Australia’s Sami Kennedy-Sim and Anton Grimus finished 12th and 26th respectively in the closing event of the FIS Ski and Snowboard World Championships in Kreischberg, Australia last night (Australian time).
The men’s gold medal went to Slovakian Filip Flisar ahead of Frenchman Jean FredericChapuis and Swede Victor Oehling Norberg who took the bronze.
Austria’s Andrea Limbacher won the host nation their first gold medal at these Championships while French veteran Ophelie David won silver and Switzerland’s Fanny Smith was third.
Although both Australians said that their results were lower than they were hoping to achieve, the OWIA/NSWIS pair leave Austria with a handful of positives to work on for the rest of the season.
Kennedy-Sim narrowed the gap between herself and the top group of athletes.
Having qualified for the finals in 12th, Kennedy-Sim won her first final, finishing ahead of the eventual bronze medallist.
In the next round, the quarter finals, she was in second place just five metres from the line, which would have seen her progress to the semi-finals, but she was passed by Germany’s Margarethe Aschauer, forcing the Australian back to third.
“I can walk away from here with confidence but unfortunately I fell victim to the unpredictable nature of our sport,” she said.
“Being passed five metres from the finish was a little bit disappointing.
“I was really close to the leaders in the qualification session and there were a number of other positives to take out. There were a few things that I need to learn from too.”
Grimus once again showed speed in the qualification run, being 0.76 of a second behind the pacesetter, Oehling Norberg.
“I had a few issues at the start, tangling up with some guys,” Grimus said.
“I didn’t have the smoothest run at the bottom. The speed is there. I’m just waiting for it to come together.
“It would have been awesome to put it together at World Champs but it was not to be.”
Coach Shawn Fleming shared the positive attitude of his athletes.
“He was ninth and was second fastest in the top half of qualifying yesterday so hopefully everything will come together for him, ”Fleming said.
“Today he was disappointed with the number and he knows he is capable of a lot more than that.
“It’s just a matter of time.”
Fleming said that from what he had seen of Kennedy-Sim in Kreischberg, he believes she is capable of top eight finishes.
“Through training and qualifying here, she has closed the margin on those leaders.
“In the first heat, she dominated. In the next heat she was third by less than a ski length.”
Australia finished the World Championships in equal fifth place on medal count, level with China.
The United States was the top performing nation followed by Switzerland, Canada and Austria.
Australia finished ahead of, Italy, France, Russia and a number of other European countries, to record a strong showing.
Results
Women’s ski cross World Championships, Kreischberg, Austria
1. Andrea Limbacher (AUT), 2. Ophelie David (FRA), 3. Fanny Smith (SUI), 4. Julia Eichinger (GER), 5. Heidi Zacher (GER), 6. Nicol Kucerova (CZE), 12. Sami Kennedy-Sim (AUS)
Men’s ski cross World Championships, Kreischberg, Austria
1. Filip Flisar (SLO),2. Jean Frederic Chapuis (FRA), 3. Victor Oehling Norberg (SWE), 4.Paul Eckert (GER), 5. Brady Leman (CAN), 6. Jonas Devouassoux (FRA), 26. Anton Grimus (AUS).
The men’s gold medal went to Slovakian Filip Flisar ahead of Frenchman Jean FredericChapuis and Swede Victor Oehling Norberg who took the bronze.
Austria’s Andrea Limbacher won the host nation their first gold medal at these Championships while French veteran Ophelie David won silver and Switzerland’s Fanny Smith was third.
Although both Australians said that their results were lower than they were hoping to achieve, the OWIA/NSWIS pair leave Austria with a handful of positives to work on for the rest of the season.
Kennedy-Sim narrowed the gap between herself and the top group of athletes.
Having qualified for the finals in 12th, Kennedy-Sim won her first final, finishing ahead of the eventual bronze medallist.
In the next round, the quarter finals, she was in second place just five metres from the line, which would have seen her progress to the semi-finals, but she was passed by Germany’s Margarethe Aschauer, forcing the Australian back to third.
“I can walk away from here with confidence but unfortunately I fell victim to the unpredictable nature of our sport,” she said.
“Being passed five metres from the finish was a little bit disappointing.
“I was really close to the leaders in the qualification session and there were a number of other positives to take out. There were a few things that I need to learn from too.”
Grimus once again showed speed in the qualification run, being 0.76 of a second behind the pacesetter, Oehling Norberg.
“I had a few issues at the start, tangling up with some guys,” Grimus said.
“I didn’t have the smoothest run at the bottom. The speed is there. I’m just waiting for it to come together.
“It would have been awesome to put it together at World Champs but it was not to be.”
Coach Shawn Fleming shared the positive attitude of his athletes.
“He was ninth and was second fastest in the top half of qualifying yesterday so hopefully everything will come together for him, ”Fleming said.
“Today he was disappointed with the number and he knows he is capable of a lot more than that.
“It’s just a matter of time.”
Fleming said that from what he had seen of Kennedy-Sim in Kreischberg, he believes she is capable of top eight finishes.
“Through training and qualifying here, she has closed the margin on those leaders.
“In the first heat, she dominated. In the next heat she was third by less than a ski length.”
Australia finished the World Championships in equal fifth place on medal count, level with China.
The United States was the top performing nation followed by Switzerland, Canada and Austria.
Australia finished ahead of, Italy, France, Russia and a number of other European countries, to record a strong showing.
Results
Women’s ski cross World Championships, Kreischberg, Austria
1. Andrea Limbacher (AUT), 2. Ophelie David (FRA), 3. Fanny Smith (SUI), 4. Julia Eichinger (GER), 5. Heidi Zacher (GER), 6. Nicol Kucerova (CZE), 12. Sami Kennedy-Sim (AUS)
Men’s ski cross World Championships, Kreischberg, Austria
1. Filip Flisar (SLO),2. Jean Frederic Chapuis (FRA), 3. Victor Oehling Norberg (SWE), 4.Paul Eckert (GER), 5. Brady Leman (CAN), 6. Jonas Devouassoux (FRA), 26. Anton Grimus (AUS).
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