UNLEASHED Quebec MMXIX – Stage 4 Basse Caché Giant Slalom Report & Results

UNLEASHED Quebec: MMXIX
Stage 4: The Basse Cache River – Giant Slalom Presented by Kokatat
by Kalob Grady

Fog filled the Jacques Cartier Valley, vibrant greens of the coniferous trees twinkling in the soft morning light against the dull backdrop of rain and the leafless, brown deciduous trees. The 40mm of rain in the forecast had the organizers attention, but the Basse Cache river was too perfect of a Giant Slalom race course to pass on.

With this desire to take advantage of one of the best sections of steep Whitewater in the province of Quebec, Send pulled the trigger, announced Stage 4 on the Basse Cache and started to set the gates all the while willing Mother Nature to hold back on the inevitable downpour.

The Giant Slalom course was set to be just over a minute l long with 3 smooth, but rebellious down gates and 1 incredibly challenging up gate that ultimately came to light as the crux move of the race course. To say a single move defined each racers run would be a stretch, but the double drop into the up gate was a make or break moment for most athletes. A clean descent through this section would pace you towards being into the top 5, but if athletes styled the crux move near the end of the course, they still have to think about the slide, the boof, the gates themselves, even the finish line wasn’t guaranteed smooth sailing.

All riders were given 2 runs, with their fastest time of the 2 being counted. Although all racers were given 2 laps, not all took advantage of this privilege. Some took what they were given on lap 1, or were intimidated out of contention by the steep, difficult course.

Safety was set and solid to handle all the carnage that resulted below double drop, weather athletes exploded off the kicker getting fired right in epic fashion, spun around backwards off the left wall, or got caught up the wall, they were ready.

Racers charged hard, leaving all out on the line in stage 4, trying to take full advantage of the final opportunity to gain in the overall standings.

>>>Read & Watch more about The 2019 UNLEASHED x Quebec
Check Stage 4 Results below.
Stay tuned for the full event recap and the overall results later this week!