Canada’s Reece Howden Wins Record 24th Ski Cross World Cup Gold in Austria

Canadian ski cross standout Reece Howden added another milestone to his career Thursday, capturing gold at a World Cup event in Montafon, Austria.

The victory marks Howden’s record-extending 24th World Cup win, further cementing his status as the most successful men’s ski cross racer in history.

The athlete from Cultus Lake also strengthened his position atop the season standings as he pursues another overall title.

Howden currently holds 843 points in the World Cup rankings and is aiming for his fourth Crystal Globe, awarded annually to the top athlete in the overall standings.

Tight racing on challenging course

Following the race, Howden described the Montafon course as challenging and highly competitive.

He said cloudy conditions made it difficult for racers to see key sections of the course until the final race of the day.

“It was a good track, and really tight racing,” Howden said after his win.

He noted that visibility improved dramatically during the final run.

“It was amazing having the sun come out just for the big final. We couldn’t see much of the entries into the turns earlier, but suddenly everything became visible.”

Strong competition

Italy’s Simone Deromedis finished second to claim the silver medal and remains Howden’s closest rival in the season standings.

However, Deromedis trails the Canadian by 247 points with only four races remaining in the season.

Switzerland’s Alex Fiva rounded out the podium, taking bronze.

Other Canadian competitors also participated in the event. Jared Schmidt of Ottawa placed sixth, while Kris Mahler from Canmore, Alberta finished 20th.

Women’s competition results

In the women’s event, Ottawa’s Hannah Schmidt finished fourth in the big final.

Sweden’s Sandra Naeslund captured gold, continuing her dominant season.

Germany’s Daniela Maier claimed silver while Italy’s Jole Galli secured the bronze medal.

Naeslund currently leads the women’s World Cup standings with 968 points, holding a 165-point lead over Maier.

Schmidt remains the highest-ranked Canadian woman this season, sitting seventh overall with 393 points.

Season approaching final races

The ski cross World Cup season is nearing its conclusion, with two remaining stops on the circuit.

The next event will take place in Craigleith, which will host the next round of races next weekend.

With only a handful of competitions left, Howden appears well-positioned to add another overall championship to his already historic career.