Sunday, December 2, 2001
Young Canuck Simard shows stunning form
By ERIC FRANCIS -- Calgary Sun
LAKE LOUISE -- Skiing in the first World Cup Super G of her life, Canada's Genevieve Simard shocked everyone, including herself, by landing the gold yesterday.
While Germany's Petra Haltmayr wound up winning the race, it was the little-known Canadian who was presented with a $1,000 gold nugget for accomplishing the unthinkable.
With constant snow falling and flat light providing a wicked challenge for all those trying to catch Haltmayr's early standard, the 21-year-old native of Val-Morin, Que., electrified a boisterous finish-line gathering with a run that defied the odds and landed her 11th. Kicking out of the start gate the last skier in a field of 63 competitors, Simard's shocking result earned her a newcomer's award and the gold nugget for placing top-15 despite a start bib number higher than 40. What's more, it put her just one top-13 finish away from a berth in the Salt Lake Olympics.
"The coaches said the track was still amazing and that I could still attack -- they were right, it was smooth," said Simard, a technical specialist who missed two seasons recovering from a knee injury.
"I didn't think it felt that good but I saw 11th and I thought 'what?' I was out of words, I still am, kind of. I'm a tech skier so this is brand new for me."
Haltmayr, whose only other World Cup win was here at last year's downhill, finished in 1:15.09 to outlast France's Carole Montillet and American Caroline Lalive. Montillet said the podium finish was an important one, given the recent death of teammate Regine Cavagnoud while training in Austria.
"It's emotional because she was second here last year in Super G," said Montillet.
"We were close like sisters. I think it was important for the French ski team to be able to podium again and to show people we are still here. We're always thinking about her."
Coming off a fourth-place finish in Friday's downhill, Melanie Turgeon was the top Canadian, finishing ninth in 1:16.36.
"I skied OK but didn't pull out my best stuff," said Turgeon, 25, who missed several months of training due to sinus surgery and back problems.
"I think the lack of training is catching up. Everything is there, I just need a little bit more mileage."
Simard, one of several young Canadian women who have opened the season with solid World Cup results, finished 15th earlier this month in a World Cup giant slalom at Colorado's Copper Mountain.
Clocked in a time of one minute 16.48 seconds, she said this week's speed training certainly helped her confidence.
"This is my best all-time result and it's great everybody from the (Canadian Alpine Ski Team) office is around, and (teammate) Emily (Brydon) is here," said Simard. "It's great to feel at home and have a result like that. It's a great boost and all I need is one more to qualify for the Olympics and I still have a lot of opportunities until the deadline to do it."
Canadians Sara-Maude Boucher finished 39th, Anne-Marie Lefrancois was 43rd, tech skier Allison Forsyth was 50th, and Gail Kelly was 53rd.
2002 Games Alpine Skiing Coverage
