Canada’s Lewis Irving Shines with Silver Medal in Men’s Aerials at World Cup Event!

Lewis Irving, a talented freestyle skier from Quebec City, just achieved a significant milestone by winning a silver medal in men’s aerials at a World Cup event held at Le Relais ski resort. This victory marks his return to the podium after a two-year hiatus.

The 29-year-old scored an impressive 102.50 points in the super final. Qi Guangpu from China took home the gold with 124.00 points, while Christopher Lillis from the U.S. won the bronze with 85.40 points. This podium finish is Irving’s first since he won bronze in Ruka, Finland, back in December 2022.

During the event, Irving took a bold risk by attempting a difficult quintuple-twist jump. Although he fell during the landing, the move demonstrated his confidence and ambition. “It feels great. We took a risk, went all-in with a quintuple twist in the super final,” Irving shared, smiling. “I tried it, and even though I didn’t stick the landing, it shows it was the right decision. I didn’t come here to aim for second or third, so that’s why I went for it.”

Irving’s excitement is even more profound given the challenges he faced over the past two years, including several injuries. “Last year was pretty tough, especially coming back from injuries and all. I’m really happy to get a podium this early in the season; it gives me energy for the rest of the year,” he expressed.

Irving is also eyeing a spot in the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics. If he secures another podium finish on Sunday, he could solidify his Olympic ticket. “While some say they’re not thinking about Olympic qualification, I am. I know full well the ultimate goal is to score a hat trick at the Olympics,” he remarked. Irving previously won a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the Beijing Olympics in 2022. “One step down, and I’ll go for the second tomorrow.”

In other news from the event, Alexandre Duchaine, also from Quebec City, finished fifth with a score of 78.28 points. Marion Thénault from Sherbrooke encountered disappointment in the women’s aerials qualifying round, finishing 13th and missing a spot in the finals by just 0.26 points. “That makes it even worse,” she said. “If I’d at least wiped out, I’d be less disappointed. It’s frustrating.”

Thénault, who faced health issues earlier in the week due to a severe virus and is recuperating from a knee injury, needed to perform well in both individual events this weekend to qualify for the Olympics. Fortunately, she will have more chances later this season.

Source link

skiing