Canadian ski cross racers endure disappointing day at Milan Cortina Olympics

Canada's Marielle Thompson (8), left, and Sweden's Linnea Mobaerg (9) compete during the women's ski cross finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

LIVIGNO — Just making it to the Olympics was a triumph for Marielle Thompson. But the veteran Canadian ski cross racer wanted more at the Milan Cortina Games.

The 33-year-old from Whistler, B.C., who missed much of 2025 due to a “complex knee injury,” did not make it past the quarterfinals Friday. It was a tough outcome for the four-time Olympian who won gold in 2014 in Sochi and silver four years ago in Beijing, and whose 76 career World Cup podiums (including 36 wins) rank second-best all-time.

A slow start cost Thompson, who finished last in her four-woman quarterfinal. Only the top two advance.

“It wasn’t my day … I couldn’t get going,” said Thompson.

The conditions didn’t help. Heavy snow overnight and the day before cut into training at Livigno Snow Park and slowed the 1,190-metre course, which featured a vertical drop of 154 metres.

Thompson, no stranger to doctors, said her latest rehab was “very challenging.”

“I essentially dislocated my knee and broke some things. Nothing good,” she said of the February 2025 injury.

“I probably shouldn’t even be here, so I’m happy and proud of everything I’ve done, to make it here,” she added.

Fellow Canadians Hannah Schmidt and Brittany Phelan fell at the same hurdle, finishing third and fourth, respectively, in the same quarterfinal.

Germany’s Daniela Maier, fourth four years ago in Beijing, won gold in dominant fashion, topping the seeding run and all four knockout rounds (including Thompson’s quarterfinal). Switzerland’s Fanny Smith, a bronze medallist at both Pyeongchang in 2018 and Beijing in 2022, took the silver with defending champion Sandra Naeslund of Sweden claiming the bronze.

Schmidt finished 12th overall with Thompson 14th and Phelan 16th.

More was expected. Coming into these games, Canada had won seven Olympic medals in ski cross and collected at least one medal in women’s ski cross in every Winter Games since the discipline debuted at Vancouver 2010.

The men are slated to go Saturday, although snow is in the forecast.

Canadian Reece (Big Rig) Howden is expected to contend. The 27-year-old from Chilliwack, B.C., who finished ninth in Beijing, is a three-time Crystal Globe winner (2021, 2023, 2025) and leads the World Cup standings again this season.

After surgery, Thompson only returned to World Cup action in mid-December.

“Our team is so incredibly strong, just to make it here was maybe a triumph. And I skied the best I could,” she said.

She also got to join freestyle skier Mikaël Kingsbury as Canada’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony.

“An incredible honour,” she said.

Thompson’s injury list is long and painful.

In October 2017, she injured the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in her right knee and required surgery, but managed to compete three months later in Pyeongchang. While she posted the fastest time in qualifying, she finished 17th after being eliminated in the first knockout round.

A year out from Beijing in 2022, she reinjured the same ACL and went under the knife but this time recovered to make the Olympic podium again.

Thompson, whose nickname is Big Air Mare, and her teammates will continue their World Cup season after the games.

“I kind of feel like I’m just getting my ski cross legs under me,” said Thompson.

Asked if there might be a fifth Olympics in her future, Thompson said: “We’ll see. Four years is quite a ways away so we’ll see how I’m feeling.”

Phelan, a four-time Olympian who won silver in Pyeongchang and was fifth in Beijing, had her own challenges ahead of Friday’s race. Diagnosed with COVID, she spent three or four days quarantined in her room before she could mask up and return to training.

While the symptoms were not severe, she only tested negative Thursday.

“Not an ideal lead-up, by any means,” she said.

The 34-year-old from Mont-Tremblant, Que., started her Olympic career as an alpine skier, finishing 15th in slalom in 2014 in Sochi. After three Olympics in ski cross, she hinted there may be another change in discipline.

“There might be a fifth Olympics., It will not be in ski racing,” she said.

While Phelan declined to elaborate, her social media account contains a fair bit of mountain biking content.

Schmidt, who finished seventh in her Olympic debut four years ago, had mixed emotions after her race.

“Obviously a bit disappointed in the numbered result but I’ve skied the best I’ve skied I think this season,” said the 31-year-old from Ottawa.

“A two-time Olympian has a good ring to it,” she added.

The 31 women started the day with a solo run to determine seeding in the knockout rounds.

Thompson was eighth with Schmidt 14th and Phelan 22nd. All three survived in the first knockout round.

The seeding run was not without drama.

Italian Andrea Chesi lost her left pole coming out of the start gate in qualifying. Japan’s Makiko Arai fell on the final jump, losing her skis and walked across the finish line. She was put in last place, judged to have not finished the run.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2026.

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press