Eliot Grondin finds his ease on his board. The Beauceron won the silver medal in snowboard cross on Saturday in Cervinia, Italy.
It is the first medal of the season for the youngest snowboarder on the Canadian team. He had won two last year: gold in Georgia in March, as well as silver in Italy in January. He now brings his total to four career medals.
He started the 2021-2022 calendar with a 9e place in China at the end of November, before ranking 32e in Austria last week. But it was in the team event, where Canada had finished 5the at this same competition, that Grondin regained his sensations.
“It all started last weekend in the team race,” he commented via videoconference. I had a really good day, I found the feelings I had last year. It was good to leave Austria with that feeling. ”
The 20-year-old had a good reaction to the start, and then moved into second behind Austria’s Jakob Dusek. Spaniard Lucas Eguibar completed the podium.
Did Gurnard consider playing it all for all and snatching the top spot from Dusek?
“It’s happening so fast that you don’t really have time to think about it,” he conceded. You think about what is going on around you and what you have to do more than the result. ”
“For me it was ride like last year and manage to get on the podium with a good day, ”he added.
This result helps to “build confidence” for the future, according to him.
“I knew I was fast and that I had the speed to do well,” explained the Beauceron. A lot has happened in the last week with all the travel and the food in China. So to be able to come back like that, it really feels good. ”
In the ladies’ category, Tess Critchlow had the best Canadian ranking with a seventh position. Briton Charlotte Bankes won gold.