Catching up with alpine athletes Seb Beaulieu, Megan Farrell & Katrina Gerencser
In what has been an exciting season for the Canadian Alpine team, we have taken the time to catch up with 3 athletes leading up to The Alpine Snow TKO World Cup in Blue Mountain, Ontario. Insights from Seb Beaulieu, Megan Farrell and Katrina Gerencser...
Seb Beaulieu
You landed on the podium in Europe for the first time, how does it feel?
I’ve been close a few times in the past landing 4th at Swiss NC, 5th in a EuropaCup and 7th twice at a World Cup so to finally do it and to actually win was a pretty good feeling! Hopefully it’s just the beginning.
The Alpine Snow TKO World Cup at Blue Mountain, ON (Feb 29th – Mar 1st) is approaching fast and happens to be taking place in your home country, how do you feel going into it?
I’m very excited! It will be the first time I will get to race a WC in my country since 2012 and the first time ever some of my family members will see me race.
This event is Canada’s first World Cup Alpine event on home soil – is home soil an advantage or a thing in the past?
It’s definitely an advantage, we know the slope, we’ve trained and race there before and since the slope is closed for training 5 days prior to the event, race day will be the first time most competitors will go down this slope. Also, I’m pretty stoked about racing without Jet lag and with the support of the Canadian crowd!
If you can pick 1 thing that has made this biggest contribution to your success this year which is it and why? Could be a perspective, new training regime, increased training or emphasis on rest between comps, new element to your morning routine, new tech, wax, really anything that stands out most?...
To be honest It’s been a difficult year. I had a good start to the season early December, actually my best ever, but I broke my hand on December 16th and had surgery on it. Since then I’ve been struggling to find my rhythm back. But I’ve been working extra hard I finally feel like things are getting back to normal and I’m excited to show what I can do at Blue Mountain when I’m 100% healthy!
What motivates you to continue to excel at snowboarding?
Even though I’m 29, I haven’t reached my full potential. I really believe that with hard work and the right support in place I can become top 10 in the World and reach the World Cup Podium and that keeps me hungry for more!
If you can define what snowboarding means to you in 3 words what would they be?
Passion
Dedication
Perseverance
Before you go we will be rooting for you at the finish corral in the first Canadian Alpine World Cup Feb 29- Mar 1 at Blue Mountain ON - Alpine Snow TKO World Cup - who would you like to thank?
The staff at Canada Snowboard for bringing back a World Cup Event in Canada!!! So stoked
Lastly, did you end up having to pay for overweight fees to bring the Carezza, ITA trophy back to Canada in the end? Still worth its weight - ha?
Haha unfortunately my bags were way too heavy WITHOUT it so I left it at our base hotel in Italy for now and I hope I’ll be able to bring it back home at the end of the season in March and hopefully with a few more :P
Megan Farrell
Congrats on a getting first and a second in two FIS PGS races in Carezza, Italy. You shared the podium twice with your teammate Katrina Gerencser. Is shared success that much sweeter?
Sharing the podium with a teammate is very special - especially outside of North America. Even though this is an individual sport, when someone on the team succeeds, we all succeed. In order to reach greater success, you need a team who will support, encourage, and push you to be better.
The Alpine Snow TKO World Cup at Blue Mountain, ON (Feb 29th – Mar 1st) is approaching fast and happens to be taking place in your home province, how do you feel going into it?
Having a home race is huge. For the younger riders, it is a great introduction into the competitive environment and potentially an opportunity to compete since Canada will have more spots available. I had my first start at Stoneham, Quebec World Cup in 2009. For where I am now in my competitive career, a home race gives us the competitive advantage. We are on the road throughout the summer and November through April. Time change, travel time, food irregularities, missing family... it’s all part of the game. A home race will allow us to eliminate some of those stressors and a cheering squad at the bottom will only amplify our motivation!! Go Canada!
