With single pole, Marielle Thompson wins ski cross gold for 2nd straight day

For a second consecutive day, Marielle Thompson of Whistler, B.C., defeated Germany's Daniela Maier to win a women's ski cross competition in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, on Sunday.

Fanny Smith placed third in front of the home crowd, holding off India Sherret of Cranbrook, B.C., who led after the opening run.

Thompson, who took the Crystal Globe as 2023-24 season champion, earned her 35th World Cup victory and 72nd career podium after losing a pole in the start gate. She received a cowbell for her efforts.

"Who needs a pole if you have two cowbells, right? I guess I need some cows. I already have a cattle dog," the 32-year-old told Alpine Canada after maintaining third place in the overall World Cup standings with 581 points.

"I just wanted to leave everything out on the track, and I think I did that. This course, if you lose any speed, it's kind of the end. So, in the final, it was everything I had left in the tank, and it paid off."

WATCH | Thompson victorious in Sunday's ski cross in Veysonnaz:

Canada's Marielle Thompson wins her 2nd ski cross gold in Switzerland

6 hours ago

Duration 1:50

Marielle Thompson, of Whistler, B.C., topped the podium for the second straight day in Veysonnaz.

Ottawa's Jared Schmidt was third in the men's race, his first podium finish since Dec. 12, 2023 when he won in Innichen, Italy.

It was the 27-year-old's first third-place finish since Arosa, Switzerland on Dec. 14, 2021.

WATCH | Schmidt takes World Cup bronze in men's race:

Canada's Jared Schmidt takes ski cross bronze in Veysonnaz

5 hours ago

Duration 2:03

Ottawa's Jared Schmidt finished third, followed by Canadian Reece Howden in Switzerland.

"I'm feeling really good mentally right now," Schmidt said following the sixth podium finish of his career. "I didn't think too much about the skiing; it was kind of automatic and felt like my old self. It was nice to battle my way through, take it heat by heat, and just remember to breathe and have fun with it."

Youri Duplessis Kergomard prevailed over David Mobaerg of Sweden.

The Canadians now look ahead to Feb. 8-9 races in Val di Fassa, Italy before three more stops on the World Cup tour, including a home race in Craigleith, Ont. from March 12-15 and the March 22-23 world championships in Engadin, Switzerland.