On Jan.22 Alpine Canada announced the ski cross team. Top Canadian finishers at the weekend races, Kevin Drury and Kelsey Serwa, (both finished fourth) made the team. Also on their way to PyeongChang, South Korea are Chris Del Bosco, David Duncan, Brady Leman and Ian Deans. For the women, India Sherret, Marielle Thompson and Tiana Gairns will join Serwa.
The best of times and the worst of times. Depending on which of Canada’s ski cross Olympic hopefuls you ask the weekend races at Nakiska, west of Calgary, either were the culmination of four years of hard work or a massive disappointment. The world cup race was the last before Olympic team selections and one of Canada’s stars took a hard crash that took her out of the running.
With an especially deep ski cross team to choose from several great skiers went home from Nakiska disappointed. None more so than Georgia Simmerling. Thought to be a safe bet for the Olympic team, she took a hard crash in the semi-final race at Nakiska and broke both her legs. She underwent surgery over the weekend.
“I was having a pretty solid season so far,” said Simmerling. “There was more stress on all of us inevitably this season, being an Olympic year. But I felt strong, focused and determined. I felt like I was using the pressure to help me perform at my best as oppose to it hindering me. You know injuries are a part of ski cross and it’s hard to avoid them. Unfortunately, I got injured at a pretty disappointing time in my season, right before the Games. I’m already wrapping my head around rehab, and going to tackle that like I take on anything: determined, with a little stubbornness and a lot of positivity. I know my Canada Ski Cross team will do me, and our entire country proud. I will be breaking TVs cheering for them at home.”
RYAN REPORT is a frequent web post by Ski Canada magazine’s technical editor, Ryan Stuart.
