CANADA CROWNED THE TOP SKI CROSS NATION IN THE WORLD FOR 2010 AT THE WORLD CUP FINALS IN SIERRA NEVADA, SPAIN

SIERRA NEVADA, SPA (March 19, 2010) – After being forced to move the final Ski Cross event of the 2010 season forward by a day, due to poor weather, the Canadian Ski Cross Team was crowned the top Ski Cross nation in the world today at the World Cup Finals in Sierra Nevada, Spain. While Canada has been the top Ski Cross Nation for 3 years running, 2010 marks the first year that the award, created for the discipline of Ski Cross, was handed out. The 20 World Cup medals won this season by the Canadian Ski Cross Team athletes set a new record for the 3 year old organization and also contributed to Canada taking home the Nations Cup for Freestyle for the 3rd straight year.

When asked about the success of the team this season Head Coach, Eric Archer said, “Today was a bit bittersweet, we didn’t have any athletes on the podium today but it was good for the whole team to get the opportunity to take the stage when we were awarded the top nation in the world.”

Poor weather is to blame for having to move the Ski Cross event up in the week to Friday. It was a long day of waiting as the weather took a turn for the worse early in the day with blowing snow and poor visibility. The qualification run didn’t begin till 2:15pm and the heats began at 3:30pm ending at 5pm.

“At this point in the season these changes to the schedule and delays really take a toll on the athletes. With this being an Olympic year it’s been a long season with all the World Cup events being squeezed into 3 months rather than the usual 4. The team is tired, but everyone feels good about what we’ve accomplished this season.” said Eric Archer.

The Men’s team had a solid day with 4 athletes in the top 10. Chris Del Bosco (Sudbury, ON) lead the way, narrowly missing the podium as he finished 4th on the day after getting off to a poor start in the final Del Bosco was in 4th and was making a move but was blocked by Switzerland’s Andreas Steffan. Del Bosco finished the season 2nd overall with a total of 5 World Cup podiums, an X-Games victory and a 4th place finish in the Olympic Winter games.

Stanley Hayer (Kimberly, BC) finished out the season with a solid result placing 5th on the day. Battling knee pain all season Hayer had been feeling better after the Olympics and has posted top ten finishes in the last 8 races, finishing the season with one world cup podium, placing 2nd in Les Contamines, FRA.

Davey Barr (Brackendale, BC) posted his best World Cup finish of the season placing 6th today. After a trying season, Barr was a late entry into the Olympics and rose the occasion. With very little training time on the course Barr skied to a 6th place finish in the inaugural Olympic Ski Cross event.

Brian Bennett (Quesnel, BC) also had one of his best finishes of the season finishing 10th. Teammate Nik Zoricic (Toronto, ON) in his first season racing full time World Cup capped off a solid season today when he finished the day in 23rd.

It was a tough day for the Canadian women with Kelsey Serwa (Kelowna, B C) finishing in 9th and Ashleigh McIvor (Whistler, BC) finishing in 10th spot, after both crashing in the quarterfinals. Danielle Poleschuk (Calgary, AB), in avoiding the McIvor crash was unable to gain back any ground and would have to settle for 12th spot.

Aleisha Cline (Squamish, BC) didn’t start today’s race after injuries sustained in a crash at the World Cup in Grinelwald, Switzerland kept her from the challenging conditions.

Ashleigh McIvor finished the season in 2nd place overall and was the Olympic Gold Medal winner in Vancouver. McIvor stepped to the podium 5 times this World Cup season and was a constant threat to the overall title.

Last years “Rookie of the Year”, Kelsey Serwa finished just outside of the top 3 securing 4th spot for this season. Serwa won an impressive 3 World Cup events and placed 5th in the Olympic Winter games.

Danielle Poleschuk finished her best season after qualifying for the Olympics and with a personal best, 3rd place finish in Grindelwald, Switzerland.

Aleisha Cline made a trip to the podium as well this season when she placed 2nd in Braenes, Sweden.

TUNE IN TOMORROW AS CBC BROADCASTS TODAYS RACE FROM SIERRA NEVADA, SPAIN AT THE FOLLOWING TIMES:

CBC's Broadcast Schedule for Ski Cross this week is as follows:
 
CBC Main Network Broadcast Schedule:
 
Sat. Mar. 20 @ 15:30-16:30 ET
2010 FIS SKI-CROSS WORLD CUP FINALS ON CBC
 
Sun Mar. 21 @ 02:30-03:30 Local
CBC SPORTS LATE NIGHT:2010 FIS SKI-CROSS WORLD CUP FINALS ON CBC
 
cbcsports.ca Broadcast Schedule:
 
Sat. Mar. 20 @ 06:50-08:30 ET Live
2010 FIS SKI-CROSS WORLD CUP FINALS ON CBC
 
Sat. Mar. 20 @ 15:30-16:30 ET
2010 FIS SKI-CROSS WORLD CUP FINALS ON CBC
 
 
Bold Broadcast Schedule:
 
Sat. Mar. 20 @ 06:50-08:30 ET Live
2010 FIS SKI-CROSS WORLD CUP FINALS ON CBC

RESULTS

WOMEN

1 HOLMLUND Anna SWE
2 DAVID Ophelie FRA
3 HOEIE GJEFSEN Marte NOR
4 MANHARD Julia GER
5 LUEDI Sanna SUI
6 FUKUSHIMA Noriko JPN
7 UMEHARA Reina JPN
8 SMITH Fanny SUI

9 SERWA Kelsey CAN
10 MCIVOR Ashleigh CAN
12 POLESCHUK Danielle CAN

MEN

1 SCHMID Michael SUI
2 GROENVOLD Audun NOR
3 STEFFEN Andreas SUI
4 DELBOSCO Christopher
5 HAYER Stanley CAN
6 BARR Davey CAN
7 WITTNER Markus AUT
8 KOLLER Patrick AUT

10 BENNETT Brian CAN
23 ZORICIC Nick CAN


Andrew Squires
Canadian Ski Cross Team
Director of Marketing and Communications
Ph. - (403) 397 9943
Email - asquires@ski-cross.ca
Website - www.ski-cross.ca