Canadian Olympic bronze medalist Marion Thenault of Sherbrooke, Quebec won the gold medal in a World Cup women’s aerials event in Ruka, Finland on Sunday. For Thenault, it was her third World Cup women’s aerials gold medal and third medal overall. She previously won in Almaty, Kazakhstan on March 13, 2021 and in Le Relais, Quebec on January 21, 2023.
In Ruka on Sunday, Thenault had a score of 99.05 points. Danielle Scott of Australia won the silver medal with 88.47 points. Zhanbota Aldabergenova of Kazakhstan won the bronze medal with 77.43 points. Thenault reached the podium by 22.12 points. Laura Peel of Australia was in fourth place with 76.93 points.
In all, Thenault has won eight World Cup women’s aerials medals. She also finished second in Le Relais, Quebec on January 5, 2022, in Ruka on December 4, 2022, and in Deer Valley, Utah on February 3, 2023. Thenault was also third in Moscow, Russia on January 23, 2021, and Almaty, Kazakhstan on March 19, 2023.
This was the first World Cup women’s aerials event of the 2023-24 season. Thenault won her Olympic medal with Miha Fontaine of Magog, Quebec, and Lewis Irving of Quebec City, Quebec in the mixed team aerials event at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. The gold medal for Thenault in Ruka will give her confidence as she prepares for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo.
