Calgary, Alta. (December 3, 2016) – Canadian Cowboys Erik Guay and Manuel Osborne-Paradis represented Canada at the first downhill start of the season in Val d’Isère, France today. 

It was a good day for the seasoned and accomplished Guay who finished with a sixth-place, just 0.97 back from the first-place time put down by Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud. Through the speed traps, Guay reached speeds of almost 120km/hr, finishing in a total time of 2:00.48. It’s a great start to the season for Guay who finished yesterday’s super-G with an 11th-place finish.

The pristine weather conditions held up for a second day of speed competition on the Oreiller-Killy track, which has been a staple on the men’s circuit for 40 years. The white circus hasn’t made a stop at this venue since 2007, which proved to be a big year for Canada with Guay finishing in second-place and Osborne-Paradis in third-place.

A later bib number this time around cost Osborne-Paradis a podium finish resulting a 25th-place. 

Norway’s Jansrud took back-to-back first-place finishes in the speed opening weekend, winning today’s downhill by 0.26 seconds. Italy’s Peter Fill took second-place after a third-place finish yesterday and Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal rounded out the podium finishing 0.33 seconds back.

If you missed the early morning stream on cbcstream.ca, the race will air on CBC’s Road to the Olympic Games today at 2:00pm EST.

Today wraps up the first speed weekend on the World Cup circuit for the men. Tomorrow, the tech athletes will race a giant slalom at the same venue. 

The women are putting down a second downhill race today at Lake Louise. Catch it live on cbcsports.ca at 2:15pm EST.

Canadian Men’s Downhill Results

6 – Erik Guay

25 – Manuel Osborne-Paradis

Full results here. 

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