Sina Frei secures short-track World Cup title with third place in Lake Placid

Short-track title decided in Lake Placid

Swiss mountain biker Sina Frei secured the overall World Cup short-track title on Friday by finishing third at the season finale in Lake Placid, United States. The 29-year-old rider from Zurich entered the ninth and final short-track race of the season holding a 100-point lead over her primary rival, Sweden's Jenny Rissveds. That advantage meant Frei only required a top-three finish to guarantee the discipline crown, regardless of whether Rissveds won the race. Frei completed the campaign with a 60-point cushion in the final standings, having collected three short-track victories over the course of the season. Her achievement makes her only the second Swiss woman ever to win the overall World Cup short-track classification.

Challenging race in rainy conditions

The final short-track contest took place under adverse and rainy conditions at the 1980 Winter Olympic venue in Lake Placid. Frei managed her tactical effort across the eight-lap race, repeatedly testing the front of the field with probing attacks during the opening laps. As the eighth lap drew toward its conclusion, Italy's Martina Berta and Rissveds moved ahead to contest the sprint for victory. Aware of her points advantage and the difficult course conditions, the Zurich rider took no unnecessary risks, allowing the leading duo to pull clear while she safely brought third place across the finish line. The result matched Frei's third-place finish from the previous World Cup round in Soldier Hollow.

Berta wins race as Rissveds takes overall World Cup

Martina Berta captured the race victory with an energetic finish, securing her third consecutive short-track World Cup triumph following back-to-back victories in Soldier Hollow. Jenny Rissveds crossed the line in second place, which was sufficient to lock up the overall World Cup general classification before Saturday's final cross-country race. The Swedish competitor, who previously claimed Olympic gold in 2016 and the world championship title in 2025, completed her career trophy collection with the general classification trophy. Frei would have needed a substantial turnaround in points to catch Rissveds in the overall general standings over the weekend, but expressed pride in her campaign after winning world championship gold in cross-country earlier in the year. Frei stated at the finish that she was "really proud" of her achievements throughout the season.

Swiss podium streak reaches 18 races

Frei's podium finish in Lake Placid maintained a consistent run for the Swiss national mountain bike squad. Across the World Cup circuit, European Championships, and World Championships, at least one Swiss woman has finished on the podium in each of the last 18 short-track races. The Swiss team delivered another strong team showing in Lake Placid, with Nicole Koller placing fifth and Alessandra Keller taking sixth place behind Frei. The Lake Placid World Cup schedule continued on Friday evening with the men's short-track race at 18:45 local time. The season concludes on Saturday with the final cross-country races of the World Cup calendar.