Marielle Thompson leads Canadian women’s medal sweep at ski cross World Cup
Canada’s women occupied the entire ski cross medal podium for the second time Saturday on the World Cup circuit.
Two-time Olympic medallist Marielle Thompson led the way in Veysonnaz, Switzerland with her fifth gold in a seven-race stretch. Brittany Phelan of Mont-Tremblant, Que., and India Sherret of Cranbrook, B.C., collected silver and bronze, respectively.
“I’ve never been part of a podium sweep,” a smiling Thompson, from Whistler, B.C., told Alpine Canada. “I knew we had some good odds with the three of us in the big final and to share the podium with these two gals is very cool.”
Thompson, 31, also extended her lead at the top of the season standings with two races remaining next week in Idre Fjäll, Sweden.
Added Phelan: “We are a super strong, competitively deep team. “Tiana [Gairns] and Abby [McEwen] were right there today battling in the small final. That depth lifts the level every day we train and, in every race, because we know that any one of us could be on the podium on any given day.”
Canada first swept a World Cup podium in March 2010, with Kelsey Serwa victorious in Grindelwald, Switzerland. She beat Olympic champion Ashleigh McIvor of Whistler, B.C., and Winnipeg’s Danielle Poleschuk.
Five Canadians placed in the top eight on Saturday. Gairns of Prince George, B.C. returned from injury to win her first race of the season to place fifth overall while McEwen, who hails from Edmonton, was eighth for her fourth top-10 this season.
On the men’s side, Edmonton’s Carson Cook was top Canadian in seventh, with Reece Howden of Cultus Lake, B.C., finishing 18th and Ottawa’s Jared Schmidt 20th.
WATCH | Thompson takes 2nd gold of February weekend in Georgia:
Marielle Thompson won her 28th career World Cup ski cross race, this time in Bakuriani, Georgia, and fellow Canadian Brittany Phelan claimed the silver.
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