The Aerial Skiing program completed training camps at the Snow Australia water ramp facility in Victoria’s Yarra Ranges throughout May and June, before travelling to Mt Buller to train at the Olympic Training Centre facilities at the start of July.
 
The program relocated to NSW in mid-July following COVID restrictions being implemented in Victoria. The athletes and staff remained in Jindabyne throughout the domestic winter training on snow at Thredbo and utilising the acrobatic facilities onsite at Jindabyne Sport and Recreation Centre (JS&RC).
 
The highlight of the year was no doubt the opening of the Geoff Henke Olympic Winter Training Centre at Brisbane’s Sleeman Sports Centre. Australia’s freestyle skiers finally have a world class water jump in our own backyard.
 
Danielle Scott, Abbey Wilcox, Gabi Ash and Aerleigh Frigo commenced training at the new Henke Centre facility in late September, under the guidance of Olympic Silver Medalist and coach David Morris. The athletes plan to transfer the jumps from water to snow during the northern hemisphere winter.
 
Current World Cup Champion Laura Peel relocated to Switzerland at the start of July, completing a full summer of water ramp training, and then an on snow jumping block on the glacier in Saas Fee.
 
Peel will be the only Australian aerial skier in action in the opening World Cup of the season this weekend in Ruka, Finland, with her teammates continuing to train at the Henke Centre in Brisbane.

Aerial Skiing Champion Laura Peel was recognised at the 2020 Victorian Institute of Sport Awards for her commitment to pursuing success in sport and life.

Peel won the Open Universities Australia Performance Lifestyle award in a strong field of athletes, with Para Rower Alexandra Viney and Tokyo-bound race walker Jemima Montag as the other finalists. 

Peel also took out the 2XU Coach Award for Aerial Skiing making it a double celebration for the current World Cup Champion.

The OUA Performance Lifestyle award goes to the athlete who has achieved excellence in their studies, career ambitions, and/or work setting whilst pursuing their dual sporting career. A panel of judges chose Peel as this year’s winner based on her impressive results both on but especially also off the slopes. 

Although spending much of her life overseas Peel still managed to complete a Bachelor of Health Sciences and is now undertaking a Diploma of Modern Languages. 

The dual Winter Olympian had an extraordinarily successful 2019-2010 winning two World Cup events and jumped triple somersaults for the first time. She was also the co-winner of the Snow Australia 2020 Athlete of the Year, sharing the title with VIS Snowboarder Scotty James. 

Peel is a person who squeezes value out of every moment of her life. She is a role model for, and mentor of, young athletes. She also contributed to the AOC Wellbeing series, completed an online yoga program for people in lockdown and even donated her prized Olympic uniform to the bushfire appeal. 

“I was a bit surprised to be nominated for this award but of course very honoured. The VIS is full of some of the most amazing athletes and amazing people, so to win this award is something that is very special to me,” Peel said. 

“I have been at the VIS for almost a decade now and the VIS has been such an important part of my journey as an athlete but also as a person. Since day one they have always valued developing you on the field as well as off the field. It’s something that I started realising probably a little bit later in my career. I’m very grateful for the VIS for being there and for supporting me through that and I hope that soon we can all be together and celebrate.” 

“A big thank you to the VIS and to the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia for continuing to support my journey. Thank you also to Open Universities Australia,” Peel said.

Article courtesy vis.org.au

In the lead-up to the 2020/21 FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup season we'll be interviewing some of last season's crystal globe winners to find out what they've been up to in the off-season, what they're looking forward as we head into winter, and hopefully a little bit more about what it's like behind the scenes for some of snowboarding's top riders. Today we're catching up with 2019/20 aerials crystal globe winner Laura Peel of Australia…

At the final event of the 2019/20 season in Krasnoyarsk (RUS) Peel grabbed her second victory of the campaign to put the icing on the cake of the most successful season of her career, as the 30-year-old member of the “Flying Kangaroos” team clinched her first aerials World Cup crystal globe. It took Peel almost 10 years of competing on the World Cup tour to finally finish the season on the number one spot. In almost a decade on tour the Aussie skier managed to reach some very impressive milestones including 13 World Cup podiums and four victories, as well as the 2015 FIS World Championships gold medal from Kreischberg (AUT).

FIS - You have worked very hard to earn your first crystal globe this past season. What did this victory mean to you? Also what was going on inside your head when you won the final event in Krasnoyarsk and clinched the World Cup title?
Laura Peel - Winning a crystal globe had been a goal of mine for almost a decade and it came down to the very last event of the 19/20 season. Putting that final jump to my feet in Krasnoyarsk and walking away with a World Cup win and the globe was a combination of relief and pure bliss. 

FIS - What made this past campaign so special and what was the decisive factor that drove you to the top of the World Cup ranking?
LP - The 19/20 season was pretty special for me for a couple of reasons. Obviously, I won the globe which has been a career goal for a long time, but I also competed triples for the first time. Hitting the biggest jump is a milestone in any aerialist’s career, being able to compete them at every World Cup event throughout the season and pushing both my physical and mental limits is something that I’m very proud of, and ultimately it paid off! 

FIS - Your first start at World Cup was back in 2011. What is the most memorable moment for you in what has been almost 10 years on tour now?
LP - After almost a decade on the World Cup circuit I’ve been lucky enough to reach some pretty cool milestones and create a lot of memories with a lot of great people. Of course, the Olympics will always be special, and my 2015 World Championship win but so far my 19/20 season tops the list, I was jumping the way I had wanted to jump for a long time and will hopefully be able to carry that forward into this season as well!

