SWITZERLAND – Erik Read booked a ticket to his first world cup finals this weekend after keeping faith on the slopes during a disappointing month-long slump.
The 29-year-old from Canmore qualified for the year-end giant slalom (GS) Saturday (March 20) in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, where overall titles are on the line.
As the 2018 Olympian said, he’s looking for more than a top 20 to cap off his year.
“I have to be top 15 to score any points, so that will be the bar I’m shooting for, like a top 20, top 25 result doesn’t cut it in that final race,” said Read.
“At this point. I’ve put in a solid year, I’ve qualified for the finals, and just really give it that one last shot of what I can do, aim for top 10, top 15, and anything can happen.”
Read’s been most consistent in GS this season, where he sits ranked 19th overall. In slalom, he’s ranked 36th.
He came into the season hoping to be in the top 15 range of GS, the upper elite of racers, and some serious results in Switzerland could give the boost needed to hit his mark.
He started the season with two top 10 GS results, and has placed in the top 20 six times.
However, it’s easier said than done after Read’s rough end of January and February with a sub-standard world championships.
He was constantly coming up short in qualification runs or not finishing races for four weeks on the world cup and world championship races.
“I think I put too much pressure on myself for the world championships because of all that,” said Read. “Instead of just treating it like another race and that was a huge disappointment.
“At the same time, I never lost faith in my skiing. Despite a bunch of challenges, I still belong amongst the top guys.”
He broke out of the funk with a 16th place in GS last Saturday (March 13) in Slovenia. The course held up under sunny and warm conditions as he qualified for the finals.
To catch 15th place, currently held by Switzerland’s Gino Caviezel (179 points), Read, who has 126 points, would need at least a top three finish.
One factor heading into the weekend is the “disastrous weather” in Switzerland this week that saw rainy and snowy conditions result in cancelled training runs.
Aware of the factors going against Read, he won’t count himself out yet.
“It’s a bit of new challenge for me mentally to know I can beat the fastest guys in the world on any given day, so it’s about execution now when it matters in those two runs or those big events," he said.
