SOCHI, Russia, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Canadians Marielle Thompson and Kelsy Serwa jumped to a big lead over the other two finalists Friday and finished 1-2 in the women's Olympic ski cross.
This was the second time the freestyle skiing competition had been contested in the Olympics and a Canadian has won both times.
The four-woman final included Ophelie David of France, who at age 37 was trying to become the oldest winner of an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics. She fell, however, leaving the bronze medal to Anna Holmlund of Sweden.
Holmlund had won her first-round and quarterfinal heats after having the quickest time in qualifying. She then barely made it into the finals, doing so only because current world champion Fanny Smith of Switzerland lost her balance on a bump late in the run.
Sami Kennedy-Sim, of Australia, who suffered a stroke last April, made it through qualifying but dropped out of contention in the first-round heats.
Anna Woerner of Germany and Stephanie Joffroy of Chile each had to be taken off the hill on a stretcher after crashing in separate quarterfinal heats.