This event is Canada’s first World Cup Alpine event on home soil – is home soil an advantage or a thing in the past?
This is Canada’s first World Cup in Ontario. Home soil is a huge advantage. It is pretty rare that we have a chance to train on a World Cup slope before race day. We will have the opportunity to get a feeling for the hill, get comfortable with it, and find ways to monopolize on its unique features.
If you can pick 1 thing that has made this biggest contribution to your success this year which is it and why? Could be a perspective, new training regime, increased training or emphasis on rest between comps, new element to your morning routine, new tech, wax, really anything that stands out most?...
My success this year comes from many many many years of hard work. Putting in hours and sticking to my plan. Sports are a funny thing. There are so many outside factors that can go wrong. In order to perform at your best you need to identify those factors and embrace them! For a type A person like myself, letting go of what can go wrong is the hardest but most rewarding approach.
This season, we also welcome coach Hannes and our serviceman Stefan. Their knowledge and expertise have stepped up our game and given us the confidence to excel!
What motivates you to continue to excel at snowboarding?
I've always been self motivated when it comes to sports and school. What helps me keep going is finding perspective. Asking myself the important questions - Why do I do this? Am I having fun? Am I learning anything today? You can’t always be the fastest, but every opportunity provides a great space for learning.
If you can define what snowboarding means to you in 3 words what would they be?
Fast
Pressure
Momentum
Before you go we will be rooting for you at the finish corral in the first Canadian Alpine World Cup Feb 29- Mar 1 at Blue Mountain ON - Alpine Snow TKO World Cup - who would you like to thank?
Mom and dad, coach Jan and Hannes and our great serviceman Stefan!
Katrina Gerencser.jpg)
Congrats on a getting first and a second in two FIS PGS races in Carezza, Italy. You shared the podium twice with your teammate Megan Farrell. Is shared success that much sweeter?
Thank you! Sharing the podium with teammates, especially in Europe, is always really motivating and exciting. Being able to celebrate successes as a team is always the goal!
The Alpine Snow TKO World Cup at Blue Mountain, ON (Feb 29th – Mar 1st) is approaching fast and happens to be taking place in your home province, how do you feel going into it?
Definitely nervous, but also excited. There's a lot of pressure on performing well at home, but being able to stay home for a World Cup is a dream come true!
This event is Canada’s first World Cup Alpine event on home soil – is home soil an advantage or a thing in the past?
I definitely consider it an advantage! Being able to sleep in my own bed, drive roads I'm familiar with to get to the race, and be accustomed to the time zone are all huge bonuses!
If you can pick 1 thing that has made this biggest contribution to your success this year which is it and why? Could be a perspective, new training regime, increased training or emphasis on rest between comps, new element to your morning routine, new tech, wax, really anything that stands out most?...
The addition of a wax tech has been a pretty huge factor in my success this year. Apart from saving time and energy that we can instead put into gym recovery time in the evenings, being able to trust that my edges are sharp and my wax is fast takes away a huge amount of stress on race day.
What motivates you to continue to excel at snowboarding?
Seeing the Canadian team starting to lay down good results on the world stage is a huge motivating factor. Travelling to smaller Europa Cups and European FIS races and seeing the sheer amount of young alpine snowboarders really motivates me to excel in the hopes that it brings recognition to our sport in Canada - especially to the younger generation.
Before you go we will be rooting for you at the finish corral in the first Canadian Alpine World Cup Feb 29- Mar 1 at Blue Mountain ON - Alpine Snow TKO World Cup - who would you like to thank?
I'd like to thank my parents, for giving me this world of opportunity and for believing in me. Beaver Valley Ski Club, Ontario Snowboard, Canada Snowboard, and all the coaches I've had, past and present, for introducing me to the sport, for supporting me, pushing me, and never giving up on me.
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Look out for Seb, Megan & Katrina at The Alpine Snow TKO Feb 29th - Mar 1st
