Comox Valley (BC), Canada – Lauren Woolstencroft, the five time 2010 Paralympic Winter Games gold medalist from North Vancouver, British Columbia, continued her impressive ski racing season by winning the giant slalom in the women’s standing category as the TELUS Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Championships got underway Thursday at Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Vancouver Island.nWoolstencroft was one of the two athletes crowned a national GS champion as Matt Hallat, of Squamish, British Columbia, was declared a winner as well Thursday.

Other national champions on the opening day of the national championships for para-alpine ski racers included Ontario’s Bradley Barker with his guide Kathleen Connelly and USA’s para-alpine ski racer Scott Meyer in the men’s sitting category.

Woolstencroft won the women’s standing category with a combined time of 2:04.38 in front of other Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team (CPAST) members Karolina Wisniewska (Vancouver, British Columbia) in second place and Melanie Schwartz (Toronto, Ontario) in third place. Arly Fogarty (Montréal, Quebec) finished in fourth place.

“It was a great race. It’s unfortunate it was raining and snowing this morning, but all and all the volunteers and the Race Organizing Committee in Mount Washington put on a really good race,” said Woolstencroft.

“Canadian Championships are always a great way to end the season. After all the stress from the Paralympic Games, it’s great to come here with all your friends and wind down a little bit,” added Woolstencroft. “It’s also good to see all the great talent that we have across Canada.”

Hallat, who finished 11th in the Paralympic downhill event, was crowned national champion in the giant slalom event Thursday. His last title was won in 2007-08, as he finished second in last year’s event.

Josh Dueck (Vernon, British Columbia) who competed in the men’s sitting category finished second in today’s event as USA’s Scott Meyer had the two fastest runs with a time of 2:04.21.

The schedule at Mount Washington near Comox Valley calls for another GS on Friday, this time a Nor-Am Cup event. The next national championship race will be a slalom on Saturday.