Canadian Olympic gold medalist Marielle Thompson of Vancouver, British Columbia won the gold medal on Saturday in a women’s World Cup ski cross event in Montafon, Austria. For Thompson, who won the Olympic gold medal for Canada in women’s ski cross at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, the gold medal in Montafon was her 37th career World Cup podium result.
Thompson was one of four Canadians to win a World Cup ski cross medal this past weekend in Austria. Courtney Hoffos of Winderemere, British Columbia won the bronze medal in the women’s ski cross big final. While in the men’s big cross big final, Kristofor Mahler of Canmore, Alberta won the silver medal and Canadian Olympic gold medalist Brady Leman of Calgary, Alberta won the bronze medal. Leman won the gold medal in men’s ski cross at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang.
In the women’s ski cross, Thompson won her quarterfinal heat, semifinal heat and big final. Hoffos finished second to Fanny Smith of Switzerland in the quarterfinal heat and won the semifinal heat. Sandra Naeslund of Sweden won the silver medal.
Hoffos is currently second in the women’s ski cross World Cup standings with 200 points and Thompson is fourth with 179 points. Naeslund leads with 260 points. This was Hoffos’ third World Cup medal as she previously won silver and bronze in Val Thorens, France last weekend.
In the men’s ski cross, Mahler finished second and right behind gold medalist Ryan Regez of Switzerland in the elimination heat, quarterfinal heat, semifinal heat and big final. Leman won his elimination and quarterfinal heat, and placed second behind Terence Tchiknavorian of France in the semifinal heat.
This was Mahler’s second World Cup podium in men’s ski cross as he previously won gold on December 7, 2019 in Val Thorens, France. Leman has now won 27 World Cup men’s ski cross medals.
Mahler currently leads the World Cup men’s ski cross standings with 220 points. Kevin Drury of Toronto, Ontario is second with 190 points. Leman is in fourth with 122 points. The World Cup medals for Thompson, Hoffos, Mahler and Leman will give them confidence as they prepare for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.
