Mike Janyk advances to World Cup finals.

By Postmedia News

Skiing with a heavy heart, Mike Janyk of Whistler, B.C., earned a berth in the World Cup finals by finishing 19th in the final slalom race of the regular season on Sunday in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

Only the top 25 skiers after the regular season advance to the finals, and Sunday’s finish landed Janyk spot No. 23.

Brad Spence of Calgary, meanwhile, wasn’t so fortunate. He finished 26th on Sunday and 28th in the overall standings, eight points out of 25th place.

You can’t blame Janyk, Spence and teammate Paul Stutz of Banff, Alta., if their thoughts were elsewhere Sunday, when they paid tribute to friend and ski cross athlete Nik Zoricic of Toronto, who was killed Saturday during a crash while competing in Switzerland.

“(Nik) was a teammate for years,” said Janyk, who like Spence and Stutz wore stickers of Zoricic’s initials on their helmets as well as black armbands. “It’s insanely shocking. I can’t believe it.

“It’s been a tough season and when something tragic like this happens you almost want to harness the beautiful things in life. Standing up there and getting the chance to give your best in whatever that thing is, it’s one of the most amazing things you can do with your life. It’s something special.

“Nik loved ski racing and he was going for his best and that’s really what it was about today. It’s cool that we take it so seriously and it means everything to us. That’s when you get the most amazing moments in life.”

Spence said it was important to honour Zoricic.

“We all have some pretty fond memories of Nik,” he said.

The World Cup finals begin Monday with the first downhill training run. Representing Canada with Janyk will be: world downhill champion Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que.; Jan Hudec of Calgary (downhill and super-G); Ben Thomsen of Invermere, B.C. (downhill); Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que. (women’s slalom); and Erin Mielzynski of Guelph, Ont. (women’s slalom).

PN 3/11/12 17:38:00