It was a successful weekend for Canadian ski cross racers in Nakiska, Alberta. In four events, Canadians won three medals, as Kristofor Mahler of Colingwood, Ontario won gold in the second men’s race on Saturday, while Kevin Drury of Toronto, Ontario won a silver medal in the first men’s race on Friday, and Canadian Olympic gold medalist Marielle Thompson of North Vancouver, British Columbia won a silver medal in the second women’s race on Saturday.
Mahler won the fifth elimination heat on Saturday. He then won the quarterfinal, was second in the semifinal, and then won the big final. Florian Wilmsmann of Germany won silver, and Ryan Regez of Switzerland won bronze.
Drury finished second in the fifth elimination heat on Friday. He then won the quarterfinal, and was second in the semifinal before finishing second again in the big final. David Mobaerg of Sweden won gold and Tobias Mueller of Germany won bronze.
In the women’s World Cup on Saturday, Thompson, who won the gold medal for Canada in women’s ski cross at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, placed first in the fourth quarterfinal and first in the second semifinal, before placing second in the big final. Sandra Naeslund of Sweden won gold, and Fanny Smith of Switzerland won a controversial bronze medal. The reason why it was controversial is because she failed to finish the big final due to a crash. The bronze medal should have gone to Alexandra Edebo of Sweden, who won the small final.
In the World Cup standings in men’s ski cross, Drury is the top Canadian in eighth place with 208 points. Mahler is in 14th place with 179 points. The leader is Bastien Midol of France with 403 points. In the World Cup standings in women’s ski cross, Thompson is in third with 389 points. Naeslund leads with 750 points.
There are two more World Cup ski cross races for men and women prior to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. They will take place in Idre Fjall, Sweden on January 22 and 23. The Olympic men’s ski cross big final will be on February February 18 at 2 a.m., and the Olympic women’s ski cross big final will be on February 17 at 1:15 a.m.
