(Killington, Vermont) “ Where is Mimi? Leaning against the bar of a Mexican restaurant in Killington, Sunday evening, a “ski bum” inquired about the reason for Marie-Michèle Gagnon’s absence from the Alpine Skiing World Cup.
The Canadian has not gone unnoticed in her previous four appearances in Vermont. In 2016, about sixty of his relatives had rented an inn to attend his races.
Five years later, Gagnon no longer touches the technical events (slalom and giant slalom), the only ones contested in Killington last weekend.
Instead, for this Thanksgiving break, “Mimi” was having a good time with her family at the residence of her fiancé, American skier Travis Ganong, in Lake Tahoe, California.
Before enjoying the traditional turkey, she took a few minutes to discuss the season that will begin for her this week in Lake Louise. If the weather does not make its own as for the men – two events canceled last week – she will set off for two downhills and a super-G from Friday.
After a final training camp in Colorado, where she was able to compete against most of her rivals from other nations in optimal conditions, her optimism is high.
“It was really good,” she said enthusiastically. My ski is fine. He is solid, constant, fast. I’m happy. “
Obviously, it’s just practice. We will see in the race. But I’m starting the season with good confidence.
Marie-Michèle Gagnon
In her second campaign with coach Hansjörg Plankensteiner, the 32-year-old felt improvement as soon as she put down her skis on the Zermatt glacier at the end of August. The Swiss team welcomed the only Canadian to speed full time.
“The technical exercises we had done on the snow the year before had become more natural. Quickly, I saw the change. I was already at a more advanced technical level. ”
Joined Monday in Lake Louise, Plankensteiner did not hide his enthusiasm. “It’s better not to talk too much right now – racing is another thing – but Mitch has been really good. She had a really good time and she is very strong after a good summer of training. I think she’s in a better place than she was at the same time last year. ”
In 2020, the Lac-Etchemin skier chose to devote herself entirely to super-G and downhill. She had to convince the decision-makers of Alpine Canada of the relevance of her project. After an uneven first half of the season, she gained momentum in January, finishing third in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen super-G, her first podium in five years, the very first in a speed discipline.
PHOTO OLIVIER PONTBRIAND, ARCHIVES THE PRESS
Marie-Michèle Gagnon
“It was like the icing on the sundae, I didn’t expect it. It has always been a dream to make a podium in a hurry. ”
The former slalom player then did well at the Cortina World Championships (6e in super-G, 13e downhill after a big mistake at the top of the course) before concluding the winter strong with two personal downhill summits (7e and 9e).
Thanks to this solid end of winter, Gagnon can start with better starting numbers from the start of the season. She currently occupies the 9e rank in super-G and 15e downhill. She was not in the top 30 a year earlier.
“It will help me. In speed, you must have the same conditions as the other girls who go fast. If you leave later, the light and the snow are a bit different. Many aspects can vary the performance. ”
A question of equipment
Equipment is one of those. In her second year with Head, she says she is very confident. She still had a little fear this fall when the new technician who was to follow her fell ill. Plankensteiner played the dual role for a month.
At the “last minute”, they unearthed a technician of very good reputation: the Italian Augusto Gillio, who accompanied the Swiss Didier Défago during his gold medal in the Olympic downhill in Whistler, in 2010.
“We found a pearl,” said Gagnon. He is very experienced in speed. He comes from the Courmayeur region. So we speak French and we get along really well. It’s very cool. Everyone says to me: “Oh my God, you have Augusto, you are so lucky ! ” He is very well recognized in the community. ”
Mentor of veteran Italian descender Christof Innerhofer for nearly three decades, Plankensteiner discovered in Gagnon such a committed athlete.
“They are similar. Very professional and ready to give the maximum every day. Sometimes it is even a little too much. She always wants one more descent. I sometimes have to stop it. ”
Refusing to impose pressure on himself, Gagnon does not want to quantify his objectives in 2021-2022. “I’m in a really good spot right now. If I continue to ski like I have in the last few months, I know it will give good results. ”
Injured to a knee in 2017-2018, Gagnon therefore missed the Olympic Games in PyeongChang. From then on, she had turned her eyes to Beijing, which would be her third.
I can’t believe it, it’s been four years. Wow! I have so much fun in speed. I have fun every day, even when things aren’t going well.
Marie-Michèle Gagnon
She would like to arrive in the Chinese capital on a good streak, even though she knows it would come with expectations. “It would still be cool to be one of the favorites because it’s not a situation I’ve been through often. ”
His parents and one of his brothers will be there to cheer him on in Lake Louise this week. She will be at her 11e start in the famous Alberta station, where she finished 10e super-G in 2013.
“If she has a normal race, she can finish in the top 10,” predicted her coach. She can also finish in the top five. ”