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Canada owns the podium at Blue Mountain Ski Cross World Cup
BLUE MOUNTAIN, ON (February 3, 2012)

Canada put on a show on home snow Friday, owning the podium with two gold medals and a silver at the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup races in Blue Mountain, Ont.

Marielle Thompson, of Whistler, B.C., dominated the ladies’ race from start to finish to claim her first career World Cup victory at the age of 19. Brady Leman, of Calgary, Alta., and teammate Chris Del Bosco, of Montreal, Que., then finished first and second, respectively, in the men’s race to the delight of the thousands of fans who gathered in the finish area at the ski resort near Collingwood, Ont.

“I hope we put on a good show – it sure seemed like it to me. To clean up here is great,” said Leman, who regained the red bib as the overall ski cross World Cup leader following his victory. “Having the hometown crowd here was awesome. I couldn’t be more happy.”

Leman, 25, is having a remarkable comeback year after a long spell on the sidelines due to injury. He won the opening World Cup race of the 2011-12 season in Innichen/San Candido, Italy, and is now leading the overall ski cross standings with 331 points, ahead of Switzerland’s Alex Fiva (321) and Del Bosco (254).

Leman finished second behind Austrian ace Andreas Matt in the round of 32, the quarter-final and the semifinal – when Leman had to make a slick pass to make it into the final four. But in the final, Leman managed to get out in front and hold on to claim the win.

“It felt awesome. I had really good starts all day,” Leman said. “I just knew I had to get that second jump down a little bit better and I nailed it in that final – that’s the one that really counts. Del (Bosco) has taught me so much since I started ski cross – I’ve learned so much from him. It’s awesome to share the podium with him.”

Del Bosco, the reigning ski cross world champion and X Games gold medallist, didn’t have an easy path to the podium on Friday. He won his first heat and then his quarter-final, but almost got tangled up out of the start in the semifinal before finishing second to advance. In the final, he found himself sitting third but found a way to make another pass in tight quarters to edge ahead of Matt and finish second. Matt was third and Armin Niederer, of Switzerland, was fourth.

“I had an alright pull in the final – behind Brady – just trying not to make any stupid mistakes or take him out or take me out,” Del Bosco said of the men’s final. “When you’re kind of holding back a little bit it leaves it open for third and Andy (Matt) got by.

“I had a few tricks for down lower. It looked like he was going wide so I just dove in and at the last minute he dove in, too. We made a little contact but we both stayed upright.”

Del Bosco was delighted to be able to stand on the podium next to his good friend Leman.

“It was awesome. We’ve been talking about it for a while – making the final together,” Del Bosco said. “We finally did it here at home and ended up 1-2. It was a great crowd, an amazing crowd. It was really good to bring home some trophies.”

Dave Duncan, of London, Ont., won his first heat and his quarter-final, before he got tangled up in the semifinal and went out. He was third in the small final and finished seventh overall.

“I don’t know what happened in the semifinal,” Duncan said. “All I know is my ski was off in the air and I was going into the fence. My shoulder’s pretty sore.”

Nik Zoricic, of Toronto, Ont., got tangled up with another racer in his quarterfinal and he went out, finishing 15^th. Tristan Tafel, of Canmore, Alta., recorded another solid result in his rookie season on the World Cup tour with a 16^th-place finish.

“I’m happy to make it past the first round. I’m just going to keep fighting for points all year,” Tafel said. “It’s kind of a home away from home event for me. I love racing in front of my family and getting to see them here is special.”

Thompson was already enjoying a breakthrough season – after claiming the first two World Cup podiums of her career – so a victory in the only Canadian stop on the tour left her beaming from ear to ear.

“It feels pretty awesome,” Thompson said. “Coming over that last jump and hearing those cheers was pretty amazing.”

Thompson won both her quarter- and semifinal before going virtually tape to tape in the final. She admitted afterwards that her experience last weekend at X Games – when she was leading in the final but went out on a tight turn – wasn’t far from her mind.

“I did think about it a bit,” Thompson said. “I was like, ‘Hey Marielle, you’ve got to stay strong. You’re not letting this one go.’

