Canadian Olympic gold medalist Marielle Thompson of North Vancouver, British Columbia and Hannah Schmidt of Ottawa, Ontario, each won the silver medal in the first two races of the Women’s World Cup ski cross events in Val Thorens, France this week. Thompson won a silver medal on Thursday and Schmidt won a silver medal on Friday.
For Thompson it was her 53rd World Cup medal. She has now won 25 gold medals, 18 silver medals, and 10 bronze medals. On Thursday, Sandra Naeslund of Sweden won the gold medal, and Talina Gantenbein of Switzerland won the bronze medal. Thompson won the third quarterfinal heat, and was second to Fanny Smith of Switzerland in the semifinal heat.
For Schmidt it was her first career World Cup medal. Naeslund won the gold medal and Daniela Maier of Germany won the bronze medal. Schmidt won a rare all-Canadian quarterfinal that also included Thompson, India Sherret of Cranbrook, British Columbia, and Abby McEwen of Edmonton, Alberta. Schmidt then won the second semifinal heat.
In the World Cup women’s ski cross standings, Schmidt is in second with 125 points, and Thompson is in third place with 109 points. Naeslund leads with 200 points. Thompson won the gold medal in women’s ski cross at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi and the silver medal in women’s ski cross at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. Thompson and Schmidt will be Olympic medal contenders at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo.
