NAKISKA, Alta. -- Canadian ski cross star Marielle Thompson accomplished two goals in one race Saturday. She opened the World Cup season with an impressive victory and locked up a spot on the Olympic team in the process. Thompson held off defending champion Fanny Smith of Switzerland in the womens final to lead a two-medal day for Canada at Nakiska Ski Area. Brady Leman of Calgary took the mens bronze, finishing just behind Jonas Devouassoux of France and defending champion Armin Niederer of Switzerland. Thompsons powerful start served her well in all four heats and helped her lead from start to finish in the final. "She had a simple plan today, it was just keep nailing that start and go," said Canadian head coach Eric Archer. "I go, If you can think about the start only, youre going to be skiing with the lead all day. "She never saw anybodys butt today and it was awesome." Thompson, from Whistler, B.C., won a Crystal Globe last year as the overall World Cup champion and took the silver at the 2013 world championship. She said it was hard to believe that she had booked her ticket for Sochi. "I dont know if its really hit me yet," she said. "I dont even know. Its just super wild that I can represent Canada at the Olympics." Thompson was the only Canadian to pre-qualify for Sochi through method-A criteria, meaning she needed just one top-12 result this season to be all but guaranteed a spot at the Games. She fought off a nagging cold and frigid conditions on the long Mighty Peace course for the win. "Its all about the start on this course," Thompson said. "I was in that far gate so I knew Id really have to have a rocket-fast start and I pulled one off and just led the whole way down." Ophelie David of France won the bronze. In the mens final, Leman made a desperate push before coming away with a third-place result. "It was close to getting silver there for sure, maybe a ski length or so," he said. "I just ran out of room there at the end." Kelsey Serwa, the 2011 world champion from Kelowna, B.C., won the small final to finish fifth overall. It was a solid result in her first major race since undergoing left knee surgery earlier this year. "I couldnt ask for more," Serwa said. "I was aggressive and making passes and stepping all over skis in front of me. I messed up the start a few times and that got me I think, but other than that Im really happy with the outcome." Georgia Simmerling of West Vancouver, B.C., was ninth and Calgarys Danielle Sundquist was 19th. Mathieu Leduc of Comox, B.C., was 12th overall on the mens side. Dave Duncan of London, Ont., was 17th and Louis-Pierre Helie of Berthierville, Que., was 31st. Montreal resident and 2011 world champion Chris Del Bosco had a poor qualification run a day earlier and didnt advance to the heats. Two World Cups were on the original schedule this week but one event was cancelled Friday due to cold temperatures. It was a tad warmer Saturday, but it was still a frosty -24 C during the final runs. The Canadian ski cross team is expected to officially unveil its Olympic roster in mid-January. Qualification criteria is complicated because ski cross athletes must compete with other freestyle disciplines in order to lock up spots for Sochi. The Canadians didnt reach the podium at Nakiska last season in the events inaugural edition. Head coach Eric Archer was quite pleased with the results this time around. "Its awesome, its a good start," Archer said. "Now its race season. Were ready to go." Canada won the Nations Cup as the No. 1 team on the World Cup circuit in four of the last five years. Eric Weddle Womens Jersey . -- The Saginaw Spirit remembered late player Terry Trafford on Saturday night in their first home game since he was found dead in a parked car. Eddie Royal Womens Jersey . The team said that Crosby will miss two games as a precautionary measure because he has not been feeling well. The Penguins said in a statement that there is no indication that Crosby has the mumps, an illness that has been circulating around the league recently. http://www.shopthechargersjerseyonline.com/Elite-Reggie-Walker-Chargers-Jersey/ .S. -- Nicolas Roy scored a goal and added two assists to lead Quebec to a 4-1 victory over West at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge on Thursday. Eric Weddle Chargers Jersey . Diego Costa headed in Gabis corner seven minutes from time to secure victory ahead of the return match in Madrid on March 11. "We know that at Madrid it will be another game, which will also be important and very difficult," Milan coach Clarence Seedorf said. Kendall Reyes Chargers Jersey . The California Kid loves fighting in his hometown, and hes bringing a whole bunch of his friends along with him when he takes on Michael McDonald.(SportsNetwork.com) - Drew Hutchison is coming off one of the best starts in his young career and will look to build on that when the Toronto Blue Jays battle the struggling Boston Red Sox in game two of their three game set at Fenway Park. Clay Buchholz will be on the mound for Boston who fell to Toronto 7-4 on Tuesday night. The Blue Jays have won six of eight while the Red Sox have dropped five in a row. Hutchison went the distance for his first shutout on Friday, defeating Texas, 2-0, while surrendering just three hits. Hes faced the Red Sox once, in Toronto, and won a 5-1 decision after pitching seven innings in June 2012. Buchholz was 12-1 in the turnaround 2013 season that yielded a World Series championship. Hes lost three of five decisions thus far in 2014 while posting an ugly 6.17 earned run average. In his last start, on Thursday at Minnesota, Buchholz gave up three runs in six innings in a game the Red Sox ultimately lost, 4-3, in 10 innings. He downed Toronto, 7-6, in April and is 10-5 in 18 career starts against the Blue Jays, though just two of tthose wins have come over seven starts in the series at Fenway Park.dddddddddddd On Tuesday, Edwin Encarnacion hit two of Torontos four home runs, accounting for four RBI, as the Blue Jays took down Boston in the opener. Melky Cabrera ended up 4-for-5 with a solo homer, two runs batted in and three scored for the Jays. Erik Kratz also went deep for the visitors. J.A. Happ (3-1) allowed four runs on seven hits while fanning six and walking two over five-plus innings. Casey Janssen worked out of a jam in the ninth for his fourth save. Jonny Gomes finished 3-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Red Sox. Dustin Pedroia and Jackie Bradley each drove in a run, too. Felix Doubront (2-4) was tagged in the setback for five hits and as many runs while not surviving the fifth inning. Boston took two of three from the Jays earlier in the year. Boston dropped a 7-4 decision in Tuesdays opener for its fifth straight loss. It hasnt lost six consecutive games since the end of 2012, when it closed the season with eight straight defeats. wholesale jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
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