Canada's Serwa captures 2nd ski-cross gold
Canada's Kelsey Serwa couldn't have asked for a better start to her World Cup season, capturing her second ski-cross gold medal in as many days.
The world champion from Kelowna, B.C., won her qualifying round, quarter-final, semifinal and final Sunday to go two-for-two in World Cup races.
"It's a fantastic start to the season," said Serwa, who will take the red World Cup leader's bib home for Christmas. "In the final I got out in front and I stayed in front all the way.
"I had the confidence from qualifying and the [technicians] nailed the wax once again. As soon as I started gliding, I just took off, it was great — I wish every race was like that."
Sanna Luedi won silver Sunday while Swiss teammate Katrin Mueller claimed the bronze.
Dave Duncan of London, Ont., narrowly missed out on his second medal of the weekend, finishing fourth in the men's final.
Serwa tops the World Cup standings with 200 points after two of 11 events.
"Kelsey was just on fire this weekend," said Canadian coach Eric Archer. "She won every heat, she had a good time out there.It's pretty big for her to get a double win on the opening weekend."
Duncan appeared poised to collect his second medal of the weekend but crashed in the men's final, suffering a minor cut to the face.
Austria's Andreas Matt won the race, ahead of Russia's Egor Korotkov and Switzerland's Alex Fiva.
"We passed through the rollers and I was able to get a lead," Duncan said. "Something happened…next thing you know there were three of us flying through the air.
"I did a quick look …and just started skiing with one pole. I almost caught [Fiva] at the bottom with one pole and blood on my goggles."
Tristan Tafel of Canmore, Alta., was edged out in the quarter-finals to finish ninth. Brian Bennett of Quesnel, B.C., was 14th. Nik Zoricic of Toronto was 21st, Stan Rey of Whistler, B.C., was 24th, world champion Chris Del Bosco of Montreal was 26th, and Brady Leman of Calgary was 27th.
Serwa, a world champion from Kelowna, B.C., had led a four-medal performance for Canada a day earlier. Leman won the men's gold Saturday, while Duncan won bronze. Marielle Thompson Whistler, B.C., was third in the women's event.