After a season full of ups and downs, Olympian Léandre Bouchard wants to end his season on a good note in front of his family and friends.
A silver medalist at the Canadian Olympic Cross Country Championships, Bouchard achieved his best result of the season at the international level with a 32nd place at the first World Cup of the year.
“I hope I can energize the audience to end the season on a good note and bring some relief to the ups and downs,” Bouchard said. A place in the top 40 would be interesting or close to my best result. I hope I can pull a rabbit out of my hat. I want to be proud and exhausted after the race.”
Bouchard suffered a serious fall during a training descent shortly before the first stage of the World Cup in Brazil in April 2022 and has also suffered from after-effects this year. The results weren’t pretty: five broken ribs, a dislocation of two ligaments and a pneumothorax that caused bruising and bleeding in the lungs.
“My performances this year are related to the consequences of my injury in 2022,” explained Almas Stolz. I made a quick comeback, but injuries followed me this year. I was also a bit unlucky.”
Since his results were not sufficient, Bouchard will not take part in the short-distance cross-country race. In 2022 he finished 15th at the World Championships. “Cross-country skiing is the main event and I will focus on that.”
Like Bouchard, Laurie Arsenault didn’t have the season she wanted on the World Cup circuit and will miss the short cross-country course.
“It’s been a pretty difficult season,” she said. I suffered several falls and injuries. I had little training. Physically I’m back to 100 percent, but that probably won’t happen at the end of the season. My head is full of dreams and I will continue next year. At 26 years old, I’m still young in a sport that’s only developing late.”
goal achieved
Ophélie Grandmont has achieved her main goal this season. “I am delighted to have qualified for the U-23 World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, where I finished 38th. I also did a World Cup in Switzerland. At 19 years old, in my first year with the U-23, I expected there would be a big step up in the junior category.
Concrete goals in mind? “A top 30 would be good and a top 25 would be even better,” said the Beaupré resident, who only takes 15 minutes by bike to get to Mont-Sainte-Anne. The course is very technical and especially given the rain forecast.”