Australia’s Flying Kangaroos are jumping straight back in the saddle for this week’s Aerial Skiing World Cups in Lake Placid, New York following disappointing results in Deer Valley, Utah.
 
Coach Jeff Bean described the team’s last World Cup as being his “worst event in four years coaching with the team” but added that the Aussies are ready to “step up our game”.
 
“It just felt like everybody and everything was a little bit off across the board,” he said.
 
“We had some rough weather, but I don’t look at anything as an excuse, ever. We were just a little bit off, everybody was close but it was actually a good reminder for this week to just take care of the little things, take care of the details – the extra percentages here and there.”
 
Four-time Olympian Lydia Lassila missed out on progressing through to the first final by 0.63 points, finishing in 13th place in what was her first World Cup since March 2017.
 
Sam Wells finished 15th while Danielle Scott, who won gold in Secret Garden, China last December, came in at 17th and 2015 World Champion Laura Peel in 20th.
 
Two-time Olympian and Sochi silver medallist David Morris also narrowly missed out on making the men’s finals in Deer Valley, finishing just outside the top 12 in 14th place with a score of 104.98.
 
“The competition was actually really good, a lot of good jumps doing down which means you had to perform very well to get in [the finals],” he said.
 
“I unfortunately did a nice jump but not a fantastic landing, I got docked on my landing scores and was unable to make the finals.
 
“I’m not overly disappointed because really we’re just training for the Olympics so we can peak at the right moment – which is the whole team because we’ve all qualified so, at the moment, it’s just training and building up the skills and confidence leading into the Olympics.”

Bean said that “as painful as it was” for the Aussies, “it was a good reminder that it’s the details that help us win and have helped this program win in the past”, especially in the lead up to PyeongChang.
 
“That’s what we really need to get back to so luckily this wasn’t mid-February and we take it as a learning [opportunity] and we move on,” he said.
 
“Luckily we have two World Cups this week so we really get to get back on the horse right away which is a huge opportunity for us after a bad week.”
 
Fresh from the jump site, Bean said that Tuesday’s training “was probably the best we’ve had at a World Cup in probably a year”.
 
“The site was good, the weather was good – all of our girls did triple twists and double flips, Dave got up to triple flips so it really set us up for the week which is nice,” he said.
 
“And then we have a really good solid day of training tomorrow, we’ve already gone up two degrees of difficulties so we can work on our degree of difficulty. Quite often on World Cup you’re just scrambling to even do your jumps, here we can actually work on them.
 
With back-to-back competition days, the Flying Kangaroos will train again on Wednesday before taking Thursday off ahead of Friday and Saturday’s World Cups.
 
“I think the team’s actually feeling pretty good, [Deer Valley] was a good wake-up call for the staff as well as the athletes and everyone jumped well, just not well enough,” Bean said.
 
“We’ve just got to, for lack of a better term, step up our game and that’s what we’re doing this week, we’re just taking care of the details.
 
“Just raising the level of intensity a little bit for everyone because that’s what you need to do at this time of year in preparation for the Olympics because it’s going to be more stressful and more intense there so we have to be prepared for that.”
 
The final Aerials World Cups before PyeongChang will be held in Lake Placid, New York this week on Friday and Saturday. For live updates from the site, follow OWIA on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.
 
David Barden
OWIA

Australia’s aerials contingent have missed out on qualification for the finals of the penultimate World Cup event prior to PyeongChang 2018.

Needing to place in the top 12 in Deer Valley to progress to Final 1, Lydia Lassila came agonisingly close just 0.63 points off qualifiying in 13th place in what was her first event back since the 2017 World Championships.

Sam Wells finished 15th a further three points back with World Championships silver medallist Danielle Scott claiming 17th and 2015 World Champion Laura Peel in 20th.

In the men’s competition Sochi 2014 silver medallist David Morris also came close scoring 104.98 to finish 14th, just over five points outside of the top 12.

"It was a very tough day here for the team," coach Jeff Bean said.

"In my four years of coaching we've not had at least one athlete qualify for the final. It was all small little mistakes and in this sport when it's only three seconds it's those small little mistakes that count.

"Lydia finished in 13th only just missing the final but this is a day that we can all learn from.

"This wasn't the Olympics, we know the team is jumping well and we have two events in Lake Placid next week that we are going to move forward and focus on and make sure we are ready for the Games in February."

The Chinese and USA teams dominated the women’s event progressing four athletes each through to Final 1 while Belarus’ Sochi 2014 gold medallist Anton Kushnir topped the qualification charts for the men.

Matt Bartolo
olympics.com.au

Danielle Scott won the day two Aerial Skiing, redeeming herself in the best way possible after placing 22nd on her first day on the hill at China’s Secret Garden, aerials location for the 2022 Olympic Games.
 
Indeed, there was nothing that could wipe the smile off the faces of the Flying Kangaroos on Sunday who were not only thrilled at their teammate’s excellent result but also overjoyed after claiming silver in the team aerials event.
 
“Yesterday was a bit of a sad day for me, I got blown off the hill so didn’t really have much of a chance,” Scott said.
 
“Good to come out and have a bit of a redemption today, it was still really tricky conditions. I did exactly what I needed to do and broke the 100 points which is what I’ve been aiming for this season, just trying to get those little goals.”
 
The Flying Kangaroos and VIS skiers went into the nail-biting final round of the team event against China and Russia with the pressure on once again for the team who earned bronze last year to pull out their biggest tricks.
 
As Scott pointed out, with the Aussies having just two women on the double “it makes it a little bit more difficult for us to produce higher scores”.
 
“Last year we came third which was pretty exciting because we have a big disadvantage having two girls and one guy compared to two guys and one girl,” Morris added.
 
“These two ladies really to have to pull their biggest skills and we can’t really can’t make any mistakes if we want to make it through the rounds and we did that today which is very exciting.
 
“[We] ended up one spot higher than last year so we’ve progressed a little bit which is excellent and it was pretty fun. Thought we had it there for a minute, we saw China go down and I got a little too excited too early and then they beat us by a very small margin but a fantastic result for the day and everyone jumped like champs.”
 
“We’ll one up it next year,” Scott laughed, “pressure is on!”

Morris, a two-time Olympian, finished ninth on Day Two and said that the team competition had been “a good little confidence boost that we’ll take into the next competition”.
 
“Ninth today, a bit better than yesterday,” he joked.
 
“Nearly the same score, I think I beat it by one whole point which was a little sad because it was a way straighter jump but very happy with ninth.”
 
Samantha Wells also improved on the second day of the World Cup, placing fifth despite far from ideal conditions.
 
“Maybe a bit warmer [today] if anything and I put three full double fulls down one after the other in all different ranges and I was really, really pleased with myself,” she said.
 
“We were really happy to come to this event and jump in some difficult conditions and bring out our higher degree of difficulty in the opening event. We’re really pleased to be walking away from this event with a silver medal as a team and it’s a great way to open the season for us.
 
“We’ve got a big training camp coming up before [the next competition] so I think we’ll be probably be a bit more prepared with a few more jumps under our belts and a few more landings under our belts and it’ll be a good chance to knock them out of the park.”
 
Sochi Olympian Laura Peel finished 13th on the second day of the World Cup and currently sits 12th on the World Cup Standings while teammates Scott and Wells now sit 3rd and 5th respectively.

Watching from the judges stand, five-time Olympian and World Champion Jacqui Cooper described the “quite special moment” she had watching the three girls she recruited into aerial skiing as teenagers compete at a World Cup.
 
“My career ended as theirs started,” she said.
 
“To come back and see them all, that was fantastic. I was even getting pins and needles in my hands and in my feet. Obviously yesterday was a bit of a tough day but I was happy, Sam and I had some bonding time before the competition. To see Danni come out today and win it’s really nice to have moments with these athletes that I’ll always have a strong connection with.
 
