Ski Cross World Cup champions Howden and Smith victorious in Russia

Reece Howden won his fourth race of the season ©Getty Images

Recently-crowned 2020-2021 International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Cross World Cup champions Reece Howden of Canada and Fanny Smith of Switzerland have once again won gold, on the penultimate leg of the season in Sunny Valley in Russia.

In the men's race, Howden was dominant from the start, finishing ahead of Japan's Ryo Sugai, who made the World Cup podium for the first time in his career.

The bronze medal went to Switzerland's Joos Berry, having enough to hold off yesterday's top seed Terence Tchiknavorian of France for the final spot on the podium.

In the small final, Germany's Daniel Bohnacker claimed fifth place overall ahead of France's Bastien Midol and Jean Frederic Chapuis and Sweden's Viktor Andersson.

Second in the season standings, Jonas Lenherr of Switzerland finished down in 10th, while Sweden's David Mobärg stayed in contention for an overall podium, despite finishing 17th.

Lenherr now has a seven-point lead over Midol, while the absent Ryan Regez of Switzerland is a further 25 points back in fourth, two ahead of Mobärg.

Despite a strong challenge from newly-crowned world champion Sandra Näslund of Sweden, Smith managed to garner enough speed to snatch the win in a photo finish in the women's race.

What. A. Fight? literally at the finish line, @SmithFanny became SX queen yet again?? to add a fourth ? to her collection ?@sandranaslund claimed ? and Katrin Ofner?? ?#fisfreestyle #skicross #sxwc2021 #queen pic.twitter.com/GSmwpfxjYs
— FISfreestyle (@FISfreestyle) March 13, 2021

It was a two-woman race early on after Canada's Courtney Hoffos crashed out, impeding Austria's Katrin Ofner in the process, who still claimed bronze.

Smith won her sixth race of the season from the 10 ran so far, and has double the points of anyone else on the Ski Cross World Cup circuit, with the exception of Canada's Marielle Thompson and Alizée Baron of France in second and third.

"I am so happy, it’s always so nice to race here and today was amazing, just to feel some special atmosphere with this amazing crowd on site and along the course was really great," said Smith.

Canada's Tiana Gairns won the small final to finish fifth, ahead of Baron, Czech Republic's Nikol Kucerova and the Russian Ski Federation's Ekaterina Maltseva who completed the top eight.

Thompson remains in second in the season standings, despite finishing 14th today ahead of Baron and France's Marielle Berger Sabbatel, who lost ground on the fight for a podium, finishing 16th.

Ofner moved into fifth place following her bronze medal today.

The last leg of the FIS Ski Cross World Cup is scheduled to take place in Veysonnaz in Switzerland on March 21.