For Media And Other Inquiries:
Get in TouchCalgary, AB. (January 30, 2026) — Marielle Thompson (Whistler, BC) returned to the podium for the second time this season on Friday with a third-place finish in Val di Fassa, ITA. This result marks Thompson’s 75th World Cup podium.
The Olympic champion used her experience to make strategic moves on-piste to draft and pass. Thompson made a thrilling overtake in the women’s semi-final, moving herself up from fourth to first to guarantee her a spot to move on.
In the women’s big final, Jole Galli (ITA) and Marielle Berger Sabbatel (FRA) both saw strong starts out of the gate. Thompson, in third, gained speed through drafting and the course’s negative turn to make ground on Berger Sabbetel. Thompson read the field’s moves to ultimately secure her podium position through the race’s final features. Galli finished first in front of her home crowd, followed by Berger Sabbatel (FRA) in second.
“I’m happy with today’s racing,” Thompson said. “It felt like I made some good progress. I’m looking forward to tomorrow and some more time on this track. It feels like I’m getting better every run.”
Thompson demonstrated technical prowess and controlled speed through the course’s mix of rollers, jumps and rhythm sections. She created a commanding lead during her quarterfinal heat, skiing early course features smoothly to hold off Berger Sabbatel, teammate Tiana Gairns (Prince George, BC) and Luisa Klapprott (GER) as later drafting opportunities arose.
Thompson’s podium in Val di Fassa comes just a few days after her first podium finish of the season in Veysonnaz, SUI. This week, she was also named as one of Canada’s flag bearers for the upcoming Olympics in Milano-Cortina, ITA. She joins fellow Olympic champion and freestyle skier Mikaël Kingsbury.
“Anytime you’re on the podium, it gives you a confidence boost,” Thompson said. “I’m going to take that and bring it into tomorrow.”
Brittany Phelan (Mont-Tremblant, QC) finished eighth in the small final, marking her fifth top 10 finish of the season. Tiana Gairns finished 10th, and Hannah Schmidt (Ottawa, ON) was 13th.
On the men’s side, Carson Cook (Edmonton, AB) was the highest-ranked Canadian, finishing 15th and improving on his 20th-place finish from earlier this season in Arosa, SUI.
Racing continues in Val di Fassa tomorrow to mark the final event before the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics.
Follow Canada’s Ski Team this season on Alpine Canada’s website, across our social media accounts and subscribe to our newsletter here.