FIS - Obviously it was an off-season unlike any we’ve ever seen before, with the pandemic going on. What did you do to stay level and stay focused even with everything going on in the world?
LP - Things were definitely very different this off-season. We were lucky enough to squeeze-in our last World Cup event in March before everything got shut down, but after that things looked very different. I went home to Australia where I trained at home while I waited for international borders to open up again, that never really happened, but fortunately I was able to get over to Switzerland to start training with my coach in July. It hasn’t been easy being away from home for so long, but I just try to focus on the bigger picture and keep perspective - we’re very fortunate that we’re able to train and compete this season! 

FIS - Going into a new season with World Championships in February, what are your main focus points? Will another crystal globe be on the list of goals? World Championships medal?
LP - Of course going into this season I’d love to walk away with another globe and a World Champs medal, but early on in the season I’m just trying to focus on the process. I hoping to do a new jump this season, so really want to dial in the basics so I can start pushing my DD (Degree of Difficulty). 

FIS - What is it that you love most about aerial skiing?
LP - I love that aerial skiing pushes me to my absolute limit, it’s pretty cool to see how far you can go, and usually it’s a lot further than you think. I also love being outside in nature and traveling to some really interesting and amazing places.

ARTICLE COURTESY OF FIS

Australia’s new training facility for aerial and mogul skiers will be known as the Geoff Henke Olympic Winter Training Centre from today forward.  

With winter athletes already enjoying the benefits of the new facility, located at Brisbane’s Sleeman Sports Centre, the title acknowledges the life-long contribution Geoff Henke AO has made to Australian Winter Olympic sport.  

Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President John Coates AC says there’s no individual more deserving than Geoff Henke, given his determination to create opportunities for winter athletes.  

“No-one has fought harder to create this wonderful facility than Geoff.  More broadly, his vision has seen Australian winter sports flourish. The Henke Centre is a fitting acknowledgment of his contribution.

“For two decades Geoff served as Australia’s Chef de Mission to the Winter Olympic Games. His influence in the years that followed has seen Australia emerge with 15 Olympic winter medals – five gold, five silver and five bronze – all because Geoff was persistent in his belief Australia could achieve international success.” 

Construction of the $6.5 million centre of excellence began in June 2019 following agreement between the Federal Government, including the Australian Institute of Sport, the Queensland Government, the AOC and the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA).

In September 2020, aerial and mogul athletes began testing the ramps, quickly giving the facility the thumbs up.

The Queensland Government provided the location through Stadiums Queensland, with $4.5 million in funding provided by the Federal Government and the AIS, with the AOC contributing the remainder. 

 “This would not have happened without the strong support of government. Our thanks to Federal Sports Minister Senator Richard Colbeck and Queensland Minister for Sport Mick de Brenni for their ongoing commitment to Australia’s Olympic success.

“My thanks also to the facilities’ builders Buildcorp and project managers Colliers for delivering this project to the highest standard, on-time and on-budget,” Mr Coates concluded.

Federal Minister for Youth and Sport, Richard Colbeck said Geoff Henke helped shine a light on the extraordinary efforts of Australia's Olympians. 

"It is only fitting that a state-of-the-art training facility should be named in his honour," Minister Colbeck said. "It is deserved recognition for a champion of winter sports and will ensure our athletes can remain at the top of their game."

AOC Vice-President and six times Winter Chef de Mission, Ian Chesterman AM says Geoff Henke’s drive and passion has never abated.

“Geoff identified a competitive disadvantage for our aerial athletes and he set about correcting that. Now our athletes can train at home as they prepare for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games in 2022. 

“It was a great honour to follow him into the Chef role and his advice along the way was absolutely invaluable,” Mr Chesterman said.

AIS CEO Peter Conde said: “Future generations of Australian winter athletes will be able to progress their training through this world-class facility and be reminded of a pioneer who made it possible.”

Also recognised is OWIA CEO and Chef de Mission for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games Geoff Lipshut. 

The lift transporting training athletes to the start of their jumps at the Henke Centre will be known as “Lipshut’s Lift”, recognising the specific contribution Geoff Lipshut has made to Australia’s aerial skiing program. 

Ian Chesterman said “Geoff has been a pioneer, particularly through the creation of a transfer program which has converted skilled gymnasts into world-class aerial skiers.”

“The names of Marshall, Cooper, Camplin, Lassila, Peel and Morris, are all aerial World Champions or Olympic medallists, and I am sure each would agree that Geoff Lipshut was a major contributor to their success,” Mr Chesterman concluded.

The Geoff Henke Olympic Winter Training Centre will be officially opened next year. 

Australia’s best aerials and moguls skiers are set to soar through the Brisbane sky as they begin testing the new Olympic Winter Training Centre at the Sleeman Centre.

The $6.5 million facility is the first year-round outdoor aerial facility in the world.
 
A collaboration between the Australian Government through Sport Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Queensland Government, Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA),  the new home base for elite athletes will boost Australia’s talent and training pathways to identify and develop the next Lydia Lassila or Alisa Camplin, who grew from junior gymnasts to Winter Olympic champions.
 
Australia’s rich legacy in aerials and moguls has netted eight of Australia’s 15 Winter Olympic medals, including three gold.
 
The ‘Flying Kangaroos’ aerial ski team members Danielle Scott, Abbey Willcox, Gabi Ash and Airleigh Frigo are the first to trial the facility, beginning this week with single and basic double somersaults before progressing to larger jumps and more complex skills throughout the testing phase.
 
The moguls team, including PyeongChang 2018 silver medallist Matt Graham, current world number two Jakara Anthony and 2017 World Champion Britt Cox, will begin their training at the centre late next week.
 
From the top of the 37 metre high facility, athletes can reach maximum speeds of over 70km/h and launch up to 17 metres above the water, trialling and perfecting aerial manoeuvres in the safety of the water-landing before transferring them to the snow.
 
AOC CEO Matt Carroll said he was thrilled to see the project completed and athletes testing the centre.
 
“It’s fantastic to see this world class facility come to life and have Olympians showcasing their skills in Brisbane,” Mr Carroll said.
 
