In her first season on the Freeride World Tour, Quebec’s Justine Dufour-Lapointe secured participation in the final laps of the circuit thanks to a superb performance at the third stop of the campaign, Friday in Golden, British Columbia.
At the start of that crucial day, the 28-year-old athlete was in second place overall and needed to ensure she stayed in the top 5 to earn her ticket to the finals.
The two-time Olympic medalist ended the day at the foot of the podium due to a downhill run that earned her 5120 points.
“I feel so spoiled and lucky to be able to be here and be able to ski at home in Canada in front of an incredible crowd,” said Dufour-Lapointe after the event. I felt the energy [de la foule] throughout my descent.
“To be honest, I still had a fever. I’m so proud to be able to freeride in front of my family watching me.”
Her total score is 15,120. She is third overall and will be joined in the final by Americans Addison Rafford and Molly Armanino, Swiss Elisabeth Gerritzen and French Megane Betend.
In addition to participating in the finals, which will be held in Austria and Switzerland, Dufour-Lapointe has secured its place on the Freeride World Tour for next season.