Canadian teen Megan Oldham skis to victory in slopestyle World Cup event

SILVAPLANA, Switzerland – Megan Oldham had crossed her fingers hoping she would qualify for a couple of World Cups this season.

Instead, the 17-year-old freestyle skier from Parry Sound, Ont., had a dream rookie campaign on the World Cup circuit, skiing to gold in a slopestyle event Saturday and capturing the Crystal Globe as the season's overall points winner.

"It's been super crazy," Oldham said Saturday. "At the beginning of the season I thought I would maybe get one or possibly two World Cup starts, so I was super excited with that. And I had no intention of competing on the full circuit to begin with. So to be on the podium three times in each start is super unreal. I never expected that for sure."

Oldham climbed the podium twice earlier this season, claiming silver in January and bronze earlier this month.

"I am so proud of how my riding was today and I am really happy to have won the event and to be taking home the Globe," the teen gushed. "This World Cup was the best weather so far, the best riding from everybody, best course, all around the best event for sure and for that I am really thankful."

The only Canadian woman competing at this last World Cup of the season, Oldham scored 84.51 for the victory, beating France's Tess Ledeux (77.98) and Italy's Silvia Bertagna (76.11).

Oldham edged Olympic champion Sarah Hoefflin, who was fourth on Saturday, by just one point for the Crystal Globe.

The Canadian said the week had been going well, but she never envisioned a victory.

"I woke up and I was just super excited and ready to ski. And the course had been super awesome all week, so I was really excited, and training went well. And I don't know, it all just kind of came together," she said. "But I was definitely not expecting that for sure."

Canada was also named the Nations Cup overall winner, finishing with 6266 points.

Oldham, who's been competing for three-and-a-half years, will make her world junior championship debut next week in Sweden.

Canada's Evan McEachran returned from injury to finish fifth on the men's side. The event was won by the Andri Raglietti of Switzerland (93.71), followed by American Colby Stevenson (92.23) and Switzerland's Fabian Boesch (91.25).