“The win is the bonus; the medals are the bonuses but at the moment our team wouldn’t be focused on trying to win every event. It’s about getting competition experience for the rest of the season … We are heading in the right direction.”
 
The next World Cup for the aerial skiers will be from the 10-12 January at Deer Valley, USA. 


David Barden
OWIA​​

Wind gusts and below freezing temperatures made for a tricky day for Australia’s VIS aerial skiers at the first FIS World Cup of the season at Secret Garden, China.
 
Sochi Olympian Samantha Wells said that the conditions on the morning of the competition had been “the worst possible” for an aerials event but managed to place sixth overall after progressing through to the Super Final.
 
“It was minus 22 on the thermometer with wind gusts in all different directions, so we had swirling wind on the in runs which makes it really difficult to get the consistent speed that we want,” she said.
 
The 27-year-old managed to “scrape through” the morning’s qualification round placing eighth “because not many people were landing”.
 
“Then [we] came out this afternoon to much warmer conditions – and by warmer I mean it was a bit more sunny and a little less wind maybe, but still pretty gusty,” she said.
 
“I had really great training so I was able to put a number of jumps to my feet and really build my confidence heading into the first round of finals and I felt really relaxed going into it.
 
Wells had a smooth jump and nice landing which saw her head into the Super Final in fifth place.

“In the Super Final I pushed up my DD to try and get some mileage on the tricks that I plan on performing in PyeongChang and I didn’t land which put me into sixth place but I’m really happy to have been able to get the mileage on that trick in preparation for PyeongChang.”

​Despite the wind gusts, Wells said that her failure to land came down to “personal error” but she takes it all in her stride.
 
“Got to claim it, you’ve got to own it and I can own that crash because it’s a step in the right direction even though it was a mistake,” she said.

“I’ve learnt from it and can carry that into my next World Cup events.”
 
Laura Peel ranked eighth in the women’s qualification and finished the day in ninth place while Danielle Scott ranked 22nd after a missed landing in the qualification round.

After qualifying second and making his way into the finals, David Morris placed 11th overall and said that he was “really pleased with a solid start to the season”.
 
“In tricky conditions, it was a good challenge to do one of my harder skills (quadruple-twisting triple-flip),” he said.
 
“But PyeongChang was very windy so to get some practice in less comfortable conditions is vital.
 
“Really great result for our team today, with three of us into finals and Sam shining after a good summer of training.”

Tomorrow sees the team competition at Secret Garden where Morris hopes to see “some good results” and “have some fun in a slightly less stressful contest”.
 
“It is day two tomorrow, [I’m feeling] much more confident after today’s training and I managed to put the jumps to my feet which was the key for me today, getting the rotation right and landing and I feel pretty relaxed about tomorrow,” Wells added.
 
You can keep up with live updates from Secret Garden HERE or on OWIA’s Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.
 
David Barden
OWIA

Australia’s aerial skiers will compete in the first FIS World Cup of the season in China this weekend and they’re raring to go following an intensive training camp in Ruka, Finland.
 
As one would expect, training at the Finnish ski resort also provided our Aussies with a prime opportunity to get their confidence up, according to coach Jeff Bean.
 
“In the three plus years I’ve been involved in the team this is the best training camp we’ve had,” he said.
 
“Ruka was the best it’s ever been, mother nature was good to us this year. Of our scheduled training days in an outdoor sport we didn’t lose any, we really got to stick to our plan and it made a huge difference to get that volume in.”
 
Training wasn’t the only thing that the aerialists were up to in Ruka though. In between jumping, rehab, physio and dwindling hours of sunlight, they also managed to fit in the perfect pre-World Cup warm up by competing in the Europa cup.
 
“Four weeks is a real grind in Ruka in the dark … by the end of it we only had three hours of sunlight, and it is groundhog say,” Bean said.
 
“To have a little bit of change and really see where things will sit was a good opportunity for everyone and we had some great results which was great. For all five of the OWIA athletes [it] was the best thing.”
 
On the first day of the competition, Laura Peel jumped two well executed back somersaults to take first place.
 
Day two saw Danielle Scott completing two triple twisting double back somersaults to finish over 10 points clear in first place. Peel also claimed her second medal of the competition, finishing in third place.
 
While aerial skiing is most definitely an individual sport, the incredible bond that exists between our Aussies is one that helps our athletes fly higher than ever before.
 
“It’s crucial, I’m of the philosophy that success breeds success,” Bean said.
 
“These guys do push each other because when you see your teammate working hard you want to work as hard. These guys live together 10 months a year, that to me plays a big role in it and I think for both Joe and myself it’s something we’ve tried to push that team environment because success breeds success.”
 
While physical training is undoubtedly paramount, “the mental side is just as important in a sport that takes three seconds”.
 
“Any small mental mistake and your jump is over,” Bean said.
 
“These athletes train 10, 12, 15 years of their lives for seconds, so you want to have all the pieces of the puzzle in place.
 
“We only have five or six opportunities prior to PyeongChang to work on that ability to compete.”
 
And with the World Cup season kicking off less than 60 days before the Winter Games, the pressure is on – but the Aussies aren’t going to let that faze them.
 
“Our focus is business as usual and it’s been great so far this year,” Bean said.
 
“This group has been coming to this Chinese World Cup for five or six years now, everything is about routine.”
 
The first FIS Aerial Skiing World Cup of the season kicks off this weekend from the 16 – 17 December. For live results, click HERE or follow OWIA on Twitter HERE or Facebook HERE.
 
For more on how our Aussies went in the Europa Cup, click HERE.

David Barden
OWIA
 
 
 

OWIA/VIS athletes Laura Peel and Danielle Scott have started the season in great form, both recording victories in a warm up Europa Cup competition in Ruka, Finland.
 
With many of the world’s top athletes currently in Ruka preparing for the World Cup season, a strong field competed in two events.
 
On day one, Laura Peel jumped two well executed double back somersaults to take first place. Samantha Wells and Danielle Scott struggled with their landings finishing in 16th and 26th.
 
On day two, Danielle Scott rebounded strongly, competing two triple twisting double back somersaults to finish over 10 points clear in first place. Laura Peel claimed her second medal, finishing in third place, with Sam Wells also improving from day one to finish in tenth.
 
David Morris improved on his day one finish of 18th to place 12th on day two.
 
VIS development athletes also competed in the event, with Brittany George recording the highest place finish, with a 12th place day two performance. Abbey Willcox had her best result on day two finishing in 20th. The event was the first Aerial Skiing career starts for Gabi Ash and Alice Neill, with Gabi 15th on day one and Alice 19th on day two.
 
The first World Cup for the OWIA/VIS athletes will take place in Secret Garden, China, on December 16-17.

IMAGE: Daniel Scott (left) and Laure Peel (right), Europa Cup winners in Ruka, Finland.

Andrew Pattison
OWIA

Beneath the unassuming and quietly spoken persona lurks a determined athlete.

Nicknamed ‘The Real Deal Peel’, Laura Peel is one of the few aerial skiers who came to her sport in 2009 as both an accomplished skier and gymnast, quickly making her mark on the international scene with multiple World Cup medals, seventh at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and a World Championship title in 2015.

A severe ankle injury in early 2015, requiring two surgeries and lengthy rehabilitation, kept the Canberra native on the sidelines the following season as she watched her team mates soar in North America, Europe and Asia.

Peel made it back to the top ranks last season in immediate style with a return to the top twelve but the World Cup medals, whilst tantalising close, eluded her until the final competition in Moscow early this year when she secured a bronze.

Now in the best shape of her career after spending the off season in Park City, Utah with the Flying Kangaroos squad, Peel had a short break at home before leaving for Ruka, Finland on November 11.

“It’s nice to relax and not feel any pressure, have a car, see friends, check into reality and get out of the bubble for a bit,” Peel said.

“It’s always good to get out and get a bit of perspective. That’s necessary.”

The break at home was short after spending the northern hemisphere summer on the specially constructed Aerial Skiing water ramps in Park City, Utah.

