Aerial skier Gabi Ash has won the first medal of her aerial skiing career, taking bronze at the Nor-Am Cup event at the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah, USA.

The VIS athlete started the first two days of competition with a fourth place finish on day one, with her lay-tuck double back somersault scoring 67.60 points. Just missing out on the six woman final was VIS teammate Airleigh Frigo in eighth place.

On day two, Ash went one place better, finishing in the bronze medal position scoring 69.42 points for her lacy-tuck jump. Airleigh Frigo also again just missed the final, finish in seventh.

Also competing for Australia in the men's event was Wesley Naylor, who finished ninth on day one, and 14th on day two.
 
The next competition for the Nor-Am athletes will be at La Relais, Quebec, Canada at the end of the month.

IMAGE: Gabi Ash flying high above Deer Valley in the World Cup event earlier in February © OWIA/Chris Hocking

VIS Aerial Skiers have been training in Utah, USA, since mid December. Five athletes in their first and second years with the program have enjoyed the excellent skiing conditions at Snowbasin resort with Coach Leigh Delahoy, between sessions on the jump hill at the Utah Olympic Park, (UOP). 

World Cup Aerial Skiing coach Manuela Muller, and athletes Britt George, Gabi Ash and Airleigh Frigo arrived in late December, for a training camp and Nor Am competition at the UOP before the opening World Cup event of the season in Lake Placid, USA, on January 19.   

Britt George and Gabi Ash will travel to Lake Placid early this week to join the rest of the Australian team, 2015 World Champion Laura Peel and Abbey Wilcox for next weekend’s competition in New York State, which will be the World Cup debut starts for Ash, George and Wilcox. 

IMAGE - VIS Aerial Skiers at Snowbasin, Utah, USA. From left to right: Isabel Cameron, Amanda Cordeiro, Mia Rennie, Eleanor Higginbotham and Leigh Delahoy