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Day 15 marks the final full day of competitions before the conclusion of the Milano-Cortina Games this Sunday. Canada is set for a significant day with key events such as curling medal matches, ski cross pursuit for gold, and various podium opportunities.
Here is your guide for today’s events:
Canadian medal prospects on Saturday
In a chronological order:
Freestyle skiing: Canada’s participation in the aerials mixed team final at 4:45 a.m. ET
Canada secured a bronze in this event in 2022 with Marion Thénault, Miha Fontaine, and Lewis Irving. The trio returns after Thénault and Irving’s seventh-place finishes in their individual events, while Fontaine placed 15th.
The final comprises seven teams. The top four in the initial run at 4:45 a.m. ET will compete for medals at 5:45 a.m. ET.
Freestyle skiing: Reece Howden in the men’s ski cross (final at 7:15 a.m. ET)
Howden clinched a record seven victories on the World Cup circuit last season, earning his third Crystal Globe championship and second in three years. The Chilliwack, B.C. native, aged 27, has maintained his dominance this season, with four wins and additional podium finishes, setting the all-time men’s World Cup wins record to 22.
Canadian hopefuls Kevin Drury and Jared Schmidt are also in the mix. Drury, aged 37, achieved fourth place at the 2018 Olympics, bronze at the 2019 world championships, and won a ski cross Crystal Globe. Schmidt, aged 28, is ranked 12th with no medals this season.
Howden faces stiff competition from Italy’s Simone Deromedis, the 2023 world champion, currently second in the World Cup standings.
The action commences at 4 a.m. ET with a seeding time trial, followed by elimination rounds starting at 6 a.m. ET and the final at 7:15 a.m. ET.
Curling: Canada vs. the United States for the women’s bronze at 8:05 a.m. ET
Rachel Homan’s Canadian team, back-to-back world champions, overcame a rough start to reach the medal rounds. However, their gold medal ambition ended with a loss to Sweden in the semifinals.
Homan seeks her first Olympic medal by challenging Tabitha Peterson’s U.S. team in the bronze match. The U.S. team earlier defeated Canada in the round robin.
The gold medal match is set for Sunday between Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland and Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg.