Are, SWE (Feb. 12, 2019) – Fans in Are and those tuning in from around the world were treated to action-packed, head-to-head slalom racing with the mixed team event at the 2019 Audi FIS Alpine World Championships on Tuesday, hosted under the lights.

The knock-out format of the team event sees four racers from each of the six-member teams race one, head-to-head run, with the winning team moving forward to the next round. Total time is used as the tie-breaker should it be required.

Canada was edged in the first round by hosts Sweden, who were defeated in the quarter-final by the eventual gold-medallists, Switzerland.

The Canadian contingent included Erin Mielzynski (Collingwood, Ont./Georgian Peaks Ski Club), Laurence St-Germain (St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que./Club de ski Mont-Ste-Anne), Roni Remme (Collingwood, Ont./Alpine Ski Club), Erik Read (Calgary/Banff Alpine Racers), Trevor Philp (Calgary/Banff Alpine Racers), and Brodie Seger (North Vancouver, B.C./Whistler Mountain Ski Club).

“It was a fun afternoon and evening. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it past the first round, but it was close,” said Philp who was the last Canadian to tackle the course and won his run. “Everyone had close runs, so we were definitely in there, and that’s good to take forward. We know we can be there. Hopefully we can take this energy into the other events this week.”

In addition to Philp, who was Canada’s anchor, Canadians Mielzynski, Read, and St-Germain were tapped to race in the opening heat. All of the runs were close, with small bobbles being the difference-makers for the Canucks.

“(I’m) disappointed that we couldn’t move on, (but) I’m proud of my team for our approach. I think we gave it our all, which we had to do against Sweden, and we didn’t come out on top – and that happens. But it makes me hungrier for more,” said Mielzynski, who will sit out the giant slalom and wrap up her fifth World Championships with the ladies’ slalom on Saturday. “My slalom is getting stronger, I’m getting more confident in it. It’s World Champs – I’m going to lay it all on the line. Nothing else matters. And hopefully I can show some inspiring skiing and (what) I’ve worked really hard on this year. Those are my goals, and I hope that if I can do that I can come through the finish with a great result and something to make people at home proud.”

Full race results can be found at FIS-SKI.com.

World Championships’ racing is set to resume on Thursday with the ladies’ giant slalom. All races are streamed live at CBCsports.ca.