Ski cross World Cup season set to cap off in Veysonnaz
Mar 16, 2019·Ski Cross
The 2018/19 Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup season is set to come to a close this Saturday at the World Cup finals in Veysonnaz (SUI), where the top 16 ladies and 32 men will go toe-to-toe one more time in what should be a highly entertaining ski cross race on an exciting course at the Swiss resort. Finals in Veysonnaz are scheduled to begin at 11:00 CET on Sunday.
Despite a tough start to the season that saw the first two competitions cancelled due to a lack of December snow in the Alps, the ski cross World Cup has seen 10 races at six venues leading up to this weekend’s season ender in Veysonnaz, and it’s been a thrilling ride once again this season.
While Veysonnaz has hosted snowboard cross World Cup action since the 2009/10 season, this will be the the first season that the resort will welcome Audi Ski Cross World Cup competition. And, with a four year agreement in place to continue as a dual ski and snowboard cross venue, excitement is high to see how Sunday’s race at the new venue plays out.
In the ladies’ World Cup standings it’s Switzerland’s own Fanny Smith who, with even a 16th-place finish here in Veysonnaz, will finish the season on top of the rankings and with crystal globe in hand.
The 26-year-old Smith has been mostly unstoppable this season, earning six wins - including back-to-back victories at the last World Cup stop in Sunny Valley (RUS) - and seven total podiums in 10 events on her way to climbing back to the top step of the final season podium for the first time since the 2012/13 season. Though Smith could do nothing but pull out of the start gate, glide to the side of the course, and still walk away with the globe, you know that the speedy Swiss skier will be giving it her all as she looks to win on home soil for the second time this season.
Behind Smith on the ladies’ standings are Sandra Naeslund (SWE) and Marielle Thompson (CAN), as the two athletes who are assured of the season silver and bronze medals, respectively, come into Veysonnaz looking to spoil Smith’s homecoming.
Thompson in particular should be motivated for Sunday’s race, as while she will be wrapping up an impressive comeback season (including Utah 2019 world championships gold) after missing all of 2017/18 due to a knee injury, she has yet to claim a World Cup win in 2018/19, even while appearing in eight out of ten big finals.
After the big three on the ladies’ side, look to the likes of Alizee Baron (FRA), Andrea Limbacher (AUT), Brittany Phelan and Kesley Serwa (CAN), and Sanna Luedi to also be in the mix for big finals on Sunday.
On the men’s side of things is France’s Bastien Midol who is set to wrap up a World Cup season the likes of which we haven’t seen in quite some time. Having scored six podiums (including back-to-back wins in Sunny Valley to match Smith) and finishing no lower than seventh in any race this season, Midol’s 2018/19 campaign has been one of the most dominant in the last decade. And with more than 200 points separating him from his second-overall teammate Jean Frederic Chapuis, Sunday’s Veysonnaz race will also be victory lap for the rangy Frenchman.
The battle for second and third is where it gets interesting, with Chapuis and Alex Fiva (SUI) separated by only nine points. Both veterans have skied exceptionally at points this season, and although the globe is not on the line for either athlete this year, expect the two friendly rivals to give it their all in the effort to earn the season’s runner-up distinction.
Based on Thursday’s training times, some other athletes on the men’s side to look to for strong performances on Sunday include Canada’s Kevin Drury, Utah 2019 world champion Francois Place (FRA), and Romain Detrez and Marc Bischofberger of the host Swiss squad.
QUICK LINKS:
Veysonnaz FIS data page (event programme, start lists, live scoring, results)
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