(Zhangjiakou) Quebecers Sébastien Toutant and Maxence Parrot as well as Saskatchewanian Mark McMorris got their hands on one of the 12 passes for the snowboard acrobatic descent (slopestyle) final.
Posted at 6:09
After falling during his first descent, Sébastien Toutant recovered on his second opportunity. He managed a downhill allowing him to take eighth place in qualifying.
“The conditions are difficult. It’s cold, it’s very windy. On my first jump, that’s exactly what happened. The wind caught me and I ran out of speed,” explained the athlete from Repentigny.
The 29-year-old snowboarder has been wearing a big smile since arriving in China, both in training and when appearing in front of the media.
“It’s fun to be back at the Olympics. I am very blessed to live this experience again. These are my third Games. There aren’t many people who have the chance to experience that in a lifetime, ”said the one who won a gold medal in the big jump (big air) in PyeongChang.
The Bromontois Maxence Parrot meanwhile took the 10and qualifications position. He said he was satisfied with his day since he was not aiming for a first position, but an access for the final. That’s what he did.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Maxence Parrot took the 10and qualifications position.
“The strategy in qualifying is a completely different strategy than in the final. In qualifying, my goal was just to be in the top 12. Whether I’m 12and or first, it doesn’t change anything”, said the one who plans to do a completely different run for the final.
Maxence Parrot, who won silver in PyeongChang in freestyle downhill, said he was privileged to compete in his third Olympics especially after the cancer he battled in 2019. For six months he had to retire from the competition to undergo chemotherapy treatments.
“It was extremely difficult then to be able to be on my board today among the best and to be at my third Olympics a few years later, that means a lot to me,” he said.
The 27-year-old snowboarder has also approached Olympic competition differently since suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “Of course I’m a little nervous. It’s the Olympics and it’s only every four years. I want to win and I put pressure on my shoulders. But the fact remains that now I enjoy every moment, every day, ”he added.
Canadian Mark McMorris finished second in qualifying. “It’s really nice to have the chance to compete for a medal,” he said during his appearance in front of the media.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Mark McMorris took second place in qualifying.
In 23and position, fellow Canadian Darcy Sharpe failed to qualify.
It was the Chinese Su Yiming, to the delight of the small crowd, who won the first pass for the finals. The snowboarder finished sixth at the Freestyle World Cup in Calgary this season. It was the best performance of his career before reaching his Olympic finals.
Su Yiming’s idol is the Canadian Mark McMorris, the one who came second, just after the Chinese.