“The pool is hard on the body and I’m excited about getting onto snow. Our focus is on training and we try to enjoy that.”

Speaking with Peel, there’s one trait that is noticeable. Every thought or explanation is rounded off with a positive note.

“This summer I didn’t introduce any new tricks. It’s about getting those tricks to the best standard I can. I’m healthy and confident. That’s important.”

Consistency is uppermost in the 28-year-old’s mind.

“I’m feeling good,” Peel said. “I finally got back on the podium last season. Even though I saved it for the last event, I’m back in the game and where I needed to be.”

“Ruka (in Finland) is one of my favourite places. It’s just beautiful, honestly. Beautiful sun sets and very different.”
Returning to Finland is akin to a fairy tale.

“It’s bushland straight to Frozen! We go from very long days (in Australia) to very, very short (in Ruka).

The day light hours in Finland at this time of year are so short that most of training is done under lights. Plus the Aussies have company.

“There’s a lot of teams training in Ruka. Pretty much all the field except for China,” Peel explained.

“We do hang out. It’s nice that everyone is pretty friendly.”

Looking ahead to PyeongChang, Peel reflected on what she has learned from Sochi.  

“The Olympics can be overwhelming. Usually there’s not many spectators or media and then Olympics changes everything”

“It’s important to realise you’re doing the exact same thing. I’ve done it before and it will be less overwhelming and I want to give my best performance.”

Conditions will play a part in Korea on 14 and 15 February when Aerial Skiing takes centre stage for Australian viewers.   
“There’s quite a bit of wind on the site, which is not ideal, but we spend a lot of time coping with the different speeds and coping with the wind. I will be doing all the jumps I’ve done before.”

“Three jumps in a row. Confidence and consistency is going to be important.”
 
 

With just over 100 days remaining until the opening of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, Aerials skier Samantha Wells is primed to perform.

Between May and October this year, the 28-year-old Novocastrian spent an intense four months training at the Utah Olympic Park Aerials training facility, churning out the repetitions needed to ensure a smooth transition to the snow in the winter season.


Wells, who claimed second place at the 2016 Lake Placid World Cup make up event held in Deer Valley, says the gruelling training regime at Park City has left her confident ahead of the upcoming World Cup season and Pyeongchang 2018.


“My goals were to become confident in all the different ranges that I need to perform each of my highest and hardest tricks at, ready for competition, and I felt like I achieved that,” said Wells who finished 18th on Olympic debut at the Sochi 2014 Games.


“I am feeling confident and comfortable with the skills I am going to be transferring to snow this year, and will be heading into the winter confidently knowing that I can handle anything that is thrown at me.”


Wells’ aerial training at Park City was certainly no walk in the park.


Mornings began with pilates, injury specific strength and maintenance, a 20-minute high-intensity warm up, balance work, and visualisation in preparation for water ramp training.


Wells would then hit the water ramp for an hour and a half, honing her skills and jumps through repetition.


“In that time I would do about 10 jumps on a double, or 15 or so jumps on a single - depending what I was working on. But I spend most of my time on the double kicker working on my double somersault tricks.


“The water jump is a really good way of getting in the repetitions we need during the summer months to perform new tricks and skills in a safer environment before we transfer them onto the snow.”


After a quick lunch, Wells would spend another hour and a half session at the water ramp, then straight to the gym for a workout - either upper body, lower body, cardio, or another strength specific pilates session.


After a gruelling day of physical exertion, Wells would finally return home for physio treatment, relaxation, visualisation – and of course, dinner.


“It is pretty intense - but it is a great regime for feeling ready to compete,” Wells continued.


Despite returning to Australia in October, Wells’ schedule has only been getting more intense.


“I had two short days at home, and then I flew down to Melbourne for a fitness camp.


However brief, the time with family and friends was a welcome reprieve.


“Friends and family are the one thing that we really miss on the road - that social contact with all the people that we have in our lives. The internet is great, but in person can’t be beaten.”


Wells spent much of her time in the gym at the Victorian Institute of Sport, and refining her aerial skills in the bungee system at the Ski and Snowboard Australia water ramp facility near Lilydale.


“The main goal for the fitness camp was to keep my aerial awareness active while I was in the bungee, and to really consolidate the strength and conditioning training while I was at home."


As if the mental, physical, and emotional strain of preparing for the World Cup and the Winter Olympics wasn’t enough, Wells is also working to complete the final year of her Bachelor of Health Science.


Although the combined pressure of training for the Olympics and undertaking a degree seems daunting, Wells says she enjoys the challenge.


“I like to keep busy. Whether it is studying, working on some kind of handcraft, reading a good book, I always like to have something on the go - I’m not good at just sitting around and doing nothing.


In early November the Australian team will be heading over to Finland for preseason training, where Wells will be transferring everything she has learned on the water ramps to the snow in preparation for the first World Cup event in China


From there it’s straight onto the World Cup circuit and then, if all goes to plan, to South Korea for her second Winter Olympics Games.


Wells is determined to bring home some gold this year and will definitely be one to watch throughout the season.
“I’ve stood on every other block but the biggest one at the end of the day, and I’d like to stand on the biggest one."


Beth Green
olympics.com.au

Australia’s winter sporting family gathered on Sunday, October 15 to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia’s Chairman Geoff Henke AO at the O’Brien Group Arena in Melbourne.
 
Among the guests who celebrated with the Henke family were Olympic medallists Alisa Camplin, Lydia Lassila and Zali Steggall who all paid tribute to Geoff’s vision and support.

Also speaking at the glittering evening was Australia’s first World Champion in Aerial Skiing, Kirstie Marshall, transport magnate and close friend, Lyndsay Fox and former Federal Sports Minister Rod Kemp. 

It has often been written that Geoff Henke is the father of the modern day Australian Winter Olympians.

Anybody can champion their cause and try to make a difference, but the remarkable achievement Geoff Henke has forged through his vision, leadership and boundless energy in conceiving firstly the Australian Winter Institute and then shepherding that fledgling organisation into the Olympic Winter Institute Australia since 1998 is remarkable.

 “What is best for the athlete” is the foundation of Geoff Henke’s vision and the reason that the OWIA is successful.
​
Geoff Henke has helped to shape better Australian winter athletes and change the perception of how winter sport is perceived on home soil

Aerial skiing might be an individual sport but it is the incredible team bond that is helping to ensure our Australian athletes are flying higher than ever before.

Currently training on the water ramps at Utah Olympic Park, the Australian team lives, trains and laughs together as they build towards the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

There is plenty to be happy about for the Aussie contingent with each of the team landing on the World Cup podium last season, and all appear to have a shot at adding to Australia’s five Aerials Olympic medals at PyeongChang next year.  

“When there's good banter, that's a decent sign of a well bonded team, and our banter is pretty constant,” said Sochi 2014 silver medallist and 2017 World Championships bronze medallist David Morris.

“Everyone is doing really well and being as supportive as they can whilst also making sure they concentrate on themselves. The mood is always good up on the ramps, the team is always having a good time and I can honestly say everyone is jumping really well which in turn makes training more enjoyable all-round.

“We will definitely be a force to reckoned with come the snowfall.”

Morris’ roommate is World Championship silver medallist Danielle Scott is also thriving in the positive environment.
 
“The team dynamic is pretty chill right now as every World Cup athlete has already qualified for the Games according to our national criteria,” she said.

“Dave and I live together and it is a lot of fun pushing each other inside and outside of training, we have a lot of hilarious banter!”

The Utah sun is a long way from the icy competition slopes that will soon be upon the Aussie athletes and they are lapping up the warmer weather for as long as they can.

“I love water ramp training mainly because it's summer,” said Scott.

“It's a lot harder on the body but I'm a summer girl at heart so I don't know if I could do this sport if we didn't have a summer.

“Training is going well. I'm working on some pretty technical parts of my jumping so it's been intense but good.

