Tough field, tough day after Canadians overcome adversity to compete in women’s ski cross

For the first time, Team Canada will leave the Olympic Winter Games without a medal in women’s ski cross—but it’s not from a lack of determination.

On Day 14 at Milano Cortina 2026, the Canadian trio of Marielle Thompson, Brittany Phelan and Hannah Schmidt all went out at the quarterfinal stage.

Thompson and Phelan were both competing in their fourth Olympic Games. Both have reached the podium in ski cross before—Thompson took gold at Sochi 2014 and silver at Beijing 2022; Phelan won silver at PyeongChang 2018.

And both had to overcome adversity just to compete in Friday’s races.

READ: Thompson looking to turn adversity into Olympic success, again

Thompson has spent nearly a year rehabbing from a complex knee injury suffered on the FIS World Cup circuit. And though she’s overcome knee injuries in the past, this one was different for the 33-year-old.

“It was very challenging … pretty much every day from February 28 [2025] when I hurt myself until now has been nonstop,” said Thompson. “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t even be here, so I’m happy and proud of everything I’ve done to make it here.”

As for Phelan, she was struck with COVID in the days leading up to the ski cross event. While she says quarantining was “boring” rather than challenging, it did preclude the 34-year-old from taking part in her normal preparation routines.

“Certainly going into the Olympics you want everything to work out perfectly to your plan A,” said Phelan. “That’s very rarely the case.”

A tough day at Livigno Snow Park

After winning her heat in the 1/8 finals, Thompson was drawn into a challenging quarterfinal with eventual gold medallist Daniela Maier of Germany and fourth-place finisher Marielle Berger Sabbatel of France.

The Canadian didn’t get the start she wanted, and could sense from the beginning that she was in tough.

“I just didn’t quite nail [the start] and then I was stuck a little bit behind Linnea [Mobaerg, of Sweden] and Marielle, and then I just couldn’t really get going,” said Thompson.

“I’m really proud of everything I’ve done just to make it here, to make the Olympic team. Our team is so incredibly strong, just to make it here was maybe a triumph. And I skied as best as I could, and sometimes it’s just not your day, and that was me today.”

As for Phelan, she was in a quarterfinal alongside Schmidt, her teammate. Given the size of the Canadian team, racing against a compatriot is nothing new. But in an extremely close race, the Canadians finished third and fourth.

“Quarters was super, super tight at the line there and really disappointed obviously on not making it through,” said Phelan. “But yeah, that’s ski.

“Hannah and I were really hoping just to go one and two and that was that, but yeah, unfortunately it didn’t pan out.”

For her part, Schmidt was “super happy” with her own performance at her second Olympic Games.

“A bit disappointed in the numbered result, but I’ve skied the best I’ve skied, I think this season, and I proved it. I had awesome starts all day,” said the 31-year-old. “That quarterfinal, definitely it sucks to lose by an arm’s length, but yeah, we’re here.

“Anybody in the top 16 could be an Olympic champion. They can be on the top of the podium, so I think to be amongst that, I’m super proud.”

Looking back, and ahead

While the Canadian trio shared similar outcomes at these Games, Thompson had one experience that was all her own.

She carried the Canadian flag into the Opening Ceremony, sharing those duties with moguls skier Mikaël Kingsbury.

“To start off carrying our Canadian flag into the opening ceremony alongside Mik was an incredible honour,” she said. “I know there’s so many other people they could have picked, so that was really special.”

So, could there be one more Olympic Games in her future? Once again, Thompson and Phelan came to similar conclusions: never say never.

“Four years is a long way away, so, we’ll see,” said Thompson.

As for Phelan, who has also competed at the Olympics in alpine skiing: “There might be a fifth Olympics. It will not be in ski racing. That’s all I can say. … Time will tell.”