“This means Australia’s best talent can be identified, developed and reach their peak performance right here at home, while being close to family and their community. 
 
“Thank you to Minister Colbeck and the Australian Government, and Minister de Brenni and the Queensland Government for working in partnership with the AOC, OWIA and AIS to get a great result.”
 
Australian athletes have had to hone their skills overseas, with a water ramp facility in Utah having more than 3600 days of training logged by Australian athletes from 2013-2017.
 
“Having a home facility means this is time and funding that can be invested here in Australia rather than overseas facilities, providing greater opportunity to the next generation and bringing Australian sports fans closer than ever to our winter athletes.”
 
The centre has different jumps to cater for a wide variety of Olympic winter disciplines and experience levels, from beginner to the tallest triple jump.
 
OWIA CEO and Chef de Mission of the Australian Team for Beijing 2022 Geoff Lipshut welcomed the opportunity to give current athletes a performance edge and help identify and develop the next generation of Winter Olympians.
 
“This is a huge step forward for athletes at the next Olympic Games in 2022 and importantly for our athletes of tomorrow,” Mr Lipshut said.
 
“Through our partnership with Gymnastics Australia, this facility creates huge potential for gymnasts to successfully transfer their skills into aerial skiing.
 
“Our transition programs have already produced great Olympic champions in Alisa Camplin and Lydia Lassila, world champions in Kirstie Marshall and Jacqui Cooper and the current world number one, Laura Peel.
 
“This facility will provide a great opportunity for many more young Australians from around the country to get involved in winter sport.”
 
Minister for Youth and Sport Richard Colbeck said the Australian Government was proud to contribute funding to build this world class training base, ensuring ongoing support for our current elite athletes and future Winter Olympic champions.
 
“Through the AIS and Sport Australia, the Government has invested time, energy and funding into this facility because it will have a lasting impact and be a launching pad for generations of athletes and Winter Olympians to come.
 
“It’s great to see that a key feature of the facility is the different-sized ramps, allowing athletes to progress right from emerging talent through to those preparing to jump for Olympic gold.
 
“Our Winter athletes have traditionally been at a disadvantage compared to international rivals, having to travel, train, and compete overseas virtually the entire year. We now have a world-class training environment in our own backyard, which our inspiring athletes needed and deserved.”
 
Competing at the highest level of winter sport seemed a world away for World Cup gold medallist and dual Olympian Danielle Scott, growing up on Sydney’s northern beaches.
 
“In 2002 I was a gymnast and surfer who had never skied,” Scott said. “I watched Alisa Camplin win gold at Salt Lake City on TV and thought what an amazing sport.
 
“Being able to transition from gymnastics to aerials was a pathway I didn’t even know existed, but I’m so thankful as it’s given me incredible opportunities.
 
“I’m excited to see the local talent that can develop on this new facility, with young Australians able to see aerials in the flesh and know there’s a pathway for them to chase their own Olympic dream.
 
“This centre is an incredible opportunity for winter athletes to have a home training base and not be at the mercy of other countries – it will really give us an edge.”
 
The structure, comprising 289 tonnes of steel, measures 37m – equivalent to three Brisbane City Council buses stacked end to end. Elite winter athletes will now join cyclists, gymnasts, divers, swimmers, weightlifters and more at the Sleeman Centre.
 
Acting Manager of Sleeman Sports Complex Angus Macdonald said the new facility was ideally suited to the complex, which caters to high performance and developing athletes as well as community training. 
 
“This pool was purpose-built for this facility and while it’s wonderful that the community have had access to an additional pool in recent years, it’s great to finally see the facility up and running and watching the incredible skills of these high performance athletes and for our venue to play a small part in Australia’s push for Winter Olympic gold in 2022,” Mr Macdonald said.
“Our complex offers a range of supporting amenities like accommodation, gymnastics centre, a fitness centre, and athlete rehabilitation which will be a great benefit to any teams looking for a comprehensive training camp option, and the proximity to other facilities helps create those development pathways for other athletes that might like to give the sport a try.”
 
The official opening of the facility is expected to occur in 2021.

Crystal Globes winners, snowboarder Scotty James and aerial skier Laura Peel, were today named the joint winners of the Olympic Athlete of the Year title for the 2020 Snow Australia Awards.
 
After an outstanding Northern winter that saw them both finish the season ranked number one in the World, the pair once again have been named joint winners of the award, previously sharing the title in 2015. 
 
Triple Olympian James now becomes the first person in history of the Snow Australia Awards to win the Athlete of the Year Award four times.
 
It was an extraordinary season for both athletes, with dual Olympian Peel claiming her career first Crystal Globe, and James becoming the overall season champion for the third time.
 
Peel finished the season with two gold, one silver and one bronze medal, in her first year jumping triple back somersaults.
 
The 30-year-old Canberra local said that this season far exceeded the expectations she had set for herself before it commenced.
 
“It was a great season - was pretty magic for me,” Peel said.
 
“I went in doing triples and completing triples for the first time - so the goal wasn’t to win the Crystal Globe, it was to gain some experience doing triples.
 
“But that (winning the Crystal Globe) has been a dream of mine pretty much since I started the sport so this was a really amazing season,” she said.
 
James successfully defended his X-Games titles and won the Dew Tour event in Copper Mountain. He qualified first in every World Cup event, before going on to finish the season with three golds and one silver World Cup medals.
 
James echoed Peel’s sentiments, adding that he feels extremely honoured to be named Athlete of the Year amongst some great talent in his fellow finalists.
 
“It’s getting harder every year to win this award, so each year brings a different excitement,” James said.
 
“I’m very happy to be the winner of this award, alongside Laura again. She’s been amazing and I’ve been watching from afar. As winter athletes we don’t get to be together that often so it’s been good to watch and support each other from afar.”
 
