Heidi Zacher earned a World Cup ski cross win on the Swedish course where she wrecked her knee, and her Pyeongchang 2018 chances ©Getty Images

Heidi Zacher of Germany and Switzerland’s Alex Fiva were the winners after an exhausting day of racing at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Cross World Cup event on the monster course at Sweden’s Idre Fjall resort.

Zacher’s victory was all the more memorable for the fact that she had suffered a serious knee injury, tearing her anterior cruciate ligament, while racing on this course last season, which immediately ended any hopes she had of competing at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

After making a slow start in a field that included home athlete Lisa Andersson, Fanny Smith of Switzerland and Canada’s Marielle Thompson,  Zacher worked her way through to the front, moving to the head of the pack in the final straight section and keeping her lead until the finish line.

It was the seventh World Cup win for Zacher, who missed the bulk of last season.

Thompson finished second and Smith third.

Home skier Lisa Andersson earned her career’s best result with a fourth place finish having led for much of the race.

Home fans will be expecting another impressive showing from her during tomorrow’s second day of racing.

Smith now leads the overall women’s FIS Ski Cross World Cup standings with 305 points, with Sweden’s Sandra Naeslund second on 274.

In the men’s race, Fiva earned the third victory of his career on the Swedish track and his second podium finish this season.

After following the World Cup leader Bastien Midol almost all the way down the track in the big final, Fiva waited for the perfect moment to gain more speed on the rollers and pass the French skier right before the finish line.

“I was really not expecting to win today,” said Fiva.

“It’s a difficult course and with all the rollers here your legs are dead after the second turn already.

“At the beginning of the day I had some problems, but it all turned out well and I’m really happy.”

Midol earned his third consecutive second place finish on the tour.

The battle for the third spot was won by Austria’s Daniel Traxler, who narrowly defeated compatriot Adam Kappacher.

Midol leads the way on the overall standings with 290 points, with Fiva second on 219 and Bastien’s elder brother Jonathan third with 186.

Action continues tomorrow with the second race of the weekend.