Telluride, CO – Brady Leman secured Canada’s first podium of the 2012-13 Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup season when he finished second in a photo finish at the end of a thrilling men’s final in Telluride, Colo., on Thursday. Slovenian Filip Flisar won the men’s final with America’s John Teller, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., finishing seventh. Fanny Smith took the women’s title for the Swiss.

Leman, 26, from Calgary, Alberta, was the fastest man in qualifying on Wednesday and remained dominant in the early rounds Thursday. He claimed his spot on the podium in an extremely tight final when he edged Switzerland’s Armin Niederer into third place at the line.

“I felt like I was skiing well and skiing fast today,” said Leman, who was sixth last weekend as the World Cup season kicked off in Nakiska, Alberta. “It’s where I want to be in every race – in the final and fighting for gold.

Leman, who was ranked No. 2 in the world in ski cross in 2011-12, looked podium-bound all day long as he dominated his round of 32 heat and then his quarter-final before powering through the semifinal to make it into the final four. Leman’s starts had been strong all day but Flisar was the fastest out of the gate in the final and the reigning men’s ski cross World Cup champion stayed out in front for the duration of the race. There was a big scramble at the finish as Flisar, Leman and Niederer pushed for the line – with Flisar coming out in front and Leman edging the Swiss racer by a matter of inches. Jean-Frederic Chapuis, of France, was fourth.

“It was pretty much a three-way photo-finish for first, second and third. It was tight racing the whole way down,” Leman explained.”

Teller skied his way into the semifinals, but just missed the finals to lead the USA.

“In the semi, I was trying to avoid traffic and had a big crash in front of me. Trying to move out of the way of everything, if you’re not running a flat ski you’re not going to be pulling ahead,” Teller said. “And that’s what put the last nail in the coffin for me. Happy to get into the small final and finish seventh. A good day.”

Dave Duncan, of London, Ontario, Canada, was unlucky to be disqualified after appearing to qualify for the semifinals and finished the day ninth. He went down in a pile-up on the course that left his teammate Ian Deans, of Kelowna, British Columbia, with an apparent knee injury.

On the women’s side, Smith was joined on the podium by French veteran Ophelie David in second and Anna Holmlund of Sweden in third. Canadian Kelsey Serwa, the reigning world champion who is returning from a knee injury that caused her to miss most of last season, crossed the finish line in the final heat in fourth.

“I’m not focused on results right now. I’m just focused on building confidence,” said Serwa, of Kelowna. “Today was a big step for me – just getting into the finals. I was stoked.

Serwa’s teammate Marielle Thompson, of Whistler, British Columbia, finished eighth despite going down in the small final that left her unhurt, and the Canadian team – Nations’ Cup champions for the past four years – looked to be on the mend after being kept off the podium at Nakiska. Eric Archer, head coach of the Canadian team, said Leman’s performance was indicative of a team that is “getting back to normal.”

“We were very focused — skiing well, having fun. It was a great course,” Archer said. “Brady (Leman) was on it all day. It was a great fight to get the photo for second.”

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Audi FIS Ski Cross World Cup
Telluride, CO – Dec. 13, 2012

Men’s Ski Cross

Women’s Ski Cross