Trembling | Canada’s Cassidy Gray performed well for the second day in a row, climbing back into the top 30.
With a 24th-place finish, the skier from British Columbia matched Saturday’s result, where she ended an ugly streak of nearly three years in which she failed to qualify for a second round that brings together the 30 fastest skiers.
She placed 26th in Slovenia in January 2021 and 27th in Slovakia in March of the same year before achieving her best career performances in Tremblant.
“I’m really happy with my performance,” said the 21-year-old youngest member of the Canadian Alpine skiing team at the Beijing 2022 Olympics. It’s really nice to have two good performances in a row and that gives me a lot of confidence . I know I can do better and can’t wait to see the rest of the season.”
Gray is from British Columbia and gave all of her interviews over the weekend in French. “I had good teachers in high school and I practice with Valérie [Grenier] and Laurence [St-Germain].”
Fall at the end of the course
Building on her best career finish on Saturday, a 15th-place finish, Britt Richardson wanted to keep it up, but crashed in the final section of the course on the first lap and saw her hopes fade.
“I don’t know exactly what happened,” she said. I was so close to the finish line. It’s more disappointing because I had a chance to get into the top 30. I gave it my all and sometimes falls or mistakes happen when you are aggressive.”
“My skiing was there,” Richardson added. Despite my fall, I had a positive assessment of my weekend. As I fell, the crowd lined up behind me. I stood up and greeted the fans to thank them. This applause turned a difficult event into a better situation.”
Positive despite the fall
Quebecers Justine Clément and Justine Lamontagne finished 50th and 53rd, respectively. For the second year in a row, Sarah Bennett was eliminated in the first round.
“I’m happier with my race than with Saturday’s,” said Clément, who completed the 51st run the day before. With eight days of training in the snow, I did what I could. In our sport, four seconds is a lot, but then again it’s only four seconds. I thought I would finish further away from the leaders. We don’t have the same support as other national teams.”
In her fifth World Cup start in her career, Lamontagne was satisfied. “I am happy to have ended my descent. “It’s special to get to the finish area and see everyone,” the Montana State Bobcats skier said. It was more natural for me today. I knew the route and the sensations.”
Despite his fall, Bennett said he had good feelings. “I felt really good and found skiing again, which I did well in training,” she emphasized. I was the one skiing and it was the first time this year that I felt so good. There are many, many things I can build on.”
Bennett injured her right shoulder last January and will not accompany her teammates to Europe for the next stages of the World Cup. “I will participate with the Quebec team in FIS events in Mont Édouard and in the NorAm stages in Tremblant.”