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WC FINALS: Stunning win gives Erik Guay super-G Crystal Globe

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 20:50

Guay becomes just the second Canadian male to win a discipline title

GARMISCH PARTENKIRCHEN, GER (March 11, 2010) - With an impressive win in today's World Cup super-G, Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) has become the second Canadian male alpine skier to win a World Cup Crystal Globe discipline title.

Guay, who was fastest at each interval of today's SG, finished in a winning time of one minute 26.36 seconds. With the win Guay vaulted from third on the men's super-G discipline standings to a historic first place finish.

"I am completely ecstatic," said the 28-year-old Guay. "Coming into today I knew that I had an outside shot at winning the globe but I knew that I was going to need to take some chances to win. And it feels absolutely amazing (to do it.)."

Guay was quick to thank his serviceman, Austrian-born Erich Schnepfleitner, along with his coaches and sponsors who contributed to his result, saying he shared an emotional moment with them in the finish area following today's race.

Guay finished the season by winning the final two super-G races. He entered today's race in third in the discipline standings, behind Austrian Michael Walchhofer and Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway.

Walchhofer faltered, placing an uncharacteristic 15th today while Svindal was third, 0.63s behind the Canadian. Croatia's Ivica Kostelic was second today in 1:26.75.

"For me it was easy," said Guay of his pre-race preparation and mental approach.

"I needed to go as hard as I could and take as many chances as I could. And I did that. I took a lot of risk all the way down," said Guay. "It panned out even though there were a lot of times I thought I was right on the limit. There were a couple times when I though I might be missing the gate or it might be too late to make up time."

Guay joins Steve Podborski as the only Canadian male alpine ski racers to claim a discipline title. Podborski, an Assistant Chefs de Mission at the recently completed 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver/Whistler, won the downhill title in 1982.

"I think it's huge. No one has ever done it in super-G," said men's team head coach Paul Kristofic when asked about the significance of Guay's result. "It's a massive accomplishment (for Guay.) It shows consistency through the whole season and an incredible performance at the end of the season."

It's the fourth World Cup win of the season for the Canadian team, the most since Podborski (1), Laurie Graham (1) and Gerry Sorensen (2) combined for four wins in 1984. It's also the first time in the history of the Canadian men's alpine ski program that four World Cup races have been won in a season.

The final super-G standings have Guay with 331 points, Walchhofer with 316 followed by Svindal with 314.

Today's win gives Guay three podium results in the past three races over just a five day span. With 13 career World Cup podiums, he's now just one back of Crazy Canuck Ken Read, although Read retired from the World Cup before the development of the super-G.

Manuel Osborne-Paradis (Vancouver, BC) quietly put the wraps on a solid super-G season. Osborne-Paradis, who won the opener in Lake Louise, finished 11th today to secure ninth in the SG standings.

It is the eighth World Cup podium result of the 2009-2010 season for the Canadian Alpine Ski Team.

Both men's and ladies super-G races are available to French-language viewers on www.radio-canada.ca as well as the men's slalom. Radio-Canada is scheduled to have two hours of coverage on its main network Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

Today's run will be highlighted on Rogers Sportsnet along with ladies GS starting at 7 p.m. in the Eastern, Ontario and Pacific viewing regions as well as 3:30 p.m. in the West. Rogers Sportsnet will also have coverage of Friday's men's GS and Saturday's ladies slalom.
KATHRIN HOELZL TAKES GS TITLE, RIESCH CLOSES OVERALL GAP

Slovenia's Tina Maze won the final ladies giant slalom race of the season. Her two-run time of 2:10.72 was just 0.03s better than Kathrin Hoelzl of Germany.

However, it's Hoelzl who earns the Globe in the ladies giant slalom with 471 points.

Germany's Maria Riesch made some progress on American Lindsey Vonn in the chase for the overall Crystal Globe. Riesch finished third today while Vonn did not finish her first run, leaving Vonn with a 165 point lead with time rapidly running out on her pursuers.

There were no Canadians in today's ladies GS.

In other news, the International Ski Federation confirmed that Vonn will receive the ladies super combined World Cup globe. The confirmation was required after the third and final race of the season was cancelled due to poor weather conditions. Emily Brydon (Fernie, BC) placed 10th in the discipline.

GARMISCH PARTENKIRCHEN, GER - MAR. 11, 2010 -SG - MEN'S

COMPLETE RESULTS

OVERALL RESULTS - SUPER G (MEN)

GARMISCH PARTENKIRCHEN, GER - MAR. 11, 2010 - GS - LADIES

COMPLETE RESULTS

OVERALL RESULTS - GIANT SLALOM (LADIES)

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