- Ryan Regez wins the overall Ski Cross World Cup for the first time.
- An 8th place in the final race in Veysonnaz is enough for the Olympic champion.
- Jonas Lenherr reaches the final, but has to make do with fourth place.
- In the women’s race, Fanny Smith (3rd) concludes a “complicated” season with another podium finish.
It was the crowning achievement of Ryan Regez in spring-like temperatures above Sion. After an 8th place in Veysonnaz, the Bernese Oberlander takes the overall World Cup. Regez lived up to the pressure in front of a home crowd and on a difficult surface and can now call himself the best ski crosser of the season. It is the first win of the big crystal ball for the Bernese Oberlander.
Regez’s hopes of another win at the end of the season were already dashed in the semifinals when he got stuck in third place behind the surprising Jonas Lenherr and David Mobärg (SWE). Nevertheless, the Olympic champion in Beijing ended an unbelievable season by winning the overall World Cup.
Lenherr just off the podium
Lenherr, for his part, held up the Swiss flag at home with the entry into the final. However, the eastern Swiss fell behind after a duel with Brady Leman and was then unable to catch up. Mobärg got the win ahead of Simone Deromedis (ITA) and Leman.
Alex Fiva, silver medalist at the Olympics and third place a week ago at the Reiteralm, got stuck in the round of 16 like his teammates Joos Berry and Tobias Baur. The Grisons then criticized the fact that the start was scheduled so late and the snow was “much too soft”.
Tchiknavorian’s bitter end to the season
Terence Tchiknavorian experienced a bitter end to the season. The Frenchman, who had the best chance before the race to challenge Regez for the overall World Cup bullet, was doomed by a rencontre with his teammate Romain Mari in the round of 16. Tchiknavorian fell, but still finished second in the quarterfinals. There he broke off his journey at the start gate.
Smith’s comeback in the final
Meanwhile, Fanny Smith got another podium place. The French-speaking Swiss, who has had a “complicated” season in her own words and feels “tired”, was able to keep up with the best in the last race of the season. Although Smith started the final weakly, he overtook Hannah Schmidt (CAN) and finished third.
No surprise at the end of the season at the top: Sandra Näslund ended her incredible season with the 11th victory in the 12th race. There was simply no way around the Swede this season.