Michel Vaillancourt announced on his Facebook page that he was not chosen as the course designer for the 2018 Bromont WEG. Vaillancourt, a level 4 course designer who was born in Quebec and earned the individual silver medal at the 1976 Olympics at the Bromont venue where the WEG will be held, was shocked by the decision. Vaillancourt did note that the decision isn’t yet official, but feels that show organizer, Roger Deslauriers, seems committed to his selection.
Vaillancourt was offered the opportunity to be co-course designer with Venezuelan Leopoldo Palacios, but rejected the proposal. He noted that course designers each have their own style and that his was very different from Palacios’s and felt that the two might not gel effectively.
Aside from being disappointed, Vaillancourt’s primary concern was the lack of support the decision showed for Canadian officials. “It’s discouraging for up-and-coming course designers and other officials to see that’s the way we are going to be treated.” He noted that is commonplace for major games to use the opportunity to showcase homegrown talent when possible (eg: Bob Ellis for London Olympics in 2012, Frederic Cottier for WEG 2014). “Being bypassed without any hesitation has really upset me. So unpatriotic. I’m not just a Canadian, I’m a French Canadian.”