Snow Australia Chief Executive Officer Michael Kennedy said he couldn’t think of two more deserving winners for the title of Athlete of the Year (Olympic Disciplines) than Scotty and Laura.
 
“Scotty and Laura had fantastic seasons. They are both pushing themselves and their sport to the next level,” Kennedy said.
 
“Scotty’s consistent results made him unstoppable this season and it’s great to see him once again be crowned our Athlete of the Year,” he said.
 
“As for Laura, she now joins Aerials royalty in becoming World Cup Champion joining the greats of our sport in Kirstie Marshall, Jacqui Cooper, Alisa Camplin and Lydia Lassila in that honour.
 
The Athlete of the Year award caps off what has been a fantastic celebration of Australia’s snowsports athletes as part of the 2020 Snow Australia Awards online.
 
For a full list of Award winners - click here.
 

Australian aerial skier Laura Peel has won gold overnight at the Siberian resort of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, securing her first ever FIS World Cup champion title.
 
The World Cup title is the tenth “crystal globe” won by Australian aerial skiers, with Peel joining legends of the sport Kirstie Marshall, Jacqui Cooper, Alisa Camplin and Lydia Lassila as World Cup champions.
 
Before the competition Peel was sitting just 44 points ahead of China’s Xu Mengtao in the women’s World Cup ranking, with the final jumps of the season deciding who would take home the overall season title.
 
When Xu failed to land her jump cleanly in the first round of finals and missed the cut into the top six final round, it was clear that Peel would be victorious. Despite having secured the crystal globe in the middle of the competition, Peel still stepped it up on her final attempt on the day. As the last athlete in the women’s competition, the 2015 World Champion from Canberra executed her most difficult full-tuck-full triple somersault perfectly to win the competition with a final score of 96.99 points.
 
“It’s hard to put it into words at the moment,” said Peel, “I honestly couldn’t be happier right now.
 
“It’s my first globe and it’s been almost 10 years working towards it. I have a great team around me and I’m super stoked with the result today.”
 
Behind Peel on the podium was China's Xu Sicun with a score of 95.86 in second place and American Ashley Caldwell in third with 88.83 points.
 
In winning gold, the performance marks the 13th World Cup podium of the 30 year old athletes career (4 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze).
 
Peel’s teammate Abbey Willcox also reached the top six super final finishing in fifth place, ending the season ranked a personal best seventh place on the World Cup standings.

Aerial skier Gabi Ash has won the second medal of her career, taking bronze on day two at the Nor-Am Cup event in Le Relais, Quebec, Canada.

The VIS athlete rebounded from an 11th place finish on day one, to record her second podium performance in as many weeks, finishing in third place on the second day of competition behind Americans Karyl Loeb and Karenna Elliot. Ash had a personal best in the final executing an almost perfect Lay Tuck scoring 73.58 points.

Teammate Airleigh Frigo had a personal best sixth place finish on day one, and finished in 10th on day two.

Also competing for Australia in the men's event was Wesley Naylor, who finished 16th on day one, and 11th on day two.
 
IMAGE: Gabi Ash (right) on the podium in Le Relais

VIS Aerial Skier Laura Peel has moved into number one on the World Cup standings with one event remaining, after finishing fourth in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Peel qualified for finals in first place, and went through to the medal final also in first, but unfortunately missed her landing on her Full-Tuck-Full triple back somersault, just missing the podium by one place.

Taking the win was Nadiya Mokhnatska of the Ukraine, with American Megan Nick in second, and local skier Zhanbota Aldabergenova of Kazakhstan in third.

Ahead of the final event, Peel sits in first in place on the World Cup standings with 369 points, with Mengtao Xu of China in second with 325 points, and Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya from Belarus third with 260 points.

Abbey Willcox finished in 14th place, and currently sits 12th on the standings.

The final event of the season will take place in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, on March 8th.

Australian aerial skier Laura Peel has claimed victory overnight at the FIS World Cup event at the Raubichi ski resort in Minsk, Belarus, recording her first gold medal and third podium performance of the season.
 
The 2015 World Champion from Canberra achieved the highest jump score of her career to win gold, scoring a huge 106.53 points with her full-tuck-full, double twisting, triple backflip somersault.  
 
Rounding out the podium was Mengtao Xu of China, and her teammate Sicun Xu in third.
 
“It’s an amazing feeling”, an excited Peel commented after the event.
 
“I’ve definitely been wanting to crack the 100 point mark for a while, I came pretty close last week. But to put down my best jumps when it matters is awesome, all the hard work is coming together.”
 
“It was tough out there, last week we weren’t sure if the event would even be able to go ahead but everyone put in a lot of work so we could jump tonight. We didn’t get a lot of training jumps and today we had some wind and rain, but I think it’s those kind of moments where my experience really pays off.”
 
“We’ve got two events left and I want to keep doing my best jumps and gain more and more experience on the triple.”
 
The performance marks the third World Cup victory of the VIS athletes career (3 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze).
 
Following the victory, Peel has now moved up into second place on the FIS World Cup standings with two events remaining in the season. Peel is on 319 points, just 6 points behind World Cup leader Mengtao Xu of China.

Unfortunately VIS teammate Abbey Willcox was unable to compete after sustaining an injury during training.

The next stop on the World Cup tour for the aerial skiing athletes will take place next weekend in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

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 skier Laura Peel has claimed a silver medal in a spectacular city venue located in downtown Moscow, Russia, her second World Cup podium performance of the season.
 
The 2015 World Champion from Canberra performed one of the best triple back somersaults of her career in the first round of finals, with her lay-tuck-full jump scoring 98.68 points to advance to the super final in first place.
 
In the super final medal round, Peel increased her degree of difficulty, adding an extra twist to her triple, competing a full-tuck-full jump. Peel scored 91.42 points to finish in second place, with Belarusian Hannah Huskova taking the win and Russian Sofia Alekseeva rounding out the podium in third place.
 
