Howden happy to endure 'deep lows' in search of victory as Ski Cross World Cup hits Craigleith

"For me it's about winning races," Reece Howden says. "Getting on the podium is awesome but winning is that next level.

"The points are good, the recognition is awesome, the prize money is substantially more. It's where I want to be.

"So I'll take the ups and downs if the highs are wins and the lows are deep lows."

Howden was reflecting on the big pendulum swing of his results in Gudauri, the most recent stop of the FIS Ski Cross World Cup tour.

When the two-time Crystal Globe winner was getting ready for his first heat on day one, he knew that several of his rivals in the men's Overall had fallen away.

Florian Wilmsmann and Youri Duplessis Kergomard had failed to qualify for the day's racing, David Mobaerg dropped out on the morning of the race due to food poisoning, and Alex Fiva had been knocked out in his opening heat.

Though leader Simone Deromedis had made it past his first heat unscathed, Howden was aware it was a big opportunity to gain some traction in the Overall.

But despite a strong start from Howden in that first heat, he was overhauled by Tobias Baur and Adam Kappacher, and ended up with the same fate as Fiva - not making it through to the quarter-finals.

It was a devastating blow given what he could have achieved that day, but if he was disappointed with himself, he didn't show it.

"I do my best to contain my own emotions until I at least leave the start," he says, before adding: "If someone followed me out of the start, they might have heard a word or two."

Howden believes in ensuring he doesn't lose his composure regardless of his result, due to who may be watching on.

"There's a saying that I've read that resonates with me, and is something that I would want to adhere to: there's a lot of kids out there that are watching these races and think you're a hero, so don't let them down,” he said.

"It's okay to be upset. You need to be upset honestly, you shouldn't be just okay with coming out first round. That's not really acceptable either.

"But you need to be able to control the way that you express it, and so I try to make sure I at least get myself out of the venue and then I take a second or two and then move on to the next one."

The Canadian did exactly that in Gudauri, pitching up on day two and flying through the heats to arrive at a big final alongside top-two Deromedis and Wilmsmann, as well as reigning Olympic champion Ryan Regez.

Howden was the quickest out the gate and maintained his lead throughout with aggressive skiing, before letting out a huge cry of relief after crossing the finish line ahead of all three rivals.

"It feels really good to, the next day, step into a heat with Florian, Simone and Regez and me - all the biggest, strongest guys on the World Cup circuit there - and smoke them top to bottom," he said.

"It was definitely emotional because I needed to win. I needed to win to be in a good position there and to keep up with (Deromedis) with taking that win (on day one).

"The win is a big chunk of points and it keeps you kind of in the fight, and that's what I needed to do to keep myself in the fight.

"That being said, I am definitely quite a way behind Simone at this point, but Florian is definitely in touch."

‘I just needed another chance’

Howden's finishes of 17th and first in Georgia were perhaps indicative of what has been a difficult season for anyone to get a foothold as Deromedis and Wilmsmann continue trading the golden bib.

Howden, though, started the season well; winning two of the first five races and making it to the big final in another.

But then cam Reiteralm in the first race of 2025, where the 26-year-old recorded results of 35th and 33rd as he missed out on racing on both days.

"It happens and you learn from it but that definitely sucked," he says. "It also sucked too because it just really hurt me for the overall standings, missing out on those races.

"Even if I had two quarter-final finishes or something like that, it would be nice to have that extra 40 points to add to the tally, instead of getting zero on those two."

Howden bounced back in impressive fashion at the next stop, making both big finals in Veysonnaz and getting onto the podium on day one.

"It felt good for sure," Howden says. "I was still a little bit bummed, because you know, you get in the big final two times, the last thing you want to do is have a fourth and a third. You're looking for some better results.

"But no, it was good. Just putting yourself in the big final, it means you're doing the right thing for sure.

"So I was pretty stoked to come back strong from that. And honestly I wasn't surprised. I knew that it was just a little bit of bad luck and just bad timing.

"It wasn't like I needed to rewrite the whole plan, I just needed another chance."

The man born in Chilliwack, BC, has won two out of the four races since then, standing top of the podium on day two at Val di Fassa as well as Gudauri.

It all means he is still in the mix for the Overall with 658 points, 141 points behind leader Deromedis and 42 points behind second-place Wilmsmann.

But Howden needs two big performances this week when the skiers line up for races on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 March. Not only because he needs the points, but also because he needs to deny the top two from putting more distance between themselves and the chasing pack.

And the good news for Howden is that this week's races bring with them some home advantage, as the athletes take on the picturesque Craigleith course in the Blue Mountains region of Ontario.

Home snow has always played a significant part in Howden's career. His first World Cup appearance came in Nakiska in January 2018, and two years later - practically to the day - Nakiska played host to his first ever World Cup victory.

It was also at a race in Craigleith that he secured his second Crystal Globe back in 2023.

Does that all means there is extra motivation for him this week in front of his friends and family?

"I'm never at a World Cup where I'm not trying as hard, and then I go and try harder somewhere else," he says. "When I show up, I'm there to win. So nothing really changes for me too much, and we just hope that the cards fall in my favor.

"Simone is going to do the same thing. I can't really control what he does, so I'm just gonna focus on myself and we'll see how it all goes.

"I try not to break it down mathematically too much. I'm gonna go out there and race as hard as I can and try and win, and if I do that then I'm going to get the best points that I can get, and the cards will fall how they may."

Sherret hoping to make history

There's even more jostling for places in the women's Overall. Canadians India Sherret and Marielle Thompson were locked in a battle at the top, but Thompson was unable to race in Gudauri due to injury and leader Sherret picked up finishes of third and fifth to put some distance between herself and those chasing her.

That pack consists of Jole Galli, who won on day two in Georgia, Daniela Maier - who held the Overall lead over the Christmas and New Year period after a blistering start to the season - and Fanny Smith, who has six podiums in the last eight races.

Marielle Berger Sabbatel is still within touching distance in sixth place, and will be buoyed by the fact that she was the last woman to stand on top of the podium in a World Cup race in Craigleith - doing so on day two in 2023. Smith, meanwhile, will gain confidence from the fact she won the day before.

Courtney Hoffos came second behind Smith that day, and this season has enjoyed a strong return to competitive snow. She will be hoping to go one better this week and get her first ever World Cup victory by emulating the win she got in Craigleith in the NorAm Cup in 2023.

Sherret, meanwhile, will be hoping to become the first Canadian woman to win a World Cup in Craigleith, and thereby put more distance between herself and her opponents as she goes in search of her first ever Crystal Globe.

Regardless of who comes out on top in Ontario, there promises to be plenty of twists and turns still to come this season as the racers prepare themselves for the penultimate stop on the Ski Cross World Cup circuit this week.

Qualification in Craigleith takes place on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 March for races on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 March.