When does the mentor become the mentee? Or the leader, the follower?
This could be an underlying story to develop this week with a promising young Canadian women’s tech team, led by four-time Olympian Erin Mielzynski and Marie-Michèle Gagnon.
The calm, cool and been-there-done-that demeanor of Mielzynski, a 31-year-old veteran from Thornbury, Ont., could provide that calming influence to ground the team and keep the energy positive. Unpredictable weather, high winds and a dry and snow-challenged venue are some of the factors the athletes will need to contend with, accept and tackle head on to be successful at this year’s Winter Games, at Yanqing north of Beijing.
Mielzynski has stated that her goals are to lead the team in the standings, of course, but her personality will no doubt also help smooth over the chaotic atmosphere of an Olympic environment. With the Canadian coaching staff made up entirely of Europeans, she could also provide a grounded Canadian influence to pre-race routines and emotional management in the pressure cooker moments.
The two-time World Cup medalist also comes into the Games on a high, after scoring two top 15s this season, including a ninth place finish in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, in early January.
“I like it when things are challenging, it makes me think about the process instead of the outcome,” Mielzynski said to CBC Sports before the Games. “It levels the playing field a bit, it’s no one’s strength and it’s no one’s weakness, and there is something beautiful about that.”
The women’s giant slalom, along with the re-scheduled men’s downhill, takes place Sunday night. Valerie Grenier and Cassidy Grey will be the two Canadians in the event. The first GS run will be at 5:30 pm (PST), the downhill will follow at 8 pm, and then second GS run will be at 10:30 pm.
Canadian Broadcast Schedule
Another wily veteran, Mielzynski’s former slalom partner, Marie-Michèle Gagnon leads the small Canadian women’s speed team. The 32-year-old from Lac-Etchemin Quebec, a tech-turned-speed racer, has become a consistent performer on the World Cup speed events with a whopping seven top 20 finishes this season alone, including fifth in Zauchenesee, Austria, downhill two weeks ago.
Mielzynski and Gagnon have both been rocks for Canada – with a combined 392 World Cup starts over the past half-dozen-plus seasons. Is now the time the torch is passed?
Canadian contenders
Valerie Grenier – giant slalom, super-G, combined
Just when you thought she was done, she was back. The 25-year-old from St-Isidore, Ont., and Mont Tremblant, Que., has impressively returned from a broken leg in 2020 and is back amongst the leaders. An 11th place finish in the women’s GS in Kronplatz, Italy, last week (fifth fastest second run time) – as well as winning the Italian GS races on back-to-back days days before – has her in prime form leading into Sunday’s giant slalom races. This is her second Olympic Games (she finished sixth in alpine combined at Pyeongchang 2018).
Ali Nullmeyer – slalom
One of the biggest surprises on the World Cup tour this season, Nullmeyer is in prime form with two top 10s in slalom in January, placing her in 13th in the women’s overall World Cup slalom standings. The 23-year-old will make her Olympic debut in Beijing and with big event performances in the past (slalom silver at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games) and growing confidence, her stock is on the rise.
Laurence St-Germain – slalom
Another slalom specialist, St-Germain has posted 12 top 10 finishes in World Cup slalom since 2019, including two this season (9th in Lienz, Austria and eighth in Schladming, Austria). Now in her second Games and with oh-so-close finishes just off the World Cup podium, St-Germain could rally around a solid team and push for a podium performance.
Marie-Michèle Gagnon – downhill, super-G
Now with World Cup top 10 finishes in five alpine disciplines (six if you include the “City Events”), Gagnon is a bonafide star. Her transition from a tech racer with four podium finishes to a speed threat is remarkable. Her best Olympic finish is a slalom 9th in Sochi in 2014 – made even more impressive as she was in significant pain due to a shoulder injury suffered in the GS three days earlier. Another injury from a gnarly crash in Lake Louise in 2017 forced her to be sidelined for the Pyeongchang Olympic Games in 2018. Gagnon comes to China with momentum a string of top 20 finishes including a fifth at the recent World Cup downhill in Zauchenesee, Austria.
Erin Mielzynski – slalom
With experience from three Olympic Games, six world championships and 11 years on the Word Cup tour, combined with solid form shown this season, Mielzynski is a contender for a finish amongst the top group in the women’s slalom (scheduled for 6:15 pm PST Tuesday).
About the Author: Gordie Bowles