“My coaches Joe and Jeff have been fantastic in pushing me and giving me everything I need to be the best jumper I can be leading into next season.”

With the strong training base in place Scott is confident she will be ready to go come the PyeongChang 2018 Games.
“It sure is a different feeling leading into these Games now that I have one under my belt,” she said.

“It will be nice to enjoy the hype as opposed to being a little overwhelmed by it.

“The first Olympics for us is usually about gaining experience so I do feel a lot more confident knowing that I have that experience and can focus more on my performance.”

Morris is also making the most of the camp in Utah.

“I'm smashing training at the moment,” he said.

“I came over here well prepared after an intense strength and fitness camp at the VIS and have hit the ground running and haven't stopped.

“We've been incredibly fortunate with almost perfect weather every day, we haven't had any cancelled sessions and the whole team has utilised this opportunity.

“After a lot of work fixing things last year I was quickly able to get up to speed and up to my hardest skills rather quickly which is always more fun because the more twists I do the more I enjoy it.”

Matt Bartolo
olympics.com.au
 

A new 20-year agreement to better support Aerial Skiing athletes has been announced at Mt Buller, making the alpine village an official Olympic Training Centre and Victoria’s home for the development of future Olympic and World Champions in Aerial and Mogul Skiing.
 
Under the landmark agreement between the Olympic Winter Institute Australia (OWIA), the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS), Buller Ski Lifts, Mt Buller Resort Management Board and Ski and Snowboard Australia, Aerial Skiing athletes can look forward to improved facilities and access at Mt Buller that will enhance the effectiveness of athlete training programs.
 
The existing Olympic Training Centre activities based at Mt Buller were recognised by the Australian Olympic Committee in 1995 and have been crucial in helping to produce five Olympic and fifteen World Championship medals, including Olympic gold Medallists Alisa Camplin (2002) and Lydia Lassila (2010).  
 
OWIA Chairman Geoff Henke AO paid tribute to the advances winter sports have made.
 
“Winter sports have had remarkable success over the past decade, and now sit only behind Swimming and Sailing on current Olympic Sport high performance rankings. We are delighted to announce this partnership with Mt Buller to help more Australians reach the pinnacle of winter sport success for years to come,” Geoff Henke said.
 
Extended operations at Mt Buller include a 20-year lease of an accommodation facility of 20-25 beds for OWIA/VIS athlete and program staff, night training access for both the Aerials and Mogul Skiing courses, the development and access to a specialised acrobatic centre, gym access and a meeting/study room.
 
“The agreement will no doubt help us to continue to excel in a sport we’ve had so much success in over the years,” said PyeongChang 2018 Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman.

“Having won 10 World Cup medals and two World Championships medals this past season, along with a number of junior athletes coming through the ranks, we are sure to go from strength-to-strength in the sport in the coming years. It will be great that these athletes will be able to spend part of their year on home soil training.”
 
On-site accommodation for Aerial athletes and program staff at Mt Buller make it the only resort in Australia where Olympic athletes can live on mountain and train both day and night.
 
Earthworks, snow making and lights installation for the Aerials site and Mogul course on Chamois Run will also provide more effective and productive training for OWIA/VIS and SSA athletes.
 
Under the agreement, 25 night-time jumping sessions per season, sport specific acrobatic training and more ski time for the athletes by living on mountain will be added to the existing VIS program.
 
“As part of this historic agreement, Buller Ski Lifts will be upgrading the snowmaking facilities on the Chamois Run and installing lights so that athletes can train day and night,” Laurie Blampied, General Manager, Buller Ski Lifts said.
 
“We’re also extending our arrangement to keep the tremendously successful Victorian Interschools Snowsports Championships at Mt Buller for at least another five years.”  

A driving force to assist winter athletes has come from Rino Grollo and his family.
 “Diana and our family have been partners with the Winter Olympic movement since Lillehammer in 1994,” Rino Grollo, Chair, Grollo Group explained.

“Buller Ski Lifts has been a partner of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia since its inception in 1997, and we are very proud of the success that our winter athletes have enjoyed in the past and look forward to sharing the future successes that this new partnership will enable.”

For aspiring winter athletes, the opportunity to train alongside the best will be a reality.

 “This is wonderful news for athletes, parents, children and visitors to Mt Buller. Young skiers will be able to watch their heroes train right beside the Village Square, then follow their dreams from ski school to the Victorian Interschools, involvement in Mt Buller Sports Clubs, and then on to an elite training program – all right here at Mt Buller. And the FIS dual moguls course will also be open to all skiers when it’s not required for training,” said Andy Evans, Director, Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort Management Board.

Aerial Skiing training has been a fixture at Mt Buller since the sport’s inception in the mid-1980s when Kirstie Marshall became Australia’s first international representative in the new winter discipline.
 
Marshall went on to become Australia’s first Aerial Skiing World Champion, paving the way for Jacqui Cooper, Alisa Camplin and the current all-World Cup medallist squad, which includes Olympic gold medallist Lydia Lassila, Olympic silver medallist David Morris, 2015 World Champion Laura Peel, 2016/17 World number two Danielle Scott and three-time World Cup medallist Samantha Wells.
 
Ski and Snowboard Australia has welcomed the increased support.
 
“Mt Buller has always been an important partner for our sport and in particular Aerial Skiing. We are delighted to partner with the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia and Mt Buller to extend their athlete training programs. We also welcome the long-term vision of Mt Buller in supporting winter sport and are pleased to be extending the rights to host the Victorian Interschools at Mt Buller,” Dean Gosper, President Ski & Snowboard Australia said.

Formal contracts will be finalised in the coming months with the Centre expected to be up and running by winter 2018.
 

There’s much, much more to three-time World Cup Aerial Skiing medalist Sam Wells than the dedicated athlete she undoubtedly is.

Sam Wells, dubbed the quiet achiever, is in a very good place personally and in her sport.

A self-acknowledged ‘busy’ person, Wells combines training with a final year of her Bachelor of Health Science degree, holds a Level 4 Certificate in fitness and is an accomplished cook who raises funds for the Cancer Council through her Biggest Morning Teas.

With one Olympics and three World Cup medals under her Flying Kangaroo belt, Wells wants more.

“Medals are a tick, but the gold one is on the to do list. I’ve got a silver and two bronzes. I want to stand on the top,” she said from Park City in Utah.

“I’ve been doing a lot of things in my training, which started at Lilydale in April (in Victoria) and we’ve been working on both of my triple twisting doubles.”

“As sub-par as Lilydale may seem, it was a bonus for me. We worked on the single and spent a ton of time on doubles on the bungy. In twenty-minutes I can punch out 40 or 50 doubles and then transfer that to the ramps.”

“Being able to get the reps on the bungy has been a real secret weapon for me.”

“In Park City, I have been able to transfer all the things I worked on from Lilydale and it’s been a much smoother transition,” she said.

By the end of July Wells was up to her full degree of difficulty (DD) and improving her form in the air.  

“Our competition is based on consistency. For me to jump DD consistently is important. On my double in last year I was having difficulty keep my feet together so I’ve been working on that. The water ramps are helping me find the correct prompts and cues.”
 
Water ramping for Aerial skiers is a complicated business and not for the faint-hearted. The Flying Kangaroos complete approximately nine jumps per session into the pool at Park City, which requires the ability to swim with skis on.
   
 “With a life jacket and boots that float it’s not that hard. You tuck your heels up so the skis are on the top of the water and get good at breaststroke,” Wells explained.  

“I weigh a lot more with my gear on. About 10 to 15kgs more than when I’m dry. I always think at training that walking up the stairs is the hardest part of the day but it’s good for our fitness too. Especially at altitude.”

Far from study taking a back seat, the 28-year-old has continued her Bachelor of Health Science majoring in health promotion.

“I chose to study it because it’s in the field I’m interested in. There are three subjects to go. Two this semester and one after the Olympics.”

Athletes who compartmentalise their training often have other interests.  Study and utilising time productively is key for the Newcastle native.

