The Canadian mogul team showed by far their best performance of the season in Saint-Côme. Will this achievement serve as a stepping stone to ending the year on a good note?
• Also read: A second final in two days for three Quebecers
• Also read: Mikaël Kingsbury has to settle for money in Val Saint-Côme
Elliot Vaillancourt, Julien Viel and Louis-David Chalifoux made their first solo final and did it again the next day in parallel moguls.
Maia Schwinghammer wowed the gallery with a fifth place finish and Laurianne Desmarais-Gilbert cracked the top 16 final for the first time in her career.
“Although we’ve had some low points in recent years, we’ve continued to work hard and Val Saint-Côme’s performance looks good for the future,” said Team Canada head coach Michel Hamelin. We work with this group of athletes who have qualified for two finals in three years. »
“The weekend’s performances are the result of three years of work and not since the athletes released a letter in May urging the team to raise the standard of quality,” Hamelin continued. My demands on athletes have always been pretty much the same. »
Hamelin always optimistic
Hamelin says he never gave up hope of seeing the latest hatch.
“Working with them every day I’ve seen the development and the potential, but the athletes also need to understand that they have the potential. Their presence in the final will allow them to build their confidence. »
Much turned heads on Friday as he finished fourth in qualifying en route to his first career final. “Julien is one of the rising stars of Canadian freestyle skiing,” said Hamelin. He needs to build his confidence this year. I’m not sure if he believed in his chances of finishing fourth and that was his place. You have to believe in your potential. »
“The same goes for Maia, but she has more experience than Julien,” Hamelin continues. She has grown as an athlete and as a person over the past two years. She takes everything more seriously. She should often be in the super final [top six]. »
Vaillancourt unlocked
Vaillancourt, champion of the NorAm course two years ago, suffered an injury ahead of the Tremblant World Cup in January that delayed his progress.
“I have a feeling Elliot is gone,” Hamelin said. He was able to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, but a concussion in training meant he missed the Tremblant and Deer Valley World Cups. The possibility of games has disappeared. This collision slowed him down. »
“Elliot has a lot of energy and gas and sometimes I have to slow him down, even if it’s not my style, otherwise he would go off course,” added Hamelin. In a duel against Ikuma [Horishima], he made quite a descent. When you’re not the favourite, you have to put pressure on your opponent and that’s exactly what he did. »
Philippe Marquis ensures the next generation is solid
In his first season as coach of the next-gen squad, Philippe Marquis is ensuring the next generation is well positioned despite the World Cup failures of recent years, with the exception of Mikaël Kingsbury.
Marquis was hired in May after three seasons as a coach in Vail, Colo. and wants the speakers to continue to advance their research.
“Sometimes the quality of the next generation in our sport is misperceived,” said Marquis. Nobody digs deeper than the World Cup before giving opinions. At the top of the pyramid, with the exception of Mikaël, there is no hiding place where we have setbacks, but we have good young people. You have to get above the surface before you claim the relief isn’t there in moguls. »
“Our skiers were dominant in NorAm last year and we did very well in British Columbia last week chasing the student for a Certificate in Sports Management at the University of London. We have good young people and we don’t let them go to make sure they get to the top. »
very good ability
Last year, Julien Viel won the NorAm Cup, securing his ticket to the World Cup season.
“Julien is a very good talent who has an impeccable work ethic, Marquis stressed, but he’s going through a period of adjustment. You have to be patient because he will experience successes and failures. »
“There is a period of adjustment between the NorAm Circuit and the World Championship, as there is in hockey,” he said. Even if you dominate in the NorAm series, that doesn’t mean the transition will be easy. We see the same thing in hockey with Alexis Lafrenière, who dominated the junior ranks and who is going through an adjustment period in the NHL. »
Landmark arrival
Marquis notes improvements since his arrival.
“The bridge seems to be a bit stronger than with the athletes and the provinces. I have close relationships with the coaches in the provinces and we need to keep working on that aspect. The system is repositioning itself after the pandemic. »
“After three years, I am happy to be back up north and to represent the good country,” he said. Although I was a member of the national team as an athlete for 12 years, it took me six months to acclimatise. I was in observation mode at first, but I’m taking up a little more space now and identifying what I can bring to my role. »