“I heard the crowd going over the last jump. It was amazing. I was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to win.’ I was so excited."

Austria’s Katrin Ofner was second and Katrin Mueller, of Switzerland, was third. Thompson is now second in the overall ski cross World Cup rankings with 319 points, behind Switzerland’s Sanna Luedi (389), who is currently injured and did not race in Blue Mountain.

“We couldn’t ask for more,” said Eric Archer, head coach of Canada’s ski cross team. “Marielle has been learning all year. Her confidence is building at every stop. She took advantage of fast skis and a good start and it was good to get that first victory.”

Mariannick Therer, of Saint-Sauveur, Que., qualified for Friday’s quarter-finals but had a spill during training and did not race. She is sore but not seriously injured.

Feb. 3 - Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup – Blue Mountain, Ont. – Men’s Ski Cross Results:

For complete Men's results check:
http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=FS&raceid=6210

Feb. 3 - Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup – Blue Mountain, Ont. – Women’s Ski Cross Results:

For complete Women's results check:
http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=FS&raceid=6209 

WATCH THE RACE: The finals will be broadcast on Sportsnet on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 1:30 p.m. ET in Ontario (times vary by region). For a complete TV schedule, go to www.alpinecanada.org/tv. You can also watch the race at http://fisplayer.infrontams.tv/freestyle/?id=34.
PHOTOS: Hi-res photographs from Friday’s finals can be downloaded for editorial use from https://alpinecanada.box.com/s/zmnsfjz072ae20pzifb5. Mandatory credit is Ken Edwards/Alpine Canada.

Canada’s top guns advance at Blue Mountain ski cross World Cup

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Ontario (2 February 2012) — Canada’s top guns have set their sights on owning the podium on home snow after easing through Thursday’s qualification round at the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup at Blue Mountain, Ont.

Five members of a loaded national men’s team — the big four of Dave Duncan, Chris Del Bosco, Brady Leman and Nik Zoricic, plus youngster Tristan Tafel — finished in the top 32 to qualify for Friday’s finals. On the women’s side, Marielle Thompson advanced as the second-fastest qualifier, while Mariannick Therer also finished in the top 16 to qualify for her first World Cup finals heat.

“This is just confirmation of how my skiing’s going right now. I always feel like I’m in there,” said Duncan, of London, Ont., who was third fastest in qualifying and the top Canadian with a time of 1 minute, 2.99 seconds. “To come down here in third gives me a little bit more confidence going into tomorrow and hopefully I can step on to that podium again.”

Duncan was third at the X Games last weekend and is hoping to secure his second World Cup podium of the 2011-12 season.

“It was a pretty good day,” Duncan said of Thursday’s qualification round. “It hardened up overnight so the speeds are faster and it kind of caters to the Canadians, who like to get a little bit more air and ski with a little more speed.”

X Games gold medallist and reigning ski cross world champion Chris Del Bosco, of Montreal, Que. — the winner of last year’s men’s race at Blue Mountain — was seventh fastest Thursday after clocking a time of 1:03.22. Brady Leman, of Calgary, Alta., was 16th (1:03.50), Nik Zoricic, of Toronto, Ont., was 21st (1:03.65) and Tristan Tafel, of Canmore, Alta., was 23rd (1:03.72).

Duncan, Del Bosco, Leman and Zoricic have all had podiums on the World Cup circuit this year but for Zoricic, in particular, finishing in the top three on home snow would be “very, very, very special,” he said.

“My parents are here, my friends are here, my relatives are here,” Zoricic said. “This is the only chance they get to watch me compete. If I were to choose any event to win this would be the one, so tomorrow’s a big day.

“It didn’t go quite as well as I hoped (Thursday), but the start’s fair so I don’t think positioning is going to be that important. Tomorrow’s another day.”

Tafel took part in his first World Cup qualification round here last year but missed out on the finals by the narrowest of margins.

“Last year I was six one-hundredths out of qualifying and this year I made it in. I’ve got some family and fans here so I’m pretty excited,” Tafel said. “It wasn’t too bad — I had a few minor mistakes. I didn’t have quite the same pull out of the start that I normally do. I just rolled with it and tried to keep my speed going.”