“You have to give your brain a rest sometimes,” she says when asked about training only. “I’d go mad otherwise.”

“Pursuing other goals gives me a sense of satisfaction, which helps me to be diligent and focused about my sport and more and not get burnt out thinking about Aerials all the time.”

 Wells also achieved a Certificate 4 in Fitness last year, which she added to her Certificate for Hospitality, “just to add to the repertoire”. 

Bringing together her skill in the kitchen to help others is a natural fit, which benefit her fellow athletes - who acknowledge Sam as ’definitely the best in the team kitchen’ and allows her to raise funds for the Cancer Council.  

For the third year Sam has hosted a Biggest Morning Tea after her interest in the project was sparked when she volunteered at the Cancer Council as part of her university course.   

“This year’s spread was pretty good and I raised over $600.  I plan on doing it forever. It’s amazing the difference the funds can do to make someone’s life a little better.

“I love making stuff. It doesn’t matter what it is. I like the challenge of seeing something from start to finish.”
Team dinners on Sam’s watch always means something different.

“We have to submit our meals for team camps but usually it’s, ‘Yay – Sam’s cooking’. There may be old favourites but I like to experiment every time.”

Recent meals for the team have included lemon, balsamic and ginger chicken burgers with charred corn capsicum and tomato and a mouth-watering rice noodle salad with pork sate patties.

Danielle Scott is more than happy to hand over the apron.

“Cooking is like an art for Sam and she is the winner in the chef department. She definitely loves to cook and we just like to get fed,” Scott said.

Wells attributes her culinary skills to her family.

“My mum is great cook, and her mum is a great cook. It’s about learning new skills and the mastery of the challenge,” she said.  

There’s no idle hands or an idle mind in the Wells’ household it seems - from making curtains, moccasins, hand sewing or a macramé wall hanging.

“Sewing and craft are high on my list. I love being genuinely busy and good at stuff.”

It’s ten years since Sam Wells has lived at home on the shores of Lake Macquarie in NSW but she will be home in mid-October for a short holiday, but if you want to keep up with this high achiever, you’d want to be up early.
 
 By Belinda Noonan
OWIA

At this time of year, training for Aerial Skiers has less to do with snow and much more with its warmer genesis.

The Flying Kangaroos have been in Park City, Utah since May honing their skills with water-ramping.

Current world silver medallist, multiple World Cup medallist and Sochi Olympian, Danielle Scott is one of Australia’s medal hopes next February who is making the most of her pre-Olympic training.

“So far it’s been water ramping, stepping up strength and conditioning and ballet (barre) for flexibility and body alignment,” Scott said.

“I already have the fluidity, but the barre work is used as cross training and helps with our posture, being tall and moving as one piece,” she explained.

Scott is not training new jumps but doing what she does better.  

“For me it’s refining what I have been doing and getting the jumps as perfect as I can.”

That means going into the water again and again.

“Training here is so important. Park City is one of the world’s best facilities. Everything is so close. The gym, shops and accommodation make it simple and easy. This place has so much to offer in summer and winter.”

Park City is home to the US aerial team and this year the Swiss and Chinese teams are training there as well.

 “You do see people throwing harder tricks off the water ramp because there is no ski-away. That’s a lighter side of being altogether in the one facility.”

Training for the Australians means long days and spending a lot of time together. 

A typical day begins at 8am with an hour in the gym, ramps from 10.30am until noon and again from 1.30pm to 3pm, followed by another gym session, physio, psych and video replay before a team dinner.

“Someone always cooks a team dinner. We take it in turns but Sam (Wells) definitely loves to cook and we just like to get fed. It’s like an art for her. She’s the winner in the chef department.”

Scott shares accommodation with Dave Morris, and the chat is continual.  

“First thing in the morning the banter begins. It’s constant. If someone had a recording it would be hilarious,” she said.
 
“There is not a lot of personal space and there are times when I get the go pro out and take some great footage. We all have different ways to relax and unwind.”  

The team will remain in Park City until early October.

“We are the mercy of the US. They design their perfect schedule and we have to fit around that."

 “We only get ninety-minute water ramp sessions with really short breaks, which is not great for recovery.”

Coaches Joe Davies and Jeff Bean are essential to the ongoing Aussie success.   

“With Joe’s technical expertise out there and Jeff’s second eye, they are right down to the minute details and really trying to maximise every point.”

Joe Davies, an American who formerly coached members of the US Aerial team, is a bonus for the Flying Kangaroos.   

“We have maintained good relations with other countries on the world tour,” Scott explained. “Joe has kept that respect and that helps us to use facilities like here in Park City and also in Switzerland. USA shut the Chinese out last season and that could have been us.”

“It’s time for us to have our own facility and not be at the mercy of other countries.”

Whilst Scott understands the decision of the NSW Government to not proceed with the Lennox Head facility in late May, she remains disappointed that neither Brisbane or Lennox Head have had a green light.

“For us to still not have a facility, it’s upsetting really. I respect where that community was coming from and before that I got my hopes up for Brisbane, thinking that we would have friends and family nearby.   

“Australia has such a rich history in Aerial Skiing and the future of the sport relies upon having a facility.”

Since the sport was first introduced to the Winter Olympics in 1994, Australia has won two gold (Alisa Camplin and Lydia Lassila), one silver (David Morris) and two  bronze (Alisa Camplin and Lydia Lassila).

Korea may not be the last Olympics for Danielle Scott.

“If a water ramp was built in Australia, I’d definitely continue.”

By Belinda Noonan OWIA

Olympic Winter Institute Australia Chairman Geoff Henke AO  and Olympic Gold Medallist Lydia Lassila have acknowledged the NSW Government’s decision yesterday (Saturday, May 27) not to proceed with the multi sports development at the proposed state government owned Lake Ainsworth site at Lennox Head on the North NSW coast.
 
The proposed new Olympic Swimming Pool and Ski Jump Ramp project at Lake Ainsworth had planned to provide Australia’s elite winter athletes with a training base alongside an all-year facility that offered full community access to the pool for multiple sports, gym, meeting spaces and expert sports personnel.  
 
“Whilst we are disappointed that the local community at Lennox Head felt that this project was unsuitable for their area, we respect their view and also welcome the state government’s commitment to find an alternative regional site for this much-needed facility,” Mr Henke and Ms Lassila jointly said today.
 
In announcing the government’s decision today, Nationals Parliamentary Secretary for Northern NSW Ben Franklin said, “I support this project being built in regional NSW. At the right location, the facility would provide a much-needed boost for local jobs and businesses.”
 
Sports Minister Stuart Ayres said that despite the project not being built at Lennox Head - “We’re looking for an alternative site.”
 
The project is a collaboration between the NSW government, Australian Olympic Committee, Australian Sports Commission and the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA).
 
Winter Olympic gold and bronze medallist Lydia Lassila has been personally lobbying for an Australian facility since her win in 2010 in Vancouver.
 
“Without a facility such as the one proposed, Australians continue to be at a competitive disadvantage - always at the mercy of international training facilities and unable to recruit and develop young Australian athletes in cross sport transfer programs who wish to compete, or experience different sports, because the cost of training overseas is prohibitive,” Lydia Lassila said.  
 
“Today’s decision is saddening because the Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre in Lennox Head was (and still is) impressive, due to the existing sport and recreation as well as lodging at the facility and in the town itself.”
 
The Lennox Head community cited the height of the ramp structure as its main contention.
 
“The Ski Jump Water Ramp is a 30 metre structure – not a building nor real estate development, which forms only part of the proposed new facility,” Lassila explained.  
 
“The project would provide a state-of-the-art Olympic sized swimming pool and additional services such as a gym, medical services, amenities, meeting spaces and more for any local sporting or social group or individual who wishes to use the facility.”  
 
“As athletes, we are not potential developers nor do we have any commercial aspirations.”
Mr Henke outlined various social and economic benefits for a regional facility of this type.   
“We know there is an increased demand for water polo training facilities on the northern coast and that is just one water sport that could benefit from a facility such as the one we are proposing,” he said. 
 
