- Ryan Regez makes an exclamation mark in the 2nd ski cross race in Nakiska, Canada. The Grisons celebrates his 3rd podium finish this season with 3rd place.
- In the women’s final, Fanny Smith crashes pretty badly, but also finishes 3rd. Sandra Näslund wins for the 7th time in the 8th race.
After a 1st and a 2nd place in San Candido in December, Ryan Regez secured a place on the podium for the 3rd time this season. The native of Graubünden finished third in the second race from Nakiska (CAN). Victory went to local hero Kristofor Mahler, who relegated Florian Wilmsmann (GER) to second place after his second World Cup win. Regez was already in 3rd position after the first turn of the final round and could not improve any more.
The original Swiss quintet was already reduced to Regez after the quarterfinals. Alex Fiva and Marc Bischofberger got stuck in the same quarterfinal heat.
Joos Berry, who was the best Swiss on Friday with 7th place, failed in the second round in the second round. Jonas Lenherr also got it in his round of 16 heat. He first got in the way of Austria’s Johannes Rohrweck and then couldn’t get through a goal correctly because he ran out of space behind Germany’s Tobias Müller. Tobias Baur dislocated his shoulder on Friday and had to take a break.
Smith: Fall, 3rd place and all clear
In the women’s final, the 3 high-flyers Sandra Näslund (SWE), Fanny Smith (SUI) and Marielle Thompson (CAN) fought. Alizée Baron (FRA), who was also among the last 4, did not start. The run was tough: Smith and Thompson both lost their balance after touching and flew spectacularly off the track, while Näslund pulled ahead and drove solo towards her 7th World Cup victory in the 8th race of the season.
Thompson was rated second by the jury, Smith remained third because she was to blame for the mishap. More important, however, was that the Swiss woman was able to give the all-clear after her fall. “It’s always a bit dangerous here. But luckily I’m fine, I only got a few bruises,” said the woman from Vaud in an interview after the race. In fact, Smith’s face was marked as well. She crashed into a safety net pole, she explained.
Talina Gantenbein did not compete after her fall on Friday. As 17th in the qualification, Sanna Lüdi just didn’t make it into the quarterfinals.
This is how it goes
The ski cross entourage will be visiting Idre in Sweden next weekend. It’s the dress rehearsal for the Beijing Olympics.