Laura Peel has added another title to her impressive season, securing back-to-back aerial skiing World Cup Crystal Globes after finishing sixth overnight in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The 31-year-old double World Champion from Canberra now joins legends of the sport Jacqui Cooper and Alisa Camplin as multiple World Cup champions.

Peel was again the dominant athlete of the season performing the most difficult triple back somersaults at each event, recording four World Cup podium performances and the second World Championship gold medal of her career earlier in the week in Almaty.

Joining Peel in the super final was VIS teammate Danielle Scott who also jumped a number of triple back somersaults in finals.

Unfortunately in the super-final medal round both Scott and Peel had trouble landing their triple back somersaults finishing in in fifth and sixth place respectively.

Gabi Ash finished in ninth after earlier qualifying for finals in a personal best fourth place.

“It’s been a massive week, but honestly I could not have asked for more, I started the season with the yellow leaders bib and to finish with the yellow bib and a World Championship win is the dream ending really”, said Peel after receiving her Crystal Globe.

“It’s been nine months now that I have been on the road so looking forward to heading home.”

Peel finished the season on top of the World Cup standings with 450 points, followed by American Winter Vinecki with 343 points with Marion Thenault of Canada in third with 312 points.

Australian aerial skier Laura Peel has won gold at the FIS World Championships, performing a number of spectacular triple back somersaults to claim victory in Almaty, Kazakhstan, overnight.
 
The 31-year-old from Canberra is now the first ever Australian aerial skier to win two World Championship gold medals, having first won gold in Kreischberg, Austria, in 2015.
 
In the super final, Peel competed one of the most difficult jumps ever performed by a female competitor, full-full-full, a triple twisting triple back somersault scoring a huge 106.46 points to take the win.
 
Behind Peel on the podium was American Ashley Caldwell who also jumped a full-full-full with 101.74 points and Russian Liubov Nikitina on 94.47 points.
 
Narrowly missing the medals in fourth place was Australian teammate Danielle Scott who also performed high scoring triple somersaults throughout the day and won the earlier qualification round in only her second competition start since the Olympic final in 2018.
 
Behind Peel on the podium was American Ashley Caldwell with 101.74 points and Russian Liubov Nikitina in third place on 94.47 points.
 
“Honestly the second time feels even better”, said Peel after stepping off the podium.
 
“My qualification jumps were not my best, but I saved my best for the final, it’s only the second time I have competed that jump, I am so happy to put it down.”
 
The aerial skiers will remain in Almaty for the World Cup final which will take place on March 13, when Peel will be aiming to make it back to back World Cup titles.
 
Peel is currently in first place on the standings with 410 points, 67 points clear of the next ranked skier, Winter Vinecki of the USA. Peel needs to finish in seventh place or better to secure the title and season champion Crystal Globe.
 

VIS aerial skier Danielle Scott has continued her great form with a double victory in the Europa Cup event at Airolo, Switzerland.
 
The 30-year-old dual World Championship medallist performed triple somersault for her first ever time in competition, recording impressive scores to easily take the win in both events.
 
Day One
On the first day of competition, Scott jumped two different triple somersaults, qualifying to the final in first place with a 93.49 lay-tuck-full and 100.17 point full-tuck-full jump.

In the final, Scott improved her full-tuck-full to score 100.17 points, with a winning margin of 17 points to the second place finisher Emma Weiss of Germany. Rounding out the podium in third place was Carol Bouvard of Switzerland.

Scott's VIS teammate, Gabi Ash, advanced to the final in second place with good scores on her two qualifying jumps, and finished fifth in the final.

Day Two
On day two, Scott performed her triple twisting double somersaults to again record victory.

In the final Scott scored 94.47 points, to easily finish ahead of Carol Bouvard of Switzerland, who was over 35 points behind in second place, with Ukrainian Anastasiya Novosad in third place.
 
Gabi Ash again qualified well in third place, but had trouble with her landings in the final and just missed the podium in fourth place.
 
The aerial skiing athletes will head to Almaty, Kazakhstan, for the World Championships on March 10 and World Cup final at the same location on March 13.

IMAGE: Dani Scott celebrates after jumping triple somersaults for the first time in training prior to the competition in Airolo © Dani Scott Instagram

VIS aerial skier Danielle Scott has returned to competition in the best possible way, taking the gold medal in Deer Valley, USA, her first event since the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
 
The 30-year-old dual World Championship medallist scored 90.59 points with her back double full-full (a triple twisting double back somersault), to record the fourth victory and eleventh podium performance of her World Cup career.
 
Scott made great progress in her return to sport training at the new world class Geoff Henke Olympic Winter Training Centre Water Ramp facility located at Brisbane’s Sleeman Sports Centre.
 
World number one Laura Peel won both of the earlier rounds and was the only female in the super final to jump triple back somersaults. Peel had issues with her speed on her final jump with the snow conditions constantly changing in the sun and was unable to complete her nominated jump and received no score from the judges to put her in sixth place.
 
“I am beside myself, this is crazy, it’s been a long time since competing and I love this sport and this is probably the best welcome back ever”, Scott said.
 
“Today was good, it was interesting with the conditions, but I started off training really well, put down a good qualifying jump, continued on with training and finals and put down everything I needed to.
 
“This is a good confidence boost for the World Championships next month, this is obviously my first competition back so I needed that and I am really excited for what’s ahead.”
 
Rounding out the podium was American Winter Vinecki in second place with her teammate Kaila Kuhn in third.
 
Scott and Peel's VIS teammate Gabi Ash also had a successful first event of her season in Deer Valley, with a personal best seventh place finish, giving Australia three top ten performances.
 
With one World Cup remaining for the season, Peel maintains her lead as the number one aerial skier in the world with 410 points, with Winter Vinecki the only possible challenger for the Crystal Globe, trailing on the standings by 67 points.

The aerial skiing athletes will head to Almaty, Kazakhstan, for the World Championships on March 10 and World Cup final at the same location on March 13.
 
IMAGE: Dani Scott standing on the winner dais at Deer Valley  © US Ski Team

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.

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.

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

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.