Whistler, B.C.’s Stan Rey just missed out on qualifying for Friday’s round of 32 when he finished 33d in 1:04.20 — just two-hundredths of a second behind 32nd place. Whistler’s Davey Barr was 40th (1:04.60) and Brian Bennett, of Quesnel, B.C., was 42nd (1:04.66). Former national team member Stan Hayer was 43rd in 1:04.69.

The fastest man on the day was Austrian ace Andreas Matt (1:02.58), while Finland’s Jouni Pellinen was second (1:02.92).

On the women’s side, Whistler’s Thompson once again looked fast on her skis as she finished second in qualifying with a time of 1:07.37. Norway’s Hedda Berntsen was first (1:07.09) and Australia’s Sami Kennedy-Sim was third (1:07.39). With less women than men racing, the top 16 finishers qualified for Sunday's finals.

“I made a few mistakes but that happens,” Thompson said. “It’s a good place for going into racing tomorrow and I hope to do well. It was pretty fun. It was a bit sugary in the corners today, but hopefully that will get cleared out tomorrow and it will be a bit harder. I want to go as fast as I can.”

Therer, of Saint-Sauveur, Que., has taken part in several World Cup qualification events and was overjoyed to make it through to the finals for the first time.

“I’m really excited. I’m so happy, so overwhelmed. I’m so stoked about this,” said Therer, who finished 13th with a time of 1:08.70.

Eric Archer, head coach of the men’s team, was happy with the results on the women’s side but was disappointed to see Rey, Barr and Bennett eliminated.

“Marielle skied well and Mari (Therer) got into her first elimination final,” Archer said. “For the guys, it was a little bit of a rough day in the qualifiers but our big horses are in the race.”

WATCH THE RACE: Sportsnet.ca will have live streaming of Friday’s men’s and women’s races via the following link: http://www.sportsnet.ca/more/fis_freestyle. The finals will also be broadcast on Sportsnet on Sunday, Feb. 12, at 1:30 p.m. ET in Ontario (times vary by region). For a complete TV schedule, go to www.alpinecanada.org/tv.

Schedule for Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup
Friday, Feb. 3
Women’s and men's training — 11
Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup — Noon
Awards — 1:35 p.m.

All times ET

World’s best ski cross racers descend on Blue Mountain

BLUE MOUNTAIN, Ontario (February 1, 2012) — The FIS World Cup Ski Cross is back at Blue Mountain Resort for a third season. New this year, World Snowsports Events Group is pleased to announce the addition of snowboardcross to the 2012 World Cup event program.

While Blue Mountain has become a regular and successful stop on the Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup circuit, the 2012 LG Snowboardcross FIS World Cup is making its first visit to Ontario. The FIS World Cup Tour will electrify Blue Mountain with these thrilling and spectator-friendly events Feb. 1-8.

National pride will be on the line, as the Canadian team competes against athletes from more than 20 countries in these global events. Blue Mountain is one of 19 locations on the FIS World Cup Tour, including stops in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway. Blue Mountain is one of only two stops in Canada for both FIS World Cup events.

“We are proud to host both World Cup events at Blue Mountain and showcase this beautiful region to the world,” said Paul Pinchbeck, director of marketing for Blue Mountain Resort. “Blue Mountain has been a leader in embracing both freestyle disciplines, and we look forward to challenging these athletes with our world-class terrain.”

The event organizers, headed by event co-chairs Chris Robinson and Mark Kristofic, have planned a spectacular event, featuring world-class ski cross and snowboardcross courses that will challenge the world’s best athletes.

“We are bringing in the best course builders in the world and look forward to again delivering a top-notch event,” said Robinson, president of the World Snowsports Events Group. “The last two years were incredible events and we look forward to adding snowboardcross to this year’s event card.”

Racing on home soil is also something that Canadian athletes look forward to. “I thrived off the crowd at Blue Mountain,” said Chris Del Bosco, current world champion, winner of the 2011 World Cup at Blue Mountain and X Games champ from 2010 and 2012. “We visited local schools beforehand and all the kids were yelling and cheering at the race. The crowd at Blue was amazing.”

