Canada's Curt Minard takes bronze in para snowboardcross opener
Vernon, B.C., native feeling 'confident' after reaching podium at World Cup event
Curt Minard of Vernon, B.C., grabbed his first World Cup medal of the season on Friday, nabbing bronze in the upper limb category at the first of two Para-snowboardcross World Cups in Finland.
Minard led the charge for Canada, earning its sole medal of the weekend, as well as posting a respectable sixth-place finish on Saturday.
"I love representing Canada, it's always an honour. To be able to bring a bronze medal home on the World Cup stage was an amazing feeling," said Curt Minard, who is looking to qualify for his first Paralympic Winter Games.
"I am feeling confident in my riding this Paralympic season and I'm looking forward to pushing my limits and bringing more hardware home for Canada."
Several other Canadians managed to find themselves within the top ten during the course of both World cups, with Andrew Genge of Oshawa, Ont., barely missing out on the podium on the second day of competition with a fourth-place finish.
Barrie, Ont., native Alex Massie also stood out, finishing the first day in seventh after being narrowly edged out by American Evan Strong in the quarter-final.