Mont-Tremblant World Cup 'a dream come true' for local favourite Valerie Grenier

Valerie Grenier was so young the first time she snowplowed down the trails at Mont-Tremblant, she can't even remember it.

Grenier was only two years old when her parents put her on skis, but since then she's piled up countless memories while learning to master the mountain.

This weekend, the 27-year-old is Canada's top medal hope in two women's World Cup giant slalom races in Mont-Tremblant, Que., — the first of their kind at the Laurentians ski resort since 1983. Live coverage begins Saturday at 11 a.m. ET on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app and CBC Gem.

"It means everything. It's honestly a dream come true," she said. "I never really thought that this would be possible.

Grenier grew up in St. Isidore, Ont., but lived her weekends on the hill 100 kilometres north in Mont-Tremblant, where her grandparents owned a condo.

Thousands of spectators are expected to turn up and cheer on the local favourite, but her grandfather is one fan in particular who will be bursting with pride as the two-time Olympian shreds down the hill.

Marcel Bourdon and his wife, Louise, owned that condo where it all began 25 years ago.

Through the years they encouraged their granddaughter's progress every run along the way. Louise passed away last summer, but Marcel will watch his granddaughter compete at this level for the very first time.

"He's very excited, he's telling everyone about it," said Grenier. "He went skiing with my mom the other day, and apparently every time they were going up the gondola he would tell everyone that I'm his granddaughter and he's so excited to watch the race."

Although Grenier doesn't remember her first few times down the hill, Marcel does.

"When I was three or four, we were skiing together and he said every 15