“I’m really happy with how my season is going,” Peel commented after the event.
 
“The plan going in was to qualify for finals with my triple twisting doubles and keep them at a high standard and then compete triples for finals. It’s my first year on the triple and I’m getting a lot of awesome experience, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”
 
“It was an awesome set up jumping in the city. There was a big crowd and fireworks, they really made it a show which was a lot of fun.”
 
“We had six women jumping triple backflips in the final and that’s really cool to see. The women’s field is continuing to push and that’s exciting for the sport. “
 
In taking silver, the performance marks the 11th World Cup podium of the 30 year old athletes career (2 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze).
 
With two events remaining in the season, Laura Peel is currently ranked third on the FIS World Cup standings, with teammate Abbey Willcox in seventh, after finishing 14th in Moscow.
 
The next stop on the World Cup tour for the aerial skiing athletes will take place next weekend in Raubichi, Belarus. 

Abbey Willcox has had a breakthrough performance to claim the first World Cup medal of her career, winning bronze under lights in Deer Valley, USA.
 
The 23 year old VIS athlete qualified for finals in fourth place, and finished in fifth place in the first round of finals to advance to the top six super final.
 
Willcox landed her lay-full double back somersault in the super final, to give her 81.78 points and the bronze medal, with 2019 World Champion Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya of Belarus taking victory with a big score of 106.74, and American Megan Nick in second place with 83.89 points.
 
“It feels absolutely unreal and to be doing it in Deer Valley with this crowd is amazing,” an excited Willcox said after the event.
 
“A lot of nerve’s, a lot of adrenaline, a lot of excitement.”
 
“It was my first time in the finals and on the podium so I had all sorts of emotions going on.”
 
“We has a couple of tricky days training, it was snowing a lot and I knew I could jump during the snow, during the wind because we’ve had a lot of practice for that in the past, so I just took it jump by jump.”
 
“I’m really excited for the next four world cups and the season and I can’t wait.”
 
2015 Australian World Champion Laura Peel qualified for finals in third place, but unfortunately fell on her triple back somersault in the first round of finals, finishing in ninth place.

Also competing for Australian in her second World Cup was VIS athlete Gabi Ash, who finished in 20th position.
 
After three events, Laura Peel is currently ranked third in the world, with Willcox moving up to sixth on the FIS World Cup standings.
 
The next stop on the World Cup tour for the aerial skiing athletes will take place in Moscow, Russia, with a spectacular city event, with the aerial site made out of scaffolding and snow trucked in.

Australian aerial skier Laura Peel has claimed a bronze medal at the 2019/2020 World Cup season opener at Shimao Lotus Mountain in China.
 
The VIS athlete performed her first ever triple back somersaults in competition with great success, scoring 87.92 points in the first round of finals with a lay-tuck-full, and 86.65 in the medal round with a full-tuck-full.
 
In taking bronze, the performance marks the tenth World Cup podium of the 30 year old athletes career (2 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze).
 
“It’s an amazing start to the season. Competing with triples at a World Cup was a big milestone of mine, and to come away with a podium makes it even sweeter.”
 
“The conditions were really good. We all took a couple of days to adjust to a much steeper landing hill than what we had been training on in Finland, but the sun was out and there was minimal wind which made conditions great for jumping.”
 
Peel finished narrowly behind Belarus aerialist Aliaksandra Ramanousk 93.44 and China’s Mengtao Xu scoring 105.53 with the judges.
 
For Peel there’s a busy season ahead after a short Christmas break.
 
“After tomorrow, I’m looking forward to enjoying some R&R over Christmas. Then my team start training again in Switzerland in January ahead of the next World Cup in Moscow, Russia.”

Also in action for Australia was Abbey Willcox, who finished in 14th place, just missing the 12 woman final.

A second World Cup event also took place at Shimao Lotus Mountain, with a one jump competition being held on day two, before a team World Cup event that Australia did not feature in.

Peel landed another triple back somersault, a lay-tuck-full, narrowly missing the podium by less than a point in fourth place.

Abbey Willcox had a personal best World Cup finish of 12th.

The next event for Australia's aerial skiing athletes will be in Moscow, Russia, on January 25.

Queensland will be home to the southern hemisphere’s first year-round freestyle ski-jumping facility to be built at the Sleeman Sports Complex at Chandler.

The $6.5 million International Freestyle Skiing Training Facility is a collaboration between the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) the Federal Government through Sport Australia, the Queensland Government and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).


The Queensland Government will provide the location adjacent to the Olympic sized swimming pool at Chandler, with total funding for the facility from the Federal Government and AOC.


The centre will host elite aerial and mogul skiers, athletes of all ages and abilities seeking to develop in these disciplines, and overseas sports tourists.


Queensland has a unique Winter Olympic heritage, with Brisbane’s Steven Bradbury famously claiming Australia’s first ever Winter Games gold at Salt Lake City in 2002. With aerial and mogul skiers providing eight of Australia’s 15 medals in Winter Olympics, including three gold, this facility will see Queensland as the development hub for future Olympic champions.


The project will be managed by the OWIA, who have been instrumental in securing this Australian-first facility. OWIA Chair Geoff Henke AO says the go-ahead is a tremendous boost for Winter Olympic sport in Australia.


“I am excited this facility will come to fruition and continue to develop Australian freestyle skiers of all ages and abilities.


“At the elite level this will eliminate a competitive disadvantage, allowing Australian athletes to train at home that provides a critical edge. It also provides a talent pathway to identify and develop talent from the grassroots up to ensure Winter Sports continue to grow.


“After working to develop this project for a long time, my heartfelt thanks go to the Federal Government and AOC for the funding, the Queensland Government who have provided a home for this world-class facility and the Australian institute of Sport for ongoing support in developing winter athletes.”


