Away from competition for a year due to an Achilles tendon injury, Brittany Phelan has clearly not lost her touch.
At the Ski Cross World Cup in Craigleith, Ontario, the Quebecer climbed on the third step of the podium on Saturday.
The Mont-Tremblant athlete finished 11th in qualifying on Thursday.
On Saturday, she twice finished second in the quarter and semi-finals, just behind Switzerland’s Fanny Smith to secure her ticket to the grand final.
During the final race, Phelan seemed to want to play it safe from the start. Coming out of the first bumps, the Quebecer found herself in fourth and last place while Smith was in the lead.
However, Switzerland gave too much and ended up falling. Phelan’s patience finally paid off, as she then held on to third place until the finish line.
The gold medal went to Frenchwoman Marielle Berger Sabbatel while British Columbian Marielle Thomspon finished second.
This is his first World Cup medal since March 13, 2022, in Reiteralm. Phelan was 10th on Friday in his first heats since returning to competition.
The 31-year-old injured herself while training at the gym in October and had to undergo surgery.
Hannah Schmidt placed 13th after being held back in the quarter-finals.
His brother Jared achieved the same result in the men. Canadian Brady Leman took top honors in the final. A scenario worthy of Hollywood for the one who announced earlier this week that this World Cup would be the last of his career.
Victorious the day before, Reece Howden of British Columbia won the crystal globe in men’s ski cross. Absent from Craigleith, the Swede Sandra Naeslund did the same on the women’s side, she who won all the events in which she took part this season.
