Frédérique Turgeon crowned 2018-19 Para alpine World Cup slalom champion

MORZINE, France – Frédérique Turgeon of Candiac, Que., earned her first Crystal Globe on Thursday as the overall slalom points leader in the ladies’ standing category at the Para alpine skiing World Cup Final.

Turgeon ends the 2018-19 season with four World Cup slalom podium performances (two gold, two silver), and two fourth-place finishes to lead the field.

“I had a really good season; I wasn’t expecting it at all, so I’m really happy with how everything turned out,” said Turgeon who was named to Canada’s Para alpine NextGen team in 2017. Her reaction to winning the Crystal Globe before earning a spot on the World Cup team? Shock. “It’s really promising and exciting to win the Crystal Globe (in slalom) and finish third (in the) overall.”

The 19-year-old also showed her mettle during the 2019 IPC World Para alpine Championships in January, winning silver in the slalom and capturing bronze in both the super-G and the super combined.

Turgeon also finishes the season ranked third in the ladies’ overall standings, while teammate Kurt Oatway of Calgary finished second in the downhill standings for the men’s sitting category.

In Thursday’s final World Cup race of the season, Turgeon finished fourth behind teammate Alana Ramsay of Calgary  who extended her podium streak by racing to a fourth consecutive slalom bronze medal.

“What an amazing way to end the season,” said Ramsay. “It has been fun, and overall, I’m excited that the World Cup (races) went the way they did. I’m looking forward to next season and bringing what I’ve got to the world stage again.”

Alex Cairns of Squamish, B.C. was ninth in the men’s sitting category in Thursday’s slalom.

Canada’s Para-Alpine Ski Team will now travel to Winter Park, Colorado, to take part in the Canadian and U.S. National Championships March 25-30.

(with files from Alpine Canada)