Del Bosco wins X Games gold, Duncan claims bronze

ASPEN, USA (Jan. 29, 2012) – Chris Del Bosco won his second Skier X title in three years on Sunday and teammate Dave Duncan took bronze as Canada’s all-conquering ski cross team put on another show of strength at the Winter X Games in Aspen, USA.

Del Bosco, who won gold at the X Games in 2010 and silver last year, was a dominant force from the quarter-finals on, as he used his full arsenal of slick passing moves and great technique to pick off his rivals on the super-sized course and claim another Skier X title.

Duncan, one of eight Canadian men who qualified for Sunday’s quarter-finals, battled his way onto the podium with a gritty performance on what was a hard-fought and tightly-contested day of racing. In the women’s final, Marielle Thompson surged into the lead and looked poised to win gold until she misjudged a tight turn and went down. She ended up fifth.

“Oh man, I feel great,” said Del Bosco, of Montreal, Que. “It’s been kind of an up and down season and I was hoping to come here and have a big day. I’m feeling good about my skiing and it all came together.  “To come here and win gold with Duncan on the podium, it’s a great day.”

In the men’s final, Finland’s Jouni Pellinen got out to an early lead, but Del Bosco used the inside line on the first turn to move to the front of the pack. Del Bosco found himself in the bronze-medal position but set himself up for a big pass on the triple and made it count.

“This course is set up really well for me,” Del Bosco said. “I knew the triple was one of the spots where I could make a move if I needed to make something happen. I kind of set it up a couple of turns before.”

Del Bosco, the reigning ski cross world champion, won his quarter-final and semifinal races en route to the final. In Skier X, six racers compete head to head, with the top three advancing to the next round.

“He was very smart today,” Eric Archer, head coach of the Canadian team, said of Del Bosco. “His technique is really good. He didn’t always have the fastest start but he made sure he was in a good position going into the first turn.”

Within hours of the race finishing Del Bosco had already set his sights on repeating next year. No man has ever won gold in successive Skier X finals at the X Games, although Del Bosco came close last year when he followed up his win from 2010 with a silver medal.

“This is one of my favourite events. It’s huge,” Del Bosco said. “I’ve given myself the chance to break the curse next year.”

Filip Flisar, of Slovenia, was second in the men’s final and Duncan, of London, Ont. – who had to fight his way out of tough positions all day long – scrambled his way into third place.

“It was close all the way through,” Duncan said. “The guys were all side-by-side. It was a definite battle out there.”

Duncan won his quarter-final and finished third in his semifinal to squeeze into the medal round.

“Dunc battled hard today,” said Archer. “It was a bit of a battle at times but he kept moving on.”

Duncan, who won X Games silver in 2010, was happy to get on the podium again.

“We all want gold but I think you can be happy with any position on the podium here,” Duncan said. “It’s the biggest course of the year. It’s the biggest event of the year.”

Brady Leman, of Calgary, Alta., looked fast all day and was a little unlucky to go out in his semifinal. After taking an early lead alongside Del Bosco, he lost time on a couple of features and slipped back into fourth place. Leman went on to win the small final after making a couple of impressive passes. Tristan Tafel, of Canmore, Alta., crashed out of the second men’s semifinal and was second in the small final.

The Canadian team – wearing helmet stickers bearing the initials ‘SB’ in honour of freestyle skier Sarah Burke – had all eight men’s team members competing in the quarter-finals. Davey Barr, from Whistler, B.C. – celebrating his 10th year at X Games – was desperately unlucky not to advance from the first quarter-final. He was fourth going into the final jump and narrowly lost a photo finish at the line. Nik Zoricic, of Toronto, Ont., thought he had qualified from his quarter-final when he nailed a pass to make it into the top three. However, he ended up being disqualified. Brian Bennett, of Quesnel, B.C., was eliminated at the quarter-final stage, as was Whistler’s Stan Rey, who collided with another racer and went out.

In the women’s race, Whistler’s Thompson looked destined to win gold when she got off to a great start in the final and took the lead. She then made a great pass to move back into first place after being pushed into second. But with a clear path in front of her, she lost control on a tight turn and went down.

