World champion Deromedis claims first World Cup win of career

World Champion Simone Deromedis won the men's big final in St. Moritz on Sunday to claim a first FIS Ski Cross World Cup race of his career.

Dermodis, who won the World Championships in Georgia last year, beat hometown favourite Alex Fiva of Switzerland, France's Youri Duplessis Kergomard and Reece Howden of Canada in the big final to claim 100 points and a place on a World Cup podium for only the third time ever.

"I was feeling good the past weeks after a tough beginning of the season. Summer training was tough and everything, but now I felt like I was back in shape, so I was releasing all the doubts I have on myself," Deromedis said.

"It feels good. I waited for this win in the World Cup for a long time. I was close the past two years and it feels pretty good."

The Italian almost didn't even make it into the big final. A horrid start to his semi-final saw him fall well behind the other three skiers, but an incredible recovery at the back end of the race allowed him to squeeze past the finish line ahead of Erik Mobaerg in a photo finish.

"I did a big mistake at the start. I don't know why," Deromedis said of his semi-final.

"In my head I went like 'It's over', but in the last turn the guys in front of me touched a little bit so I went wide to tight and it worked. When it's your day it's your day, I don't know what to say."

The location of Deromedis' victory was significant, as St. Moritz is where he will defend his World Championship title in March 2025.

"I like this track a lot because I think it's what a ski cross looks like. The difference is made by doing the jumps smoothly and pushing in the rollers and that stuff instead of too many turns. The key was to be smooth for the rollers."

Fiva said of his second-place finish: "It feels really good. Right now it feels exhausting; it was a pretty tough race in this altitude.

"It's a step in the right direction. I'm really happy to be on the podium."

It was an eighth podium for Duplessis Kergomard, who is still looking for his first win of the season. “I’m hungry for more,” he said after the big final.

Mobaerg went on to win the small final ahead of Swiss pair Sandro Lohner and Alex Marro and USA's Tyler Wallasch.

‘A long time coming’

In the women's section, Marielle Thompson won her first World Cup race in over two years as she fought off Fanny Smith, compatriot Hannah Schmidt and Saskja Lack to stand top of the podium.

Thompson has been skiing consistently all season, coming into St. Moritz in fourth place overall, but had not won a World Cup race since December 2021 in Arosa before winning the big final in comfortable fashion on Sunday.

"It feels great. It feels like it's been a long time coming," Thompson said.

"This season I've had a lot of good skiing and I just haven't been able to pull it together on race day.

"To win here, at the next World Championship venue, is awesome and definitely gives me a lot of confidence going into the next races."

On her tactics for the race, Thompson said: "I just tried to be as fast and powerful as I could out the gate and really get the transitions on the Wu-Tangs, and I think that was the difference-maker.

"I definitely copied my team-mate Reece (Howden) with his big poles - that helped me."

Smith was hoping to win what would have been her first World Cup of the season, but had to settle for second after a dominant display from Thompson in the big final.

"It really feels like a win on this course. I was fighting really hard to just keep my place," Smith said.

"I really had to make no mistake and push, push, push, because with my small size I knew that behind it will just come like a truck."

Schmidt's third place has catapulted her top of the overall standings, leapfrogging Marielle Berger Sabbatel who was ruled out by disqualification during Saturday’s qualifying.

Schmidt has matched the feat achieved by her brother Jared, who is still top of the men's standings despite notching finishes of 27th, 18th, 13th and 49th since the last of his three victories this season in Innichen.

"Pretty amazing," Hannah Schmidt said. "I think it's pretty cool to share it with my brother. It's definitely a moment in time that I'm never going to forget."

Howden is now only 22 points behind Jared Schmidt in the overall standings, with French pair Terence Tchiknavorian and Duplessis Kergomard in third and fourth respectively, and Fiva in fifth.

There is a short turnaround to the next race, with the skiers now heading for Alleghe in Italy. Qualification will take place on 31 January and 1 February for races on 2 and 3 February.