Injured in an ankle, world champion Laurence St-Germain must give up the next two World Cup slaloms.
The 29-year-old skier has straddled a pole thousands of times in her life, without any unfortunate consequences. This was true until last Monday [le 11 décembre], while a collision with a door during training in Italy stopped her dead in her tracks and thrown head first into the snow. Results of the fall: partial tear of a ligament in the left ankle.
“It could have been really worse,” she encouraged herself, Monday afternoon, from her home in Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges.
Laurence St-Germain will not be at the start of the next two slaloms, the one scheduled in Courchevel on Wednesday evening and the next in Lienz, Austria, on December 29. In the best case scenario, she will return to competition on January 7 in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, although she will not put any pressure on herself.
“I definitely want to come back in January,” she said. I don’t want to come back too quickly and I’m trying not to set a date, but Flachau [le 16 janvier] is one of my favorite races on the circuit. It’s an evening slalom. Just for the event, I wish I was back then. If all goes well, the super ambitious plan would be to resume at Kranjska Gora. »
PHOTO GIOVANNI AULETTA, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Laurence St-Germain in action in Levi, Finland, last November
The 29-year-old was injured during the third round of training in Pozza di Fassa, northeastern Italy. She straddled a three-door chicane (flush in the jargon), a vertical figure which contrasts with the rotating stakes.
“I hit the pole on the wrong side and my ski caught it. That’s what caused my ankle to twist. My ski gave out at just the right time. If it hadn’t come undone, it could have been really worse: my ankle or knee went through it, that’s for sure. »
She suffered a grade 2 tear in her deltoid, an important ankle ligament. Her foot will be immobilized in an orthopedic boot for a minimum period of two weeks, during which she will move around on crutches.
“I’m happy because my season isn’t completely canceled, but it’s a big block of slalom that’s starting right now. We still have four races in five weeks. It’s not ideal for points and all that. The more I postpone my return, the more I miss races. At the same time, I don’t want to come back too quickly because I want to get back healthy. »
Patience
Back in Quebec in the middle of last week, Laurence St-Germain began her treatments on Saturday. Her physiotherapist Isabelle Trottier is in close contact with her physical trainer, Charles Castonguay. “I have an exceptional entourage at home. They took care of me right away during hours when they probably weren’t supposed to be working! They gave me a good plan. »
She started the stationary bike without resistance and the rower with the left leg sliding outwards. “One of Charles’ qualities is that he is very creative. He gives me business so that I don’t have to put any weight on my exercises, but so that I don’t hit my donut either! »
The watchword of his medical team is patience. St-Germain does not want to risk anything by rushing his return on skis.
“I will first have to be able to put weight on my foot. I have a lot of pain-free steps to take before trying on my ski boot and free skiing. With my staff, we said to ourselves that we would not set a date so as not to rush anything. »
The biomedical engineering master’s student doesn’t want to repeat a mistake she may have made in 2016, when she twice injured a ligament in her left knee.
I still have some after-effects. I’m not tempted to have other chronic ailments!
Laurence St-Germain
At her age and with her status, she also doesn’t feel the obligation to prove herself and chase World Cup points.
“I want to come back when I’m confident and feel as fresh as before I got injured. When I come back, I want to be able to be in the top 10. »
Unsatisfied with her start to the season – not qualified in Levi’s first slalom, seventh in second and 14e in Killington – Laurence St-Germain optimistically anticipated the rest of his season, considering himself very close to a first World Cup podium. Relaunching on a course with the same confidence will be his main challenge in the coming weeks.
“That’s the most stressful part of rehab: you never know how it’s going to go on the snow. I’m talking about the mental aspect. I’ve ridden thousands of times, we go so close to the poles in slalom, but I’ve never hurt myself. That’s why I want to come back with confidence with a solid ankle. I want to be able to attack like I did before. »
Rare positive element of this twist of fate: she will be able to celebrate Christmas with her family and friends for the first time since 2016. She nevertheless wishes to return to Europe before Bye since she must allow herself a good week of training before handing over a World Cup bib.