“I skied really well and I’m happy about that but not so happy with myself for making a mistake,” Thompson said. “I just got kind of squeezed in that turn.”

Thompson was the only Canadian competing in the women’s elimination rounds. Defending champion Kelsey Serwa, of Kelowna, B.C., suffered a season-ending knee injury a few weeks ago, while Olympic gold medallist Ashleigh McIvor, also of Whistler, is on the comeback trail after suffering a serious injury last year.

“The course was a lot faster today than it was on Friday (for qualifying),” said Archer. “The banked turns are really compressive. (Marielle) went into the turn really hot and she just got her foot squirted out.”

Earlier in the day Thompson – a rising star on the World Cup circuit – had looked hugely impressive in her semifinal. She got out to an early lead and then battled her way back from third to win her heat with a couple of clever moves.

With Thompson hitting the deck in the final, Norway’s Marte Gjefsen took the win, with her teammate Hedda Berntsen finishing second and Australia’s Jenny Owens claiming bronze.

JAN. 29, 2012 – WINTER X GAMES – ASPEN, USA – MEN’S SKIER X
1    Chris Del Bosco - 01:20.6
2    Filip Flisar - 01:20.7
3    Dave Duncan - 01:20.8
4    Jouni Pellinen - 01:21.0
5    Casey Puckett - 01:21.4
6    Christian Mithassel - 01:21.9

JAN. 29, 2012 – WINTER X GAMES – ASPEN, USA – WOMEN’S SKIER X
1    Marte Gjefsen - 01:26.9
2    Hedda Berntsen - 01:27.8
3    Jenny Owens - 01:29.1
4    Marielle Berger - 01:29.2
5    Marielle Thompson - 02:00.3
6    Sanna Luedi - DNF

Zoricic wins bronze in Les Contamines

LES CONTAMINES, FRA (Jan. 15, 2012) – Nik Zoricic was going for gold Sunday, but he was happy to end the day with a bronze medal draped around his neck following a dramatic ski cross final at the Les Contamines World Cup stop in France.

The 28-year-old from Toronto, Ont., found himself on the podium thanks to a late passing move that came after he saw his shot at claiming his first career World Cup race slip through his fingers.

“I feel relieved, to be honest,” said Zoricic, who has had what he describes as a “disastrous” start to the 2011-12 ski cross World Cup season. “Today it could have been worse. It could have gone better, but it’s nice to kind of stop the bleeding and remind myself that I belong and that I can do this.

“Given the position I had and where I was in the final, I should have been able to close it out. But all in all, it’s fine. If you had told me at the beginning of the day I would be third, I would have taken it.”

Zoricic’s result was the highlight of an otherwise disappointing day for Canada’s all-conquering ski cross team.

World champion Chris Del Bosco, of Montreal, Que., and Brady Leman, of Calgary, Alta., were eliminated at the quarter-final stage and finished 11th and 14th, respectively. Stan Rey, of Whistler, B.C.,  was 26th and Tristan Tafel, of Canmore, Alta., was 32nd. With Switzerland’s Alex Fiva taking the win and Didrik Bastian Juell finishing second, Leman drops to second in the overall ski cross World Cup rankings with 231 to Fiva’s 295.

Ironically, it was Fiva that Zoricic found himselfbattling in Sunday’s final.

“I had a good start. I was out ahead and then I had Alex Fiva on my left and I just gave him a little room,” said Zoricic. “I didn’t want to completely pinch him out - I should have, but I didn’t.

“We were side by side into the second turn and he just cut uphill. I jumped over his skis and then I remember being pretty frustrated, pretty angry that I let him through and then he kind of pinched me pretty hard, which I can’t blame him for.

“I was charging on his tails, thinking, ‘There’s no way I’m going to let you win, not after that,’ and got in behind him and was setting him up when I just kind of hit a hole, bounced really low before a jump, then had to climb up hill and the guys in third and fourth passed me.

“I got past the guy that was in third but it was bittersweet, for sure. I was in the right position, I just didn’t do the right thing.”

