Penticton’s Andi Naude was at a loss for words after earning her second career podium spot in the FIS World Cup in Calgary Jan. 30.
Naude joined Canadian teammates Chloé and Justine Dufour-Lapointe after finishing third.
“It’s an honour to just ski for this team. We’re surrounded by so much talent each day,” Naude said in a team statement. “I’m proud to be up on the podium today with two greats and I’m thankful for my teammates and coaches that push me to be better.”
Naude scored 74.11 by completing her run with a backfull (backflip with a 360-degree rotation). It’s her first podium on home soil.
“I’m just really happy that I could put down the run that I’m happy with,” Naude told the Western News during a phone interview while in Deer Valley, Utah. “I’ve worked really hard on that the entire off-season. To be able to really show that in competition and perform it well, it was really a big relief to me, actually.”
Naude, a product of the Apex Freestyle Club, said it takes the personal pressure off herself. She went into the super final in fourth-place, which put her skiing fourth last in the final. After completing a run she was happy with, she had an idea she may end up on that podium.
“I didn’t know until a couple of skiers after myself,” she said. “I was super excited to be able to ski how I skied on the Saturday. I sort of struggled at the beginning of the season. I had really good training and felt really confident going in. When competition time rolled around, I just wasn’t able to put down the same quality run. I was excited to be able to do that in Calgary.”
In Val-St-Côme, Que., Naude placed 11th scoring 77.80. In Ruka, Finland, Naude placed ninth in the dual moguls. She said the start of the season was hard for her.
“I was quite down on myself. I’m pretty hard on myself naturally,” said Naude, adding that likely didn’t help the situation as she wasn’t performing how she really wanted to, how she was capable. “I feel that having this confidence in Calgary is really going to help me throughout the rest of the season.”
Her goal entering the season was to earn more podium finishes and she feels that she can accomplish that. While the World Cup field lost some key players such as American Hannah Kearney, who retired, Naude said the field is similar and the level is high.
This weekend Naude and the national team are competing in the Deer Valley World Cup. Naude qualified for the 16-woman small final and finished 13th.
