Justine Dufour-Lapointe concluded her first season on the Freeride World Tour with the title of champion in the cumulative ranking.
Leader after the first four stages, the double Olympic medalist in moguls was crowned on Tuesday, without even skiing. Due to heavy snowfall in the last few days, the organizers used bombs to ensure that avalanches did not occur during the race, but the Bec des Roses course did not survive.
The rocks were no longer covered and it would have been dangerous for the skiers to start. Postponed for the first time, last Saturday, when peak winds of 135 km/h were recorded, the last stage scheduled for Verbier in Switzerland was therefore cancelled. It was no longer possible to push her away.
This is the second time the final stage has had to be cancelled. The same scenario had happened in 2020, but this time due to the pandemic.
“It’s not the ideal plan and I would have preferred to run, but the avalanche risk was too great and they made a safe decision,” explained Dufour-Lapointe. We are at the mercy of nature and the environment is very different from Quebec. I had put myself in a good position to win. »
“Completely unreal”
Dufour-Lapointe pinched himself to believe it. “This title is completely unreal, she expressed. I couldn’t be happier. Deep down, I’m competitive and I wanted to be successful. At the start of the season, I thought it might be cool to win a podium.
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“On the other hand, I knew that I had crusts to eat and I wanted to be humble, to pursue Dufour-Lapointe. I didn’t want to put the same pressure on myself as when I was competing in moguls. I just wanted to have fun and I got a little surprised. »
Given her past success, the Freeride World Tour gave the 29-year-old skier a pass at the start of the season without her having to go through the qualifying process.
On the strength of a victory on February 2 at Ordina Arcalis in the Principality of Andorra in her second race and a silver medal at Fierberbrunn in Austria on March 16 which enabled her to win the yellow jersey as leader, Dufour- Lapointe ends the season with 25,120 points to edge American Molly Armanino (22,400) and Frenchwoman Megane Betend (22,095).
Pride in leading the way
Dufour-Lapointe is the first Canadian to win the overall title.
“I feel immense pride in clearing a new path,” she said. This victory makes me realize that nothing is impossible. This win makes me even hungrier and I’m excited to see what next season has in store for me. I want to push the boundaries of sport and that’s what excites me the most. It’s the start of a new adventure. I haven’t finished learning as a skier and athlete. »
Like when he was 16
The Olympic gold medalist at the Sochi Games in 2014 discovered a whole new environment by opting for the Freeride World Tour. Everything was to be discovered, like his debut in the World Cup at the age of 16.
“I was amazed and so proud to be there,” she said. I found the same thing as at 16 when I made my debut on the World Cup circuit. I had fun without worrying about the rest. I reconnected to my sources and it’s worth gold. I never expected to experience such feelings again. It’s the best gift of my season. »