The 72e The start will have been a good one! Brittany Phelan climbed to the top of the podium on Sunday at the Ski Cross World Cup in Reiteralm, Austria. This is his fifth medal of the season on the circuit and the very first gold of his career in the World Cup.
Phelan quickly moved to the front of the field in the grand final. Switzerland’s Talina Gantenbein and Margaux Dumont fell behind her, setting the stage for a two-way fight between Phelan and France’s Marielle Berger Sabbatel for the gold medal.
The Quebecer responded to Berger Sabbatel’s attacks in the final turns to race to victory. In disbelief, the winner thought about tomorrow before dropping to the ground as she crossed the finish line.
” It was time ! It’s my 17e podium in the World Cup, it feels good to finally taste victory. It was incredible, I never won, it had almost become a joke! » Phelan commented to Alpine Canada moments after his victory.
“I think I am the one who has finished second most often on the circuit. I felt good today [dimanche] and it was a great battle until the end with Marielle Berger. I am extremely happy,” she added at the microphone of the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Third in qualifying on Thursday, Phelan also won his first two races of the day on Sunday before starting the final.
Berger Sabbatel took the second step of the podium, while the Swiss Gantenbein and Dumont were both bronze medalists.
This victory allows the 32-year-old athlete to overtake her compatriot Hannah Schmidt for third place in the provisional general ranking of the discipline with two World Cups remaining on the calendar. Schmidt had to withdraw from the Reiteralm stage due to an ankle injury suffered in qualifying for the World Cup in Bakuriani earlier this month.
It is the British-Columbian Marielle Thompson who sits at the top of the ranking with her 832 points, 22 ahead of her closest pursuer, Marielle Berger Sabbatel. Phelan follows further behind with 694 points.
On the men’s side, Jared Schmidt was held back during the round of 16. This is a copy and paste from the day before where he also saw his work day stop during the first elimination race.
The Frenchman Youri Duplessis Kergomard won the grand final, beating the Italian Simone Deromedis and the Frenchman Terence Tchiknavorian.
In the provisional general ranking, Schmidt is currently eighth with 427 points. It is his compatriot Reece Howden who leads the way with his 566 points, closely followed by the Swiss Alex Diva (548 points).
The action will resume on March 15 in ski cross with the presentation of the World Cup in Veysonnaz, Switzerland. The originally planned stop in Oberwiesenthal, Germany, next weekend has been canceled.