Canada’s Erik Guay has finished the year ranked third in the world in downhill, matching his best ever finish in that discipline. His feat is even more remarkable given that a knee problem sidelined the 32-year-old over the summer and then interrupted his season prior to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Osborne-Paradis, of Vancouver, B.C., is ranked 18th in downhill, while Jan Hudec, of Calgary, Alta. is 24th.
“There’s no question it was a successful year in downhill,” Guay said. “With no skiing throughout the summer and having those knee difficulties in January, there have been a lot of ups and downs. To finish third overall is great.
“I feel like I could have been competitive for the Crystal Globe if I’d been healthy. It’s a little bit of a bummer to finish on this note but finishing third overall gives me (hope) for next year.”
Guay’s strong season in downhill, in which he was third in Bormio, Italy, and won in both Val Gardena, Italy, and Kvitfjell, Norway, saw him tie and then break Crazy Canucks legend Steve Podborksi’s Canadian record of 20 World Cup podiums. Guay now has 22, making him the most decorated Canadian alpine World Cup racer of all time. He was also ranked third in the world in downhill in 2007, and won the super-G Crystal Globe in 2010.
Norwegian superstar Aksel Lund Svindal had the discipline title locked up a while ago but he finishes on top with 570 points. Austria’s Hannes Reichelt was second (360) and Guay third (357). Osborne-Paradis is 18th (150) and Hudec finished the year ranked 24th in the world in downhill (92).
Photo of Erik Guay courtesy of Alpine Canada.
SnowOnline Editor: Lori Knowles
