2010 Olympic Champion aerial skier, Lydia Lassila has had a gondola cabin dedicated to her at the Snowbasin resort in Utah, USA, in a ceremony introduced by resort General Manager Kent Lyons.

Snowbasin is the North American home of the Australian Aerial Skiing program – “the Flying Kangaroos” and a long term supporter of Lassila and her team mates in the AIS/VIS program.

Lassila who gave birth to her first child in May, 2011 is on track to return to international competition in late 2012, in the quest to defend her Olympic Championship.

Last week Lassila travelled with her family to Utah, to join VIS scholarship athletes for a ski camp opportunity in Snowbasin.

Lassila commented at the dedication: “I am so thrilled that Snowbasin have chosen to recognize me. The resort has been a great supporter of the Flying Kangaroos for nine years now and provides an amazing mountain for training”.

Olympic Winter Institute of Australia Chairman, Geoffrey J Henke AO, praised the resort upon learning of the recognition of Lassila:

”Snowbasin has been just so important for our athletes, and our team has been extremely fortunate to have had the benefit of training and skiing at a World Class facility. We appreciate that Lydia is now the second of our athletes to be honoured with a gondola car, joining 2002 Olympic Champion Alisa Camplin.

As an organisation we are very proud to have Mrs Carol Holding as the only honorary member of the Flying Kangaroos, and we remain thankful to Carol and her husband Earl for their ongoing support of our young athletes.”

Immediately prior to the Gondola car dedication, Lydia presented Ross Mathews with a Chrystal membership plaque and a Karbon Flying Kangaroos team jacket for Carol Holding.