Brady Leman pulls off amazing ski cross pass to win silver in France

Brady Leman went for broke and it worked.

Megève, FRANCE – The 28-year-old from Calgary won silver after pulling off a daring pass in the main final after sitting in fourth early. Leman took a cue from teammate Chris Del Bosco, who tried and failed on the same pass in his quarterfinal.

“In the finals, I ended up in the outside gate that I hadn’t been in all week. I ended up 4th after the first turn,” said Leman on the Alpine Canada website. “I was more patient and…in 4th place I had nothing to lose so I just went for it and it worked out. I had been looking at it on the chair. Del Bosco tried it. The timing worked out for me. I couldn’t have done it if Del hadn’t done it first and the coaches hadn’t relayed it to me.”

Jean Frederic Chapuis of France was the winner with Leman edging Germany’s Paul Eckert, who finished third. It is a highlight ending to the FIS Ski Cross World Cup season. Leman scored the only other men’s team medal, a bronze in Val Thorens, France. He was fifth at World Championships.

Head coach Eric Archer applauded the pass, and was happy with the result, “We learned from (Del Bosco’s attempt),” says Archer. “We were able to communicate to Brady in the final after he didn’t have a great start, he was just waiting for that spot. I couldn’t believe that he got by two guys there with that move. He pulled it off perfectly. It was risky for sure. We’ll take second instead of fourth any day.  That was only our second podium for the men this season. It was great to get it done at the last chance.”