'Pressure is high': Wilmsmann, Howden and Deromedis battle for Crystal Globe on final weekend

After 15 races across eight destinations in six countries, there are just three athletes left in the race for the men's Ski Cross Crystal Globe - and just 25 points to separate them.

Germany's Florian Wilmsmann, Canada's Reece Howden and Italy's Simone Deromedis have arrived for the final two races in Idre Fjäll on Saturday and Sunday with a clear focus on what is needed in order to take home the 2025 Globe.

The trio have been involved in a tussle ever since the beginning of the season, with Deromedis winning the opening race in Val Thorens and Wilmsmann finishing just behind him in second.

Howden, meanwhile, won the night race in Arosa later in December as well as the final race of 2024 in Innichen just before Christmas.

Wilmsmann was back on top in the first race of 2025, and Deromedis matched that feat at the next stop in Veysonnaz. Howden then won in Val di Fassa before Deromedis hit back on day one in Gudauri.

On day two, Howden won the big final and had his rivals on the podium with him after Wilmsmann finished second and Deromedis came third.

At that time, with the penultimate stop in Craigleith ahead, Deromedis had done enough - eight podiums in the first 13 races - to take a healthy lead in the Overall.

However, in Canada the Italian suffered a crash on day one which saw him exit proceedings early on, and miss the entirety of day two.

"For sure Canada was a tough one," Deromedis told FIS ahead of this week’s final races on 29 and 30 March.

‘Getting those two results was huge’

Howden had taken full advantage on day one, winning a big final in which Wilmsmann came fourth.

One day two Wilmsmann was first across the line following a crash from initial race leader David Mobaerg, and the German let out a huge roar of celebration as he felt the relief of winning his first World Cup since Reiteralm in January.

"In the first race I struggled in the start and finished fourth in the final," Wilmsmann said. "It's never nice if you know you're good on the track and you can't make it onto the big steps.

"But that second day it was even better to be able to make it again into the big final and then also make the last step to win the race.

"For sure I was a bit lucky that David made a big mistake on the last right turn, but I was really happy with the result. Also to have a little comeback with the win."

Howden was equally pleased with his weekend's work in front of a fervent local crowd.

"I'm proud of how Craigleith worked out," the Canadian said. "Getting those two results on home soil was huge in front of the family and friends.

"Setting me up for a potential showdown here for the last few races is huge. I'm happy how it's all worked out.

“Hopefully we can keep it rolling and stay consistent and try and be really strong for these last two races."

‘The pain was really strong’

With just two races left, there is barely a podium place separating the three athletes from top spot in the Overall. Wilmsmann leads the way on 850 points, with Howden in second place on 838 points. Deromedis, despite a difficult penultimate stop, lies third on 825 points.

"It was a really, really great battle this year," Wilmsmann reflects. "It started in the first race in Val Thorens with Simone, and we battled it out throughout the whole season.

"Sometimes he had a better weekend than myself, sometimes I had a better weekend.

"It was a really nice fight between me and Deromedis. In the meantime Reece was making big steps with his four or five wins, so it's a battle of three guys now."

The World Cup took a pause last weekend as the skiers headed for St. Moritz to take part in the World Championships. Deromedis went to Switzerland as the defending champion, but his injury in Craigleith had thrown his defence into doubt.

The 24-year-old was not at his best physically, but still managed to qualify in third spot. However, race day proved difficult, and though he did well to make it into the semi-finals, he was not able to put himself into the equation to compete for a medal in the big final.

"It was not much about moving on but more about recovering," Deromedis says of the days between Craigleith and St. Moritz. "Until the day before of the Worlds I wasn’t sure if I could compete or not, but luckily with the physio and the doctor we found a way to somehow race.

"Expectations were really low in the beginning because the pain was really strong but after the quali where I did a surprisingly good time I thought I could still do something.

"I loved the track, is one of my favourites and it was frustrating not being able to ride it how I wanted."

Deromedis does feel that his outing in Switzerland has given him a good platform from which to launch on the final two days.

"Now after a couple of days of rest I already feel much better, still some pain in the leg but I’m confident I can deal with it and will be able to ski at my best hopefully," he said.

‘I always carry the weight of the maple leaf’

Howden does not feel his battle for last year's Crystal Globe with Mobaerg, which went all the way down to the final race on this same Idre Fjäll slope, will have any effect on his approach to this season's finale.

"My plan has always been the same; taking it one heat at a time. That's pretty much it," the 28-year-old, who won the Globe in 2021 and 2023, said.

"Keep it simple, don't change anything.

"Yeah sure I was close last year but I'm used to that now, so I'm just going to go out there and race and see if we can make something happen."

On the women's side, Canadian pair Marielle Thompson and India Sherret were both battling hard for the Crystal Globe but suffered devastating season-ending injuries late on in the piece. Does that make Howden feel like there's more pressure on his shoulders to carry the nation's hopes?

"Every time I'm wearing the Canadian flag I'm racing for more than just myself," he says.

"I guess you could say that the responsibility has kind of been left up to me now, but honestly I always carry the weight of the maple leaf so it's not a huge change for me.

"I'm just happy to be in the position where I am, a position where I can make a difference.

"Hopefully we can do Canada proud and really get down there and show the world why we have all those Nations Cups."

For his part, Howden has an incredible record in Idre Fjäll. The Canadian came fifth in his first race there in 2021, and in the six races since he has not missed a podium - including picking up three victories.

With that in mind, Wilmsmann says of the prospect of this weekend’s events: "This year it's going to be as tight as last year and I know that Reece and Deromedis are really good on the track in Idre Fjäll.

"So I will just concentrate on my skiing and believing in my skills this year, that I made the step in the right direction to battle it out in Idre."

‘The pressure is high’

Deromedis adds: "The track here in Sweden is one of my favourites to ride and usually I’m always fast here so I will play my cards the best way I can and we’ll see what happens."

Whatever happens this weekend, the currently relaxed figures of the trio will be interesting to watch over the course of the week.

None of them showed nerves in qualifying, which showed how close things will be this weekend. Howden was fastest down the slope and Wilmsmann finished in second – 33 hundredths of a second behind his rival.

Deromedis is right up there as well, putting down a run 77 hundredths of a second slower than Howden to qualify in fifth spot.

It all means we are in for an exciting conclusion to this season’s Ski Cross World Cup tour, regardless of who wins it.

"For sure now the pressure is high, the battle for the Globe is more than open and it will be just a matter of who does better this weekend," said Deromedis.

Wilmsmann concluded: "Last year it was already really, really close, but now when you see Simone, Reece and me - all three guys with eight-hundred-and-something points.

"In the last years with that amount of points you were really able to win the Globe and now there are two more races to go and we're sitting so near to each other.

"It's going to be really exciting because you have to make the big points, you have to get into the final. So every round, every heat will be a battle."

The first day of racing in Idre Fjäll will take place on Saturday 29 March, and the final race of the season takes place on Sunday 30 March.