(Killington) There is not much snow in Killington. In fact, there are none at all, except on the few open slopes of the “beast from the east”, the nickname of the Vermont resort.
Thanks to snow cannons, Killington has been open from top to bottom since this week. It was about time, because the best technicians from the Alpine Skiing World Cup arrived on Tuesday for the weekend’s two events: a giant slalom on Saturday and a slalom on Sunday.
Thursday evening, a huge luminous projection of the mountain logo shone on the Superstar track, where the routes will be drawn. A few Quebecers had been getting their hands dirty since Monday. The too mild weather will not allow water to be injected into the snow, one of them told us. Perhaps it will be watered on the surface to maintain its integrity.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Killington Mountain, Vermont, is preparing to host the world’s best female skiers this weekend.
Presented since 2016 as part of the traditional Thanksgiving weekend, the Killington World Cup had to take a break last year, the white circus having been limited to Europe because of the pandemic .
For Valérie Grenier, this will be a rare opportunity to ski in front of her boyfriend and her mother, who traveled from Eastern Ontario.
“I have friends who were to come, but you have to take a COVID-19 test to return to Canada,” she noted Thursday night near the foyer of the Grand Resort Hotel. “At almost $ 200, it’s expensive. As the test requirement will not be lifted until November 30, many changed their minds at the last minute. ”
Despite the limitation on the number of spectators, who will have to show proof of vaccination or a negative test, thousands of people are expected at the bottom of the track.
All eyes will again be on local superstar Mikaela Shiffrin, who trained in Vermont at Burke Mountain Academy. But the other skiers will not be left out.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Valerie Grenier
It’s one of my favorite World Cups because it has a great atmosphere.
Valerie Grenier
“We feel a bit like in Europe,” Grenier said. The crowd is so big. And what’s cool here is that they cheer on everyone, no matter who comes downstairs. In Europe, they cry more for European women. ”
A matter of trust
The skier from Saint-Isidore will be making her fifth appearance in Killington. His best result: 24e in giant slalom on her first attempt in 2016. Barely 20 years old at the time, she was competing in four specialties: slalom, giant, super-G and downhill. She has since dropped the stakes. Speed disciplines have also been sidelined since a serious accident at the 2019 Worlds, where she broke her leg in four places.
She is therefore focusing on the giant until further notice. “Really, I can’t wait. It’s been a long time since I’ve run here, and I come with more confidence. The last few times, I was less of a giant slalom specialist. After my seventh place in Sölden, I’m just really looking forward to it. It might be okay. To have. ”
On October 23, Valérie Grenier indeed signed the best result of her career in giant slalom, placing seventh in the opening event on the Sölden glacier. This excellent result brought tears to his eyes. “It really boosted my confidence. “
PHOTO LISI NIESNER, REUTERS
On October 23, in Sölden, Austria, Valérie Grenier finished seventh in the giant slalom.
After two and a half weeks at home at her new home in L’Orignal, Ontario, she couldn’t wait to get back on her skis.
However, the representative of the Mont-Tremblant club had to be patient. The planned course in Vail, Colorado was canceled for lack of adequate trails. She fell back on Nakiska, north of Calgary, where conditions were not great.
“The snow was unfortunately not very good. It was not easy. I wasn’t skiing very well. Every day, my confidence waned, and I ended up a little disappointed. ”
With her Italian trainer Laurent Platz, she was due to come to a ski resort in Vermont at the start of the week, but none offered snow conditions suitable for them. At the last minute, they fell back to Panorama, BC, where they joined the Swiss and a few members of the Canadian men’s team.
“It was fun having friends and being able to compete! It was really great at Pano. Especially the last day. It was really good on the very last descent. I had good feelings. I was solid. I needed to regain confidence and a little consistency. All’s well That ends well. ”
After a night at Calgary airport, Grenier, his trainer and a technician checked in their 27 (!) Bags to head east. Now, if it could snow a little, as the lady at the motel told us, it would set a little mood.
No super-G before a end
For two days, Valérie Grenier reconnected with the super-G in Nakiska. On a rather lenient track, she regained “a little confidence”. But not enough to line up at Lake Louise next week. Anyway, the head coach of the women’s team, Manuel Gamper, had already warned her that she would spend her turn in Alberta. “At the time, I was a little disappointed, but I agree with him. It’s not two days of speed that will change everything to the point of being extremely ready. I don’t want to go to a World Cup to do an average race. I prefer to take my time. “Last year, the Franco-Ontarian suffered from a” mental block “in super-G, a sequel to her fall at the Worlds. In all likelihood, she won’t be ready for the two St. Moritz super-Gs next month. Instead, she’s eyeing Cortina in January.