Abigail Vieira is the first ever athlete from Trinidad & Tobago to participate at a Youth Olympic Games, and the first Alpine Skier from TTO to participate at any Olympic event Daily Summary: Abigail Vieira competed in the slalom portion of the Alpine Combined event today. Sport Description from Lausanne 2020: Alpine Combined consists of two runs - a Super-G and a Slalom run - and the competitor with the fastest total time wins. The competitions are run in an "against the clock" format, with the competitors attempting to cross the finish line with the fastest time. The Super G took place on Jan 10th, the slalom run followed today, Jan 11th.
Traditionally, the Super-G race is run first and the Slalom second. The fastest 30 from the Super G compete in the slalom by starting in reversed order, while the other competitors start as per their Super G ranking afterwards.
In case of a tie in Super-G, the competitor with the higher bib number will start the slalom after the competitor with the lower bib he tied with. At Lausanne 2020, the Super-G event’s race will count as the Alpine Combined Super-G run.
Abigail finished in 33rd place of the combined (Aggregating the result from yesterday’s Super G and today’s Slalom), from a field of 62 contestants, making up 9 places from yesterday’s 42nd place finish. Today’s slalom was a very technical and challenging race, in which 17 racers did not finish the course. Abby did extremely well to fight her way through the technical sections, and was the last finisher in the race, while everyone else behind her was DNF (“Did Not Finish”). While she is disappointed with her result (she feels she could have done better, and feels she made a number of mistakes), she is taking it as motivation for her next races, the Giant Slalom on Sunday and the Slalom on Tuesday.
After carrying the flag for her parents’ native country on January 9th and making her Olympic Debut on January 10th, Abigail Vieira is creating an enormous wave of passion and excitement in Trinidad & Tobago, inspiring hope in a country which faces a number of challenges and sees its share of grim news in the papers. Today Abby’s picture was on the front page, or in prominent positions, in most major newspapers back in Trinidad & Tobago.
Abigail Vieira Quotes from 11/01/2020:
On her skiing background:
“I have been skiing since I was 6, and at about 10 I started to train gates (for ski racing)”
On support from her friends from school:
“They are so excited… the time difference is a little different but they have been trying (to watch the races)”
On today’s race:
“I definitely feel like there is room to improve… I am just happy to be done with my first slalom and I can focus more now on the races to come”.
On yesterday’s race versus today’s:
“Slalom has a lot smaller turns and you have to cross-block the gates, it’s a little different in that sense, but I think my Super G was better, I am more proud of my Super G.”
Quotes from Brian Lewis, President of the Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee:
“Abby is competing with so much heart, she is representing Trinidad & Tobago with tremendous courage and determination.”
“It’s obvious to me Abby has the competitive heart of a champion and she has the potential and talent to develop into a senior Olympic Alpine Skier”
Preview for tomorrow: on January 12th, Abigail will compete in the Alpine Skiing giant slalom race, starting at 10:00 CET tomorrow. The second run will start at 12:45pm. The race will be live streamed at https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/live/
Sport Description from Lausanne 2020: In Giant Slalom, the gates are spaced further apart than in Slalom, but not as far apart as in super-G. In Giant Slalom the course consists of two double sets of poles linked by a gate panel through which the competitor has to ski. The competitions are run in an "against the clock" format and, as in Slalom, each skier completes two runs and the competitor with the fastest combined time wins.
Other info: Abigail Vieira’s Youth Olympic mission is a family affair: her Team staff includes her Father Richard Vieira as Chef de Mission, her sister Ria Vieira as assistant coach, and her mother Alison Vieira as support staff. Her coach is Lori Ford, mother of an ex Olympian from USA. Abigail is further supported by team staff Mirella Arnhold, Ex-Alpine Skier and first ever Olympian in that discipline for Brazil (2002 and 2006). The team is completed by Nick Lau, a Nordic skier for Trinidad & Tobago, and secretary general of the Trinidad & Tobago Snowsports Federation, as well as Austrian Olympic Games Organizing committee veteran Veronika Muehlhofer, as press attaché.
Schedule and results: https://www.lausanne2020.sport/results (click on Alpine skiing)
Information and Explanations about the sport: https://www.lausanne2020.sport/en/sports/alpine_skiing
Photo Gallery: https://teamtto.org/index.php/photo-gallery/category/86-2020-winter-youth-olympics
Video Gallery: https://teamtto.org/index.php/ttoc-tv-channel
Photo and Video Credits: Veronika Muehlhofer @www.ttoc.org
Professional Photos from Lausanne 2020: www.oisphotos.com
Olympic Information Service’s Feature story about Abigail Vieira, on the front page of the Lausanne 2020 Website: https://www.lausanne2020.sport/en/news/alpine-skiing/alpine_skier_becomes_first_trinidad_and_tobago_athlete_to_compete_at_winter_yog
Team Contact:
TTO NOC Press Attaché: Veronika Muehlhofer
E-mail: veronikam@millionsports.com
Tel.: +41 78 685 0271
Web & Social:
News and Results: www.lausanne2020.sport
Trinidad & Tobago Olympic Committee:
Website: https://teamtto.org/
Instagram: teamtto
Facebook: @TeamTTO Twitter: @TTOlympic
Lausanne 2020: Instagram: @lausanne2020 Facebook: @lausanne2020
Abigail Vieira:
Instagram: Abbyyvi
Facebook: @Abbyyvi #islandskier
TTSF:
Facebook: Trinidad and Tobago Snowsports Federation Athlete Biography:
Abigail “Abby” Vieira
PERSONAL
Birthdate: August 9th 2002
Height: 5’ 4”
Hometown: Winchester, MA
Language: English (native); Spanish (basic)
ACADEMIC:
High school: Holderness School
School address: Plymouth, NH
GPA: 96.20
Honors: High Honors – 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19
Leadership: Elected School President 2019 – 2020
Varsity Soccer – Captain
Eastern Alpine Ski Team – Captain
Sports: Soccer, Alpine Ski, Lacrosse
College: Accepted to Williams College Class of 2024
ALPINE SKI HISTORY
FIS points (12/18/19): SL: 148.61
GS: 154.46 SG: 219.24
Teams: Began ski racing at 8 years old Loon Race Team 2010-16
Holderness Eastern Alpine USSA 2016-2018
Holderness FIS 2018 to present
Currently skis as a T&T National at the FIS (International level)
Disciplines: Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super G
Results overview: • Competing on the international circuit
• Attained Olympic qualification point levels in the first year
Best results (last 3 years)
2018-2019 GS – 53rd; Okemo Mtn, Eastern Series FIS, 3/25/19 SL – 15th Proctor FIS 12/31/18
2017-2018 GS – 4th; Wildcat Mountain, NHARA Qualifier, 2/3/18 SL – 2nd Pats Peak, Macomber Series, 1/28/18
2016-2017 GS – 13th, Cranmore Mtn, LaFoley Series; 2/26/17 SL – 6th, Waterville Valley, LaFoley Spring, 3/19/17
OTHER
Parents: Richard & Alison Vieira
Both from Trinidad
Sister: Ria Vieira
Other activities Football, Lacrosse, Cooking, Crossfit