from www.canski.org
MONT-SAINTE-ANNE, QC (March 24, 2009) Genevive Simard (Val-Morin, QC) brought her comeback season to an end on a high-note, winning todays Pontiac GMC Canadian Championships ladies GS race in Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC.
Simard, 28, had surgery to repair a left knee injury in 2007. She came back to the World Cup this season after missing the entire 2007/08 season rehabbing the injury.
Simard won todays race in a two-run combined time of two minutes 22.15 seconds.
This is a great note to end the season on, said Simard, who was third after the opening run. My second run was really solid. I will be heading to Whistler for training now with a lot of confidence.
It was a great feeling today racing in Quebec in front of family and friends. The nationals are really important for the younger girls racing against CAST. I havent been healthy enough recently to race (at the Pontiac GMC Canadian Championships) and so this year it felt really nice to be racing. And any time you win, its an even better feeling, said Simard, who now has three career Pontiac GMC Canadian Championships titles (GS in 2005 and slalom in 2002).
Simards second run was the best on the day, and she would finish nearly a second ahead of Shona Rubens (Canmore, AB) who took second place in a two-run combined time of 2:23.11.
First run leader Marie-Pier Prfontaine (St-Sauveur, QC) finished third in a two-run combined time of 2:23.29.
That was great. I wasnt that nervous about leading after the opening run and I skied well today. At the end of the day, I am pretty happy with third, Prfontaine said.
Owen Sound skier Larisa Yurkiw was 4th, just over 2 & 1/2 seconds behind Simard.
Todays race brings an end to the Pontiac GMC Canadian Championships and the Pontiac GMC Cup season.
Quebec Ski Team racer Ashley-Kate Durham (Montreal, QC), the leader of the ladies overall Pontiac GMC Cup standings going into today, won the overall title joining back-to-back winner Benjamin Thomsen (Invermere, BC), the winner on the mens side.