Trembling | The most successful female skier in World Cup history and reigning world giant slalom champion, American Mikaela Shiffrin, met with the media this afternoon during a brief press conference, a few hours before Cirque Blanc’s first appearance in Tremblant in 40 years.
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Shiffrin was in very good spirits and said she was excited to have discovered a new destination on the World Cup circuit. “It’s wonderful to be here for the first time and it’s a very significant event to have two consecutive World Cup stops in North America this year after Killington last weekend,” he said. It is a very beautiful place and it is exciting to discover a new destination. All the girls are excited and a new atmosphere is created on the race track. With all the traveling we have to do in a season, it’s also great that we can reach everything on foot.”
However, on her first visit to Tremblant, Shiffrin came to Quebec during her high school studies. “When I was studying and training at Burke Mountain Academy in Vermont, we had a training camp at Mont-Sainte-Anne,” said the 28-year-old skier from Vail, Colorado, who is looking for a sixth career Crystal Globe, with he could set the record. The two places are not very far away, but it’s different here.”
With 90 World Cup victories, three Olympic medals, including two gold, and seven world championship titles, how can Shiffrin measure future success? a colleague asked. “Far beyond the victories, progress and the development of my full potential are much more important to me.”
The podium is accessible to Valérie Grenier
Building on her first career victory last January in Slovenia and a second podium at the end of last season in Andorra, Valérie Grenier is currently experiencing the best moments of her career as she prepares to compete in her first World Cup in Quebec.
Grenier continued his momentum this year by securing 7th and 5th place finishes at Levi in Finland and Killington in Vermont. In her last nine races she finished in the top 10 eight times.
“I don’t want to put any pressure on her shoulders, but Valérie can hope to get on the podium,” said double world champion Erik Guay, who attended Grenier’s last outing in Vermont. Valérie is running better and better and took 5th place in Killington despite making two mistakes.”
If she doesn’t put too much pressure on herself by setting goals that are too specific, Grenier wants to shine in her two home rounds of the World Cup.
“In Tremblant, those are the races I’m most looking forward to and really want to do well,” she concluded. It would be even more incredible if I achieved good results at Tremblant in front of my family. I want to do it well, but I have the right approach. I know my family will support me just as much regardless of my results. I’ve taken part in the World Cup in Lake Louise several times, but this is completely different. I’m at home.”
This return of Cirque Blanc to Quebec after a 28-year absence and this first presence in Tremblant in 40 years represents an incredible opportunity for the skier originally from Saint-Isidore in eastern Ontario.
“It is an incredible opportunity to promote alpine skiing in Quebec,” she said. It attracts a lot of attention and is a big plus for the young people from the clubs who come to visit us. When I was younger, I would have loved to compete in a world championship in Quebec.”
Don’t worry about the route
Skiers did not descend from the Flying Mill on Friday, but the event director assures there is no cause for concern. “We just wanted to protect the track so that it was in optimal condition for the race,” said Nicholas Cogger. It happens very often that there is no free descent before the races. We expect a cooling effect tonight and that will help, but we could have run the race on Friday.”