Erik Guay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Erik Guay

Alpine skier
Guay in February 2011
Disciplines	Downhill, super-G
Club	Mont-Tremblant
Born	(1981-08-05) August 5, 1981 (age 43) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
World Cup debut	December 10, 2000 (age 19)
Retired	November 2018 (age 37)
Website	erikguay.com
Olympics
Teams	3 – (2006, 2010, 2014)
Medals	0
World Championships
Teams	6 – (2003–17)
Medals	3 (2 gold)
World Cup
Seasons	15 – (2003–14, 2016–18)
Wins	5 – (3 DH, 2 SG)
Podiums	25 – (17 DH, 8 SG)
Overall titles	0 – (12th in 2007)
Discipline titles	1 – (SG, 2010)
Medal record World Cup race podiums Event 1st 2nd 3rd Downhill 3 6 8 Super-G 2 2 4 World Championships Gold 2011 Garmisch Downhill Gold 2017 St. Moritz Super-G Silver 2017 St. Moritz Downhill

Erik Guay (born August 5, 1981) is a famous Canadian alpine ski racer who used to compete in the World Cup. He comes from Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. Erik Guay is known for winning a World Cup title in super-G in 2010. He also became a world champion twice: first in downhill in 2011, and then in super-G in 2017. He has stood on the World Cup podium 25 times, which is more than any other Canadian ski racer!

Erik Guay's Skiing Journey

Starting Young

Erik Guay was born in Montreal, Canada. He started skiing at a very young age. When he was just five years old, he entered his first ski race. His father was a ski team coach, and when Erik was twelve, his dad helped him get professional coaching. This early start helped him become a top athlete.

First Big Wins

Erik got his first World Cup podium (a top-three finish) in November 2003. He came in second place in a downhill race at Lake Louise. In 2005, he finished second twice in super-G races and third once in a downhill race.

Just two weeks before the 2006 Winter Olympics, Erik got injured. He couldn't compete in the downhill race. However, he still managed to finish fourth in the super-G, missing a medal by a tiny bit.

Making History

The next season, Erik won his very first World Cup race in Garmisch, Germany. This was a huge moment! He was the first Canadian man to win a World Cup downhill race since 1994. He was also the first man ever from Québec to achieve this. His strong performance in 2007 helped him finish third in the overall World Cup downhill standings.

In 2009, Erik had many top-20 finishes but only reached the podium once, finishing third.

Olympic Challenges and Crystal Globe

The 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Canada, which was exciting for Erik. He competed in three events in Whistler. He came very close to winning a medal, finishing fifth twice.

After the Olympics, he had an amazing March, getting on the podium three times in a row. He won the last two super-G races of the season. This helped him win the overall super-G title for the 2010 season! Erik was the first Canadian man to win a "crystal globe" (a trophy for winning a discipline title) since Steve Podborski in 1982.

World Champion Titles

Erik faced some challenges with knee injuries during the 2011 season. He had to miss some races. But at the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch, he showed his amazing skill. He won the downhill race, becoming a world champion! This was his first World Championship medal. He was the second Canadian in a row to win the downhill world title.

Erik continued to do well in the 2014 season. His win in Val Gardena in December was his fourth World Cup victory. It was also his 20th World Cup podium, tying him with Steve Podborski as Canada's all-time leader. A week later, he got third place at Bormio, making him the sole Canadian leader in career podiums.

He hoped to win an Olympic medal at the Sochi Olympics. However, a knee injury he got in January made it hard for him to perform his best. He finished tenth in the downhill and was disqualified from the super-G. The next week, he won another downhill race in Kvitfjell, Norway. Erik then missed the entire 2015 season because he needed his sixth knee surgery.

At the 2017 World Championships in St. Moritz, Erik won the super-G event. At 35 years old, he became the oldest World Champion ever in alpine skiing! He also placed second in the downhill event that same weekend.

Unfortunately, Erik couldn't compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics due to a back injury.

Retirement

In November 2018, Erik decided to retire from skiing. He had planned to retire at the end of the season. However, he made the decision earlier after his teammate, Manuel Osborne-Paradis, had a serious crash. Erik wanted to retire to focus on his family and health.

Life Outside Skiing

Erik Guay and his wife, Karen, have four daughters. They live in Mont-Tremblant. Erik has some Norwegian family history through one of his grandmothers. Since 2009, he has been an ambassador for the Tremblant ski resort.

World Cup Achievements

Season Titles

Erik Guay won one World Cup season title:

World Championship Results

Erik Guay won two gold medals and one silver medal at the World Championships:

See also

In Spanish: Erik Guay para niños