Prince George racer Tiana Gairns is getting used to posting top-10 finishes on the world’s top ski cross circuit.
She added two more sixth-place results to her World Cup resume over the weekend in Val Thorens, France, part of a dominating display from the Canadian women’s team.
“I’m very proud of the skiing I’ve had in the last days,” Gairns said Sunday, in an update posted on the Alpine Canada website. “Today, I just focused on skiing aggressive and calm on the course, and I managed to execute that. I’m eager to keep on doing the same thing in the next events.”
The 23-year-old former Prince George Alpine Ski Team member also made the small final two weeks ago on the 2022 Olympics course at Secret Garden, China, where she finished eighth. Her career-best World Cup best finish is fifth, which she achieved twice last season in Sunny Valley, Russia and Idre Fjall, Sweden.
Marielle Thompson of Whistler, the 2014 Olympic champion, won bronze Sunday, right on the heels of gold-medalist Sandra Naeslund of Sweden and second-place Fanny Smith of Switzerland, while Brittany Phelan of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was fourth.
Gairns ended up second in the small final behind Marielle Berger Sabbatel of France.
Phelen, the 2018 Olympic silver medalist, captured silver in Saturday’s race. The 30-year-old is in her comeback season after suffering a knee injury in February 2020. The 29-year-old Thompson is also back on the scene after a lengthy injury recovery period.
Saturday’s women’s small final had three Canadians involved. Hannah Schmidt of Ottawa won the race to post a career-best fifth place finish, just ahead of Gairns, while Courtney Hoffos of Calgary was eighth.
“We’re all super-proud of our results today,” said Gairns, who gained 80 World Cup points and is now ranked 16th in the world.
The races were delayed by a day by heavy snowfall, which made for challenging conditions.
Nineteen year-old Gavin Rowell of Prince George qualified 40th for Sunday’s men’s race, after placing 46 out of 64 entered in Saturday’s qualifying event,
Jared Schmidt of Ottawa finished 15th as the top Canadian Sunday in the men’s race, won by Terence Tchiknavorian of France.
In other Canadian results Sunday, Carson Cook of Edmonton was 18th, Chris Del Bosco of Montreal was 20th, Kristophor Mahler of Canmore was 32nd, Reece Howden of Cultus Lake was 36th, Kevin Drury of Toronto was 50th and Brady Leman of Calgary was 58th.
On Saturday, Mahler was 14th, Schmidt was 29th, Del Bosco was 33rd, Drury was 38th and Cook was 41st.
The World Cup tour moves to Arosa, Switzerland this weekend for individual race Saturday and the only team ski cross event of the season on Sunday.
Other races on the World Cup schedule prior to the Olympics include: Innichen, Italy (Dec. 18-20), Nakiska, Alta (Jan. 13-15) and Idre Fjall (Jan. 28-31).
