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FOREST ADDS ANOTHER SILVER TO CANADIAN PARALYMPIC COUNT

14 March 2010
March 14, 2010 (Whistler) – Competing in her third Paralympic Games, but the first in the winter, para-alpine skier Viviane Forest and her guide, Lindsay Debou, captured the silver medal Sunday in the women’s slalom, visually impaired. It is the third medal for Forest, who won a pair of gold medals in goalball at the Summer Paralympic Games.

“I’m really happy to win the silver,” said Forest at the bottom of Whistler Creekside. “Of course you’re always hoping for gold but I’m very content. I’m proud to be the first alpine athlete (Olympic or Paralympic) to win a medal in Whistler.”

Due to difficult weather conditions, race organizers switched competitions and the skiers were forced to change their mindset from downhill to slalom with little notice.

“Throw anything at us,” said Debou “You can tell us 20 minutes before it (the change) happens and we’ll do it.”

Since taking up skiing just four winters ago, Forest enjoyed incredible success on the international racing scene. In her first year on the World Cup (2009), she won five crystal globes, including the overall championship. She was No. 1 in all events except the slalom.

Earlier in the day, veteran para-nordic skier Colette Bourgonje won Canada’s first winter Paralympic medal on home soil by capturing silver in the women’s sit-ski 10 kilometre race.

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