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Whistler's Dave Duncan wins 2nd straight World Cup ski cross gold

Result secures his place on Olympic team
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TAKE FIVE: Whistler skiers Marielle Thompson, left, and Dave Duncan helped the Canadian ski cross team to a five-medal weekend at San Candido, Italy. Duncan won back-to-back races and Thompson was second in the women’s race on Sunday Dec. 22. Photo by Pentaphoto / Courtesy of Alpine Canada

Whistler's Dave Duncan won his second consecutive world cup ski cross race in Italy today (Dec.22), securing his spot on the team heading to the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.

The 31-year-old went into the weekend double at San Candido, Italy, with no World Cup ski cross victories to his credit. He left the venue as a two-time winner and the World Cup leader.

Duncan secured victories 24 hours apart on Saturday (Dec.21) and Sunday while fellow Whistler skier Marielle Thompson picked up a women's silver on Sunday to headline a five-medal weekend for the Canadian ski cross team.

"It's pretty hard to sum up everything that's happened on this weekend," Duncan said after Sunday's win. "It's an incredible feeling and I struggle for words to truly describe how much this means to me. To get that first win and then not have to wait 24 hours to get a second one - this is the stuff you dream of."

Calgary's Brady Leman reached both men's finals as well and left Italy with a bronze medal from Saturday and fourth-place finish on Sunday, while Kelowna's Kelsey Serwa hit the women's podium in second place on Saturday.

Despite winning Saturday's small final to finish fifth, Thompson surrendered her lead in the women's standings to Switzerland's Fanny Smith. She grabbed the World Cup leader's bib right back on Sunday with her silver-medal finish.

"Today was awesome. I won every start and really showed where my skiing is at," said the 2012 Crystal Globe champ. "I got a fast start in the final and I was leading probably to halfway when Katrin (Mueller of Switzerland) came in with a lot of speed and got me on the inside of a straightaway. I made a little bit of ground up on Katrin but in the end it wasn't enough."

For a full story on the results check back at www.piquenewsmagazine.com Dec. 26 or pick up the Pique.