Canada's Marielle Thompson scores silver medal at ski cross World Cup opener

Canada's Marielle Thompson claimed women's World Cup ski cross silver in the season-opening event on Thursday in Val Thorens, France.

The Whistler, B.C., native was edged out by Sweden's Sandra Naeslund in the final, while Switzerland's Talina Gantenbein finished third in the event.Thompson was pleased with her performance despite a hiccup in the final.

"Stoked to start the season on such a good note," Thomson said in a release. "I made a little mistake in the final that cost me but looking forward to racing again tomorrow where I'm looking to carry my speed a bit better through the turns and to be a bit more aggression at the top."

Fellow Canadians Hannah Schmidt and Tiana Gairns finished fifth and 11th, respectively.

The silver medal marks Thompson's 53rd career World Cup podium finish, and follows last season's second career Olympic medal, with a silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

WATCH | Thompson earns silver in Val Thorens:

She won gold in the event at Sochi 2014.

On the men's side, Austria's Johannes Rohrweck skied to the gold medal, while Calgary native Kevin Drury was the top Canadian in 13th.