Australia's Scott Kneller has ended this year's international ski cross season with a World Cup ranking of 12, 31 places higher than two years ago.
The 21-year-old NSW Institute of Sport and Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder made the quarter finals in Myrkdalen-Voss, Norway, last night to the finish the World Cup final round in 12th place.
The result helped to secure Kneller's career best end-of-season ranking.
The race was won by Canada's Christopher Delbosco, followed by Switzerland's Conradign Netzer and Czech Tomas Kraus, while Austria's Matt Andreas was the runaway World Cup series winner, 209 points clear of Delbodsco.
Given that Kneller finished 2009 in 43rd place and 62nd last year in an injury affected season, the Thredbo athlete can head back to Australia pleased with his World Cup results and hold high expectations for further improvement in 2011/2012.
Added to his huge improvement in the rankings, Kneller scored a World Cup victory in Italy in December.
AIS ski cross program head coach Matt Lyons said that during Australia's winter Kneller will focus on further improvement with race starts and revisit some technical aspects, in readiness for next year.
The season delivered equally positive improvement with the younger members of the women's ski cross team.
Twenty-year-old Katya Crema finished with an end-of-season ranking of 18 in the world, 36 places higher than two years ago and 15 places further up the list compared with 2010.
Crema also made last night's quarter finals finishing the day in 15th overall, behind the winner Sweden's Anna Holmlund, who also secured her first World Cup series victory, while Canada's Kelsey Serwa was second and Swizterland's Katrin Mueller was third.
Australia's other women's ski cross team members Sami Kennedy and Jenny Owens did not compete in the invitation only event.
Kennedy finished the year with a ranking of 21, which is also her best ever.
Australia's best performing ski cross rider Jenny Owens, opted out of the final round and finished the season ranked 11th.
The 21-year-old NSW Institute of Sport and Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder made the quarter finals in Myrkdalen-Voss, Norway, last night to the finish the World Cup final round in 12th place.
The result helped to secure Kneller's career best end-of-season ranking.
The race was won by Canada's Christopher Delbosco, followed by Switzerland's Conradign Netzer and Czech Tomas Kraus, while Austria's Matt Andreas was the runaway World Cup series winner, 209 points clear of Delbodsco.
Given that Kneller finished 2009 in 43rd place and 62nd last year in an injury affected season, the Thredbo athlete can head back to Australia pleased with his World Cup results and hold high expectations for further improvement in 2011/2012.
Added to his huge improvement in the rankings, Kneller scored a World Cup victory in Italy in December.
AIS ski cross program head coach Matt Lyons said that during Australia's winter Kneller will focus on further improvement with race starts and revisit some technical aspects, in readiness for next year.
The season delivered equally positive improvement with the younger members of the women's ski cross team.
Twenty-year-old Katya Crema finished with an end-of-season ranking of 18 in the world, 36 places higher than two years ago and 15 places further up the list compared with 2010.
Crema also made last night's quarter finals finishing the day in 15th overall, behind the winner Sweden's Anna Holmlund, who also secured her first World Cup series victory, while Canada's Kelsey Serwa was second and Swizterland's Katrin Mueller was third.
Australia's other women's ski cross team members Sami Kennedy and Jenny Owens did not compete in the invitation only event.
Kennedy finished the year with a ranking of 21, which is also her best ever.
Australia's best performing ski cross rider Jenny Owens, opted out of the final round and finished the season ranked 11th.
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