Sam Wells in action at Deer Valley Australian Institute of Sport / Victorian Institute of Sport aerial skier Laura Peel finished fifth in the Deer Valley World Cup in the United States today, bagging her best result of the season and ending the day as Australia’s highest placed athlete.
The 24-year-old’s display was one place better than fellow AIS / VIS athlete Danielle Scott, while Samantha Wells, another member of the AIS / VIS squad, finished in 11th place, which was her best result since March 2013.
Peel narrowly missed qualifying for the super-final, however, she will be pleased to see her ranking jump a place to number five in the world.
The Deer Valley World Cup, the first of three tour events scheduled in just seven days, was a clean sweep for Chinese women Shuang Cheng, Xin Zhang and Mengtao Xu.
The men’s was won by Anton Kushnir from Belarus, China’s Guangpin Qi was second and Kushnir’s compatriot Alexei Grishin was third.
Peel and Scott were joined by AIS / VIS skier David Morris as the third Australian to end the day within the top 10.
After qualifying for the first final in seventh place, Morris unfortunately missed the cut for a spot in the next round in very unusual and controversial circumstances where there were fourteen men allowed to qualify for final #1, instead of the normal twelve.
The 24-year-old’s display was one place better than fellow AIS / VIS athlete Danielle Scott, while Samantha Wells, another member of the AIS / VIS squad, finished in 11th place, which was her best result since March 2013.
Peel narrowly missed qualifying for the super-final, however, she will be pleased to see her ranking jump a place to number five in the world.
The Deer Valley World Cup, the first of three tour events scheduled in just seven days, was a clean sweep for Chinese women Shuang Cheng, Xin Zhang and Mengtao Xu.
The men’s was won by Anton Kushnir from Belarus, China’s Guangpin Qi was second and Kushnir’s compatriot Alexei Grishin was third.
Peel and Scott were joined by AIS / VIS skier David Morris as the third Australian to end the day within the top 10.
After qualifying for the first final in seventh place, Morris unfortunately missed the cut for a spot in the next round in very unusual and controversial circumstances where there were fourteen men allowed to qualify for final #1, instead of the normal twelve.
Wells leaves Deer Valley with a smile knowing that her ranking has improved two places, leaving her at 18 in the world.
Scott said that her new jump, a triple twisting double summersault, which she has used at each World Cup event this season, is one of the reasons why she has grown in confidence.
“I’m definitely please with the way the season is going because I have been able to do my new jump and be more competitive with that, although unfortunately the competition level has stepped up also,” Scott said.
“I’m really pleased so far with the season and it is really building my career for what’s ahead.
“I’m still in the early stages of my career and there is still certainly a lot ahead of me.”
Like Scott, Peel believes she is now putting more pressure on the higher ranked athletes as a result of also implementing the triple twisting double summersault jump into her repertoire.
Peel said that although today was only the second time she has landed the new jump in competition, she now believes she has developed consistency with it.
“It was a little nerve-wracking for the first couple of times but I’m now confident with it,” Peel said.
“So far I’m in a good place and looking to keep building this season. I feel like I’m on the right track.
“From here, I will work more on my full double full to make everything crisp and tidy and ready to go.”
The squad will next compete in Lake Placid in the United States next weekend and then head to a European based training camp leading into the Sochi Olympic Winter Games in February.
Olympic champion and AIS / VIS athlete Lydia Lassila failed to qualify for the finals today, crashing out of the event attempting a lay full full and lay tuck full, triple summersaults, which left the Australian in 22nd place, and looking to make amends in Lake Placid.
The fifth member of the AIS / VIS squad, Renee McElduff, was 18th.
IMAGE: Samantha Wells in action at Deer Valley
Scott said that her new jump, a triple twisting double summersault, which she has used at each World Cup event this season, is one of the reasons why she has grown in confidence.
“I’m definitely please with the way the season is going because I have been able to do my new jump and be more competitive with that, although unfortunately the competition level has stepped up also,” Scott said.
“I’m really pleased so far with the season and it is really building my career for what’s ahead.
“I’m still in the early stages of my career and there is still certainly a lot ahead of me.”
Like Scott, Peel believes she is now putting more pressure on the higher ranked athletes as a result of also implementing the triple twisting double summersault jump into her repertoire.
Peel said that although today was only the second time she has landed the new jump in competition, she now believes she has developed consistency with it.
“It was a little nerve-wracking for the first couple of times but I’m now confident with it,” Peel said.
“So far I’m in a good place and looking to keep building this season. I feel like I’m on the right track.
“From here, I will work more on my full double full to make everything crisp and tidy and ready to go.”
The squad will next compete in Lake Placid in the United States next weekend and then head to a European based training camp leading into the Sochi Olympic Winter Games in February.
Olympic champion and AIS / VIS athlete Lydia Lassila failed to qualify for the finals today, crashing out of the event attempting a lay full full and lay tuck full, triple summersaults, which left the Australian in 22nd place, and looking to make amends in Lake Placid.
The fifth member of the AIS / VIS squad, Renee McElduff, was 18th.
IMAGE: Samantha Wells in action at Deer Valley
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