Ottawa siblings Hannah and Jared Schmidt lit up the ski cross World Cup circuit on Saturday, each taking home a silver medal at Craigleith Ski Club near Collingwood, Ontario, making it a historic day for Ottawa's growing winter sports legacy.
A Sibling Double Podium
It's rare enough to see one athlete reach the podium at a World Cup event. Seeing a brother and sister both do it, on the same day, at the same venue, is something else entirely. That's exactly what happened when Hannah and Jared Schmidt tackled the penultimate stop of the World Cup ski cross season at Craigleith, one of Ontario's top alpine venues.
Both siblings crossed the finish line in second place in their respective events, earning silver in front of a home crowd and cementing their status as two of Canada's most exciting ski cross athletes.
Ski Cross: Canada's Underrated Winter Sport
Ski cross is one of those events that looks chaotic from the outside, four athletes racing simultaneously down a course packed with jumps, rollers, and tight turns, but rewards precision, nerves, and raw speed in equal measure. Canada has a strong history in the discipline, and the Schmidts are carrying that tradition forward with style.
The event at Craigleith came near the end of the World Cup season, making every result count for overall standings. Both Hannah and Jared brought their best when it mattered most.
Ottawa's Winter Sports Scene
For Ottawa residents, stories like this are a reminder of just how deep the capital's athletic talent runs. Ottawa may be best known for hockey, the Senators, the outdoor rinks, the Rideau Canal skaters, but the city quietly produces world-class athletes across a wide range of winter disciplines. The Schmidt siblings are proof of that.
As spring approaches and Ottawa's own ski hills wrap up their seasons, results like Saturday's are exactly the kind of local pride moment that resonates across the city. Whether you follow freestyle skiing religiously or just caught the highlights, it's hard not to feel good about two Ottawa kids standing on a World Cup podium together.
What's Next
With the penultimate World Cup stop now in the books, Hannah and Jared Schmidt will have one more opportunity to compete before the season wraps. After a strong showing on home snow, both will be heading into that final event with momentum, and a whole lot of Ottawa fans cheering them on.
Keep an eye on the World Cup ski cross standings as the season winds down. If Saturday was any indication, the Schmidts aren't done collecting hardware just yet.
Source: CBC Ottawa
