Two podiums on final day boost Canada to victory at 2010 Whistler Cup
WHISTLER, BC (April 11, 2010) - Two podium results on today's final day of the 2010 Whistler Cup race for elite young ski racers boosted Canada to a Nation's Cup victory, holding on to a title won by the host nation last season. Canadians have won the event three of the last four seasons after never having won the competition, celebrating its 18th anniversary in 2010, prior to capturing the title in 2007.
The Whistler Cup, for 11 to 14-year-old (K1 and K2) ski racers from around the world, ended today with Canada earning a total of 246.5 points followed by Italy in second with 186.5 points with Japan third with 177.
AUSTRIAN POGLITSCH WINS EXCITING GIRLS K2 SLALOM
It was a dramatic win for Austria's Anna Poglitsch in today's girls K2 slalom race. Poglitsch's consistent effort netted a two run combined time of 1:28.28. She would then watch as first run leader, the talented American skier Mikaela Shiffrin, went out of the course near the finish line.
Fellow Austrian Julia Grosshaupt was second, more than three seconds back of the winner.
Adrienne Poitras (Montreal, QC) of Mont-Tremblant Ski Club finished in third in 1:33.20 in her first, and last, Whistler Cup experience.
"I was really hoping for a podium today. I didn't really think it was going to be possible because I almost straddled a gate in my first run but the ski went on the right side. I did lose my balance and was really slow going into the next gate," said the 15-year-old Poitras. "So I new I had to have a great second run and I kinda got lucky and got up to third."
SLOVENIA'S HROBAT WINS AT FIRST COMPETITION IN CANADA
Fifteen-year-old Miha Hrobat of Slovenia was competing in Canada for the first time in his life at the 2010 Whistler Cup event. Hrobat left today with an impressive win, finishing in a two-run time of 1:41.80. He was followed by Iceland's Jakob Helgi Bjarnason in second with Karl Kuus (Toronto, ON) of Devil's Glen picking up the second podium in three days, finishing third in 1:43.31.
"The second run was nice and straight and open. It was in great condition, just a great course to ski," said Kuus, who thanked his parents and his sponsors for their support of his ski racing.
JAPAN TAKES TOP TWO SPOTS IN GIRLS K1 GIANT SLALOM
Japanese ski racers took the top two spots in today's girls K1 giant slalom. Mio Arai added a win today to the two other podium results at the 2010 Whistler Cup, finishing in a two-run time of 1:13.50.
Teammate Narumi Katagiri ended up in second place in 1:14.86 with Kristyna Pilna grabbing the final spot on the podium.
Twelve-year-old Stephanie Currie (Toronto, ON) of Osler Bluff Ski Club finished in 1:16.45, just off the podium in fourth. Currie was not pleased with her first run, which had her sitting 11th.
"I just put that frustration into my second run and I came out with a great time," said Currie, who has enjoyed her first Whistler Cup experience competing against young skiers from around the world.
"This really was the ultimate ski race because you get to race against the other countries and meet other kids and see how good they were," Currie added.
CZECH REPUBLIC SKIER WINS ONE RUN GIANT SLALOM
Filip Forejtek won today's K1 boys one-run giant slalom in a time of 56.95. He was followed by Italy's Alberta Blengini, who was 0.09s back, with Matej Prielozny of Slovakia in third.
Keegan Sharp (Invermere, BC) from Team Panorama was the top Canadian in seventh.
DAVE MURRAY AND NANCY GREENE AWARDS HANDED OUT
The Dave Murray Award acknowledging top performance from Canadian male skiers at Whistler Cup went to Sharp (K1) and Kuus (Whistler, BC). The Nancy Greene Award acknowledging the top results of Canada's female skiers went to Mikayla Martin (Squamish, BC) (K1) and Emma King (Whistler, BC) (K2).
ACA National Development Director Benoit Lalande congratulated the race organizers on the 2010 event and thanked all the volunteers and staff for their effort in putting together successful races.
