Ski cross' escape artist Drury wins big in Val Thorens

Kevin Drury's incredible single move in the Big Final on day two in Val Thorens saw the Canadian win his first World Cup race in over half a decade.

Drury was last at the halfway stage of the Big Final, but just before the big negative turn, took a wide line to go out from in and pass all three of his opponents in one fell swoop to take a late lead, which he held onto for first victory since Megeve in February 2020.

Drury cross the line ahead of second-place Simone Deromedis - who narrowly missed out on backing up his victory from day one - Tristan Takats in third, and Ryo Sugai in fourth.

"I can't really ask for much more," Drury said.

"Yesterday I got some of the unlucky side of ski cross, and today definitely some luck in the semi-finals, and then the final was just a dream.

"I worked really hard this summer, got in the best fitness I've had. The body's been feeling the best it has in five years, so to see that pay off really means a lot.

"The work that gets put in behind the scenes, it shows how much I care and how much I want this.

"It feels really good to feel like myself from five years ago."

The showpiece was not the first time Drury had been forced to fight his way back into contention. In his first heat of the day, he had to work a clever wide line on the negative to get past Davide Cazzaniga to claim second place and make it into the quarter-finals, where he made the exact same play to get past Alex Fiva and seal second place late on.

In the semi-finals, Drury attempted the same move but was resisted by David Mobaerg, who then made an uncharacteristic unforced error on the final turn to allow Drury to catch him and eventually take second place by the length of his forearm on a photo finish.

Then came a three-in-one pass in the Big Final, which saw him swarmed by his Canadian team-mates in the finish area: "I don't really know what happened there! I just knew I was in fourth so I was going to set up that negative and try to carry as much speed as possible into that jump and I'm guessing they all kind of made little mistakes and I flew past them," he said.

"Again, a little bit of luck with ski cross but I feel like I'm pretty good at reading the play in front of me and making the right decisions, and I think I just did there.

"It just goes to show the strength of team Canada. We actually care about each other, we want each other to do well, it just brings everyone up.

"I'm really excited for this season for the whole team, I think there's going to be some really good things coming."

Drury had already decided that this season would be his last in competitive ski cross, and said the victory would not cause a rethink.

"Definitely doesn't change anything," he said. "I'm 37! My plan is to go out on top so if I go out on top that's best, but we're just going to really enjoy the season, try to keep doing this as much as I can and end on a good note."

Deromedis was happy to have achieved his best ever weekend, beating the first and third he achieved in Gudauri at the end of last season.

"Not even Georgia could top this," the Italian said.

"Today was super tough. My legs were so done already after the eighth-final, so it was a mental game of not giving up.

"I'm happy how I played it. I had good cards and I played them well.

"Tonight a couple of beers are well deserved, for the whole team, for the ski men, for the coaches, for everyone. It's going to be a fun night."

For Takats, it was a second ever World Cup podium, after winning on the same slope in 2023.

"It's pretty great, my second time on the podium here in Val Thorens," he said. "I like Val Thorens very much so it's really cool to race here. I'm really happy.

"Today my starts were pretty good so I'm really happy. Hard racing but I'm just happy to finish on the podium."

The Austrian says he had to fight back from injury to make his start to the season - and dedicated his victory to team-mate Johannes Rohrweck, who was injured in day one's races.

"I had a knee injury in August," Takats said. "I didn't know if I would be able to race this season. I thought the season was over before it began.

"Now I am back on the podium. That's really cool.

"I feel sorry for Johnny yesterday. This is one for Johnny. He's not that happy because I didn't win the race - sorry, Johnny!"

'Back where we're supposed to be'

In the women's section, Sandra Naeslund rubber stamped her return to the ski cross circuit with a second victory in as many days in Val Thorens.

The Swede had twice fought back from long-term injuries to head into this season, having last completed a campaign when she won the Crystal Globe in 2023. But she not only finished fastest in qualifying earlier in the week, but won back to back races for the first time in more than two and a half years, saying afterwards she felt she was back where she belongs.

"It feels really good. I'm so happy with my skiing and I couldn't ask for more," she said.

"I guess we're back where we're supposed to be. Now to just keep going from this."

Naeslund had said in her broadcast interview before the day's racing that she had conjured up a new tactic for the difficult negative turn, but said a late change in tactics caused her to abandon it.

The decision paid off as she crossed the line ahead of home favourite Marielle Berger Sabbatel in second, Fanny Smith in third, and Jole Galli in fourth.

"I tried it in training but it just wasn't for me," Naeslund said of the manoeuvre.

"I just tried to come with as much speed as possible and then somehow try to survive the negative. It worked out pretty good.

"In the final, having Marielle behind me who is a really good skier and really good in the turn, I think the tactic worked pretty good."

It was a fourth podium in Val Thorens for Berger Sabbatel, who said: "It's a really good race and I'm really happy to have this podium in front of all the French people who came."

Smith, meanwhile, says the lead-up to Val Thorens had been less than ideal, and as a result she was delighted with a podium on the first weekend of her Crystal Globe defence.

"A bit of redemption, I'm really happy," she said. "I knew it would take a bit of time to go and be at my best as my preparation was not as expected. I had some problems.

"I had an injury this summer during preparation and I'm late with everything in my preparations. We are just handling how we can these things - the important thing is that I will be fit for February.

"I'm really happy with getting a podium here today in Val Thorens."

There is a short turnaround for the skiers, as the next day of racing takes place in Arosa on 16 December.