Howden makes men's ski cross history with victory in Arosa

Crystal Globe defending champion Reece Howden dominated in Arosa on Tuesday night to become the most successful male athlete in ski cross history.

Howden had mixed results in the opening two races of the season in Val Thorens, having been knocked out in the first heat of day one before winning the Small Final on day two.

But there were no such fluctuations on the Swiss slope, where Howden was fastest in qualifying and then won each of his heats on his way to the Big Final, which he won to record his 19th World Cup victory.

That win puts him one ahead of Jean-Frédéric Chapuis, who previously held the record as the man with the most World Cup victories in history.

"It was really hard and I knew that if I just accepted the feelings and focussed on what I could control, hopefully it would work out and it did," Howden said.

"Firstly I just want to say a huge shout out to Jean-Frédéric Chapuis. He set an amazing benchmark and I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to compete with him and take this mark and push it higher.

"Big thanks to the sponsors. Volkl's been carrying me through my whole career. They've done an amazing job.

"The Canada ski cross team has just been killing it. I'm really excited to see the rest of the guys ski for the rest of the season and who gets to go and thrown down at the Olympics."

Howden had to work hard for it to cross the line in the Big Final ahead of Johannes Aujesky in second, David Mobaerg in third, and Terence Tchiknavorian in fourth.

The quick style of Arosa's short track suits skiers who can start well; something Howden and his strong lower body was able to master.

"I think it's just tailored to my genetics," he said. "I really like the fight that the start has. It excites me. This is one of the reasons I love ski cross."

Second place was Aujesky's best showing at a ski cross World Cup, having registered a pair of third-places finishes in Alleghe and Innichen last year.

"It's my best race so far," he said. "I'm super proud of myself. It was a long time out there, but I'm here in second."

Meanwhile, it was a fifth Arosa podium for Mobaerg, who is the only active male skier to have won more than one race on the slope.

"That one felt really good," he said. "I've had some really good results here through the years - my first ever victory was here, so I kind of feel at home here.

"I like the start section a lot, it's technical and demanding. It's tough racing here always. I'm really happy to be third."

Simone Deromedis remains in first place in the overall standings after winning the Small Final, where he finished ahead of Cornel Renn, Youri Duplessis Kergomard and Jared Schmidt.

'Couldn't wish for more'

In the women's section, Sandra Naeslund made it three from three as she continued her perfect start to the new season.

The four-time Crystal Globe winner was cautious about the start to this term after returning from injury, but after twice qualifying fastest and winning both races in Val Thorens, she went one further to notch her 42nd career World Cup win on Tuesday night.

The only difference between Arosa and Val Thorens was that Naeslund was third fastest in qualifying in Switzerland, which meant she did not have the best gate from which to start the Big Final. However, her experience shone through as she shot past the opposition to finish ahead of Daniela Maier in second and Fanny Smith in third, while Mylene Ballet Baz narrowly missed out on a chance to back up her first World Cup podium in Val Thorens with a second in Arosa.

"Today I thought it was going to be tough. I saw Dani and Fanny in training and in the heats and they looked really fast," Naeslund said.

"Somehow this should be my kind of start but for some reason I couldn't really find a good rhythm. I think I did my best start in the final and it was really good.

"I was just very happy with two qualification wins in Val Thorens. I was hoping to do good here, but then I came here and had a little bit of trouble in the start.

"To set down a really good run in the final feels really good. I couldn't wish for more."

On what went through her head in the middle start gate in the Big Final, Naeslund said: "I was just trying to fire up myself and trying to believe in it. I got some nice messages from home yesterday.

"I just tried to believe in it and just give a good fight. It was perfect."

Second place represented a first podium this season for Maier, who says it was vital for her to show what she was capable of.

"It was really important to be back on the podium today. I feel really good and happy with it," she said.

"I showed in the qualifications that I'm really fast and that I have a good basic speed, but I couldn't show it in the heats. I did a lot of rookie mistakes, and I'm that long in ski cross I shouldn't be making rookie mistakes.

"Not I've shown what I could do, that's why it was so important for me.

"That woke me up and now I have the fire I need for the heats and I hope I can take it with me for the upcoming races."

Smith now has back-to-back finishes of third after matching her result from the second day of racing in Val Thorens. While she was disappointed not to be able to make the most of the advantage she had in terms of start gate in the Big Final after qualifying in first place, she said she is happy to build momentum into the Olympic season.

"I'm really happy, I will take the positives here in Arosa," she said. "I won the qualification and then third place, I'm really happy with what's happened here.

"I messed up the start of the final a bit. I really wanted to push but I knew that I need to take my time to get where I want to go.

"It will come, but I just need a bit more time and just be focussed on what I need to do."

Katrin Ofner won the women's Small Final, with Swiss pair Sixtine Cousin and Talina Gantenbein taking sixth and seventh place, while Courtney Hoffos finished in eighth place.

The next races take place in Innichen on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December, the final two ski cross races of 2025.