(Lac-Beauport) Marion Thénault and Émile Nadeau won the bronze medal in the first stage of the Lac-Beauport Aerials World Cup, where three Canadians were super-finalists at the Le Relais Ski Center.
Difficult weather conditions awaited the athletes in these super-finals. The rain that started during the finals made the course stickier and slower. This complicated the lives of many competitors, who had to start their descent higher in order to find the necessary speed for their figures.
On the men’s side, Nadeau had to wait nervously in the medalists’ area after starting first and setting the tone for the super-final with a score of 105.30.
PHOTO KAROLINE BOUCHER, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Emile Nadeau
The Chinese Guangpu Qi (124.78) and Xindi Wang (119.47) then achieved the two best scores of the day, before the other Canadian in the super-final, Lewis Irving, fell on landing to finally take sixth place.
Chinese Yifan Zhang thought he had joined his teammates on the podium for a hat-trick, but his score of 103.10 was unable to dislodge Nadeau.
Only the Ukrainian Dmytro Kotovskyi remained, who attempted a triple somersault with five twists, a first on the World Cup circuit. His imperfect landing, however, relegated him to fifth place and at the same time confirmed Nadeau’s third place.
“It’s crazy, especially after a day like this, with the rain,” Nadeau said. I had to start from the top of the slope and skate a lot. »
I would have liked to do a quadruple twist as my last jump, but due to the conditions I stayed safe. The scores weren’t great in Final 1 either, so I did my jump less difficult, but with better execution. It functioned.
Emile Nadeau
“I asked Kotovskyi at the top of the track if he was going to pull out his five twists, and he told me he didn’t know,” added the Prévost athlete. When I saw the ad, I told myself it was either make or break. All I had to do was wait and cross my fingers. »
Mental victory
Thénault started last of the day among the women. However, she experienced some problems landing and obtained 83.19 points from the judges, too few to downgrade the American Karenna Elliott (89.18), for whom it was the first career podium on the circuit. of the World Cup, or the Australian Danielle Scott (84.24).
PHOTO KAROLINE BOUCHER, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Danielle Scott
“It’s going well, especially since the conditions weren’t easy. The ramps and landing area were super slow, said Thénault, first in qualifying and the final. I’m glad I saved my landing. I had a difficult week in training and to get on the podium in front of family and friends is always great. »
The Sherbrookoise, who won the first stage of the Lac-Beauport World Cup last year, was happy to find the podium again during this difficult season.
Victorious in the first stage in Ruka in December, Thénault fell heavily in training between the first two World Cups of the season. Victim of a concussion – she still does not remember her fall – she is still recovering from her injuries. She admitted that mentally she didn’t feel good at the start of the day, a feeling that her performances gradually faded.
” I’m capable. I’m back! “, she said, visibly relieved.
“She just gave me a little wink and said she remembered what it was like to be at the top and that’s what she was going to aim for [dimanche] “, said head coach Jeff Bean while we were busy preparing for the ceremonies.
This is the mentality I wanted her to find.
Jeff Bean, head coach
The road of Rosalie Gagnon and Charlie Fontaine ended in the final, where they took the 10e and 12e ranks. Alexandra Montminy was eliminated in qualifying and finished 15e.
Among the men, five jumpers qualified for the final, including Alexandre Duchaine, winner last week in Deer Valley, Miha Fontaine and Anthony Noël, who finished in 9e11e and 12e places.
Gabriel Dion (15e), Elliott Beauregard (17e), Victor Primeau (19e) and Pierre-Olivier Côté were stopped in qualifying.
Ranking shaken up
The surprise of the day came from the American Winter Vinecki. The one who held the yellow jersey before the start of the competition fell on landing in qualifying and finished 13ewhich allowed Scott to get ahead of her in the quest for the crystal globe.
The Australian now has 280 points against 252 for the American. Thénault follows in third place, with 182. Elliott’s victory allows him to move up to fourth place, 12 points behind.
On the men’s side, Qi increased his lead with 300 points against 224 for the Swiss Pirmin Werner, 10e SATURDAY. The American Christopher Lillis (7e) follows at 216 points.
Duchaine slipped one place to fifth place with 187 points. Wang is now in fourth place, three points ahead. Nadeau rose to seventh place, with 160 points.