Ski cross news - Midol and Smith claim Ski Cross victories

Midol has been incredibly consistent this season – racking up four second-place finishes to soar to the top of the men's ski cross standings – but remarkably, this was his first win.

The Frenchman cruised through the rounds, winning his last-16 race, his quarter-final, finishing second in his semi-final and then holding off his three opponents in the final itself to finally take gold.

He crossed the line ahead of Filip Flisar of Slovenia in silver and compatriot Jean Frederic Chapuis – who took bronze – while Switzerland's Alex Fiva crashed out.

Midol looks set to be crowned ski cross World Cup champion as he holds a 153-point advantage over Chapuis with just two races, and a maximum 200 points, left to go this season.

In the women's ski cross, overall leader Smith was also victorious in Russia but her advantage over second-placed Sandra Naeslund is much less secure.

The Swiss had looked on course to cruise to the title, winning four of the first six races, but finishes of seventh and 12th in the last two rounds – both won by Naeslund – had seen the gap close to a mere 13 points ahead of this weekend.

But Smith got back on track in Sunny Valley as she won her quarter-final and, although she finished behind Naeslund in the semi-finals, turned the tables in the final itself to cross the line just ahead of the Swede, with Austria's Andrea Limbacher taking bronze.

That means Smith is now on 663 points in the overall women's ski cross World Cup standings, 33 ahead of Naeslund with just a second race on Sunday in Sunny Valley and an event in Veysonnaz to come.