adminAlpine Canada president Max Gartner issued the following statement regarding the International Ski Federation’s decision not to permit USA ski racer Lindsey Vonn to compete against the men at alpine World Cup races in Lake Louise, Alta., later this month.
“I’m disappointed to hear that Lindsey will not be racing against the men in Lake Louise,” Gartner said. “I saw it as a great opportunity to raise the profile of the sport by attracting interest from people who do not normally follow ski racing, particularly in North America. It would have provided a great platform to showcase our sport and the amazing athletic performances of our athletes.
“Lindsey has achieved many milestones in ladies’ ski racing. It would have been interesting to see how she stacked up against the best male racers in the world. Lake Louise is the perfect venue to have that comparison because Lindsey has as much experience on the mountain as many of the men have had.
“I hope Lindsey gets a chance to fulfill her dream at a later date.”
The Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup features the first downhill and super-G races of the 2012-13 Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season. The men compete from Nov. 24 to 25, while the ladies are scheduled to race from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2. For more information about the Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup, visit www.alpinecanada.org/winterstart.
