An emotional Jan Hudec (Calgary, AB) described today’s 11th place finish in the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart downhill as an inspired effort that was “just short of a miracle” as he continues to return to his World Cup winning form of 2007.
 
Hudec, the silver medalist in the 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships DH and first Canadian in the history of World Cup ski racing in Lake Louise to win the downhill in 2007, finished 11th today in one minute 49.31 seconds despite starting with bib #42.
 
Hudec, who has been slowed by knee injuries throughout his career, registered his best result since his most recent return to snow last November.  
 
“It’s almost impossible to describe. I was going up the chair this morning and I knew I could have a good run. I was thinking about what it would mean to get close to the podium. Words can’t describe it, it was an inspired run. It was just short of a miracle, I didn’t even know if I could ski this morning. My body has been that sore,” said Hudec.

“It’s been a challenge. I am blessed that I could ski today. It was one of the best runs I have ever had,” he said. “I owe so many people thanks for being able to ski. The list is too big.”
Austrian veteran Michael Walchhofer was the fastest man down with a time of 1:47.78. This marks Walchhofer’s second win in the downhill event in Lake Louise as he won back in 2003. The 37-year-old athlete has already confirmed that he was retiring after this season.
 
The second place was a tie between Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal and another Austrian Mario Scheiber with a time of 1:48.33.
 
Manuel Osborne-Paradis (North Vancouver, BC) finished the race 13th with a time of 1:49.31.
 
“Being near the top 10 is really not that bad. If I can stay around the top 10 all the time, I am bound to jump on the podium here and there. It’s all about skiing hard and those races that you don’t make mistakes you end up on the podium,” he said.
Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) clocked in a time of 1:50.00 to place 24th followed by Robbie Dixon (Whistler, BC) in 31st place with a time of 1:50.26. Benjamin Thomsen (Invermere, BC) finished in 44th place with a time of 1:51.14, Louis-Pierre Hélie (Berthierville, QC) was 47th with a time of 1:51.29 and Dustin Cook (Orleans, ON) was 60th with a time of 1:52.64.
 
The Canadian men’s speed team will end their weekend by participating in the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart super-G event tomorrow starting at 11:00 a.m. The race will be broadcasted live on CBC.ca and Radio-Canada.ca and again on CBC from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
 
Also of note, the members of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team wore unique race suits during today’s World Cup alpine ski race in Lake Louise, AB, paying tribute to the iconic suit worn by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
 
Canada’s ladies alpine ski team competed in a FIS World Cup giant slalom in Aspen, USA today, with France’s Tessa Worley taking top spot in an incredibly close race. Worley’s two-run combined time of 2:06.81 was 0.01s ahead of Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany with German teammate Kathrin Hoelzl just 0.02 seconds behind the winner. No Canadians qualified for the second run, with Marie-Michele Gagnon (Lac-Etchemin, QC) placing 33rd in the opening run and Marie-Pier Préfontaine (Saint-Sauveur, QC) not completing her first run. The event continues with a slalom tomorrow.