'A lot can happen': Overall leader Smith not taking anything for granted ahead of Ski Cross' final weekend

Three talking points ahead of the final two races of the FIS Ski Cross season, with Women's Overall leader Fanny Smith saying that she is taking nothing for granted this weekend despite her healthy lead.

The skiers have arrived in Idre Fjäll for the last two races with Smith currently in possession of a 135-point lead in the battle for this season's Crystal Globe.

The three-time Crystal Globe winner has 916 points, and the chasing pack of athletes who will compete at Idre Fjäll are Jole Galli (781), Daniela Maier (765) and Marielle Berger Sabbatel (749).

All three can mathematically catch the Swiss skier, but the cards are obviously in Smith's favour. Despite that fact, Smith is not allowing herself to rest on her laurels.

"Still a lot can happen," Smith told FIS ahead of races on Saturday and Sunday. "So I will just try to focus on race after race and enjoy skiing on a track that I like."

‘I couldn’t ask for more’

Smith arrives in Idre Fjäll on the back of phenomenal results. In the last World Cup stop in Craigleith two weeks ago she won both races, and then last weekend she dominated at the World Championships on home snow to win individual gold as well as gold in the mixed team even with Ryan Regez.

"It was really exceptional to be a double world champion at a home World Championships," she said. "I couldn't ask for more.

"For me it was really challenging and as a Swiss athlete the pressure was really, really high, so I'm really proud that I could handle the pressure. It's an amazing feeling.

"On top of that, what I'm actually the most proud of is that I have got a medal from every World Championships from the past seven editions.

"And then to have double gold in St. Moritz, that was for sure the cherry on the cake."

It was reward for her hard work, with Smith having endured a difficult start to the season. After getting on the podium in the opening race in Val Thorens, she came sixth the following day, and then in the night race in Arosa she crashed out badly. That meant she didn't start the next race on day one in Innichen, and on day two she came 14th.

However, she roared back at the start of 2025, getting on the podium on both days of racing in Reiteralm, and since then has maintained that consistency to put herself in a strong position to claim her fourth Crystal Globe.

"I knew from the beginning of the season that I was ready, I was fit," she says. "In Val Thorens, the first race, I was happy with my skiing.

"Then on the second day the qualification run was really impacting the race, and as we did some testing with my material, my quali wasn't as good.

"Then Arosa came, I had a crash and I missed two races. There's a lot of things going on in our sport.

"Even if I was prepared and I was feeling good, it needs everything to come together so it clicks.

"Podiums are now coming. I could feel it in Reiteralm that I was fit again and could give my best and then it's just continued like that.

"So for sure the confidence now is good and I'm really looking forward to the Idre World Cup."

Even though she is now the favourite to claim the Globe, Smith says finding "the joy of competition" was all that occupied her mind at the first start gate all the way back in December.

"For the Crystal Globe, honestly from the beginning of the season I didn't really think about that," she said.

"For me it was first of all trying to find the joy of skiing again in competition, trying to find my confidence again and all of that.

"So I've just taken it race after race and it's the same here in Idre, so we will see."

Sherret the latest to fall away from Crystal Globe chase

For all the excitement that the women's competition has brought this season, there has also been disappointment.

Marielle Thompson was in the Overall mix when she picked up a season-ending injury in Gudauri to end her chances of a fifth Crystal Globe. That was after Sandra Naeslund's comeback from injury had ended as early as the first weekend in Val Thorens.

There was also Hannah Schmidt, who was primed to fight for the Globe before she was ruled out with injury following a crash in Reiteralm.

With so many stars missing, we were still all locked in for a big battle between Smith and India Sherret on the final weekend. Sherret had not had a great stop on home soil in Craigleith, finishing fifth and ninth, and was determined to rectify that in Idre.

However, disaster struck in the form of an injury at the World Championships - and Sherret is now out too.

"During the small final at World Champs on Friday I suffered a small fracture to my sternum," she wrote on Instagram.

"I caught a pole between my chest and the ground on the landing of a jump at the start and took all the force to a very small area. It's an injury that should heal quickly with a little rest, but not one that I can race with.

"I'm crushed for both my World championships and season as a whole come to an end like this. It hurts to lose the opportunity to come back for the Overall and finish the year the way it started.

"It's hard not to feel like it didn't all just fall apart the last few weeks. But high performance sport is cruel sometimes and I still have a lot to learn."

The 28-year-old vowed to "come out of this one stronger, just like always", and will hopefully be at the start gate at the start of next season - along with all the others who have suffered unfortunate injuries this term – to once again fight for her first Crystal Globe.

Galli and Hoffos show how to bounce back

If there is hope for those who have picked up injuries, it is the blistering performances this season of a few athletes returning from injury – including Italy's Jole Galli and Canada's Courtney Hoffos.

Both recovered from their respective injuries to compete with unreserved aggression this term, and both have had outstanding seasons as a result. Hoffos has three podiums to her name this season, her equal best return for a single season, while Galli came into this campaign with one podium to her name but now has six.

"I'm really enjoying it because I struggled hard to come back well, and to see that it worked better than expected is a cool surprise," Galli said.

"I honestly think the team makes the difference. The coaches worked with the heart, the physio helped me in all aspects and my team-mates spent a lot of time explaining me little secret and sensation that makes me feel confident. I learned that I still have a lot of things to learn."

Hoffos added: "Coming back from injury is always a challenge, and there were definitely some doubts along the way with some less-than-ideal knee mobility, but being back on the circuit, feeling strong, and getting some results has been the most rewarding.

"I've enjoyed it a ton and its reminded me how fun it is to be back travelling with the team and how much I love this sport."

Galli says she feels for those who have missed out on a chance to compete for this season's Globe due to injury, but was full of positivity for the recovery she expects them to make.

"It's never easy to watch the season from outside," the Italian said. "I hope to be an inspiration if needed, but I know the women in our race are already strong women.

"I just wish them to stay happy, work hard because the body is a machine and you can fix it."

Hoffos believes those who are on the sidelines will "come back stronger" after their respective setbacks.

"It's tough seeing team-mates and competitors go through injuries because I know how tough it is to miss out, but I also know that it's possible to come back stronger, with a mindset that has been nurtured too," she said.

"The sport is always evolving, and I hope to see them back on course soon, pushing all of us to be better!"

Hoffos paid particular tribute to her team-mates Thompson and Sherret, who she says will be on her mind when she takes to the slope in Sweden this week to represent all of Canada.

"For sure," she said. "Marielle and India both had such strong seasons, and it truly is heart-breaking to see the Globe slip away from them, not on their terms.

"We're a tight-knit team, and when one of us is up there, we're always representing all of us, so I’ll definitely be thinking of them and pushing hard. Fear The Leaf!"

The women's FIS Ski Cross season concludes in Idre Fjäll with races on Saturday 29 March and Sunday 30 March.