Canada’s Howden wins bronze final in World Cup ski cross event before Olympics

By Canadian Press on January 31, 2026.

VIGO DI FASSA — Canada’s Reece Howden is heading into the Milan Cortina Olympics off of another podium finish after winning bronze in a World Cup men’s ski cross race on Saturday.

Howden, from Chilliwack, B.C., picked up his sixth medal of the season (four gold, one silver, one bronze) in the final World Cup event before next month’s Winter Games.

Simone Deromedis of Italy finished first in the four-skier final and won gold and Florian Wilmsmann of Germany took silver. Toronto’s Kevin Drury of also advanced to the final and finished fourth.

Howden is on pace for a fourth Crystal Globe this season as overall World Cup men’s ski cross points leader and heads to next month’s Winter Games looking to improve on his ninth-place finish at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

No Canadians qualified for the women’s final. Ottawa’s Hannah Schmidt was the top Canadian in 10th.