterday’s (Super Combined) result was a huge boost for me,” Brydon said. “I think that with downhill so much is about confidence and just taking the risk. I really stepped it up yesterday and that gave me the confidence to know that I could do even more today. That played a huge role in today’s result.”
On the same day, the men’s technical team was racing in a giant slalom at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Francois Bourque of New Richmond, Quebec picked up his second silver medal of the season, placing between Benjamin Raich of Austria and Massimiliano Blardone of Italy. Thomas Grandi was 16 th .
“I attacked both runs and it turned out pretty well,” said Bourque, 21. “I know we have the best team ever and it’s great to be contributing to the success of Canadian ski racing. We have a young team; the best is still to come.”
On Sunday, it was the Janyk siblings who led the way.
In the women’s super G at Tarvisio, Italy, Britt Janyk placed seventh overall to earn her fourth top-10 result in her last five World Cup races. Brydon also finished in the top-10, placing ninth.
“It’s really good because I know I made some mistakes today and I finished seventh, so I just have to keep working,” Janyk said. “I know when I put together a great run I’ll be fighting for a podium.”
Janyk — who was relegated to the women’s development team at the start of this year following a couple of disappointing years with the women’s technical team — has hit her stride on the speed team, where she is now ranked fifth in the world in super G, as well as 25 th in downhill.
In Slovenia, Britt’s younger brother Michael led the way for the Canadians in the slalom with a 10 th place result. He was sitting in fifth after the first run, but starting position ensured he ended up with a chewed up course in his second run.
“With the warm weather, the course got banged up pretty good around the gates, and it just pushed me around way too much for the second run,” he said. “I tried to go too hard.”
Austria’s Mario Matt took the gold, followed by teammate Benjamin Raich and Italy’s Manfred Moelgg. Thomas Grandi was 18 th .
