Canadian Skier James Crawford Earns Silver in Tight World Cup Super-G Race

Canadian alpine skier James Crawford secured a silver medal during a remarkably tight super-G World Cup race on Sunday. The 27-year-old Toronto athlete finished just 0.38 seconds after Italy's Dominik Paris, who has secured two victories in just three days. Slovenian skier Miha Hrobat rounded out the podium, finishing third and trailing Paris by 0.47 seconds.

Crawford took a momentary lead, holding first position for five competitors until Paris surpassed his time. In a course shortened due to foggy conditions, the Canadian skier navigated smoothly, maintaining his speed consistently throughout the different sections. Expressing satisfaction with his performance afterward, Crawford highlighted the importance of pushing limits and remarked that the conditions required an aggressive skiing approach.

Following Sunday's result, Crawford climbed into the top ten of the World Cup super-G standings, setting himself in a strong position ahead of the World Cup Finals scheduled for March 22 to 27 in Sun Valley, Idaho. His success extended Canada's notable streak at Kvitfjell ski resort in Norway, where Canadians have secured five podium finishes over the last three seasons. Crawford himself previously earned a silver medal at this venue in 2022, reinforcing Canada's reputation for strong performances here.

Historically, Canadians have enjoyed victories at Kvitfjell, including wins by prominent skiers such as Manuel Osborne-Paradis in 2009, Erik Guay in 2010 and 2014, and Cameron Alexander in 2022. Crawford suggested Canadian skiers tend to excel at Kvitfjell thanks to snow conditions similar to those found back home, allowing them to push their skill to its full potential.

Earlier this year, Crawford achieved a significant career milestone by becoming the first Canadian in 42 years to win the prestigious Kitzbuehel World Cup downhill event in Austria. Additionally, he captured the 2023 super-G world championship title, solidifying his reputation on the international alpine skiing circuit.

Meanwhile, the victory reinforced Dominik Paris's exceptional affinity for the Kvitfjell slope, site of the 1994 Winter Olympic events, as it brought his career World Cup win total at this venue to six. The 35-year-old Italian had struggled in recent years, with only one victory recorded in the past three seasons before this sudden resurgence. Paris remarked that his success at Kvitfjell exceeded his expectations, highlighting the slope's favourable conditions for him.

Swiss athlete Marco Odermatt, the reigning super-G titleholder, finished fourth, just 0.01 seconds behind Hrobat. Nevertheless, Odermatt has already guaranteed his third consecutive super-G title, holding an uncatchable lead ahead of the season's last match in Sun Valley. His unmatched performance this season also makes him the outright overall World Cup champion, securing his fourth consecutive overall globe and holding a commanding 570-point lead over nearest rival Henrik Kristoffersen.