San Candido, Italy – Canada’s Kelsey Serwa made it a perfect two wins out of two Sunday when she led the women’s ski cross final from start to finish to secure her second World Cup victory in as many days.
The 2011 ski cross world champion and X games gold medallist from Kelowna, British Columbia, followed up her golden start to the season in Saturday’s race with a dominating display on Sunday, which saw her win the qualification round, the quarter-final, the semifinal and then the final.
In the men’s race, Dave Duncan, of London, Ontario, narrowly missed out on securing his second podium of the weekend – after Saturday’s bronze medal – when he was caught up in a three-person crash in the final and finished fourth.
“It’s a fantastic start to the season,” said Serwa, who will be taking the red World Cup leader’s bib home with her for Christmas. “In the final I got out in front and I stayed in front all the way. I had the confidence from qualifying and the (technicians) nailed the wax once again. As soon as I started gliding, I just took off. It was great – I wish every race was like that!”
The Swiss duo of Sanna Luedi and Katrin Mueller were second and third, respectively. Georgia Simmerling, of West Vancouver, British Columbia, followed up her 13th-place finish in Saturday’s race – her ski cross World Cup debut – with a ninth-place result Sunday. No American women entered.
“Kelsey was on fire today,” said Eric Archer, Canada’s head coach. “She won every heat – she had a good time out there. It’s pretty big for her to get a double win on the opening weekend.”
There was fierce competition on the men’s side. Duncan, who won bronze on Saturday, looked poised to pick up his second medal of the weekend before he crashed in the men’s final. Austria’s Andreas Matt took the win, ahead of Russia’s Egor Korotkov and Switzerland’s Alex Fiva.
“We passed through the rollers and I was able to get a lead,” Duncan said of the final. “Something happened … next thing you know, there were three of us flying through the air.
“I did a quick look … and just started skiing away with one pole,” added Duncan, who suffered a minor cut to the face. “I almost caught (Fiva) at the bottom with one pole and blood on my goggles.”
Joe Swensson finished 17th, best for the U.S. men, followed by Patrick Duran in 34th and Trevor Ricioli in 66th.
The next ski cross World Cup stop is St. Johann, Austria, on Jan. 7, 2012.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Freestyle World Cup
Innichen/San Candido, Italy – Dec. 18, 2011
Ski Cross
Women’s finals:
| Rank | Bib | Name | Year | Nation | Points |
| 1 | 1 | SERWA Kelsey | 1989 | CAN | 1000.00 |
| 2 | 2 | LUEDI Sanna | 1986 | SUI | 800.00 |
| 3 | 3 | MUELLER Katrin | 1989 | SUI | 600.00 |
| 4 | 4 | ZACHER Heidi | 1988 | GER | 500.00 |
| 5 | 15 | JENSEN Julie Brendengen | 1990 | NOR | 450.00 |
| 6 | 9 | WOERNER Anna | 1989 | GER | 400.00 |
| 7 | 12 | LIMBACHER Andrea | 1989 | AUT | 360.00 |
| 8 | 14 | EICHINGER Julia | 1992 | GER | 320.00 |
| 9 | 7 | SIMMERLING Georgia | 1989 | CAN | 290.00 |
| 10 | 8 | DAVID Ophelie | 1976 | FRA | 260.00 |
Men’s finals:
| Rank | Bib | Name | Year | Nation | Points |
| 1 | 1 | MATT Andreas | 1982 | AUT | 1000.00 |
| 2 | 5 | KOROTKOV Egor | 1986 | RUS | 800.00 |
| 3 | 7 | FIVA Alex | 1986 | SUI | 600.00 |
| 4 | 19 | DUNCAN David | 1982 | CAN | 500.00 |
| 5 | 15 | JUELL Didrik Bastian | 1990 | NOR | 450.00 |
| 6 | 8 | FISCHER Thomas | 1986 | GER | 400.00 |
| 7 | 12 | STICKL Simon | 1987 | GER | 360.00 |
| 8 | 30 | KRAUS Tomas | 1974 | CZE | 320.00 |
| 9 | 16 | TAFEL Tristan | 1990 | CAN | 290.00 |
| 10 | 20 | BOHNACKER Daniel | 1990 | GER | 260.00 |