(Killington) Laurence St-Germain scored 12e time of the first round of the Killington World Cup slalom, Sunday morning. The reigning world champion therefore ensures her participation in the ultimate descent, the start of which will be at 1 p.m.
Posted at 11:38 a.m.
Bib 19, the skier from Saint-Ferréol negotiated the 63 turns in 55.02 s, giving up 1.15 s to the leader, the German Lenna Dürr. After an excellent start, St-Germain flirted with the top 5 after his passage to the third intermediate time trial, but a slight collision seven or eight poles from the finish line cost him half a second.
Dürr, bronze medalist at the last World Championships, surpassed the experienced Swedish Anna Swenn Larsson and the Swiss Camille Rast, third in the giant the day before, by 11 and 12 hundredths respectively.
St-Germain will be the only Canadian in the second round. Ontarian Ali Nullmeyer (+1.59) achieved the 19the time, but was later disqualified for overriding. Thirtieth for a moment, Amelia Smart of North Vancouver finally fell four places. Young Albertan Kiki Alexander, who missed two years due to injury, finished 44e. Only the first 30 advance to the final round.
Slowed by a left ankle injury suffered last December, St-Germain started the season ranked 10e in Levi (Finland) and 11e in Gurgl (Austria), two events won by Mikaela Shiffrin. She will still be the 19e to take the start for the second route.
Victim of a fall the day before, in giant slalom, the American had to withdraw from the Killington slalom, which she won six times out of seven. Stiff and suffering from an abdominal wound, the athlete from 29 years old, looking for a 100e success in the World Cup, does not know when she will be able to return to her skis. She won silver behind St-Germain at the last World Championships in Méribel in February 2023.