Federal Sports Minister Senator Bridget McKenzie says the Government’s $4.5 million contribution creates the opportunity for Australia to produce the next generation of Olympic champions to join the likes of Alisa Camplin, Dale Beg-Smith and Lydia Lassila.


“This facility will be a game-changer for Australian winter sport,” Minister McKenzie said. “Our Australian winter athletes have been so successful in freestyle skiing despite their training disadvantages, and they have inspired the next generation of participants in skiing – and hopefully producing more Olympic heroes.


“The Liberal and Nationals Government, along with peak sport agencies Sport Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport, are proud to support this project that will give future athletes a world-leading facility at home.”


Queensland Sports Minister Mick de Brenni MP says the water ramp is a perfect addition to the Sleeman Sports Centre which already provides a training base for community, emerging and elite athletes across a wide range of sports.


“Brisbane’s fantastic climate means this facility can be used year-round, making it the premier Winter Olympic training venue for the region and one of only two in the world available 12 months of the year,” he said.


“Not only will this cater for Australia’s Winter Olympic athletes, it will attract international teams to Queensland to train at this facility, ensuring year-round use and an additional revenue stream for the complex.”


AOC Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll says significant investment from the Federal Government, the Queensland Government’s contribution of the site and the AOC’s own financial contribution is a shot in the arm for aspiring athletes and future Winter Olympians.


“This project is a great example of a partnership between sport and government delivering positive outcomes,” Carroll said.


“Australian athletes have logged thousands of training days at overseas facilities in the past five years – this ramp means the country’s best talent can be identified, developed and reach their peak performance right here at home, inspiring countless Australians while being close to family and their community. This is time and funding that will be invested here in Australia rather than at overseas facilities.


“A series of different sized ramps will be available for a variety of standards. It will provide the opportunity for our athletes to train ahead of the next Winter Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022 and beyond.”


Five-time Olympian and aerials gold medallist Lydia Lassila was excited at the benefits the ramp, which will see athletes reach speeds of up to 70km/h and launch 17 metres in the air.


“This ramp will be incredible for winter sport in Australia,” Lassila said. “It means having more people participating in the sport, funding going to athlete development rather than travel costs and allowing athletes to spend more time in the country rather than 10 months a year overseas.


“Having that home base is so important – both for performance and to provide for a more balanced life close to your family and support group.


“This ramp will be the best in the world and showcase the spectacular feats of winter athletes – having Australian kids see Winter Olympians in action in the flesh will make it so much more tangible and help inspire our next generation.”

The Sleeman Sports Centre boasts an Olympic-sized pool, accommodation, gymnastic centre, fitness centre and athlete rehabilitation as well as the Anna Meares velodrome and BMX track, making it a hub for talent development and performance for current and future Olympians.


OWIA will work closely with Stadiums Queensland to manage the facility.


Colliers International is managing construction of the water ramp, with work expected to begin mid-2019, with practical completion due early 2020.
olympics.com.au

VIS Aerial Skier Laura Peel has won the second World Cup event of her career, after finishing on top in Shimao Lotus Mountain, China.

Her result was a well-deserved reward after a second place finish in Moscow just two weeks ago.

Peel qualified for the final in fourth place with a 84.42 point full-full jump, and used the same jump to progress to the top six super final.

In the super final, Peel stepped up her degree of difficulty, performing a 96.58 full-double full jump to easily take the victory, 14.8 points ahead of second place.

“I couldn’t be happier with how today went! We had some really tricky conditions with the temperature in double digits, and some swirling winds," Peel said of her second World Cup win.

"I'm very grateful to my coaches for getting my speed right on all my jumps and super stoked I was able to put all my jumps down.”

Peel placed 10th the following day during the second event, while teammate Abbey Willcox finished 15th in the first event and 14th in the second and first year VIC World Cup program athlete Brittany George placed 16th in the first and 13th in the second.

With China the final stop in the World Cup season, Peel has finished a personal best third in the world on the standings, improving on her previous best of fourth achieved in 2012 and 2013.

IMAGE - A happy Laura Peel with her gold medal in China © Laura Peel Instagram

olympics.com.au

VIS Aerial Skier Laura Peel has finished in 11th place at the World Cup event in Minsk, Belarus, maintaining her fourth place world ranking with one event left in the season.

The VIS skier made a strong start to the event, qualifying in second place for the final with a 88.20 full-full jump, but unfortunatley missed her landing in the final to finish in 11th place.

Peel said she was disappointed to not put down the jump she'd hoped for in the finals.

“I am a bit disappointed about the result. I jumped well in qualifications, but unfortunately had a bit of trouble landing in finals," she said.

Abbey Willcox recorded a personal best World Cup finish of 13th, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the 12-woman final after scoring 75.98 on her lay-full jump.

OWIA Apprentice Coach David Morris was satisfied with solid performances by the pair considering their preparation.

“Laura and Abbey both jumped very well given they had very little training leading into the competition day.

"As a coaching group we are very impressed they were able to perform so well after being sick leading into the event,” he said.

Also in Minsk, a syncro team event was held, with the team of Peel and Willcox finishing in third place after competing their lay-full jump at the same time off different jumps.

The Flying Kangaroos Australian Aerial Ski Team now head to China, for the final World Cup event of the year on March 2nd.