Zoricic earned his first career World Cup podium in January 2011 with a second-place finish in St. Johann, Austria. He started this year with the goal of winning his first World Cup race but in his first three races he was off the pace, finishing 36th, 21st and 37th. Last week in Alpe d’Huez, France, he showed signs of getting back to his best with a seventh-place result.

“We are obviously very excited for Nik Zoricic getting back on the podium,” said Brent Kehl, assistant coach with the Canadian ski cross team. “He’s worked really hard this year without getting too many results but in qualifying yesterday he skied really well. I called it yesterday. I thought he was going to do really well today and he did.”

On the women’s side, Whistler’s Marielle Thompson won her quarter-final but she was eliminated at the semifinal stage to finish eighth. Switzerland’s Sanna Luedi took the win and opened up a big lead in the overall standings with 389 points. Kelsey Serwa, of Kelowna, B.C. – who is currently out with a knee injury – remains in second place with 276 points. Thompson is fourth with 219 points. French duo Alizee Baron and Ophelie David finished second and third, respectively, in Sunday’s women’s final.

Next up for Canada’s ski cross team is one of their favourite events of the year – the Winter X-Games in Aspen, USA, from Jan. 27 to 29.

“We’ve been going pretty hard, so it will be nice to let the body heal and get ready for X-games and then Blue Mountain (World Cup stop in Ontario),” said Zoricic. 

Lüdi, Flisar best in Alpe d'Huez ski cross

Alpe d’Huez, France (January 11, 2012) - The Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup continued in Alpe d’Huez, France, on Wednesday. Filip Flisar, of Slovenia, took the win in the men’s final, with reigning ski cross world champion Chris Del Bosco securing his first podium of the 2011-12 season in second. Sweden’s Lars Lewen finished third. Dave Duncan, of Canada, was fourth. Canada's Brady Leman held on to the red bib as the overall World Cup leader with 213 points, ahead of Switzerland’s Alex Fiva (195).

“It’s nice to get that first (podium) out of the way. I’m happy. It’s awesome,” said Del Bosco, who has been skiing well this season but didn’t have a lot of luck in the first three races of the year, finishing ninth, 26th and seventh. “In the final I was waiting for an opportunity and I managed to get by near the end. I set it up leading into the final jump.”

Switzerland’s Sanna Lüdi claimed the win on the ladies side. Marielle Thompson, 19, passed Austria’s Andrea Limbacher in the final to finish second behind Lüdi - for Limbacher it was the first career podium. The reigning ski cross world champion Kelsey Serwa went out in the final, finishing fourth. Serwa appeared to hurt her knee and is currently being assessed by a medical team.

In the ladies' overall ski cross World Cup standings Sanna Lüdi leads with 289 points, ahead of Serwa (276) and French veteran Ophelie David (200).

Next up in the Audi FIS ski cross World Cup is a stop in Les Contamines, France, with qualification set for Jan. 14 and finals to follow on Jan. 15.

Del Bosco, Serwa to lead Canada in ski cross World Cup opener

SAN CANDIDO, ITALY (Dec. 15, 2011) – Reigning world champions Chris Del Bosco and Kelsey Serwa will lead Canada’s quest for gold in the opening World Cup races of the 2011-12 ski cross season this weekend.

Del Bosco, of Montreal, Que., has set his sights on capturing his first Crystal Globe as the overall World Cup winner after being the runner-up for three successive years. He’s determined to get off to a strong start in Innichen/San Candido, Italy, where the first qualification run is scheduled for Friday, followed by men’s and women’s races on both Saturday and Sunday. Serwa, meanwhile, is looking to build on a breakout 2010-11 season in which the Kelowna, B.C., native won X Games gold and racked up five World Cup podiums.

Canada is also hoping to hold on to its Nations’ Cup crown as the No. 1 ski cross team on the planet, and goes into the new season with a deep and experienced men’s squad, plus a women’s team that has been boosted by an injection of young talent.

"The big goal is the overall title," said Del Bosco, who was second last year behind Austria’s Andreas Matt. "Everything is looking good this year. I’m fired up."

Del Bosco switched up his training regime over the summer and went back to racing mountain bikes, something he hadn’t done in the past few years. He enjoyed great success on two wheels, competing in two World Cup races and representing Canada in downhill at the world mountain bike championships. Del Bosco, traditionally a slow starter when it comes to the ski cross season, is hoping the fitness he gained from racing bikes will help him get off to a flying start this year.

"I come on strong towards the middle of the season but I’ve always had to come from behind," Del Bosco said. "The last few seasons, heading in, I’ve not really been in that mode to just go and give it my all."

Canada has eight ski cross World Cup spots on the men’s side and expects to use all of them in the season-opener. In addition to Del Bosco, Nik Zoricic, of Toronto, Ont., will be one to watch after claiming his first World Cup podium last season.

"I want to win a World Cup - that’s goal No. 1," he said. "Last year was consistent and I finished fifth overall, so I was happy. This year, it’s simple. I just want to win a race. I want to win many, but I’ll start with one!"

The men’s team includes veterans Dave Duncan, of London, Ont., Brian Bennett, of Quesnel, B.C., Davey Barr, of Whistler, B.C., and Brady Leman, of Calgary, Alta., who is making his long-awaited return from injury.

"It feels good to ski and not have it hurt anymore. I feel really healthy and strong," said Leman, who broke his right tibia in 2009. "I don’t feel like I’m getting back to where I was anymore, I feel I’m progressing again, which is nice.

"Every time I’ve come back I’ve come back better than before. I’m not going to put any huge expectations on it but I’m not going to be satisfied with it just being a comeback year."

Young guns Stan Rey, of Whistler, and Tristan Tafel, of Canmore, Alta., round out the men’s team. Tafel is a former alpine national team prospect group skier who won the ski cross Nor-Am Cup title last season.

On the women’s side, Serwa leads a youthful team that is missing veterans Ashleigh McIvor - the Olympic gold medallist from Whistler - Calgary’s Danielle Poleschuk and Julia Murray, also of Whistler. All three women are on the road to recovery following long-term injuries.

"I’m stronger than last year and we’ll see how it plays out when we start racing, but I feel good," Serwa said. "I don’t make set goals - I like to approach things as they happen. It’s just something that’s worked for me.

"I want to do well and I want to get on the podium. I know there will be days when I’m not that I’m disappointed, but I’m shooting for consistency."

While McIvor, Murray and Poleschuk work their way back to racing, two former alpine skiers will get a chance to compete in ski cross World Cups – starting this weekend. Mariannick Therer, of Saint-Sauveur, Que., is a former member of the Quebec Ski Team, while Georgia Simmerling, of West Vancouver, B.C., is a highly-rated former alpine national team prospect member who competed in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver-Whistler in super–G.

"I couldn’t be more excited. I feel like a kid in a candy store," Simmerling said. "I’m focusing on what I need to do and how to get better."

Rounding out the women’s squad is Canadian champion Marielle Thompson, also of Whistler, who is hoping to build on her first full season on the ski cross World Cup circuit.

"I’m definitely way stronger than last year," said Thompson, who has trained hard over the summer. "That will help in the starts and not being fatigued. I definitely want to be on the podium, but I’m just going to try to focus on racing and hopefully it all comes together. It took me that one year to realize, ‘I’m at this level. I can do it.’ I don’t need to be afraid."

Eric Archer, Canada’s head coach, is hoping he’ll see more national team skiers joining Serwa and Del Bosco on the podium this season.

"We want to keep a hold on the team crown," Archer said. "We’ve got a couple of new girls who have podium potential once they get some experience and we have all the guys ready, with Brady coming back and Dave skiing like he was a few years ago." 

Men’s ski cross team for Innichen/San Candido

Women’s ski cross team for Innichen/San Candido

FIS Freestyle 2011-12 World Cup ski cross schedule
Dec. 17-18, 2011: Innichen/San Candido, Italy
Jan. 6-7, 2012: St. Johann, Austria
Jan. 10-11, 2012: Alpe d’Huez, France
Jan. 14-15, 2012: Les Contamines, France
Feb. 2-3, 2012: Blue Mountain, Ont.
Feb. 25-26, 2012: Bichofswiesen/Goetschen, Germany
March 2-3, 2012: Branas, Sweden
March 10-11, 2012: Grindelwald, Switzerland

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