SKI CROSS:

Del Bosco gunning for 6th straight podium in Sunday’s ski cross

March 5, 2011 — Canada Ski Cross

MEIRINGEN-HASLIBERG, Switzerland — Canada’s Chris Del Bosco is hoping to secure a sixth consecutive podium Sunday after he was third-fastest in qualification at the ski cross World Cup in Meiringen-Hasliberg, Switzerland, on Saturday.

Del Bosco, of Sudbury, Ont., started his incredible run of top-three finishes with a first-place result at Les Contamines, France, in January. He was second at the X Games later last month, won gold at the World Championships and followed that with a first-place finish at Blue Mountain, Ont., and third place at Grindelwald, Switzerland, on Thursday.

“I’ve got a pretty good streak going,” said Del Bosco, who started the season on the comeback trail after having knee surgery. “Hopefully I end up in the final and we’ll see what I can do from there.”

Del Bosco was the fastest Canadian qualifier Saturday after finishing the tight, technical course in 55.46 seconds. The Czech Republic’s Tomas Kraus was fastest in 55.31, followed by Finland’s Jouni Pellinen (55.41). Runaway overall World Cup leader Andreas Matt of Austria was fourth in 55.69.

Dave Duncan, of Golden, B.C., laid down a time of 55.88, good for ninth place. Brian Bennett of Quesnel, B.C., was 12th (56.06), Toronto’s Nik Zoricic 17th (56.62) and Davey Barr of Whistler was 21st with a time of 56.69. All five qualified for Sunday’s finals.

“There wasn’t a lot of time to dial the course in before the qualifying run,” said Eric Archer, Canada’s head coach. “The course slowed down a bit but we got all five in and that’s all you can ask for. Tomorrow we’ll have a good battle.”

The course is tighter and more technical than last week’s track at Grindelwald, and the start could be crucial.

Del Bosco, who is renowned for his ability to pass, has also been starting well this season, but Archer said there’s no magic formula behind his run of podium finishes.

“He’s just good,” said Archer of Del Bosco. “He works hard and he’s been doing it a while. It’s what he expects. The confidence he has — he’s riding that through a lot of good results.”

Austria’s Matt is well ahead in the overall World Cup standings, with 599 points, compared to Del Bosco’s 385.

On the women’s side, Kelsey Serwa of Kelowna, B.C., is still very much in the race for the overall title.

The X Games gold medalist and world champion was fifth in qualifying Saturday with a time of 59.67 seconds. She’s second in the overall standings with 400 points, 72 points behind Germany’s Heidi Zacher.

Switzerland's Fanny Smith was the fastest qualifier Saturday, with a time of 58.99. Zacher was second, in 59.33 and Norway's Marte Hoeie Gjefsen, who won in Grindelwald, was third with a time of 59.34.

Calgary’s Danielle Poleschuk was 10th (1:00.17) and Whistler’s Marielle Thompson —who had hand surgery last month — was 12th with a time of 1:00.51. All three Canadians qualified for Sunday’s finals, but Catriona Blair of Whistler missed out after finishing 27th in 1:03.76.