Calgary’s Brady Leman wins bronze medal at skicross World Cup

SUNNY VALLEY, Russia — Canada’s Brady Leman earned bronze in skicross race action on Sunday, stepping onto the World Cup podium for the third time this season.

Leman, from Calgary, earned his first World Cup medal of the season in late December in Innichen, Italy, capturing bronze, before racing to gold on home snow at Blue Mountain, Ont., in January.

“It was a tough day of racing for sure. All day, every round was a battle to get through,” said Leman, who was second in every heat leading up to the final. He was joined on the podium by France’s Bastien Midol, who won his second gold medal in as many days, and Alex Fiva of Switzerland, who raced to silver. “It was a tough round in the final for sure — some really fast skiers — so I was really happy to be third.”

The men’s team saw a rally of sorts following a tough day of racing on Saturday that saw them all out after one heat. Toronto’s Kevin Drury was sixth, while Montreal’s Chris Del Bosco finished eighth to tie his season-best result.

Racing in her first big final of the season, India Sherret of Cranbrook, B.C., fell just short of a podium performance, finishing fourth in women’s action at Sunny Valley.

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“I felt like I had really good starts today. I was pulling out feeling super strong, really like myself — strong, confident, and not thinking too much when I was skiing,” said Sherret. “In the final, I had a really good start and kind of just drifted out in the first turn, and just couldn’t quite pull them in at the finish. But I’m really, really happy with how today went – I just had so much fun, and had the biggest smile on my face. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Marielle Thompson of Whistler, B.C., found herself on the wrong side of a crash by French skier Marielle Berger Sabbatel. Thompson finished the day in seventh, and was joined in the top-10 by Brittany Phelan of Mont-Tremblant, Que., and Kelsey Serwa of Kelowna, B.C., who placed ninth and 10th respectively. Edmonton’s Abby McEwen was 16th.

Fanny Smith took back-to-back gold in Russia, standing on the podium on Sunday alongside teammate Sanna Luedi, who finished second. France’s Alizee Baron was third.

The Canadian Press