Canadians miss the podium at ski cross world championships

IDRE, Sweden — Courtney Hoffos finished fifth at the women’s ski cross world championship on Saturday while fellow Canadian Reece Howden took fifth place in the men’s competition.

Sweden’s Sandra Naeslund won women’s gold ahead of Switzerland’s Fanny Smith and Alizee Baron of France. Hoffos, from Windermere, B.C., won the small final in her first worlds appearance.

“I had some really good sections and skied well,” she said. “I tried to piece together a full run and I did that at the end. It was a good day.”

Ottawa’s Hannah Schmidt was 10th and Marielle Thompson of Whistler, B.C., was 11th. Tiana Gairns of Prince George, B.C., was 13th and Zoe Chore of Cranbrook, B.C., was 14th.

Howden, from Cultus Lake, B.C., was the lone Canadian in the top 10 of the men’s field.

“Today was almost perfect,” he said. “I made one small mistake in the semifinals and that cost me getting into the big final and a chance at a medal.”

Switzerland’s Alex Fiva won gold. Francois Place of France took silver and Sweden’s Erik Mobaerg earned bronze.

Kris Mahler of Canmore, Alta., was 12th. Calgary’s Brady Leman was 20th and Montreal’s Chris Del Bosco was 26th.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2021.

The Canadian Press