Canadian Athlete of the Weekend: Kelsey Serwa

World ski cross champion Kelsey Serwa is CBCSports.ca’s Canada’s Athlete of the Weekend after putting the program back on top of the ski cross podium Sunday.

Serwa captured gold in the women’s final at Innichen-San Candido, Italy, winning her first competition since returning from injury on the same hill where she claimed the opening two World Cup victories last season.

In addition, teammate Georgia Simmerling, of West Vancouver, finished second to earn her first career World Cup podium.

Serwa easily won her quarter-final and semifinal runs before completing a last-to-first final during thrilling women’s race that saw Swiss ace Katrin Mueller spin out and French veteran Ophelie David disqualified.

"I was talking to [ski tech] Rod Honey and I told him, 'I’m sick of losing. I’m going to win today,'" said Serwa, who has been trying to build her confidence from race to race after returning from a knee injury. 'I’m hungry for it now. Before, I didn’t put that expectation on myself. Now, I’m ready to race."

Around the world

Check out where Canada's top athletes of the weekend were in action on our interactive map:

Honourable mentions:

Georgia Simmerling, West Vancovuer, B.C., earns silver in women's ski cross in Innichen-San Cadido, Italy

Olympic champion Alex Bilodeau, Rosemere, Que., finished second in freestyle moguls at Kreischberg, Austria

Mikael Kingsbury, Deux-Montagnes, Que., placed third in freestyle moguls in Kreischberg, Austria

Justine Dufour-Lapointe, Montreal, captured bronze in freestyle moguls in Kreischberg, Austria