“In addition there is the potential for diving, Learn-to-Swim schools, synchronised swimming, competitions, school classes, squad swimming and water-based exercise classes in a heated pool all year round – we see an opportunity for other sports such as trampoline, scuba diving training and talent cross over programs.”
 
 “Economically, it makes sense.  Short-term rental in the winter months for homes, units and caravan parks by athletes, their parents and sports program coaches and staff would increase.”

“International visitors, Australian athletes and their families in winter would increase trade in local business. As a multi-purpose project with water sports enthusiasts in the summer and winter athletes utilising the facility in the winter months, patronage is assured all year-round and makes social and economic sense.”

“The pool would never need to be the exclusive domain of elite athletes because it can be divided into sections by floating booms. Plus, the number of high level coaches and elite athletes relocating or accessing this facility and its services can only be of benefit to young upcoming athletes in many other sports.”  

Many winter sports use ramps as a training tool including Aerial skiing, Moguls, Big Air and Slopestyle.

High level sports services experts and practitioners include physiotherapists, physiologists, Sports Medicine, biomechanists, nutritionists and support personnel who would complement local practitioners with experience, expertise and opportunity.
 
Mr Henke looks forward to continuing to work with the NSW Office of Sport in finding a suitable site as soon as possible.
 
“Training in favourable conditions would give Australians an enormous advantage over the rest of the world, enable us to recruit and develop our grass roots athletes on a larger scale and give more kids the opportunity to participate in a range of different snow and indeed summer sports.” 
 
For Lydia Lassila the ‘Will to Fly” never leaves.
 
“With an Australian facility, we will be able to develop our own Australian coaches rather than rely on international coaches,” she said.
 
“Elite athletes working, eating, studying and living in the local community. A place where you can cycle or walk to training. A place where an athlete can focus on their sport, yet find balance in life.”
 
“I would hope a regional community will support this facility and become an integral part of it. “

​Lydia Lassila has told her peers to ‘savour’ their Olympics experience and make the most of every moment.

The four-time Olympian was in Melbourne attending Australian team processing for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang when she addressed athletes.
 
“Savour these experiences because they are what last forever,” Lassila said.
 
“Not only the performance (but) the fun times and the struggles that you go through.
 
“Treasure that, it doesn’t last forever. Make the most out of it,” she said.
 
Lassila said each of her four Olympic Games experiences has been different.
 
“I was in a different headspace each time,” she said.
 
“From the rookie who was super green and didn’t know what was going on and overwhelmed by the first experience. Everyone was looking after me.
 
“By the next Games I was the veteran and I was seasoned.
 
“Now I’ve got kids and I’m in a completely different mindset, but really enjoying myself and savoring these last moments as an athlete. It’s really special.”
 
Two-time Olympian Britt Cox recalled her first Olympic Games experience to the group.
 
“I qualified for Vancouver three weeks before the Games.” Cox said.
 
“I remember being there and was the baby of the team. I’d be in the Olympic village and it would be five thirty in the afternoon and everyone would say, ‘isn’t it your bed time’,” she said.

Australia’s Chef de Mission, Ian Chesterman opened proceedings at the team processing session, telling athletes the 2018 Olympic Winter Games will be first class.
 
“The local community in South Korea will really get behind these Games and make them a great experience for everybody,” Chesterman said.  
 
Chesterman said athletes would be provided an environment that would give them the best opportunity to ‘produce their best on the right day’.
 
“We’ve been working hard for a long time so that when you get out on your field of play you feel everything has gone as well as it could possibly go and you’ve had your chance to do your best on that day,” he said to the athletes.  
 
“Not everybody will win medals at the Olympic Games but everybody gets to go along and become an Olympian.
 
“We want to make your experience a positive one.”
 
“Once you are an Olympian, you’re always an Olympian. It’s a great badge to be able to wear throughout your life,” he said.
 
 
 
 

Australia featured on the men’s and women’s Aerial Skiing podiums at the 2017 Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships, with Danielle Scott claiming silver and David Morris bronze in a best ever Australian Aerial Skiing Team performance at a ‎World Championships.  
 
It is the first time Morris has made the podium this season with the 32-year-old overcoming injury to claim his first World Championship medal.
 
“I’ve had pretty bad training and a couple of injuries which have kept me out of my peak form,” Morris said.
 
“I got all the way to the super final and had a little freak out at the top, but went big and it worked out pretty well,” he said.  
 
The Olympic silver medallist’s strategy was to pay attention to his competition.
 
“I qualified in a good position so we had the opportunity to watch some people do some jumps before me and then I let the coaches decide if I could downgrade my jump or not.
 
“So in the first final run I got to do a full-full-full which is a little bit easier. It saved the harder tricks for later and that was really the plan and that went nice and smoothly.”
 
Morris was ranked second after final one, fifth after final two before finishing third in the ultimate round. His final jump, a back double full-full-full earned a score of 114.13.
 
The result has invigorated Morris to push for further Olympic success at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.
 
“I’m feeling pretty good about it but again anything can happen in any competition as shown today, lots of surprises and some incredible jumps and some people crashing that don’t normally crash.
 
“I’m excited for the next year, I know the competition is going to be good as shown today.”
 
Consistency has been the key to Scott’s season and the 27-year-old continued this trend in Friday’s final, progressing through each round with steady performances.
 
“It is hard to be consistent because we deal with so many variables, whether it is weather or just your own nerves or ability and health,” Scott said. 
 
“For me I love to go out there and have as much fun as I can. If I’m not having a good day that’s usually when I can’t perform. I love to go out there with the best feeling that I can.”
 
Scott’s silver medal is an improvement on the bronze that she won at the 2013 World Championships. 
 
Her first jump, a back full-full scored 81.27 points for sixth position. In the round of nine she performed a back double full-full, which received a score of 84.95. The Sochi Olympian saved her best for last, performing a career best back full-double full in the final round to score 94.47.
 
US Skier Ashley Caldwell outperformed the all-star field, successfully landing a back full-double full-full, which scored 109.29 points, the first time a woman has landed the jump (which was pioneered by 2010 Olympic Champion Lydia Lassila) in competition.
 
In Friday’s final Lassila was unable to stick the landing on her first jump, a back full-full, and finished 11th with 62.37 points. 
 
Sochi Olympian Samantha Wells scored 69.30 for her first jump, also a back full-full, to finish 10th overall.
 
The reigning women’s World Champion Laura Peel progressed to the round of nine but she came unstuck when attempting to land a back full-double full and her 62.39 points relegated her to eighth position overall. 
 
The men’s event was won by US Skier Jonathan Lillis who scored 125.79 for his final round jump.

Australians dominated women’s Aerials qualification at the 2017 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships, filling four of six qualification places in the first round.
 
The Aussies are ranked second, fourth, fifth and sixth going into Final 1 of 12 athletes.   
 
In the men’s event, Sochi Olympic Games silver medallist David Morris continued the trend, qualifying in fourth position with a score of 112.83.
 
Leading the charge for Australia in the women’s qualifying was reigning World Champion Laura Peel who scored a commanding 91.65 to progress to the final in second position.  
 
Peel was second to go in today’s qualifying.
 
“I like going early but sometimes you don’t want to go at the very beginning,” Peel said.  
 
“We’re dealing with changing conditions, it’s hot and the wind affects us here, sometimes it’s good to have a couple of people in front of you but today it worked out and I was really happy,” she said.  
 
Sam Wells booked her finals berth with an 88.83 and fourth position overall, Danielle Scott was fifth with 87.06 and four-time Olympian Lydia Lassila was sixth with 85.65.
 
Peel said the Aussies were in good spirits after a strong team result.
 
“Really nice when everybody does well,” Peel said. “We spend so much time together, we all live together so it’s nice when everyone’s pleased.
 
