Vernon’s Curt Minard finished sixth in the first-ever Para snowboard banked slalom Paralympics event.
The sport made its Paralympics debut Friday at the Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Minard had runs of 55.13 seconds, a best of 54.67 and 55.09 Friday (best time determines placing).
I did my first of three runs sitting in fourth.,” said Minard, a father of two boys. “I consistently improved my time and cleaned up certain areas on the track but so did the rest of my category. There was less than a second difference between eighth and fourth place. All my runs felt really good and I was really happy with my very consistent races I laid down. I have always been able to be very consistent in my times throughout my racing career. It feels very good to finish as the top male UL Canadian in both my categories (SBX, bank slalom).
“I was truly honoured to represent the maple leaf and I only wanted to walk away from PyeongChang with the feeling that I laid my best effort forward and I did just that. I battled in both my events and I was sitting just shy of the podium in both of these races. This experience will forever remind me of what a great sport and country I am part of. Big shoutout to all my family, friends, sponsors and supporters out there helping me push limits and inspiring me to be my best.”
An industrial accident in Invermere in September, 2008 cost Minard his left hand, amputated at the wrist. He suffered third-degree burns on his right hand.
American Mike Minor won the gold with a best run of 50.77 seconds. Patrick Mayrhofer of Austria was second (51.36) and Australian Simon Patmore won bronze in 51.99.
Minard was the top Canadian on the day. Andrew Genge of Whistler was 17th.
Minard was also sixth in the Para snowboardcross race earlier in the week.
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The Para snowboard team will now head back to Canada and wrap up their competition schedule with an appearance at the Sport Chek Speed Nation Nationals held at Kelowna’s Big White Ski Resort from March 21-26.
WHEELCHAIR CURLING
Vice skip Ina Forrest of Spallumcheen and her Team Canada teammates are bringing home the bronze medal after a 5-3 win over the home team from South Korea on Day 8.
Canada has now won a medal in each Paralympic Games since Wheelchair Curling debuted in 2006 – three golds and one bronze. For Forrest, it is her third Paralympic medal.
Forrest and her Canadian teammates, with skip Mark Ideson of London, Ont., fell 4-3 in Friday’s semifinal to China, a team they beat in the round-robin. The game went down to the final rock.
“You know what? I am proud. I’m really proud of the way that the team played,” said Ideson. “We put ourselves in a good position to medal and we played well.”
This marks the first time Canada does not win the gold medal since the sport made its Paralympic debut in 2006, but the team will improve upon its fifth-place finish from the world championships here a year ago.
Canada’s biathletes served up three more medals for Canada on the seventh day of competition, matching its total medals from Vancouver 2010, its most successful Winter Games, with 19.
With at least one more guaranteed medal coming on Sunday – Canada will win either gold or silver in Para ice hockey – this will officially mark the nation’s most-ever medals won at a Paralympic Winter Games.
newstips@vernonmorningstar.com
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