Howden and Naeslund finish 2025 on an Innichen high

Reece Howden (CAN) and Sandra Naeslund (SWE) extended their lead at the top of the FIS Ski Cross World Cup standings on Sunday, earning historic wins in Innichen.

After taking the win on Saturday, Howden was again comfortably in front of the field on Sunday, leading every race at the first turn. It was the Canadian’s 21st individual World Cup victory, and he has now won over a quarter of the World Cup races he has competed in.

After breaking Jean-Frédéric Chapuis’ (FRA) record for the most individual wins by a male athlete in Arosa on Tuesday, Howden set another marker in Innichen. With his seventh victory in the last 10 World Cup races, he broke the record for the number of wins in a 10-race block, which was held by Chapuis and Tomas Kraus (CZE) prior to Innichen.

Naeslund, meanwhile, won her eighth World Cup race in Innichen, the most by any male or female athlete. The victory was her 43rd World Cup win in her career, and her 14th podium in Innichen, after Saturday’s bronze medal.

Howden on top as Klufts secures career-best finish

There was little doubt about the men’s winner on Sunday. Howden displayed the same speed as he did in qualification and on Saturday, with strong starts consolidated by clean, fast runs down the slope.

After three wins in a row, Howden now leads the World Cup rankings by 93 points with 353, ahead of Simone Deromedis (ITA) on 260 points. Johannes Aujesky (AUT) is third with 204 and Alex Fiva (SUI) fourth on 195.

“It was hard for sure. Today the legs are a little more tired than yesterday, and it was a battle. Tried my best to be focused and ski my line,” Howden said.

He said he would carry the lessons from Innichen into the rest of the season, especially the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in February.

“The team did really well and I’m really lucky to have such a great team. We had some athletes that had some great results, and it’s going to be competitive on who gets to go to the Games. The men are really stepping up so it’s exciting to see,” said Howden of the Canadian Ski Cross team.

Florian Wilmsmann (GER), who won one race and was third in Innichen in 2024, secured his 20th World Cup finish with second on Sunday. That was an improvement from fifth place on Saturday and means he climbs the overall standings to sixth place.

“I’m pretty satisfied with the result today, especially after yesterday's race when I couldn’t manage to get the semifinal quite good,” Wilmsmann said.

Third place went to France’s Evan Klufts. The 28-year-old challenged Howden hard in the semifinal, and in the final was able to hold off Saturday’s silver medalist Fiva for the podium.

After 20 previous World Cup starts, this was Klufts' first appearance in a big final, and his first podium finish; his previous best result was 13th in Arosa last year.

“Really, it hasn’t quite sunk in. I was fairly happy with my runs. I’m happy that I could show what it was worth, I’ve worked really hard. Today I was happy to show to the world I’m capable of going all the way to the end,” Klufts said.

“I think tonight we’ll have a little party. We’re a tight group and we’re at the end of this period, it would be nice to mark that with a few beers, some kaiserschmarrn or carbonara. That would be cool,” he said.

Youri Duplessis-Kergomard (FRA) won the small final for fifth place overall, with Kristofor Mahler (CAN) sixth, Aujesky seventh and reigning world and Olympic champion Ryan Regez (SUI) eighth. It was the best finish this season for both Mahler and Regez.

Naeslund shines in rerun of Saturday's final

The same four skiers reached the women’s big final on Sunday as on Saturday, but the results were almost reversed.

Naeslund, having beaten Saturday’s winner Marielle Berger Sabbatel (FRA) in their semifinal, shot out of the gates and was well out in front of the field early on. With no mistakes, the Swede claimed her fourth win of the season.

Daniela Maier (GER) managed to sneak past Fanny Smith (SUI) with good speed in the final sector for her second podium of the season and the 19th of her career. Unlike Saturday, Berger Sabbatel could not find a way to overtake and claim a podium place.

Naeslund now leads the overall World Cup standings with 460 points, well ahead of Smith on 305. Maier is third with 289 points and Berger Sabbatel on 282.

“I was actually prepared to be behind, but I did a good start and from there I could just focus on my skiing. I tried to give it my all on the upper part and then ski safe down here,” Naeslund said after the big final.

“It feels pretty good, I’m so happy with this December tour and the races, and to finish it up with victory it’s perfect,” she added.

Naeslund said she was targeting a medal at the Olympic Winter Games, after the next two World Cup stops, and would spend some time in the gym amid the Christmas celebrations to be ready.

Maier said her legs had been tired, but the adrenaline of the big final helped her in the final section.

“I had so much motivation and I could feel the speed, and I just let the skis go. The rollers were not really under control, but I tried to have the deepest position possible and it worked out,” she explained.

Like Naeslund, Maier added she was hoping for success at Milano Cortina.

“My wishes are always huge and big and my dreams are always big. For sure I’m dreaming every day and hopefully they’ll come true, but we’ll see in February,” she said.

Smith said: “I’m really happy, also quite exhausted. I’m happy that my body is feeling not too bad.”

“On the start I had a really slow reaction time and then I tried to do my best. On the turn I could feel that my legs were dead, I couldn’t really handle all this energy that we had to give these last three days with four runs every day.”

Talina Gantenbein (SUI) improved on Saturday’s eighth-place finish by winning the small final ahead of her teammate Saskja Lack. Hannah Schmidt (CAN), who sat out Saturday’s racing due to illness, secured seventh overall while Brittany Phelan (CAN) came off course and was eighth. While Lack matched her best placing of the season so far, the other three small finalists recorded their highest finishes of 2025/26.

The FIS Ski Cross World Cup returns with two races in Veysonnaz, Switzerland, on 23-24 January 2026, and two races in Val di Fassa, Italy, on 29-30 January 2026.