Thompson and Fiva back on the podium in the second race in Watles

Watles, ITA - The second of this weekend’s back-to-back Audi Ski Cross World Cup competitions in Watles (ITA) took to the Sud Tirolian resort’s sweeping SX track on Sunday morning, and by race’s end it was Marielle Thompson (CAN) and Alex Fiva (SUI) emerging triumphant from a pair of thrilling big final heats.

Thompson headed into Sunday’s competition as the ski cross and freestyle overall World Cup leader, despite getting shut out of Saturday’s Watles big final and being forced to settle for fifth place. On Sunday the smooth Canadian was clearly on a mission, looking to steal some momentum back. from the previous day’s winner Sandra Naeslund (SWE).

The stage was set for a hard-fought battle between the two ladies big final after the 20-year-old Naeslund took top spot in their semifinal heat, and come time for the big show the two speedsters did not disappoint.

While Thompson was able to grab the hole shot, Naeslund would not let her pull away, staying hard on her tails throughout the first 3/4s of the course and making several pass attempts that Thompson was only just able to fend off. However, while it looked like it would go down to the wire between those two ladies, Naeslund got caught in some softer snow just before the final straight and had to watch powerlessly as first Fanny Smith (SUI) and then Marielle Berger-Sabbatel (FRA) slipped by her and on to the podium.

“I feel awesome,” said Thompson of her fourth victory in eight 2016/17 competitions, “Today went as good as it possibly could. I was looking for some redemption because I wasn’t very satisfied with the fifth place yesterday, after crashing with no reason in the semifinals. So today it feels really good to put down those runs and I'm happy to go back home with a win.”

While Thompson extended her World Cup lead to nearly 200 points, Smith was able to vault into second on the leaderboard in a comeback season that continues to grow more impressive with every race.

“I'm really happy about my second place today,” Smith said following the race, “Step by step, race by race, I'm starting to feeling better in my skiing, so I'm confident and looking forward to the next World Cup races.”

Also in the midst of an impressive comeback season, Berger Sabbatel’s third place performance  was her third podium in the last six races.

Fiva scores second 2016/17 win

No less exciting then the ladies competition, and surprisingly similar in outcome, was the big final on the men’s side, where Alex Fiva found himself locked in a battle with men’s World Cup leader Jean-Frederic Chapuis (FRA) and Brady Leman that looked like it could have gone three ways, before Fiva was able to take the fast line through the Watles negative turn and leave Chapuis, Leman, and Saturday’s Watles winner Armin Neiderer (SUI) to sort out the final podium spots behind him.

“I had a good start in the big final and was up front,” a smiling Fiva said from the finish, “Then at the end of the flat section I felt someone next to me, but I didn't know who it was. So I just put my head down and concentrated on my skiing and I tried to be as fast as possible. It worked out pretty well and it feels amazing!”

As Fiva pulled away and into the homestretch Leman was able to take the same high line through the negative turn that he took to score second place in the previous day’s race, and he once again passed Chapuis to slide into the runner-up spot - his fourth such result in 2016/17. With his consistency, Leman is slowly closing the gap on Chapuis for top spot on the World Cup, and now sits just 62 points back.

“Obviously I wanted to win,” said Leman, “But to be in the finals two days in a row, and score two second places seems like a really good weekend. I'm really happy with my performance. Today I was really close to passing for the first, but not quite so I'll just try to keep it rolling for the next race.”

With Chapuis sliding low as Leman went high, Neiderer spotted an opening through the middle, and he too was able to muscle past Chapuis, taking third on the day and his second podium of the weekend in Watles.

With Sunday’s Watles race acting as a reschedule for the cancelled Megeve competition that would have taken place on January 21 the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup now has an extended break between races, with the next competitions coming up on January 4 and 5 at a new ski cross World Cup venue in Feldberg, Germany.

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Ladies’ big final highlight video

Men’s big finals highlight video

GEPA Pictures photos (for editorial use)