World Cup ski cross season off to great start for Canadian women
The World Cup ski cross season couldn’t have got off to a better start for the Canadian women, who claimed the top two podium spots Saturday at Nakiska in Alberta.
And now, with the next stop in Innichen, Italy, on the horizon just days before Christmas, there are visions of good times and 10- kilogram wheels of cured meat, ( given to podium finishers), dancing in the head of Georgia Simmerling.
Simmerling, of West Vancouver, finished second to reigning Olympic and Crystal Globe champion Marielle Thompson of Whistler in the race at Nakiska. The result tied Simmerling’s career best, a second at Innichen in 2012 when former world champion Kelsey Serwa of Kelowna won the race.
Innichen has been very kind to the Canadians. Thompson was fifth and second in backtoback races there last season, when David Duncan, who now calls North Vancouver home and who was fifth in Saturday’s race at Nakiska, swept the two men’s races.
Two races will be run at Innichen Dec. 20- 21.
Thompson and Simmerling had posted the two fastest times in qualifying Friday at Nakiska, so it wasn’t a surprise that they went 1- 2 in the four- skier final.
“I’m really happy because I really wanted to keep the momentum going from last season,” said Thompson. “To get the season off on such a good foot shows that all the training and the time in the gym paid off.”
Simmerling made four passes over her three runs Saturday to claim second. She got by Alzee Baron of France to win her quarter- final. She was third out of the gate in the semifinal, but managed to pass both Heidi Zacher of Germany and Smith right at the line to win that heat. In the final, she got out third again behind Thompson and Smith, but squeaked by Smith when the Swiss girl got mixed up in a corner with Thompson.
“It was an exciting day,” said Simmerling. “Mar and I have been skiing pretty fast all summer ... and we’re going to take that confidence into the next World Cup.”
Duncan, who moved to North Vancouver this summer from Whistler because his wife is going to school to become a massage therapist, was first in his Round of 32 heat and again in his quarter- final, but had a terrible start in his semifinal.
“The other guys were at the first roller and I felt like I was still in the gate. I don’t know if I had a brain fart or what.”
He finished third, then won the consolation final to finish fifth. Thomas Zangerl of Austria took top spot on the day, ahead of Victor Oehling Norberg of Sweden.
“Winning three of four runs, it was a good day and I got solid points towards the overall,” said Duncan. “I’ll be looking to hopefully repeat ( 2013) at Innichen. It’s where I’ve had my best results.” VONN IS BACK: At Lake Louise, Alta., Lindsey Vonn led an American sweep of the podium in a women’s World Cup downhill. It was her first win — and the 60th of her amazing career — since a major knee injury at the 2013 world alpine ski championships.
On Sunday, Vonn was second to Lara Gut of Switzerland in the Super G. “It meant a lot to have worked so hard for so long and to finally be back in a position where I’m contending for every race,” said Vonn, who had two knee operations in two years.