The Canadian Alpine Ski Team has seen its share of highs and lows during the 2001-2002 season, and recently more lows than highs.
From an administrative side, the Alpine Canada Alpin board recently relieved president Kerry Moynihan of his post. After a poor showing at the Olympics, the ACA also cancelled the men’s World Cup speed program for the rest of the season, firing all of the coaches and pledging to rebuild the program.
From an athletics side, the team failed to win a single medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Even the red-hot women’s team has cooled down in recent weeks, with racers lucky to crack the top 15 in most competitions.
The season did however end on a high note as five Canadians managed to qualify for this year’s World Cup finals at Flachau, Austria. The previous year only two Canadians, Melanie Turgeon and Allison Forsyth, qualified for the finals.
Thomas Grandi of Canmore, Alberta, finished 22 nd in the giant slalom event. He was 20 th in the GS rankings heading into the finals. His 23-year-old training partner, Jean-Philippe Roy of Ste-Flavie, Quebec, crashed on his first slalom run. He was 21 st in the slalom rankings before the finals.
"I’m happy with the way the season went," said the 29-year-old Grandi. "Having two racers in World Cup finals shows that together J.P. Roy and I make a strong team. We have to keep pushing each other and working together and we’re going to get good."
Melanie Turgeon of Beauport, Quebec, skied aggressively in the downhill competition and finished in 10th place after being ranked 19 th in the world. Turgeon, 25, also finished 12 th in the super-G finals, one one-hundredth of a second back of teammate Genevieve Simard.
"It’s been a very difficult season for Melanie," said coach Hugues Ansermoz. "With all the training she missed things were not going the way she wanted. But she had a good race in the Olympics and she focussed on race days this week and performed well.
Genevieve Simard, 21, of Val-Morin, Quebec, started the super-G season at Lake Louise with an 11 th place finish and ended it with another 11th at Flachau. In between the two races, she was a solid competitor who has emerged to become one of Canada’s top racers at the World Cup level.
She was named the Winterhur rookie of the year on the World Cup circuit for her efforts, which also landed her in the Olympics.
She also finished 18 th in the giant slalom at Flachau.
"Being named rookie of the year makes me proud and reminds me that even if today was not up to my expectations, it was a breakthrough season for me," she said. "I always believed in myself and my abilities and my podium (in Berchtesgaden) and good results in super-G were just the proof of that. Confidence-wise, it’s great, I’m feeling good."
Forsyth of Nanaimo was the top Canadian on the World Cup circuit, in the Olympics and heading into the finals, and didn’t disappoint. The 23-year-old was 13 th in the final giant slalom, but finished in the top 10 on the overall GS standings.
World Cup Finals Results
Men’s Downhill, March 6
1. Stephan Eberharter, Austria
2. Ambrosi Hoffman, Switzerland
3. Hannes Trinkl
Final Men’s Downhill Standings
1. Stephan Eberharter, Austria
2. Fritz Strobl, Austria
3. Kristian Ghedina, Italy
46. Ed Podivinsky, Canada
47. Darin McBeath, Canada
Women’s Downhill, March 6
1. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria
2. Caroline Lalive, United States
3. Melanie Suchet, France
10. Melanie Turgeon, Canada
Final Women’s Downhill Standings
1. Isolde Kostner, Italy
2. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria
3. Corinne Rey Bellet, Switzerland
19. Melanie Turgeon, Canada
30. Anne-Marie Lefrancois, Canada
Men’s Super G, March 7
1. Didier Cuche, Switzerland
2. Fritz Strobl, Austria
3. Alessandro Fattori, Italy
Final Men’s Super G Standings
1. Stephan Eberharter, Austria
2. Didier Cuche
3. Fritz Strobl
Women’s Super G, March 7
1. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria
2. Alexandra Meissnitzer, Austria
3. Hilde Gerg, Germany
11. Genevieve Simard, Canada
12. Melanie Turgeon, Canada
Final Women’s Super G Standings
1. Hilde Gerg, Germany
2. Alexandra Miessnitzer, Austria
3. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria
17. Genevieve Simard, Canada
18. Melanie Turgeon, Canada
43. Sara-Maude Boucher, Canada
Men’s Slalom, March 9
1. Ivica Kostelilc, Croatia
2. Bode Miller, United States
3. Jean-Pierre Vidal, France
Final Men’s Slalom Standings
1. Ivica Kostelic, Croatia
2. Bode Miller, United States
3. Jean-Pierre Vidal, France
24. Jean-Philippe Roy, Canada
38. Thomas Grandi, Canada
Women’s Slalom, March 10
1. Janica Kostelic, Croatia
2. Anja Paerson, Sweden
3. Ylva Nowen, Sweden
Final Women’s Slalom Standings
1. Laure Pequegnot, France
2. Kristina Koznick, United States
3. Anja Paerson, Sweden
41. Britt Janyk, Canada
42. Genevieve Simard, Canada
Men’s Giant Slalom, March 10
1. Michael Von Gruenigen, Switzerland
2. Benjamin Raich, Austria
3. Stephan Eberharter, Austria
22. Thomas Grandi, Canada
Final Men’s Giant Slalom Standings
1. Frederic Covili, France
2. Benjamin Raich, Austria
3. Stephan Eberharter, Austria
20. Thomas Grandi, Canada
Jean-Philippe Roy, Canada
Women’s Giant Slalom, March 9
1. Sonja Nef, Switzerland
2. Anna Ottosson, Sweden
3. Tanja Poutiainen, Finland
13. Allison Forsyth, Canada
18. Genevieve Simard, Canada
Final Women’s Giant Slalom Standings
1. Sonja Nef, Switzlerand
2. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria
3. Anja Paerson, Sweden
7. Allison Forsyth, Canada
23. Genevieve Simard, Canada
Final Men’s World Cup Overall Standings
1. Stephan Eberharter, Austria
2. Kjetil Andre Aamodt, Norway
3. Dider Cuche, Switzerland
Final Women’s World Cup Overall Standings
1. Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria
2. Renate Goetschl, Austria
3. Sonja Nef, Switzerland
