CAN Nat'ls: Rubens returns to DH and takes title

By Published On: March 21st, 2009Comments Off on CAN Nat'ls: Rubens returns to DH and takes title

Shona Rubens hadn’t raced downhill in a year before tuning up for the Canadian National Championships at Le Massif, Quebec. It didn’t seem to matter, Rubens notched her fifth Canadian title and second in downhill Friday with a convincing win over Emilie Desforges. Victoria Stevens got the other placing on the podium.Shona Rubens hadn’t raced downhill in a year before tuning up for the Canadian National Championships at Le Massif, Quebec. It didn’t seem to matter, Rubens notched her fifth Canadian title and second in downhill Friday with a convincing win over Emilie Desforges. Victoria Stevens got the other placing on the podium.

Rubens also won last season’s slalom crown and swept gold in downhill, slalom on super G in 2007, finishing second in GS. She started her collection with two podiums (bronze GS, silver DH) in 2006.

An injured left knee and the rehab that entails convinced Rubens to concentrate on technical; races this season. She didn’t realize how much she had missed the speed races.

“I was on my downhill skis once this past summer. Coming back and doing downhill after not doing much the past few years has been fun for sure. I realized how much I have missed it.”

She said she hoped to work more downhill into her program going forward. “It was just hard to do everything at once so I tried to focus on technical for a couple of years. In the next little bit I hope to work in some combined races and maybe some more downhills.”

Desforges managed to stay up-beat, but she was not happy. “I skied pretty well, but to be honest I was hoping for the win. That didn’t happen today so I didn’t accomplish what I was looking to achieve,” she said.

Stevens, from the Mont Tremblant program, said she may have put down the best race of her young career. “I felt like I was more solid. I was telling myselof the whole way down to stay solid on the outside ski. That’s pretty much all that I was thinking about. I am really happy. This is probably my best downhill race ever. It’s a huge step in the right direction, but I know I can do better.”

Picking up the men’s junior title was Dustin Cook, the fifth finisher, but top junior, in a men’s FIS downhill. He suggested a summer training program that built up his strength


Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time FIS Points
 1  5  106666 RUBENS Shona  1986  CAN   1:29.58  50.09
 2  3  106410 DESFORGES Emilie  1983  CAN   1:30.30  60.70
 3  8  106988 STEVENS Victoria  1990  CAN   1:31.33  75.88
 4  6  105261 DURHAM Ashley-Kate  1989  CAN   1:32.23  89.14
 5  10  107017 BERGERON Maelle  1991  CAN   1:32.75  96.80
 6  1  105276 HOLINSKI Anya  1989  CAN   1:32.98  100.19
 7  2  106979 RAMSDEN Calindy  1990  CAN   1:33.93  114.19
 8  9  107024 CAMPBELL Shannon  1991  CAN   1:34.02  115.52
 9  15  205164 DIELENSCHNEIDER Sarah  1989  GER   1:34.22  118.46
 10  14  107106 CARROLL Emma  1991  CAN   1:34.63  124.50
 11  4  107100 WILLIS Alecia  1991  CAN   1:34.70  125.54
 12  12  107306 MICHALIK Victoria  1993  CAN   1:35.13  131.87
 13  13  45208 PARRY Elizabeth  1989  AUS   1:35.45  136.59
 14  11  107218 KRIESE Kandace  1992  CAN   1:35.49  137.18
 15  17  107026 DAKIN Tessa  1991  CAN   1:36.50  152.06
 16  16  107083 SLOAN Rachel  1991  CAN   1:37.87  172.25
Did not finish 1st run
   7  106849 YURKIW Larisa  1988  CAN     


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About the Author: Pete Rugh