Gagnon back on a World Cup podium with Swiss slalom result
Feature photo: Marie-Michele Gagnon in Crans-Montana, Switzerland on February 15, 2016.
Two-time Olympic alpine skier Marie-Michele Gagnon is back on an FIS World Cup podium with a third place finish in women’s slalom on Monday in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
Gagnon’s two-run time of one minute, 29.70 seconds was behind winner Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States (1:29.20) and Frenchwoman Nastasia Noens (1:29.65), on a day where suitable weather allowed the slalom to go ahead after the downhill and combined events were cancelled on Sunday.
“I’ve been adapting to different things,” Gagnon told FIS-Ski.com. “I was a bit inconsistent this season, but now I went home. I had a break. I recharged my batteries,” the skier said of reportedly taking about 10 days off the tour.
“I got to see my family and I’m just having fun and that’s the thing, you just gotta have fun because that’s when my best skiing comes out.”
With 44.04-second opening run, Gagnon had the eighth fastest time heading into the second attempt. It was there that a 45.66s third best time elevated Gagnon to the podium.
This is Gagnon’s first time reaching top three since becoming the first Canadian to win a super combined World Cup race in January of 2014 in Altenmarkt, Austria. Her other podium was an October 2012 third place slalom result in Are, Sweden.
