PALS ON THE PODIUM
Teammates finish 1-2 in ski cross
Canadian women finished 1-2 in ski cross at the Pyeongchang Winter Games with Kelsey Serwa of Kelowna, B.C., taking gold and Brittany Phelan of Mont-Tremblant, Que., earning silver.
Switzerland’s Fanny Smith captured bronze while World Cup leader Sandra Naeslund of Sweden was fourth.
The medallists had to wait several minutes for the official results to be posted as judges reviewed the race.
“It’s absolutely amazing,” said Phelan, who rooms with Serwa on the road.
“To finish second behind my best friend and someone who has taught me everything, it couldn’t have gone better.”
The medals are the 25th and 26th for Canada in Pyeongchang, tying the record for a single Olympics set in Vancouver.
With Canada in contention for more, these Games will likely set a new mark.
Marielle Thompson of Whistler, B.C., who won gold four years ago in Sochi, was eliminated in the opening heat at Phoenix Park. She fell behind shortly after the start and spun out early.
It was her first competitive event since rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament during a training run in October ahead of the World Cup season.
India Sherret of Cranbrook, B.C., was also eliminated in the first heat after a fall midway down the course. She crashed into a roller and had to be taken off on a sled.
The Canadian skiers were dominant in the seeding runs for the event, finishing first, second, third and 11th.
Canadian women have now won the gold medal in all three Winter Games since the event was added to competition in Vancouver in 2010. Ashleigh McIvor of Vancouver won the gold in the event’s debut.
Calgary’s Brady Leman won the men’s ski cross race earlier this week, Canada’s first Olympic medal in the men’s event.