Canada’s Marielle Thompson returned to the top of the World Cup ski cross podium for the first time in over two years on Sunday in St. Moritz, Switzerland, while her teammate Hannah Schmidt took bronze for her third consecutive podium finish.
The Whistler, B.C., native Thompson had collected 13 combined silver and bronze medals since her last World Cup victory in December 2021 in Arosa, Switzerland.
After earning both her quarterfinal and semifinal races earlier in the weekend, Thompson won the big final over silver-medalist Fanny Smith of Switzerland, Ottawa’s Schmidt and fourth-place Saskja Lack of Switzerland.
“It feels like a long time coming,” Thompson, who has 62 podiums in 128 World Cup starts, said in a post-race interview. “I haven’t won a race in quite some time, so I’m stoked.”
Later, the 26-year-old told Alpine Canada, “It’s been a tough season as I just haven’t had the results that I’m looking for even though my skiing has been there all year. This brings me some confidence.”
The 31-year-old’s most recent podium finish was a silver medal a week ago on home soil in Nakiska, Alta.
The race which was attained by Schmidt, whose third-place finish Sunday represents her fifth podium finish of the World Cup season.
The 29-year-old is first in the World Cup standings with 529 points, followed by Marielle Berger Sabbatel of France (480) and Thompson (467).
Brittany Phelan of Mont-Tremblant, Que., won Sunday’s small final to conclude fifth overall, while Edmonton’s Abby McEwen was seventh.
India Sherret (Cranbrook, B.C.) and Emeline Bennett of North Vancouver, B.C., rounded out the Canadian contingent in 12th and 13th, respectively.
In the men’s competition, Reece Howden of Cultus Lake, B.C., narrowly missed the podium in the big final, finishing fourth behind Simone Deromedis of Italy, Alex Fiva of Switzerland and Frenchman Youri Duplessis Kergomard.
Howden, who has made 50 World Cup starts, is second on the circuit with 331 points, 22 behind teammate Jared Schmidt.
Nicholas Katrusiak of Whistler concluded a career-best 15th in his third World Cup start, while Gavin Rowell of Prince George, B.C., was 30th and Edmonton’s Carson Cook 32nd.
