Sölden: Canada's Simard set for return to race hill

The Canadian men will start seven racers in Sunday’s season-opening GS at Sölden, while the return of Genevieve Simard from injury will highlight the women’s lineup in Saturday’s race.
The Canadian men will start seven racers in Sunday’s season-opening GS at Sölden, while the return of Genevieve Simard from injury will highlight the women’s lineup in Saturday’s race.
    World Cup winners John Kucera and Erik Guay will lead the men, along with GS standout Francois Bourque. Kucera finished 10th in last season’s GS standings, while Bourque was 22nd. Also scheduled to start are Stefan Guay, the 2006 World Junior Championships GS gold medalist who’s returning from injury this year, Julien Cousineau, last season’s NorAm Cup overall champion, Jean-Philippe Roy and Robbie Dixon.
    “We have had a great training period. The guys have been pretty injury free all summer, which has been great,” says Canadian men’s team head coach Paul Kristofic.
    “We will have different expectations of different racers. There are guys who are proven GS contenders, who are skiing quite well at the moment. There are also a couple younger guys who are in there who will be to gain experience and will be pushing for a top 30 position for the first time.”
    On the women’s side, Saturday in Sölden will mark the return of World Cup champion Simard to World Cup ski racing. Simard, who won a super G race in 2004, missed all of last season rehabilitating a left knee injury.
    “We had an outstanding summer,” says women’s team director Patrick Riml. “I am very pleased with how Gen is skiing. She has done a really great job coming back and is skiing really fast right now.”
    Marie-Pier Préfontaine, who was third in the NorAm Cup giant slalom standings last season, will also be racing.
    “We will definitely have to come from behind this coming Saturday but I am confident that our girls are going to do a great job, and if they ski what they are able to they can have a really great result,” Riml says.

    — Alpine Canada