Thursday, November 22, 2001
Silver run for Forsyth
By STEVE BUFFERY -- Toronto Sun
There was silver on Copper Mountain for Canadian alpine ski star Allison Forsyth.
The 23-year-old ski racer placed second in a World Cup giant slalom yesterday behind Andrine Flemmen of Norway in Copper Mountain, Colo.
Forsyth had a strong first run that put her fourth and was sixth in her second pass for a combined time of two minutes 24.48 seconds, .67 of a second behind Flemmen's 2:23.81.
"This year my goal is to win and I'm gunning for (first) in every race," Forsyth said a couple of hours after her finish yesterday. "My focus is (to get) to the top of the podium."
It was the fourth World Cup podium finish of Forsyth's career. Her previous medal finish was last season when she placed second in a giant slalom at Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. She opened this season with a fourth-place finish in GS in Solden, Austria. What especially pleased the Canmore, Alta., resident was the fact she was able to contend yesterday on a course that doesn't normally suit her hard-driving style.
"This type of hill is not really suited to me, very flat and very easy," she said.
"Normally I do very poorly on a hill like this."
Yesterday's race was the first since the death of Regine Cavagnoud, a French skier killed in an October training accident. Fans watched a taped replay of Cavagnoud's giant slalom victory last year in Copper Mountain between the two runs. It was a very emotional day for all concerned.
"We talked a lot about that ... and everyone is feeling the loss of such a great woman and great competitor," Forsyth said. "Everyone raced with black arm bands on, which was great."
Flemmen tied reigning World Cup GS champion Sonja Nef of Switzerland for the best time on the first run and had the second-best time on the second run. Nef, who won six of the eight World Cup giant slaloms last season, was third in 2:24.50. Genevieve Simard of Montreal placed 15th.
The podium placement is a bonus for Alpine Canada in light of a recent injury to another young sensation, Emily Brydon, who suffered a knee injury during training.
With a slalom event scheduled for today, Forsyth was unable to celebrate her showing last night.
"I plan to do plenty of celebrating (tonight)," Forsyth said.
-- with files from CP
2002 Games Alpine Skiing Coverage
