Canada dominates skicross at Winter X Games
Last Updated: Sunday, January 31, 2010 | 9:50 PM ET
The Associated Press
Canadians Chris Del Bosco, left, Brady Laman, centre, and Dave Duncan take a jump during the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., on Sunday. (David Zalubowski/Associated Press)Already so good in the aerials and moguls, the Canadians found another freestyle event to dominate.
All part of Canada's attempt to win the medal count at the Vancouver Games, starting in less than two weeks.
Led by Chris Del Bosco of Sudbury, Ont., the Canadians swept the medals in men's skicross at the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., on Sunday.
Dave Duncan of London, Ont., took second and Calgary's Brady Leman captured third.
On the women's side, Ashleigh McIvor of Whistler, B.C., finished runner-up to France's Ophelie David, who won her fourth straight title.
McIvor's teammate, Kelsey Serwa of Kelowna, B.C., wound up third.
All of this bodes well for Canada's quest, which begins on the first full day of competition, Feb. 13, when Jenn Heil of Spruce Grove, Alta., takes to the freestyle moguls course.
"That was our mandate when we put the team together — to win medals in Vancouver," Del Bosco said. "It's going to be really fun to watch."
This is how deep Canada has become in skicross: Leman isn't even on the Olympic team. Calgary's Stanley Hayer, not Leman, is the third member of the squad. Hayer finished seventh Sunday.
"When you have all these great skiers, skiing together, learning from each other and pushing each other, the level just elevates," said Del Bosco, who has dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship.
"You can see we've been gradually building and building. Now, any one of us can win a race."
The racing Sunday was marred by the crash of U.S. Olympic freestyle skier Daron Rahlves, who was taken to the hospital after a nasty wreck in qualifying.
Rahlves lost his balance while going over a series of small bumps midway down the mountain and went flying off the course.
Although he dislocated his right hip, Rahlves was released from the hospital Sunday night — all in a typical day's work in the dangerous sport of skicross.
Leman was in the same heat as Rahlves, but was out in front of the accident.
"I had no idea that Daron went down, until I crossed the finish line," Leman said.
"I was expecting to turn around and see either him or my two teammates I started the heat with right behind me. From what I heard, he just got tossed around a bit in there."
McIvor charged out to an early lead in the women's race, only to be tracked down by David. The two figure to vie for first and second in Vancouver.
"Of course, you want to win. But when it's Ophie that passes me, sometimes I go, 'OK, she's the best in the world,"' McIvor said.