IMAGE - Laura Peel and Abbey Willcox (right) on the podum at the syncro team event in Minsk © Abbey Willcox Instagram

Dual-Olympian Laura Peel claimed silver at the Moscow Aerial Skiing World Cup over the weekend, with the 2015 World Champion now sitting third in the World Cup standings.
The VIS athlete qualified in first at the event, before taking out round one of finals with the highest scoring (97.99) double somersault of the competition.
In the second final, Peel performed a double full-full, giving her a score of 97.64 and earning her the silver medal behind the current World Champion Belarus' Aliaksandra Ramanouskya, at 105.93 with a double twisting triple somersault.
It's been a steady rise for the highest ranked Australian female PyeongChang 2018 Olympian, who recently was very unlucky to miss the podium in fourth place at the World Championships in Deer Valley.
After winning her first medal of the season, Peel told FIS TV she was thrilled with a memorable podium finish.
"I was really happy with my jumps today, I put down the best I could and came away with second place so I'm super happy to be on the podium," she said.
"Through each round I put down a really solid jump. I stuck to my plan and completed both my triple twisting doubles. It couldn't have gone better.
"It felt super-sweet after just missing that podium in Deer Valley last weekend," she finished.

After her medal, the 29-year-old posted on social media, "Happy. Proud. Grateful. Second place for me at this weekend’s World Cup! Thanks for the memories Moscow."

The Flying Kangaroos Australian Aerial Ski Team now head to Minsk, Belarus, for the next World Cup event on February 23.

IMAGES
Top -The spectacular jump site in Moscow
Bottom - Laura Peel (left) celebrates on the Moscow Podium
© FIS - Alexey Shabanov

olympics.com.au

The Flying Kangaroos Australian Aerial Ski Team has competed in a number of warm-up events in Lake Placid, NY, USA, ahead of the World Championships in Deer Valley, UT, USA, on February 6th.

With only the one World Cup prior to the World Championships, a strong field was in attendance with all countries looking to get extra competition starts before the main event of the season.

In Lake Placid, the team competed in the US National Championships and in the first of two Nor-Am events.

In the US National Championships, VIS athlete Laura Peel scored an 81.78 to take second place, with team-mates Abbey Willcox 11th and Brittany George 21st. In the men’s event, Wesley Naylor finished 25th.

Britt George and Abbey Willcox where the only Australians competing in the Nor-Am. VIS skier George secured her first career Continental Cup victory finishing in first place, and Wilcox just missed finals in seventh.

The Flying Kangaroos will now head to Utah, USA, to prepare for the World Championships.

IMAGE - Laura Peel (left) on the podium in Lake Placid © Winter Vinecki Instagram

The opening World Cup of the 2018-2019 season has taken place in Lake Placid, NY, USA, with Laura Peel the top Australian performer in tenth place.

The VIS skier made made a strong start qualifying in sixth place with an 81.27 point full-full jump.

In the twelve woman final, Peel attempted the higher degree of difficulty full - double full jump, electing to go for higher risk in preparation for the World Championships. Unfortunately Peel was deep on her landing, and just missed the super final to finish in tenth.

Also competing for Australia was Britt George in 20th with Gabi Ash and Abbey Willcox making their World Cup debut's to finish in 22nd and 23rd.

The next event for the Flying Kangaroos Australian Aerial Ski Team is the World Championships in Park City, UT, USA.
IMAGE - Laura Peel sending one high in the night sky at Lake Placid © OWIA/Lachy Keevers

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

VIS Aerial Skiing athletes Brittany George and Gabrielle Ash just missed the podium on day two at the FIS Nor-Am events at the Utah Olympic Park in Utah, USA.
 
The event, held in challenging snowy and windy conditions, provided good experience as the two athletes prepare for the opening FIS Aerial Skiing World Cup of the season, scheduled in Lake Placid, USA, on Saturday January 19.
 
Also in action in her first ever competition, Airleigh Frigo finished in 13th place on day one and 11th on day two

The Flying Kangaroos Australian Aerial Ski Team took part in a warm up Europa Cup event in Ruka, Finland, over the weekend, with the highlight being two athletes achieving podium performances.
 
On day one, Abbey Willcox finished in second place, which was the best Europa Cup performance of her career.
 
On day two VIS athletes Laura Peel and Britt George recovered from a disappointing day one performances, with Peel taking the win, George in fifth place and Wilcox tenth.
 
The Flying Kangaroos will continue training in Ruka thought to Christmas, before resuming in North America in January for the first World Cup of the season in Lake Placid, USA, on January 19.

IMAGE: Laura Peel (left) and Abbey Willcox (right), podium athletes in Ruka

SnowSports ACT held their last official function with the ACT Awards Presentation on 2 November, recognising the achievements of snow sport athletes from the ACT.

It is chance to recognise the top athletes but also developing athletes too, through Perisher and Thredbo Scholarships and Sportsmanship Awards.

Thredbo Scholarships
Adam Hosie, Thredbo Snow Sports General Manager was present to award the 2019 Thredbo Scholarships. Thanks to Thredbo for their generous contribution of providing three scholarships in the form of 2019 Thredbo Season Passes to three very deserving junior athletes:

•     Emma Vizard
•     Amalie Leslie
•     Max Juric

They all showed a particularly high degree of commitment to their sport and the scholarships provides them with assistance to achieve their snowsports goals.

Perisher Scholarships
Richard Phillips, Perisher Sales and Marketing Manager was present to award the 2019 Perisher Scholarships. This is the fifth year that Perisher has offered ACT scholarships to up and coming junior athletes. The following junior athletes received funding for their 2019 Winter Sports Club Training program:

•     Bella Rotondo
•     Gus Young
•     Hugo Thompson
•     Ella Veleba
•     James Peake
•     Catherine Hardman
•     Kasey Kelley
•     Nellie Byron
•     Prases Satias

Each athlete has set goals to achieve their short and long term goals in their chosen snow sport.

Sportsmanship Awards

The following athletes were acknowledged for their diligence in their training and consistency in their competition results. These athletes having continually been developing their snow sports skills:

•     Catherine Hardman
•     Kasey Kelley
•     Nellie Byron
•     Prases Satias

ATHLETE AWARDS
Athlete of the Year - Laura Peel

Competing on the world stage at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, Laura placed fifth in the Women's Aerials final. In qualifications, Laura moved through to the final two and then progressed to the Super Final to head into the final six as the third ranked athlete. Peel attempted a Back Double Full-Full in the Super Final where she over-rotated and then back-slapped on her landing and placed fifth overall. Laura hit form at the perfect time ahead of the PyeongChang Olympics securing back-to-back bronze medals at the Lake Placid World Cup just weeks out from her second Olympics appearance.