“It really shows the depth of our team, which adds to our success.”  
 
US skier Ashley Caldwell put her rivals on notice, qualifying with a huge 103.68 for first place in the women's event and the Aussies know they will need to be at their best if they are to clinch gold.  
 
“She’s doing triples with more difficulty so she deserves that top qualifying position," Peel said. 
 
“But tomorrow we have to do three jumps so it’s also about consistency.”
 
The men’s and women’s Aerial Skiing World Championship Finals at Sierra Nevada (ESP) begin at 5:30am AEDST.

Final events will be lived streamed at:https://www.skiandsnowboard.org.au/2017-snowboard--freestyle-world-champs/
 
 
 

The final jumps of the 2016/17 Aerial Skiing season are here with tonight’s qualifying round for the World Championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain and the Flying Kangaroos Aerial Ski team could bag more than the ten medals already in their collective haul.

It’s been an amazing Aerial season to date with every one of the five-member squad contributing to Australia’s ten medal tally.

Amid the joy of Lydia Lassila’s third gold and Laura Peel’s bronze last week in Moscow, some disappointment for Danielle Scott who was so close to clinching the world overall top spot and Dave Morris and Sam Wells who would have liked to have made the final, it was up and out of Russia very early last Sunday to prepare for the Sierra Nevada World Championships.

The setting is beautiful – or as Sochi Silver medallist Dave Morris said, “I don't think there's ever been a cooler backdrop than the mogul course in Sierra Nevada.”

Because of warmer-than usual temperatures the jumps were not quite ready for training yesterday and was cancelled as organisers and team technicians worked together to strengthen the three Aerials jumps’ groups ahead of the qualifications which begin in less than twelve hours at 2.15am Friday (AEDT).

“The usual technique in the case of high temperatures consists of putting ice in the centre of the slope, which helps for a better restraint,” Organisers stated.

The format for Aerial Skiing World Championships mirrors that of the Olympic Winter Games with an additional finals round, requiring the athletes to execute a third and different jump if they make it to the final top six.

The top twelve qualifiers advance to a final round of nine before a Super Final for the top six.

Australia’s Flying Kangaroos Aerial Skiing team have landed ten medals so far this season and will be hoping to add to that tally before the finals have been completed on Saturday morning at 5.30am AEDT.

The finals can be watched live on Eurosport or on live stream at Ski & Snowboard Australia’s website https://www.skiandsnowboard.org.au/2017-snowboard--freestyle-world-champs/
 

Australia’s Flying Kangaroo Aerial skiers are in Moscow for the World Cup Final this weekend and will be jumping from a massive multi-storey high scaffold set-up just outside of the city centre.

Following Lydia Lassila and Danielle Scott’s one-two podium finish last weekend in Belarus, the Flying Kangaroos remained in Minsk for two days ahead of the Moscow final.

“All the athletes are in great shape,” coach Jeff Bean said.  “We had a great few days jumping prior to coming here (Moscow).”

“Everyone is jumping better and becoming more confident as we continue to train their jumps. They are ready for Moscow and for the World Championships next week in Sierra Nevada.”

The Ladies overall title will come down to Scott and China’s Xu Mengtao. Scott narrowly regained the yellow bib in Minsk and is sitting on 402 points - just a hair’s breadth ahead of  Mangtao’s 400 points.

In six competitions this season Scott has one victory and three runner-up results plus a top ten placing, as she seeks to improve on a 2015/16 season in which she finished second overall in the Aerial Skiing World Cup to USA’s Ashley Caldwell.  

With Scott’s double-flipping precision and exceptional form matched up against Xu’s explosiveness and triple-flipping degree of difficulty, the drama developing ahead of this weekend’s competition and the battle for first overall is high.

Third overall currently belongs to Lassila, and the 35-year-old mother of two has written one of the most remarkable stories in Freestyle this season with two gold medal podiums.

Laura Peel and Samantha Wells have shown great consistency and find themselves just outside the overall top-ten. in eleventh and twelfth places respectively.

Dave Morris has not had the season he was hoping for, coping with niggling injuries earlier in the tour but is now feeling more like his Olympic self. Morris enters the final event on sixteenth place overall and has been using the current World Cup season to test out some new advanced skills.

Morris enters the final event in 16th place on the world ranking leader board.

Conditions in Moscow are different to normal with the aerial skiers jumping from a scaffolding set up, which requires two elevators at the rear to transport the athletes to the top.

“The in-run is steeper and the transition area in front of the jumps is longer than normal so the visuals are slightly different,” coach Bean said.
 
“We are fortunate to have a very experienced group of athletes who have jumped here in Moscow for the last three years as well as in Beijing so we are jumping and training as per normal.”
 
"The weather here is currently challenging and looks like it will continue down that track with warm condition and rain, we are happy to have a good training foundation and feel ready regardless of the conditions."

Competition begins in Moscow on Saturday, with qualifying commencing at 10.05pm (AEDT) and finals from 3am on Sunday morning, which can be watched live on Eurosport.  

 

The Aerials World Cup season continues today in Minsk, Belarus with the penultimate stop of the season set to be staged at the site of the Olympic Sport Complex Raubichi.

Lydia Lassila, Danielle Scott, Laura Peel, Samantha Wells and Dave Morris have trained through a two-week break before wrapping up the World Cup season in Minsk and then Moscow next week before the World Championships in Sierra Nevada.

According to coach Jeff Bean, the  Flying Kagaroos Aerial skiers are prepped and ready to go.
“The team is doing great,” Bean said.

“We spent five days in Italy at the Australian Olympic Committee’s European training centre, having some down time and time in the gym preparing for the next three weeks of competition and in  preparation for World Championships.”

Olympic Gold and Silver medallist Lydia Lassila took the opportunity for a quick visit home to see her family before heading to Belarus.

“We arrived in Belarus early and were able to get in some training prior to the World Cup this weekend which has served us well as the weather here will be warm this week and we will have limited training,” coach Bean explained.

Samantha Wells, who withdrew from the Olympic test event in Korea as a precaution after sustaining a mild had knock is back in full form. 

“Everyone is healthy and Sam is back jumping. She had a great two days of training in Belarus last week,” the coach said. “We are ready to go for the next few weeks of competition.”

With the chance for aerials World Cup crystal globe still wide open for a couple of athletes, including Australia’s Danielle Scott who is currently second on the overall World Cup table, we can expect all the best athletes to be competing this weekend.  

In the ladies' World Cup standings  China's Xu Mengtao sits on top of the leaderboard with 340 points and an  18 point advantage over Daniele Scott.  Xu has never ranked worse than third in all four of her World Cup appearances this season.

Scott has been consistent this season and was the runner-up for the overall title last year. She will be now trying to regain the yellow bib that she lost two weeks ago in Korea. With one victory and two second places so far Scott will have to once again aim high, as returning to the top of podium means also another change on top of the World Cup ranking.

The Minsk Aerial Skiing World Cup qualifications begin today at 5.10pm (AEDT) with the ladies, followed by men at 7.25pm. The finals will be broadcast live on Eurosport from 9.30pm.  
 
LIVE SCORING: Live brackets for qualifications and the finals will be available HERE:
 

Laura Peel and Danielle Scott have battled through tough conditions to make the six-woman final of the PyeongChang 2018 test event in Korea last night.

Peel and Scott, who now sits second in the World Cup rankings, finished fifth and sixth at the home of next year’s Games with swirling winds disrupting the duo’s final jump and shot at another podium finish.
 
After winning last weekend’s event in Deer Valley, dual Olympic medallist Lydia Lassila finished 17th, Samantha Wells did not start and David Morris claimed 23rd in the men’s event.
 
“It really was a mental game today and the coaches did a really good job to get us ready,” Peel said after scoring 52.52 on her final jump as China claimed a clean sweep of the medals.
 
“I’m happy with how I went I just missed the last one. The goal was to make the last six and go from there so coming off injury I feel I’m getting there.”
 
