Canada’s Marielle Thompson claims first ski cross win of World Cup season
VAL THORENS, France — Marielle Thompson of Whistler, B.C., won the first women’s World Cup ski cross race of the season Friday.
The reigning Olympic women’s champion took advantage of a crash involving Swedish teammates Anna Holmlund and Sandra Naesland in the final to secure the win.
“I could have been a bit better out of the start, but I was close behind the two Swedes most of the way down,” Thompson told The Canadian Press from Val Thorens, France.
“The two girls in front of me actually ended up crashing into each other. Coming into the last turn I was able to avoid them and ended up winning, so that was kind of a surprise considering where I was in that heat.”