Gagnon on top of the podium in giant slalom at the New Zealand Winter Games

Five Canadians finish in the top 12 in FIS race

CORONET PEAK, NZE (August 28, 2009) – Marie-Michèle Gagnon (Lac Etchemin, QC) clocked a two-run combined time of one minute 43.75 seconds to win a giant slalom event today at the New Zealand Winter Games in Coronet Peak, NZE.

Gagnon, among several Canadians preparing for the upcoming World Cup season by racing in the New Zealand Winter Games, had the fastest time in both runs in today’s FIS- sanctioned race.

“I am very satisfied with my results. I really feel like this is a good start for our very busy season to come,” said Gagnon, who has one career top 10 finish in World Cup competition in GS. “But at the same time I know that I have a lot to work on technically before the real season begins.”

Britt Janyk (Whistler, BC) finished fifth today after winning the super-G race earlier this week. Janyk has been concentrating more on speed events for the last two seasons but said she has decided to start racing GS again.

“I have been a strong GS skier my whole career, so to race giant slalom is quite comfortable for me,” said Janyk. “I am happy with the result especially starting with the bib 41. For me this race was an opportunity to get a good point result so that I can move into the top 100. I think I did that with today’s result so the goal was accomplished,” added Janyk. 

Other Canadians in the top 10 included Marie-Pier Préfontaine (Saint-Sauveur, QC) who followed Janyk by placing sixth with a combined time of 1:44.88 and Larisa Yurkiw (Owen Sound, ON) who finished in ninth place with a combined time of 1:45.30.

Brigitte Acton (Mont-Tremblant, QC), Brittany Phelan (Mont Tremblant, QC) and Shona Rubens (Canmore, AB) were not able to finish the first run of the giant slalom.

Agnieszka Gasienica Daniel of Poland finished second today in a two-run combined time of 1:44.37 followed closely by Sweden’s Maria Pietilae-Holmner in third.

Also of note, there is a strong Canadian representation among the officials at the New Zealand Winter Games in Coronet Peak, NZE. There are a total of 15 Canadians in various positions on the race organizing committee working to ensure the safety and quality of the races, including Technical Delegate Amanda Shaw and Bruce Hamstead, the referee of today’s race.

“It was great to have some Canadian course workers down here cheering us on and keeping the course in great shape,” said Janyk of the work the officials have been doing.

“There are a lot of volunteers here from Canada and they worked hard to get this race off. It was impressive they pulled off today’s event,” added Kelly VanderBeek (Kitchener, ON) who finished 12^th today.

The ladies team is scheduled to participate in a slalom on Sunday, which will be the last alpine event for these Games.

The New Zealand Winter Games are described by organizers as a unique competition for elite winter sports athletes and a testing ground against world class competition, as preparations continue for the upcoming FIS World Cup season and 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

More than 800 athletes are participating from 30 different countries, competing in a variety of different sports including alpine skiing, free skiing, x-country skiing, snowboarding, curling, ice skating and adaptive snow sports.

CORONET PEAK, NZE – AUG. 28, 2009 – GIANT SLALOM – LADIES

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