AIS ski cross riders Scott Kneller and Katya Crema have qualified for the invitation only World Cup finals in Voss, Norway, on March 19, capping off a year of significant improvement for all team members.
It is the first time Australia has had two athletes in the ski cross World Cup finals.
Crema earned her place to ski against the best in the world with a hard fought quarter finals appearance in Branas, Sweden, last night while Kneller had guaranteed his spot earlier in the season.
Crema finished in fourth place in last night's quarter final race, which left her in 14th place for the event overall, behind Sweden's Anna Holmlund, Canadian Kelsey Serwa in second and Norway's Marte Hoeie Gjefsen in third.
Kneller also made the Branas knock out rounds and finished 15th for the day with Austrian Andreas Matt, Canadian Christopher Delbosco and Switzerland's Conradign Netzer making up the podium positions.
Team coach Matt Lyons said he was pleased with his athletes' improvement compared to previous years.
Kneller is currently ranked 14th, whereas he finished 2009 in 43rd and 62nd last year. Crema was 54th in 2009, 33rd in 2010 and is currently sitting in 18th place. Sami Kennedy was 44th in 2009, 31st in 2010 and is ranked 21st after finishing in 20th place in Branas.
Jenny Owens, who cut short her season due to fatigue, is currently 10th on the standings, which is 29 places higher than her injury affected season in 2010. She ended 2009 in 12th while her best season was 2008 when she finished the year in 7th place.
The other team member, Anton Grimus, is competing at World Cup level this year for the first time.
It is the first time Australia has had two athletes in the ski cross World Cup finals.
Crema earned her place to ski against the best in the world with a hard fought quarter finals appearance in Branas, Sweden, last night while Kneller had guaranteed his spot earlier in the season.
Crema finished in fourth place in last night's quarter final race, which left her in 14th place for the event overall, behind Sweden's Anna Holmlund, Canadian Kelsey Serwa in second and Norway's Marte Hoeie Gjefsen in third.
Kneller also made the Branas knock out rounds and finished 15th for the day with Austrian Andreas Matt, Canadian Christopher Delbosco and Switzerland's Conradign Netzer making up the podium positions.
Team coach Matt Lyons said he was pleased with his athletes' improvement compared to previous years.
Kneller is currently ranked 14th, whereas he finished 2009 in 43rd and 62nd last year. Crema was 54th in 2009, 33rd in 2010 and is currently sitting in 18th place. Sami Kennedy was 44th in 2009, 31st in 2010 and is ranked 21st after finishing in 20th place in Branas.
Jenny Owens, who cut short her season due to fatigue, is currently 10th on the standings, which is 29 places higher than her injury affected season in 2010. She ended 2009 in 12th while her best season was 2008 when she finished the year in 7th place.
The other team member, Anton Grimus, is competing at World Cup level this year for the first time.
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