Benjamin MacLean wins first career race at GMC Cup
BANFF, Alta. – After not finishing his opening runs in his first three races this week, Ben MacLean of the BC Ski Team and Whistler Mountain Ski Club won the gold medal on Tuesday in the men’s giant slalom to conclude the third stop on the GMC Cup alpine skiing circuit.
MacLean, 19, clocked a two run time of one minute and 47.72 seconds for his first career victory on the circuit. Jack Gower of Britain, a member of his national youth team currently in Canada to attend the Olympic Games as a spectator, was second in 1:48.14. Cory Canart of Beaumont, Alta., was third.
“Finishing my races has been my biggest challenge this year,” said MacLean, who was ousted in the first run in the weekend slaloms and Monday’s GS. “Today I just told myself to keep going, to keep fighting. To get the victory here is a big stepping stone for my career.”
Canart produced a big lead after the first run but struggled on the second.
“I blew it,” said Canart. “I made a big mistake in the flat section between the two pitches and that’s where I fell badly behind. I’m pretty disappointed.”
In the women’s GS, Victoria Michalik of Banff stepped on the podium for a second straight day winning in 1:54.82. Vanessa Alboiu of Kananaskis, Alta., was second in 1:55.48 and BC Ski Team’s Celine Rytz of the Fernie Alpine Ski Team was third in 1:55.79.
Rytz won the bronze in all four races here this week and her consistency has been rewarded with the current overall lead in the circuit standings. She faced her biggest challenge in Tuesday’s race.
“I’m feeling pretty sick and it was a real challenge to make it down,” said Rytz, 17, with nine top-three performances in her last 10 races overall. “It was hard to be aggressive in my runs today. It’s still pretty cool though to have these consistent results. It’s a good track record.”
Men’s Giant Slalom – Feb 9/10
1- 2 MACLEAN Benjamin 1990 CAN 54.35 53.37 1:47.72
2- 11 GOWER Jack 1994 GBR 54.72 53.42 1:48.14
3- 5 CANART Cory 1988 CAN 53.74 55.62 1:49.36
4- 6 EVANS Jack 1991 GBR 55.24 54.31 1:49.55
5- 10 WERRY Tyler 1991 CAN 54.99 55.86 1:50.85
6- 16 LAW Michael 1993 CAN 55.27 55.59 1:50.86
7- 27 READ Kevin 1993 CAN 56.23 55.19 1:51.42
8- 14 GIGIC Filip 1993 CAN 55.98 55.68 1:51.66
9- 4 MANDRU Jorge 1986 CHI 56.69 55.02 1:51.71
10- 3 KWONG Daniel 1993 CAN 56.13 55.95 1:52.08
11- 26 KWONG Philip 1992 CAN 56.49 55.72 1:52.21
12- 22 BELL Jeffrey 1993 CAN 55.94 56.45 1:52.39
13- 8 MORRIS Spencer 1993 CAN 56.95 55.81 1:52.76
14- 35 DAWSON Taylor 1994 CAN 57.19 56.08 1:53.27
15- 13 SWETTE Ford 1993 CAN 57.59 55.82 1:53.41
Men’s J1 Podium
1 GOWER Jack 1994
2 LAW Michael 1993
3 READ Kevin 1993
4 GIGIC Filip 1993
5 KWONG Daniel 1993
Women’s Giant Slalom – Feb 9/10
1 MICHALIK Victoria 1993 CAN 56.78 58.04 1:54.82
2 ALBOIU Vanessa 1993 CAN 57.49 57.99 1:55.48
3 RYTZ Celine 1992 CAN 56.99 58.80 1:55.79
4 CARROLL Tianda 1993 CAN 57.51 58.49 1:56.00
5 FREEMAN Sarah 1992 CAN 58.35 1:00.36 1:58.71
6 ADAM Chelsea 1993 CAN 1:00.09 1:01.38 2:01.47
7 DOYON Lou 1993 CAN 59.97 1:01.90 2:01.87
8 STEVENS Alexandra 1993 CAN 1:00.60 1:02.91 2:03.51
9 ABERGER Daniella 1992 CAN 1:01.18 1:03.36 2:04.54
10 CONNORS Claire 1994 CAN 1:02.34 1:03.29 2:05.63
11 PETIT Alix 1994 CAN 1:01.76 1:04.18 2:05.94
12 PARK Erika 1992 CAN 1:02.97 1:03.05 2:06.02
13 GARTNER Riana 1994 CAN 1:02.63 1:03.66 2:06.29
14 DRAKE Hilary 1994 CAN 1:02.39 1:04.37 2:06.76
15 FINLEY Robyn 1993 CAN 1:03.21 1:04.15 2:07.36
Women’s J1 Podium
1 MICHALIK Victoria 1993
2 ALBOIU Vanessa 1993
3 CARROLL Tianda 1993
4 ADAM Chelsea 1993
5 DOYON Lou 1993