Masterful Mobaerg (SWE) takes World Cup lead after victory on home snow in Idre Fjäll

The 2023/24 men’s FIS Ski Cross World Cup has its third leader in as many weeks after a dramatic day of racing in Idre Fjäll, Sweden on Friday at the final event on this season’s calendar.

With just Saturday’s race to go, David Mobaerg (SWE) has a two-point lead over Alex Fiva (SUI) after the Swede continued his timely recent form with a dramatic victory on home snow.

The 24-year-old, who until his three victories in 2024 had trailed older brother Erik, among others, in the race for the Crystal Globe, looked the man to beat all day. Having qualified second fastest on Thursday behind Reece Howden (CAN), Mobaerg led from the front in each of his heats on Friday – until the Big Final, when it was Howden, last season’s champion, who made the running.

But on a tough course that features sweeping bends, long roller sections and an undulating finishing straight that stretches nearly a kilometre in length, Mobaerg’s late burst left World Cup rivals Howden (third) and Fiva (fourth), as well as world champion Simone Deromedis (ITA, second), in his wake, sparking wild celebrations on and off the course.

Florian Wilmsmann (GER), the only other realistic Crystal Globe contender going into this weekend, failed to make the Big Final then crashed out of the Small Final to leave himself too much ground to make up on Mobaerg and Fiva in particular.

“I’m so happy to take the victory in Idre, it’s awesome,” Mobaerg said. “I like the course but it’s demanding. The start was fast today but in the Big Final the tactics were to wait until almost the finish and get the slipstream. I’m super happy I managed to do it my way and gain speed all the way to the end.”

Howden, who is 39 points behind the Swede going into the final race, said: “I was really dumping the tank on the top section trying to make that gap but it’s tiring on the legs. I just clipped a feature but, you know, it happens. My skiing was really strong and we’ll come back tomorrow having learned a bit from today. The plan is to come out in first and go full gas to the bottom.”

Brittany has that winning Phelan as Berger Sabbatel (FRA) misses opportunity

While it’s all to play for in the men’s World Cup, Marielle Thompson (CAN) still looks likely to lift the women’s Crystal Globe, despite a mixed couple of days on the slopes.

“I had a pretty difficult seeding day [qualifying on Thursday], a pretty hard crash, so I’m happy with fifth,” the 31-year-old explained.

Indeed, she did well to recover from that bruising fall to cruise through a tough quarter-final then make most of the running during the semi-final, only to fade badly and lose all momentum on the final straight to finish fourth.

She limited the damage by winning the Small Final to claim 45 points but with closest rival Marielle Berger Sabbatel making the Big Final comfortably, could the French woman significantly close the gap on Thompson by finally claiming a first victory of the season after nine other podiums?

Alas, not this time, as two other Canadians, India Sherret and Brittany Phelan – who both made the podium behind Thompson in Veysonnaz, Switzerland last week – made a fast start to open up a lead that Berger Sabbatel was always struggling to claw back.

In the end, it was Phelan who came out on top. After no victories in more than six years of World Cup racing, the 32-year-old now has two in the last three events. “It’s pretty awesome not to be a one-win wonder,” she said. “It’s really cool to get that first win, then the next thing you start thinking about is repeating it."

While 23-year-old Saskja Lack (SUI) confirmed her status as a rising star of ski cross with her second career podium – both coming this year – the experienced Phelan now sits third in the overall standings with one race to go, 104 points behind Thompson and 36 adrift of Berger Sabbatel.

Phelan said: “This year, the overall title is a little out of reach but I want to end the season on a high tomorrow, and it would be a cool goal to aim for, to be the best skier across a whole season.”