Beijing 2022 champion Ryan Regez stole a march over his main rival for this season's FIS Ski Cross World Cup title with a superior qualification in Reiteralm ©Getty Images

Switzerland’s Beijing 2022 champion Ryan Regez, joint leader of the International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Cross World Cup standings with Terence Tchiknavorian of France, stole a march on his rival in today’s qualification at the Reiteralm venue in Austria - the penultimate event of the season.

Regez finished sixth in the qualifying run, 21 places above Tchiknavorian, on a day when the top three places went respectively to the Canadian pair of Brady Leman and Kristofor Mahler, with Japan’s Ryo Sugai third, one place in front of France’s Francois Place.

Regez and Tchiknavorian go into the race on Sunday (March 13) tied on 477 points after 10 of the 12 scheduled Ski Cross World Cup events.

France’s Bastien Midol, third on 441, finished 11th today.

Canada's Marielle Thompson, the Beijing 2022 silver medallist, topped qualifying today in the FIS Ski Cross World Cup event at Reiteralm, Austria ©Getty Images
Canada's Marielle Thompson, the Beijing 2022 silver medallist, topped qualifying today in the FIS Ski Cross World Cup event at Reiteralm, Austria ©Getty Images

Meanwhile in the women’s qualification, the Swede who has already secured her third World Cup title, Beijing 2022 gold medallist Sandra Naeslund, remains well placed to earn her 11th victory of the season having finished fourth.

The top spot went to the only other woman to win a Ski Cross World Cup race this season, Canada’s Beijing 2022 silver medallist Marielle Thompson, with second and third places to her compatriot Brittany Phelan and Fanny Smith of Switzerland.

After 10 of the 12 scheduled races, Naeslund is out of sight in the standings on 950 points, with Smith on 566, Thompson on 389 and Phelan on 348.

The final race for men and women is scheduled to take place in the Swiss resort of Veysonnaz on March 19.