Canadian juniors back on podium at Les Gets World Cup downhill

With two podiums and close fifth, it was another exceptional World Cup weekend for Canada’s next wave of junior downhill racers.

Junior men’s downhill World Cup – Les Gets, France

Patrick Laffey (Devinci Development Racing) led the charge for Canada. The Vancouver Island junior was second, behind current series leader Thibaut Daprela (Commencal Vallnord). The French junior has been nearly unstoppable all season. Racing in front of a home crowd, Daprela had a winning margin of 1.661 seconds.

Seth Sherlock took the final podium spot, just 0.144 seconds behind Laffey for third.

Close time gaps separated the incredibly competitive junior men’s race. Lucas Cruz (SRAM-TLD) was just off the podium in fifth, but only 1.834 seconds behind Sherlock in third.

Eliot Jamieson (Norco Facotry Racing) was the fourth Canadian in the junior men’s final. The White Rock, B.C. rider was 19th on the high speed French track.

Junior women’s downhill World Cup – Les Gets, France

Valentina Höll (SRAM-TLD) was flying in France. The young Austrian was 12.778 seconds faster than second place finisher, American Anna Newkirk (SRAM Young Guns). Höll’s winning time was the fastest women’s time of the day, junior and elite. While it can be hard to compare between groups that race at different times of day, its an impressive show of speed from the Austrian junior world champion.

Ainhoa Ijurko, the Spanish junior that’s been living and racing in B.C. for the last couple years, was fourth in Les Gets. Squamish’s Bailey Goldstone finished sixth.