Scott headed into the event as the world number one and has been jumping exceptionally throughout the season but couldn’t match her earlier season podium efforts in Korea.
 
“I was happy to make the final but I was a bit bummed to not stick the landing on my final jump in tricky conditions,” Scott said after her final jump scored her 52.17.
 
“I’m pretty happy with the start of the season so I’m hoping to stay healthy and keep progressing.”
 
Peel and Scott qualified for the final in second and third when they both put down 87.88 jumps. Lassila bowed out in the qualification after scoring 55.12.
 
Earlier in the week the PyeongChang 2018 countdown clock ticked under one year to go and the chance to compete on the Olympic course will no doubt help the Aussie athletes come next year’s Games.
 
“It’s definitely nice to know what to expect and see what the conditions are like so we know what we are in for next time,” Scott said.
 
The Aussie team will now head to Europe and then to the next World Cup in Minsk, Belarus.

IMAGE: Lydia Lassila in action under lights at the 2018 Olympic Venue © clivejmason

The Flying Kangaroos Aerial skiers will be keen to continue their strong form today when they compete in the Pyeongchang 2018 Test event at Bokwang Snow Park.

Lydia Lassila, Danielle Scott, Samantha Wells, Laura Peel and David Morris hope to maintain their standard when the event begins with qualifying this afternoon at 3.40pm.

Dual Olympic medalist Lassila became the story of the season last weekend when she fought through challenging weather conditions to take gold at the World Cup event in Deer Valley, Utah.

It was a remarkable result for the 35-year-old who was making only her second competitive appearance since winning bronze at Sochi in 2014 and as with Deer Valley, Lydia’s aim is, “to keep staying on my feet.”

“Our team feels really focused and strong at the moment and everyone is in a position to do really well.”

The result moves Lydia into seventh in the overall World Cup rankings.

Team mate Danielle Scott is the current World Cup leader with three podium finishes this season, including two gold.

“It has been an amazing start to the season and I am really happy,” Danielle said.

“The confidence is there and I hope to get the most out of each experience no matter what the outcome is.”

Samantha Wells and Laura Peel are currently ranked 9th and 11th.

Wells finished third in a World Cup event in December, while Peel  - who was the 2015 World Champion has already enjoyed a top-ten result in 2017 after recovering from a serious ankle injury.

Wells believes the results reflect the hard work being put in behind-the-scenes.

“It is fantastic to see our team doing so well. I think it has a lot to do with our coaches working well together and keeping the team dynamics positive.”

Sole male competitor David Morris has also excelled in recent months.

The 32-year-old Sochi silver medalist has achieved two top-ten finishes in his last three events, but believes there is more to come.
“As always I'd like to be doing better, I'd like to get myself on the podium,” he said.  

“I've been close but couldn't finish off the final jump to snare a medal. It's been productive so far and that's a positive and I’m just going to keep going and hopefully peak at the right times.”

This weekend’s event provides athletes with the unique opportunity to get a feel for the venue they will compete on in 2018.

“When things are new there's always distractions, and that will all get out of the way for the test event so that next time we return it'll feel more familiar and we'll be able to just get to work because we've done it all before,” Morris said.
 
The finals will be braodcast live tonight on Eurosport from 9pm (AEDST).

Lydia Lassila’s remarkable return to Aerial Skiing is very much on track for a tilt at a fifth Olympics after her extraordinary World Cup gold medal in Deer Valley, Utah, USA.
 
In only her second event since her Bronze medal in Sochi and the birth of her second child, against the world’s best athletes including VIS teammates Danielle Scott, the world number one, and the current world champion, Laura Peel, Lydia’s expectations were only to keep building throughout the season and improve from week to week.
 
“I was emotional all day and I had a good feeling,” was Lydia Lassila’s first comment after winning Gold. “I couldn’t believe I won.”
 
“To be honest, I was happy to stay on my feet.”
 
The day unfolded with Lydia qualifying fifth and Danielle Scott second and both moving into the Top 12 Final.
 
As the weather worsened and took its toll on the Aerialists, including Scott who was caught in a sudden cross wind as she took off, Lydia fought through to come out on top going into the Super Final and a shot at the podium.
 
“I knew it was tough weather and I kinda like that. I was in a good space all day – and sometimes days like this are good for me because it becomes fight or flight,” Lassila said.

With American Kiley McKinnon scoring an impressive 95.17 in the six-athlete super final and Lydia last to jump, it was tense viewing – wondering if the mother-of-two could lift by almost ten points from the first final to create the upset win that no-one really expected.
 
Performing the same Full Double Full as McKinnon, Lydia executed brilliantly and was awarded accordingly with 95.52 points and a World Cup gold.
 
“This is the feeling that I missed and came back for,” she said. “It’s not the winning so much – it’s being able to do your best, the pure adrenalin and the fun.”
 
“Hopefully we will get a few more mums out there going after what they want. You can have it all – on some days,” the 34-year-old said.

“The team effort with the coaches and athletes, even helping Danielle and I today, is what has made it happen,” Lydia added.
 
Lydia’s return has lifted the Australian Aerial Team and according to team coach Jeff Bean, it’s good for confidence.
 
“I’m ecstatic for Lydia. It’s good for her confidence and motivating for everyone,” Coach Bean said.

With American Kiley McKinnon scoring an impressive 95.17 in the six-athlete super final and Lydia last to jump, it was tense viewing – wondering if the mother-of-two could lift by almost ten points from the first final to create the upset win that no-one really expected.
 
Performing the same Full Double Full as McKinnon, Lydia executed under pressure and was awarded accordingly with 95.52 points and a World Cup gold.
 
“This is the feeling that I missed and came back for,” she said. “It’s not the winning so much – it’s being able to do your best, the pure adrenalin and the fun.”
 
“Hopefully we will get a few more mums out there going after what they want. You can have it all – on some days,” the 34-year-old said.

“The team effort with the coaches and athletes, even helping Danielle and I today, is what has made it happen,” Lydia added.
 
Lydia’s return has lifted the Australian Aerial Team and according to team coach Jeff Bean, it’s good for confidence.
 
“I’m ecstatic for Lydia. It’s good for her confidence and motivating for everyone,” Coach Bean said.

“It’s been tough weather here, which caught Danielle when she got hit by a head wind. Dave Morris has had some small injuries but has had a good building block week here getting the quad twist happening.”
 
For Danielle Scott, the day is bitter sweet after taking a hard fall and scratching her face but still able to retain her yellow bib as the current world number one.
 
“My face is sore. There were some pretty tough conditions out there today,” Danielle said.
 
“The qualifying was great but it was one of the trickiest days we’ve had with snow falling and wind gusts. In the final, the timing on the clock on the run in was fine, but speed wasn’t on my side. I will live and learn.”
 
Dave Morris went after the quad twist again and is making progress as the season continues. He went out in the qualifying in 18th place.

"Disappointing result for me today," Dave said. "I always hope for a spot in finals but I didn't dedicate my takeoff as much as I needed to and the judges weren't too impressed with my legs having to bend in the air. But a safe landing and still in one piece for the rest event in Korea."
 
Coach Bean says time will be good for Morris.

“He’s doing all the right things and there’s a lot of room for him leading into the World Championships,” Coach Jeff Bean advised.

Unfortunately, Samantha Wells and Laura Peel both struggled on landings in the qualifying round and were unable to advance to the final 12..

Olympic Winter Institute CEO Geoff Lipshut is delighted with the continuing success by the Flying Kangaroos Aerial Skiing program.
 
"It is great to see Lydia back in action today and winning,” Mr Lipshut said. 
 
“This was only Lydia's second competition since Sochi - it is important to keep building confidence and to have a podium so soon after such a long break is fantastic. Like everyone in our program we are just thrilled to have Lydia back on the team. She is such an inspiration in so many ways."
 
The next stop on the World Cup calendar is the Olympic test event in Bokwang, Korea on February 10.