Calgary, Alta. (January 15, 2017) – Canada’s ski cross queen is back on the top of the podium capturing her fourth win of the season and solidifying her overall lead on the competition. Whistler’s Marielle Thompson battled heat after heat today, saving her best run for the big final where she took an early lead and held it all the way down the track winning today’s race. 

Canada celebrated a second podium finish today with Calgary’s Brady Leman taking second-place twice in two days, making it his fourth podium finish of the season. The men’s big final saw lots of action, passing and big air with Leman fighting to maintain a top-three finish. Holding his second-place spot through the finish line, Leman now sits in second-place overall on the tour. 

Five Canadians finished in the top ten today, including veteran Chris Del Bosco who won the small final, finishing in fifth-place. Joining Del Bosco in the small final was Kevin Drury who continues to add solid top-ten finishes to his scoreboard after joining the Canada Ski Cross World Cup team last season. Drury made a textbook pass in the quarterfinals to advance to the semi-finals, ultimately finishing the day in seventh-place.

Yesterday’s silver medallist, Georgia Simmerling, sent it big off the final feature in the semi-final crashing over the finish line in third-place to advance to the small final. The hard crash sidelined her for the rest of today’s competition, and she chose to sit out of the final round of heats today. 

On the men’s side, Ian Deans qualified into the quarterfinals where his competition ended for the day. Both Dave Duncan and Kristofor Mahler, who also had a crash today, both failed to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Joining Thompson on today’s podium was Switzerland’s Fanny Smith in second-place and France’s Marielle Berger Sabbatel in third-place. 

Switzerland’s Alex Fiva was today’s men’s winner with Canada’s Leman in second-place and Armin Niederer from Switzerland in third-place. 

The World Cup ski cross circuit takes a break for the next couple weeks. Competition will start back up on February 4 for a double-header race in Feldberg (AUT). 

Canadian women’s results

1 - Marielle Thompson 

8 - Georgia Simmerling

14 - Brittany Phelan

Canadian men’s results

2 - Brady Leman

5- Chris Del Bosco 

7 - Kevin Drury

15 - Ian Deans

27 - Dave Duncan

28 – Kristofor Mahler

Full results here. 

ABOUT ALPINE CANADA

Alpine Canada is the national governing body for alpine, para-alpine and ski cross racing in Canada. With the support of valued corporate partners along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Alpine Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic, world championship and World Cup medallists to stimulate visibility, inspiration and growth in the ski community.