Roxane Vermette did not have it easy at her last U23 World Championships in Les Gets, France. The Quebecer was involved in a fall at the very start of the race, creating a huge domino effect. Vermette found himself at the back completely and climbed the slope little by little to finally cross the finish line at 30e rank.
Posted at 1:52 p.m.
“After about 30 meters there was a huge fall, several girls fell at the same time as me and my chain landed. I was completely last when I left. It was a difficult start, but I didn’t give up and I fought to move up in the standings,” mentioned Vermette in an interview with Sportcom.
The Quebecer would obviously have hoped for a better result to conclude her last World Championships for the under 23s in the best possible way. In the circumstances, however, she says she is proud to have been able to persevere and gain several places to finish in the middle of the standings (+10 minutes 15 seconds).
“I’m happy with my effort, I had good legs and I felt very good. Emotions are clearly shared, it’s the World Championships and obviously I would have liked to do better, but it was really out of my control. »
The event was won by the Frenchwoman Line Burquier. She was accompanied on the podium by the Dutch Puck Pieterse (+43 seconds) and by the Dane Sofie Pedersen (+59 seconds).
With one last race on the calendar this year, Roxane Vermette is preparing to turn the page on her junior career to progress in the big leagues. A challenge she is eager to take up.
“I will have the chance to recover for one last race next week. I hope to end on a good note. I’m going to work hard during the fall and winter, I’m really looking forward to being part of the elite, I think I’m more than capable of standing out there,” concluded Vermette.
On the women’s elite side, Laurie Arseneault was the only representative of the Belle Province at the start. The one who finished 14e Friday at the short track event took the 42e rank on Sunday, being one lap behind the winner.
The French Pauline Ferrand Prevot became world champion by winning ahead of the Swiss Jolanda Neff (+1 minute 35 seconds) and the American Haley Batten (+2 minutes 13 seconds).
On the men’s side, Léandre Bouchard finished 57e (+9 minutes 30 seconds). The Swiss Nino Schurter won, ahead of the Spaniard David Valero Serrano (+9 seconds) and the Italian Luca Braidot (+29 seconds).