McIvor takes World Cup skicross silver

Ashleigh McIvor won a silver medal at the skicross World Cup at Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ont., on Wednesday.

McIvor finished second behind Marte Hoeie Gjefson of Norway.

McIvor, 26, of Whistler, B.C., has already secured her spot at next month's Vancouver Winter Games, after being the top Canadian performer and winning the world championship last season.

Danielle Poleschuk, of Calgary, finished sixth.  Kelsey Serwa, of Kelowna B.C., came in ninth, while Whistler's Julia Murray rounded out the top women in 10th. 

No Canadian men reached the four-man final.

Calgary's Brady Leman came in fifth, while Calgary's Stanley Hayer finished seventh. Dave Duncan, of Golden B.C., and Colorado's Chris Del Bosco rounded out the top men in the ninth and 10th positions, respectively for Canada.

Austria's Matt Andreas won gold.

Skicross is set to make its Olympic debut next month in Vancouver, and many members of the national team are still fighting for a spot at the Winter Games. There are only 15 remaining positions left on Canada's freestyle skiing team, which covers skicross, aerials and moguls.

Along with McIvor, moguls skier Jenn Heil and aerialist Steve Omischl have been pre-selected for the Olympic team.

Canada's skicross competitors will have one more opportunity to improve their standing for the Olympic team, as they head to Lake Placid, N.Y., for another World Cup event this weekend.

The Olympic freestyle team will be announced on Monday, Jan. 25.