Intro:

Fanny Smith won Sunday's (March 16) ladies' Ski Cross World Cup event in Are, Sweden.

Thomas Zangerl won the corresponding men's event.

Script:

Switzerland's Fanny Smith, Ophelie David of France and Marielle Thompson all contested Saturday's big final in the ladies ski cross in Are.

The trio repeated the measure on Sunday - with Georgia Simmerling joining them in place of Sandra Naeslund.

Smith soon overhauled David and went on to claim her second win of the weekend and third of the season.

David secured second while the Canadian Simmerling was able to hold off a late challenge from Thompson to record her first podium of the season.

With just next Sunday's World Cup finals in La Plagne, France, remaining, Smith closed to within five points of Thompson as she looks to defend her title.

Not such a good day for the men's points leader.

Victor Oehling Norberg - the winner on Saturday - was beaten in the quarter-finals and eventually had to settle for ninth place.

Thomas Zangerl was the man who ended Norberg's progress to the big final.

And the Austrian continued that form right the way through the day.

The 30-year-old edged out his compatriot Andreas Matt, Switzerland's Armin Niederer and Daniel Bohnacker of Germany.

This was Zangerl's first podium in over three years - and the first victory of his career.

Despite his lowly finish, Norberg was able to hold on to the red leader's bib.

But with 474 points, the Swede is now just ten points clear of Matt.