Canada’s Phelan and Serwa win first World Cup medals of ski-cross season

By: The Canadian Press Posted: 10:41 AM CST Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019 Last Modified: 11:16 AM CST Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019

IDRE FJALL, Sweden - Canadians Britt Phelan, Kelsey Serwa, and Marielle Thompson raced into the World Cup big final in ski cross action on Sunday, placing second, third, and fourth, respectively.

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IDRE FJALL, Sweden - Canadians Britt Phelan, Kelsey Serwa, and Marielle Thompson raced into the World Cup big final in ski cross action on Sunday, placing second, third, and fourth, respectively.

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IDRE FJALL, Sweden – Canadians Britt Phelan, Kelsey Serwa, and Marielle Thompson raced into the World Cup big final in ski cross action on Sunday, placing second, third, and fourth, respectively.

Switzerland’s Fanny Smith took gold. The trip to the podium was the first of the season for Phelan, from Mont-Tremblant, Que., and Serwa, from Kelowna, B.C.

“I was really hoping to stay in touch with the group, and get on the draft and ski perfectly, get on their back sides to the bottom. It worked out pretty well,” said Phelan, who earns her fourth career World Cup podium. “I came in hot at the end, close to Fanny and I needed a little more track to get there. I’m super happy to be second.”

Winner Fanny Smith of Switzerland, center, second placed Brittany Phelkan of Canada, left, and third placed Kelsey Serwa of Canada at the podium after women's final FIS Freestyle Ski Cross World Cup event in Idre Fjall, Sweden, Saturday Jan. 20. 2019. (Pontus Lundahl/TT News Agency via AP)

It was Serwa’s 20th career World Cup podium, and third bronze.

“I feel pretty good. This season has been a full start for me, missing out on the pre-training sessions,” said Serwa. “I knew it was going to be a slow climb up, and sure enough, this is our fifth World Cup of the season, and it finally feels good to be on the podium, most importantly alongside my best bud Britt Phelan.”

Thompson, from Whistler, B.C., finished fourth for the second time this season, having raced in every big final so far, earning three podiums out of five including Saturday’s silver-medal performance in Idre Fjall.

India Sherret of Cranbrook, B.C., Edmonton’s Abby McEwen and Mikayla Martin of Squamish, B.C., finished 10th, 12th and 19th respectively.

On the men’s side, Toronto’s Kevin Drury made it into the quarter-final and raced into 16th position. Montreal’s Chris Del Bosco and Calgary’s Brady Leman were unable to get past the eights, finishing 20th and 29th respectively. Kevin MacDonald of Mississauga, Ont., finished 36th and Zach Belczyk of Banff, Alta., was 39th.