WHISTLER, BC - APRIL 11, 2010 - GIRLS K2 - SLALOM
|
1 |
2 |
POGLITSCH Anna |
AUT1 |
44.73 (2) |
43.55 (1) |
1:28.28 |
|
2 |
25 |
GROSSHAUPT Julia |
AUT1 |
47.35 (6) |
44.36 (3) |
1:31.71 |
|
3 |
13 |
POITRAS Adrienne |
CAN1 |
48.03 (8) |
45.17 (6) |
1:33.20 |
WHISTLER, BC - APRIL 11, 2010 - BOYS K2 - GIANT SLALOM
|
1 |
19 |
HROBAT Miha |
SLO1 |
52.15 (1) |
49.65 (3) |
1:41.80 |
|
2 |
12 |
BJARNASON Jakob Helgi |
ISL1 |
52.57 (2) |
49.54 (2) |
1:42.11 |
|
3 |
6 |
KUUS Karl |
CAN1 |
53.16 (7) |
50.15 (8) |
1:43.31 |
WHISTLER, BC - APRIL 11, 2010 - GIRLS K1 -SLALOM
|
1 |
12 |
ARAI Mio |
JPN1 |
34.81 (3) |
38.69 (1) |
1:13.50 |
|
2 |
3 |
KATAGIRI Narumi |
JPN1 |
35.31 (4) |
39.55 (2) |
1:14.86 |
|
3 |
11 |
PILNA Kristyna |
CZE1 |
36.22 (7) |
39.62 (3) |
1:15.84 |
WHISTLER, BC - APRIL 11, 2010 - BOYS K1 - GIANT SLALOM (1 run)
|
1 |
1 |
FOREJTEK Filip |
CZE1 |
56.95 (1) |
|
2 |
3 |
BLENGINI Alberto |
ITA1 |
57.04 (2) |
|
3 |
10 |
PRIELOZNY Matej |
SVK1 |
57.56 (3) |
WHISTLER, BC - APRIL 11, 2010 - NATION'S CUP
|
|
|
Total |
K1 |
K2 |
|
1. |
Canada 1 |
246.5 |
109 |
137.5 |
|
2. |
Italy 1 |
186.5 |
120 |
66.5 |
|
3. |
Japan 1 |
177 |
129 |
48 |
|
4. |
Austria 1 |
164 |
|
164 |
|
5. |
Slovakia 1 |
149 |
100 |
49 |
|
6. |
Czech Republic 1 |
118 |
108 |
10 |
|
7. |
USA 1 |
114 |
|
114 |
|
8. |
Spain 1 |
82 |
69 |
13 |
|
9. |
Australia 1 |
81 |
77 |
4 |
|
10. |
Slovenia 1 |
77 |
|
77 |
|
11. |
Croatia 1 |
70 |
58 |
12 |
|
12. |
Iceland 1 |
61 |
|
61 |
|
13. |
Netherlands 1 |
55 |
18 |
37 |
|
14. |
France 1 |
16 |
16 |
|
|
15. |
Hong Kong 1 |
15 |
15 |
|
|
16. |
Russia 1 |
15 |
|
15 |
|
17. |
New Zealand 1 |
10 |
|
10 |
|
18. |
US Virgin Islands 1 |
5 |
|
5 |
|
19. |
Cayman Islands 1 |
3 |
|
3 |
|
20. |
Hungary 1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
21. |
Korea 1 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
22. |
Denmark 1 |
|
|
|
|
23. |
Chile 1 |
|
|
|
|
24. |
Brazil 1 |
|
|
|
COMPLETE RESULTS: http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?event_id=27164&cal_suchsector=AL (Today's results may not be immediately available on this site. Alternatively check live timing at http://canski.live-timing.com/)
LIVE TIMING: http://canski.live-timing.com/
ABOUT THE WHISTLER CUP
Hosted by the Whistler Mountain Ski Club (www.wmsc.info), the Whistler Cup is the only international ski racing event for 11 to 14-year-olds in North America. World Cup winners to have participated in the Whistler Cup include Canadians Erik Guay, Britt Janyk and Emily Brydon as well as Austria's Benjamin Raich, Slovenian Tina Maze and Anja Paerson of Sweden. For more information on the Whistler Cup please visit the event website at www.whistlercup.com.
Contact:
(Reposted with permission of Alpine Canada Alpin)