Valérie Grenier back on track | “Totally, without restraint”

(Killington) In the lobby of the Killington Grand Resort Hotel, Valérie Grenier received a hug from her Swiss colleague Camille Rast on Thursday afternoon. It’s not yet official, but the skier from Mont-Tremblant will make her comeback in the Alpine Ski World Cup this weekend.

Ten months after serious injuries to her knee and shoulder, she finally feels ready to return to competition. She will start the giant slalom scheduled for Saturday in Killington, the large Vermont resort buried under more than a foot of snow this American Thanksgiving. A slalom, in which Quebec world champion Laurence St-Germain will participate, will be contested the next day.

“I think we still need to confirm with the coaches and our physio Alex, but in my head, I’m racing! », smiled Valérie Grenier, who was injured on January 28 in a fall during a super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

She said it as if this green light from those around her was just a formality. “My body is feeling really good right now. I have no pain. My shins are finally okay. My knee too. I have very good feelings although it always gets a little stiff after training. It’s nothing unusual, it’s managed very well. »

Having undergone surgery on her left shoulder (fracture of the humerus) and right knee (two ligaments and a meniscus), the Franco-Ontarian put on skis again for the first time in Chile in September. Struggling with pain in her shin, she wanted to give herself more training time before determining whether she would start for the first Sölden giant at the end of October.

Realizing that “it didn’t make sense” to rush her return, she chose to play it safe. Following the race on television, at his training base in Val Senales, was nonetheless a bit of torture.

After six weeks of training in Italy and Austria, the 28-year-old was convinced she would be ready for Killington, which will serve as preparation for the World Cup in Tremblant, where two giant slaloms are to take place. next week (if the organization can make enough snow*).

“I’m really looking forward to it!” I miss racing. That’s what I like the most. My expectations? I don’t really have any or it seems like I don’t want to bother with them. It’s the first time in a long time. I don’t really know what to expect. I plan to ski hard, without any restraint, as usual. I want to do my best and build from there. »

His time in Europe allowed him to build his confidence on the stage. “When you go back to the beginning, you’re not completely yourself. You pay a little more attention to certain things. But I was really starting to feel like I used to. There were times when I forgot that I was in the process of returning to competition. I was like a normal athlete. »

Detour via the White Mountains

After a short stay at home in Mont-Tremblant, Valérie Grenier wanted to dispel the last doubts during a final internship planned in Sunday River, Maine. However, the lack of snow forced the coaches to head to Waterville Valley, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where conditions were not optimal either. The women’s technical group had to make do with a course of 14 gates (a third of a race track).

“The snow was like soft, with a little “marbles,” described Grenier, who will be accompanied by young Quebecer Justine Lamontagne in giant slalom. “It wasn’t ideal. It was difficult to do nice things, but I wasn’t in pain. It often happens that I don’t have the best feelings before a race. I have to take the good parts and forget the rest. »

A watering made the last two days more productive. The Americans joined their Canadian colleagues in Waterville Valley. Mikaela Shiffrin, who spent part of her childhood and adolescence in New Hampshire and Vermont, was in the group.

The winner in Sölden will try to sign the 100^e victory of her career at Killington, where she has won six of the seven slaloms contested since 2016.

“It’s crazy just to think about it,” said Valérie Grenier, who obtained her second success three weeks before getting injured last winter.

“We were talking about it at dinner with the girls from the team the other day. She became fast so quickly in her World Cup debut. At 18, she had already won almost every race! His consistency and ability to deal with pressure is incredible. »

Valérie Grenier wishes Shiffrin to reach the milestone of 100 victories in front of her team in Killington. “We know it’s going to happen soon, but it would be cool for everyone if it was here… in the slalom! We would like to keep giant slalom for other girls. »

* Announced on Wednesday, snow control in preparation for the Tremblant World Cup was pushed back to Saturday, to give the organization time to prepare the Flying Mile track. Such a postponement is not unusual, but suggests that conditions are just acceptable for the two giants scheduled for December 7 and 8. “The team has done considerable work to prepare for this situation and we are encouraged by the weather forecast,” FIS World Cup Race Director Peter Gerdol said in a statement.