FIS Ski Cross World Cup season 2022/23 preview

Who to watch – WOMEN (click for FIS profile):

Sandra Naeslund – Beijing 2022 Olympic gold medalist, overall FIS Ski Cross World Cup Winner from 2021/22 and reigning World Champion 2021, the 26-year-old Swede has more than earned her place amongst the very greatest of all time. With 54 podiums Naeslund sits second on the ski cross all-time rankings – the same position she holds on the all-time victories rankings with 28. The fact that all of this success has come in 94 World Cup starts means that she has stood on the podium at more than one out of every two races throughout her career, a truly remarkable statistic.
Last season Naeslund claimed victory in 11 our of 12 World Cup competitions – a run of season-long dominance the likes of which the ski cross World Cup has never really seen. When it comes to ski cross, right now it’s Sandra Naeslund’s world and everybody else is just living in it.

Fanny Smith – The only active athlete who sits above Naeslund on the all-time World Cup podiums and wins rankings, with 64 career podiums and 29 victories. While Smith should be counted on to hold onto her lead atop the podiums rankings by seasons end, it seems to be only a matter of time before Naeslund catches 30-year-old Swiss legend in the wins column.
Regardless of those stats, with a bronze medal at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, as well as five medals (including one victory) in her past five World Championships starts, Smith is one of the greatest and most recognisable athletes in ski cross history. Expect Smith to be Naeslund’s top challenger once again this season.

Marielle Thompson – The Sochi 2014 Olympic gold medallist, 2019 World Champion and the silver medalist at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, as well as a two-time SX crystal globe winner, Thompson has been one of the most consistently strong ski cross athletes in the world over the past 12 years. With 52 podiums and 25 victories doing that period, she stands alongside Naeslund, Smith, Anna Holmlund (SWE) and the great Ophelie David (FRA) on the Mt Rushmore of greats in women’s ski cross.

Not to be overlooked:
Daniela Maier (GER), Brittany Phelan (CAN), Jade Grillet Aubert (FRA), Courtney Hoffos (CAN)

Who to watch – MEN (click for FIS profile):

On the men’s side we find an exceptionally strong field with a long list of athletes capable of earning podiums on any given day. In fact, last season we saw eight different athletes taking home at least one victory over the course of the campaign, resulting in a thrillingly tight crystal globe battle. With the likelihood of that battle once again being a close one from start to finish of the 2022/23 season, let’s have a closer look on some of the top performers from last season.

Ryan Regez – Beijing 2022 Olympic gold medalist and overall FIS Ski Cross World Cup Winner from 2021/22. Walking away from one’s first ever Olympic Winter Games experience with a gold medal around your neck is incredible. Adding 14 podiums over the course of that same season – including six victories – makes the mad man of Swiss ski cross a must-watch competitor in 2022/23.

Terence Tchiknavorian – won one race on home soil in Val Thorens and jumped on the podium three more times over the course of last winter, giving him second place in the overall rankings of the World Cup 2021/22.

Bastien Midol – finishing only 40 points behind his teammate Tchiknavorian, the veteran Midol ended up in the World Cup top-3 for the fourth time in his career last season, with the most points since his crystal globe-winning campaign of 2018/19. In total Midol counts 109 World Cup starts, 19 podiums, and 5 victories to his career credit.

Alex Fiva – the Big Ax shows no signs of slowing down. The 36-year-old Swiss legend is our reigning World Champion from 2021, and last season added to his expansive trophy case by claiming Olympic silver behind Regez at Beijing 2022. With a total of 29 WC podiums and 13 victories in his career, Fiva remains on everyone’s who-to-watch list as he seeks to defend his world champs gold in Bakuriani at the end of February 2023.

Not to be overlooked:
Florian Wilmsmann (GER), David Mobaerg (SWE), Reece Howden (CAN), Johannes Rohrweck (AUT), Brady Leman (CAN), Simone Deromedis (ITA)

 QUICK LINKS: