Three Quebecers were in action Thursday morning at the World Cross-Country Skiing Championships in Planica, Slovenia. Katherine Stewart-Jones, Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt and Liliane Gagnon joined forces with Ottawa’s Jasmine Lyons to finish in eighth place in the 4 x 5 kilometer relay.
True to form, it was Stewart-Jones who was the first Canadian to start. She covered the distance in 14 min 13.2 s and gave Lyons the baton in seventh place (+38.5 seconds).
“I was first in my last appearances at the World Championships and even at the Olympic Games, I’m starting to get used to this role. I was able to make a big effort to catch up with a group that had escaped. It took a lot of energy, but it was worth pushing myself for the team,” explained Stewart-Jones in an interview with Sportcom.
Lyons managed to hold on to seventh place at the halfway mark. The European powers pushed harder and harder in the second half of the race in an attempt to overtake the Canadians. Gagnon and Bouffard-Nesbitt, however, held on and led the maple leaf to an eighth place which proved satisfactory for all the members of the formation.
“I’m really proud of the team, it’s a very good result for us! It’s great to get this result at the World Championships. We gave everything we had and I really think we can be happy with what we achieved. »
With Lyons and Gagnon, both 20 years old, the excitement was palpable in the Canadian camp just before the relay. As a good veteran, Katherine Stewart-Jones did her best to reassure her teammates and, at the same time, guarantee a positive atmosphere for all.
“We were all obviously stressed because it’s the worlds! The team has changed a lot in the last few years and it has still gotten younger, but the atmosphere hasn’t changed, we still have as much fun doing this event. I think Liliane and Jasmine enjoyed their experience,” concluded Stewart-Jones.
The Norwegians and the Germans exchanged the lead in the first 10 kilometers. The end of the event, however, was the business of the representatives of Norway, who won the gold medal. The German cross-country skiers (+20.5 seconds) followed with the silver medal.
The bronze medal was decided within two seconds between Sweden and Finland. A push from Maja Dahlquist finally allowed the Swedes to climb to the third step of the podium (+28.7 seconds).
Antoine Cyr and Olivier Léveillé will be back in action on Friday for the men’s 4 x 10 kilometer relay. For the occasion, they will team up with Xavier McKeever and Graham Ritchie.