Australia's ski cross team has continued to improve their results in the lead up to next month's World Championships with a strong performance in the French Alps resort of Les Contamines last night.
Jenny Owens was the team's leading light when she delivered her second top 10 finish within four days.
The AIS/NSWIS scholarship holder ended the day with a season best fifth position thanks to a second place in a quarter final, third in a semi-final and notching a victory by two ski lengths in the consolation final.
Had it not been for a comparatively slow start in the semi-final she would have been in medal contention.
The round added 450 points to Owens' improving season ranking, which sees her break into the world's top 10 for the first time in 2010/2011.
The women's final was won by local skier Ophelie David, with Canadian and tour leader Kelsey Serwa in second place while Sweden's Anna Holmund came in third.
Fellow AIS/NSWIS scholarship holder Scott Kneller , who had to endure the disappointment of a ski waxing error on the neighbouring mountain of Alpe d'Huez this week, bounced back with a solid seventh position.
After qualifying down the list in 24th, Kneller won in his first knock out heat, came in second in a quarter final, and third in a semi-final, but crashed out on the last turn of the consolation final while drafting an opponent.
Although the 21-year-old Kneller, who won the second round in this year's series, has the talent and potential to be a regular World Cup podium finisher, he was happy that today's result on the steep 1180-metre course saw him jump two places into eighth position into the world.
Canada's Christopher Delbosco recorded his first World Cup victory of the year, while Austrian Andreas Matt tightened his grip on the series with a second place. Russian Egor Korotkov made it on to the World Cup podium for the first time in his career with a third place.
AIS ski cross head coach Matt Lyons said that he was pleased with the day's outcome but added that several lost opportunities could have provided even more impressive results.
"Everybody executed our race plans well today and it was pleasing that the lost opportunities were not from skiing errors," Lyons said.
"This is a rough and tumble sport where you always need to take chances. Sometimes they come together, other times they do not.
"We need to now work on consistency and that will come from training a lot harder."
Talented young gun Anton Grimus failed to qualify to his potential and was eliminated from the finals in the round of 32, finishing the day in 29th position while Katya Crema and Sami Kennedy were unable to advance to the women's quarter finals, finishing in 17th and 26th respectively.
Jenny Owens was the team's leading light when she delivered her second top 10 finish within four days.
The AIS/NSWIS scholarship holder ended the day with a season best fifth position thanks to a second place in a quarter final, third in a semi-final and notching a victory by two ski lengths in the consolation final.
Had it not been for a comparatively slow start in the semi-final she would have been in medal contention.
The round added 450 points to Owens' improving season ranking, which sees her break into the world's top 10 for the first time in 2010/2011.
The women's final was won by local skier Ophelie David, with Canadian and tour leader Kelsey Serwa in second place while Sweden's Anna Holmund came in third.
Fellow AIS/NSWIS scholarship holder Scott Kneller , who had to endure the disappointment of a ski waxing error on the neighbouring mountain of Alpe d'Huez this week, bounced back with a solid seventh position.
After qualifying down the list in 24th, Kneller won in his first knock out heat, came in second in a quarter final, and third in a semi-final, but crashed out on the last turn of the consolation final while drafting an opponent.
Although the 21-year-old Kneller, who won the second round in this year's series, has the talent and potential to be a regular World Cup podium finisher, he was happy that today's result on the steep 1180-metre course saw him jump two places into eighth position into the world.
Canada's Christopher Delbosco recorded his first World Cup victory of the year, while Austrian Andreas Matt tightened his grip on the series with a second place. Russian Egor Korotkov made it on to the World Cup podium for the first time in his career with a third place.
AIS ski cross head coach Matt Lyons said that he was pleased with the day's outcome but added that several lost opportunities could have provided even more impressive results.
"Everybody executed our race plans well today and it was pleasing that the lost opportunities were not from skiing errors," Lyons said.
"This is a rough and tumble sport where you always need to take chances. Sometimes they come together, other times they do not.
"We need to now work on consistency and that will come from training a lot harder."
Talented young gun Anton Grimus failed to qualify to his potential and was eliminated from the finals in the round of 32, finishing the day in 29th position while Katya Crema and Sami Kennedy were unable to advance to the women's quarter finals, finishing in 17th and 26th respectively.
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