Talk about perfect timing.
麻豆社国产snowboarder Justin Lamoureux earned halfpipe silver, his best ever World Cup result, just two weeks before Olympic competition hits Cypress Mountain.
The 33-year-old Olympic veteran posted 43.6 points in his first run by nailing a switch backside 540, cab 900, switch method, cab 720, and finishing it all off with a frontside 720 under the lights at Calgary's Canada Olympic Park on Saturday (Jan. 30). He went on to record the third best score in his second run.
Lamoureux said his runs are becoming more versatile. He no longer plans his runs before competition, but rather makes it up as he goes along.
"I'm really happy with where my riding is right now and where my head is right now," said Lamoureux on the phone from Calgary this week while preparing to compete in this weekend's Burton Canadian Open Snowboarding Championships.
"The confidence to be able to change your run from first run to second run in the finals, like I did this past season, and try a harder run is really important, because if you stick a run and everything is really good [but] the judges don't think it's that good, you're not going to do that run a second time."
Paired with last week's fourth place finish at Stoneham, Que. the silver medal makes Lamoureux the top Canadian and puts him in fifth place overall on the World Cup circuit. His solid riding on home snow suggests he'll be ready for big things when the men's Olympic halfpipe runs Feb. 17 just down the road from his home town.
For some Canadian athletes, competing in front of a home crowd may come with added pressure. But Lamoureux said he just feels anticipation for the Olympics.
"I'm excited for it because it's the Olympics in my backyard, essentially. But it doesn't change anything to me. I'm still going out to do a snowboard contest and snowboarding is what I love to do."
So far, it's all going smoothly for Lamoureux, who is looking to improve on his 21st place result at the 2006 Turin Olympics.
"I'm probably right where I want to be and the tricks are coming along," he said.
Lamoureux was the only Canadian to advance directly to the finals after qualifying third overall and first in his heat with 42.1 points.
France's Arthur Longo, 21, won gold in his first ever World Cup finals by scoring 45.1 points. Great Britain's Ben Kilner scored 40.3 points for third place.
Lamoureux was the first Canadian snowboarder to qualify for the Winter Games by earning two top five finishes last season. Saturday marked his second career World Cup podium. In 2002, he placed third at Stoneham.
Despite coming off a second place finish in Quebec, fellow Canadian Jeff Batchelor had to settle for 22nd place. Barrie, Ont.'s Brendan Davis placed 14th and Aurora, Ont.'s Derek Livingston finished 18th.
Whistler's Mercedes Nicol placed seventh in the women's halfpipe, just shy of qualifying for the finals. Halifax's Sarah Conrad finished ninth.
China's snowboarders continue to dominate the World Cup tour, placing four riders in the top five after sweeping the podium in Stoneham the week prior. Zhifeng Sun placed first followed by teammate Xuetong Chi. Australia's Holly Crawford placed third.
