Marielle Thompson, of Whistler, British Columbia, arrives at Nakiska Ski Area in Alberta this week as the favorite to defend her title at the 2012 Sport Chek Ski Cross Canadian Championships. It?s just one example of how much has changed for the 19-year-old rising star, who went into last year?s race hoping to secure the first major victory of her career.
?I?m definitely going to go for it. I will be trying to get my title again,? said Thompson, who pulled off a brilliant pass to edge ahead of teammate and world champion Kelsey Serwa in last year?s women?s final at Lake Louise, also in Alberta. ?I hope there?s lots of young girls out there racing.
?Last year built my confidence up like crazy. It really started everything for me.?
Canada's Marielle Thompson, of Whistler, B.C., after winning the 2011 Sport Chek Ski Cross Canadian Championships held last year at Lake Louise, Alberta. (photo: mariellethompson.com)
Thompson went into the 2011-12 World Cup season on a high and didn?t waste any time showing what she could do, claiming the first podium of her career with a third-place finish in the season opener at Innichen/San Candido, Italy, on Dec. 17. She went on to finish second in Alpe d?Huez, France, on Jan. 11, before making another breakthrough in Blue Mountain, Ontario, Canada, on Feb. 3, when she won her first World Cup race. Another victory in Branas, Sweden, on March 3 gave Thompson the red bib as the overall World Cup points leader.
Following the tragic passing of Thompson?s friend and teammate, Nik Zoricic, the final races of the season in Grindelwald, Switzerland, were cancelled. Points were awarded based on qualification results and it was later confirmed Thompson had become the first Canadian to win an individual ski cross World Cup title. It wasn?t a time to reflect on awards and individual achievement, but some time later, after returning to Whistler, Thompson started to understand the significance of her accomplishment.
?People keep talking to me about it and congratulating me ? it?s nice,? Thompson said. ?It?s not really sunk in how big of a deal it is.?
Thompson?s main rival for the women?s title this year might well be fellow young gun Mariannick Therer, of Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, who won this year?s Nor-Am Cup ski cross title. Veteran Whistler duo Julia Murray and Ashleigh McIvor, Serwa, of Kelowna, British Columbia, and Danielle Poleschuk, of Calgary, Alberta, are all making good progress as they recover from long-term injuries but they?re not quite ready to return to competition just yet. Newcomer Georgia Simmerling, of West Vancouver British Columbia, also misses out due to injury.
?Next year will be fun, that?s for sure,? said Thompson, of the prospect of being part of a stronger ladies? team in 2012-13.
The Canadian men?s team is by far the deepest on the World Cup circuit, with Chris Del Bosco, of Montreal, Quebec, coming into this week as the defending Canadian title holder as well as the reigning world and X Games champion. Calgary?s Brady Leman, who won two World Cup races this season and narrowly lost out on the men?s Crystal Globe ? finishing second in the standings ? will provide strong competition alongside veteran Dave Duncan, of London, Ontario, who claimed two World Cup podiums in 2011-12. Local hero and rising star Tristan Tafel, of Canmore, Alberta, won his first World Cup race this season, while Whistler?s Davey Barr and Brian Bennett, of Quesnel, British Columbia, also have the experience and know-how to contend for the title. Fellow national team member Stan Rey, also of Whistler, is coming back from injury.
All the Canadian racers will be wearing ?Ski4Nik? stickers on their helmets this week in memory of their friend and teammate.
?It?s definitely going to be interesting having not put on the racing skis since then,? Duncan said of the death of his longtime friend and roommate. ?I?m looking forward to racing and ending the season on that kind of note.?
Duncan, who has spent the last few weeks free-skiing in Whistler, has struggled with injuries in recent years. But the 2009 Canadian champion is feeling strong after a solid season that saw him end the year ranked sixth in the World Cup standings.
?Everything?s good. It?s the first time I?ve (finished) a season healthy since my first season in 2007,? Duncan said. ?We start training again at the end of May so this will be good.?
Training runs start tomorrow at Nakiska. The Canadian championships qualification round ? a time trial to decide the draw for the finals ? is due to take place on Friday at 11 a.m. Heats and finals follow at 1 p.m. on Saturday. A Canadian open event will also be held on Sunday.
The 2012 Sport Chek Ski Cross Canadian Championships are a precursor to the first Nakiska ski cross World Cup event, which will be held from Dec. 6-8, 2012. The race will be the second Canadian World Cup stop alongside Blue Mountain in February.
?Nakiska is proud to host the ACA Ski Cross nationals,? said Matt Mosteller, vice president of marketing for the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, which operates the Nakiska Ski Resort. ?It is part of our core commitment to support youth and their pursuit of their goals and dreams to be the best in the world.?
Related stories:Canada?s Thompson, Leman Lead Battle for Ski Cross Crystal Globes
Nakiska to Host 2012 Ski Cross World Cup
Canadian Ski Cross Athlete Nic Zoricic Dies in World Cup Crash in Switzerland
Del Bosco, Thompson second in Alpe d?Huez
Canadian Ski Cross Star Kelsey Serwa Sidelined for Season by Knee Injury
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