ThereB次元官网网址檚 a feeling of pure freedom when Mac Marcoux is roaring down the mountain at 120 kilometres an hour, the only sounds coming from the crunch of his skis on the snow and the directions from guide Jack Leitch.

The 20-year-old skierB次元官网网址檚 love of speed carried him to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first gold medal of the Pyeongchang Paralympic Games, as he and Leitch won the downhill for visually impaired on Saturday.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a pretty special feeling. ItB次元官网网址檚 just me and Jack and weB次元官网网址檙e alone on the hill, and we can go as fast as we want B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 really cool,B次元官网网址� Marcoux said with a big grin.

And fast they went, beating silver medallists Jakub Krako and guide Branislav Brozman of Slovakia by 1.42 seconds.

Earlier, Mollie Jepsen of Vancouver captured CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first medal of the Games, a bronze in the womenB次元官网网址檚 standing downhill.

Marcoux, a 20-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., was raised on a steady diet of adrenalin sports, racing go-carts, dirt bikes and snowmobiles as a kid alongside brother Billy Joe.

But he started losing his vision when he was eight to StargardtB次元官网网址檚 disease, and was legally blind by nine.

B次元官网网址淲hen I was young, it was kind of an easy transition because when youB次元官网网址檙e eight years old, you really donB次元官网网址檛 know any better, so it was kind of seamless,B次元官网网址� Marcoux said. B次元官网网址淭he biggest part of that was having a supportive family and they never really stopped me from doing what I was doing before. They just kind of regulated it a little more.

B次元官网网址淚 quit racing go-karts, but I still had the other things B次元官网网址� we live outside the city so we carried on with everyday life and they just made it seem like no big deal. I thank them for that.B次元官网网址�

Like cross-country skier Brian McKeever, who carried CanadaB次元官网网址檚 flag in Friday nightB次元官网网址檚 opening ceremonies, Marcoux has some peripheral vision but no central vision. He credits McKeever for paving the way to Paralympic sport. The 10-time Paralympic gold medallist and MarcouxB次元官网网址檚 mom Lee spoke often when he was beginning to lose his sight.

B次元官网网址淗e was definitely a big role model B次元官网网址� he kind of just gave me the tips and pointers of how to get into sport and really go after something, and seeing how successful heB次元官网网址檚 been, heB次元官网网址檚 been a pretty awesome role model to have,B次元官网网址� Marcoux said.

He and Leitch communicate through radios in their helmets, much like a race car driver talks to his pit crew. The event announcer, who barked out information during the standing and sitting races Saturday, remained silent for the visually impaired runs to prevent interfering in communication.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of like having someone else explain what you canB次元官网网址檛 see in front of you,B次元官网网址� Marcoux said, on the teamwork with his guide. B次元官网网址滻 can see enough that I can see where heB次元官网网址檚 going, but heB次元官网网址檚 calling a lot more of the terrain changes so he gives me a heads up when itB次元官网网址檚 bumpy, or when thereB次元官网网址檚 some rolls, or weB次元官网网址檙e going to get light. ItB次元官网网址檚 kind of like skiing with a buddy.B次元官网网址�

Marcoux could see the fluorescent yellow of LeitchB次元官网网址檚 calves in his ski suit, and the black of ski boots, and the duo carved their line down the course at Jeongseon Alpine Centre in almost perfect tandem Saturday morning, almost as if they were attached by an invisible rope.

B次元官网网址淚 wore this yellow suit today so he can see better,B次元官网网址� said Leitch, a 21-year-old from Calgary. B次元官网网址漈he team suit is red and we tried it out, but just the yellow he can see better.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭he red blends in with the fencing,B次元官网网址� Marcoux added.

Marcoux, who originally competed with his brother as his guide, made his Paralympic debut as CanadaB次元官网网址檚 youngest athlete (16) in Sochi four years ago, racing to gold in the giant slalom and bronze in both the downhill and Super G. Billy Joe suffered a back injury right before Sochi, so Marcoux teamed up with Robin Femy. But disaster struck the two in Super G when their mics cut out at the start gate. They raced anyway, Femy hollering instructions over his shoulder to Marcoux, his voice getting lost in the strong wind.

B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 really hear much when youB次元官网网址檙e going that fast, but it made it made interesting and a lot of fun,B次元官网网址� Marcoux laughed.

He and Leitch, a former Alberta provincial team skier, teamed up in 2016 and found almost instant success. They raced to four gold medals at last yearB次元官网网址檚 world championships, and Marcoux collected his third consecutive Crystal Globe as the overall winner.

While downhill is one of their strongest events, they could march to the medal podium four more times in Pyeongchang.

Jepsen, meanwhile, finished 4.30 seconds behind gold medallist Marie Bochet of France, and 2.23 seconds back of and silver medallist Andrea Rothfuss of Germany.

Jepsen was the first skier down, and had to wait for 11 more skiers to see if her time would hold up for a medal.

B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 think it would,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 had some mistakes at the top section, I made up some time at the bottom but I wasnB次元官网网址檛 very certain it was going to hold up, so it was definitely a very nervewracking experience standing up there waiting.B次元官网网址�

CalgaryB次元官网网址檚 Alana Ramsay just missed the podium, finishing fourth with a time of 1:35.21.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 feeling really good with what we had, we didnB次元官网网址檛 have all the training runs I was hoping to have and that kind of threw me off,B次元官网网址� said Ramsay.

Two of the three downhill practice runs were cancelled due to inclement weather.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 head coach Jean-Sebastien Labrie was selected to set SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 downhill course, an icy, fast track that wound through 41 gates over 2,356 metres, and featured a stomach-dropping blind corner that skiers negotiated through without seeing what lay ahead.

CanadaB次元官网网址檚 team in Pyeongchang is looking to improve on the 16 medals it won four years ago in Sochi.

The Canadian team of 55 athletes and guides arrived in Pyeongchang less than two weeks after their Olympic counterparts completed the most successful winter Games in Canadian history, winning 29 medals for third overall.

The Paralympics run until March 18.

Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press

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