Snowboarder of the Year - Amber Essex

Amber’s first year as a FIS Snowboarder saw a number of excellent results. Amber achieved sixth place in the Snowboard Cross at the ANC in Mt Hotham, third in the Thredbo Junior FIS race and a first place in the Snowboard Cross in division 1 at the Australian Interschools Championships.

Junior Snowboarder of the Year – Chelsee Kelley

Chelsee continued to achieve strong results in 2018, starting with a third in the Snowboard Cross at the US Nationals. Locally this season, Chelsee was first in the Slopestyle and Halfpipe and second in the Snowboard Cross at the Australian Junior Freeride Championships. She was first in the slopestyle at the Thredbo Snow Series and first in the Perisher Parks Showdown. Chelsee is also an SSA Emerging Talent Park and Pipe Scholarship holder.

Junior Freestyle Athlete of the Year - Lily Veleba

Lily has had an excellent season with continued strong results. Lily was third in the Moguls at the Australian Interschools Championships and fifth in the ABOM 14-19yo category. Lily is also an SSA Emerging Talent Moguls Scholarship holder.

Cross Country Skier of the Year - Seve de Campo

Seve moved to Canberra for university this year and has been awarded an ACTAS Scholarship. Seve has been named on the Australian U23 Team and has qualified for both the U23 and Open World Championships for 2019 from his results this season, which includes a third place in the Australian 10km Championships.

Junior Cross Country Skier of the Year – Tuva Bygrave and Heli Laajoki

Tuva has qualified for the Australian Junior Team from her results this season, including a second and third at the Australian Championships in U18 and second in the 21km event of the Kangaroo Hoppet.

Heli Laajoki won both the Australian Junior Champs Sprint and Distance events in U14. Heli was third at the Australian Interschools Championships.

Cross Country Achievement Awards – Bentley Walker Broose and Archie Gordon

Both athletes have qualified for the Australian Junior Team.

Bentley was first in the Australian Championships in the U18 7.5km and second in the sprint, along with many other podium places including first in the NSW Junior Sprints and third at the Australian Interschools Champs.

Archie was third at the Australian Junior Championships in the open sprint.

Alpine Skier of the Year – Isabella Davis

Izzy competed as a first year FIS athlete and completed every FIS race she entered. She raced in the Australian National Championships, where her best result was a fourth in Slalom and fifth in GS. She competed in the Australian New Zealand Cup with a top 15 result. Izzy is named on the NSWACT FIS Junior Team. Earlier in the season, Izzy was first in the Redlands Cup Diviion 2 and Overall Fastest Girl. Izzy was also first at the Australian Interschools Championships in Division 2.

Junior Alpine Skier of the Year – Jacqueline Davis

Jacqueline had excellent results at the SSA Children’s Carnival with an overall third in U16. Her results included a second in SL, third in SL and a third in GS. Jacqueline has been Awarded overall third in NSWACT Alpine and is a member of the U16 NSWACT Alpine Team. Jacqueline was first at the Australian Interschools Championships in Division 3 and third in Skier X.

Alpine Achievement Award – Michael Ouvrier and Abbey Davis

Michael has shown huge improvement this year. His results include overall third U14 Boy in the SSA Children’s Carnival. At the ACT Southern  NSW Interschools Div 3 he was: first in Alpine and second in Ski X. Michael has been awarded overall second U14 by NSWACT Alpine and named on the NSWACT Alpine Team

Abbey has had an excellent year. Her results at the SSA Children’s Carnival finishing overall second in U14 Girls with a first in GS in race 1, second in GS race 2, and second in SL. She has also been awarded the overall second in U14 by NSWACT Alpine. Her Interschools results include a fourth at National Interschools and a third in Alpine Division 3 in ACT NSW Interschools. Abbey has also been named to the NSW ACT Alpine Team.

Interschools Achievement Award – Charlotte Williams

Charlotte should be commended for her improvement this season as she placed third in the Alpine and Skier at the ACT-Southern NSW Interschools Championships and then went on to place first in the Alpine and second in the Skier Cross at the Australian Interschools Championships. Charlotte was also first in the ACT Schools Cup.
School of the Year – Canberra Grammar Junior School

After receiving the SSA School of the Year Award in May, CGS went on to enter the highest number of entries from an ACT school into the Act-Southern NSW Interschools Championships. At this event, CGS won 16 team medals and 13 individual medals. At the Australian Interschools Chamionships, CGS placed 2nd in the overall co-ed primary school point score.

Volunteer of the Year – Murray Johnson

Murray has been supporting the CGS snowsports program and the Interschool events over several years. Murray has volunteered during the pre-season for the Snowsports ACT Snowfit to cover sessions to support the coaches. In season, Murray provides support to the XC and Alpine races. He is a keen supporter of the XC Interschools and Biathlon and he has been a team manager, BBQ volunteer and guardian of children so that they can participate in the races. He is the rock of bib administration at Nationals and he supports all athletes with their on-snow needs across the Alpine disciplines.

Coach of the Year - Leanne Laajoki

Leanne coordinated the ACT Cross Country Junior Program throughout the year. She coached the program during training sessions on a voluntary basis, including both rollerski sessions and cross-discipline strength training together with Stella. She initiated and coordinated a trial of AIS Basecamp throughout term two, designing the sessions and assessing components of postural strength. In addition, she took over as Chair of the SSA XC Sport Development sub-committee, and among other projects is coordinating a review of the national race calendar from the perspective of athlete development.

Credit: NSW & ACT Snowsports