Marielle Thompson found Canada’s silver lining in the second of two back-to-back World Cup races in Are, Sweden, on Sunday, as she finished second in the women’s ski cross final at the end of a challenging weekend for the Canadian team.
With 2011 world champions Kelsey Serwa and Chris Del Bosco sidelined due to injury, Thompson stepped up to the plate by collecting her third silver in four races, while Georgia Simmerling, of West Vancouver, B.C., finished fourth in the women’s final to continue her good run of form.
“It’s great to be back on the podium,” said Thompson, who was second at the world championships last weekend, as well as at the Olympic test event in Sochi, Russia, last month. “I definitely would like to win but after the start I had to this season, it’s great to be feeling good and skiing well.”
Serwa, of Kelowna, B.C., hurt her knee during training ahead of the world championship race in Voss, Norway, on March 10. Subsequent tests revealed she had suffered a torn ACL – on the same knee she injured last year – and she will now require surgery. Her expected return to snow date is not known at this time.
On Sunday, Thompson won her quarter-final and finished second in her semifinal to advance to the final four, where she tucked in behind Swiss ace Fanny Smith to take silver.
“Out of the start in the final we were all kind of in a pack,” said Thompson, who struggled to get past the qualification rounds at the start of the season but has been a consistent podium threat in recent weeks. “Going into the first turn I took a good line and followed Fanny all the way down. I almost got her at the end.”
Simmerling, who is having a career year, won her quarter-final and was second in her semifinal before she crashed at the second turn in the women’s final. She picked herself up and skied down to finish fourth. Her neck was sore after the race and she was taken to hospital as a precaution. Switzerland’s Katrin Mueller was third in the women’s final.
“The women did great today. They took what they learned from yesterday and just kept it rolling,” said Eric Archer, head coach of Canada’s ladies’ team. “Fanny had a really good start and she (and Marielle) got out ahead. Coming into the second turn there was a three-pack roller. Mueller got the inside line on Georgia and her line took her onto Georgia’s skis, who got sideways and caught an edge.”
Sunday’s results mean Smith has a big lead in the race for the women’s Crystal Globe heading into the final race of the season. She tops the rankings with 576 points, while French veteran Ophelie David – the only woman who can catch her – is second with 487 and France’s Marielle Berger Sabbatel is third. Serwa is the top-ranked Canadian – sitting fourth with 401 points.
“We found out (about Serwa’s injury) last night and it was really devastating,” said Thompson. “We were all pretty shocked. It was really frustrating . . . but she will be back.”
Serwa just needed one more top-16 result to pre-qualify for Sochi. The team is currently reviewing how her injury status will affect the qualification process.
“She’s our best girl and when she’s healthy she’s the favourite every day,” Archer said of Serwa. “When one of your top racers goes down it’s tough for the whole team.”
Danielle Sundquist, of Calgary, Alta., was 26th in the qualification round and did not qualify for Sunday’s women’s heats.
