Mogul skiers Brodie Summers, Britt Cox and Matt Graham: Photo FIS MOGULS: She'll head into next year's Winter Olympics as one of Australia's medal contenders but Britt Cox says she's relishing having a target on her back.
Cox will take part in her first big event of the domestic ski season at the Australian Moguls Championships at Perisher on Tuesday.
Already a two-time Winter Olympian by the time she was 19, Cox hadn't won a World Cup event up until last season.
But she went from bit player to dominant performer in 2016/17, winning the first event of the season in Finland and going on to secure another six victories as well as the world championship title in Spain.
"This time it is different again. Going in as world number one and then world champion I definitely have a huge target on my back," she said.
"But when I ask myself in what position I would rather be in I think that this is exactly where I want to be.
"It shows me that the training I am doing is going in the right direction and I look forward to going in with that target on my back."
The Australian Championships field has a strong international flavour with the likes of World Cup winners Mikaela Matthews (United States) and Maxime Dufour-Lapoint (Canada) slated to compete.
Meanwhile Australian men's hope Matt Graham will face off against the likes of six-time World Cup champion Mikael Kingsbury (Canada).
Graham admits being in awe of Kingsbury who is regarded as the greatest moguls skier of all time.
"He's an incredible athlete," says Graham. "I put him up with the greatest sports people of all time. He is a Roger Federer, a Le Bron James, a Michael Jordan. He has changed the sport and is on the next level."
After finishing second overall in the 2015/16 season Graham had hoped to challenge Kingsbury regularly in 2016/17 but admitted falling short despite a World Cup victory amongst his four podium finishes.
"I was really gunning to be up against Mick in a lot of events but I felt that I didn't really achieve that goal. In hindsight it has definitely motivated me more to work harder this year."
The men's competition also features regular podium finisher Phillippe Marquis from Canada and last season's overall runner-up Benjamin Cavet from France.
AAP
Cox will take part in her first big event of the domestic ski season at the Australian Moguls Championships at Perisher on Tuesday.
Already a two-time Winter Olympian by the time she was 19, Cox hadn't won a World Cup event up until last season.
But she went from bit player to dominant performer in 2016/17, winning the first event of the season in Finland and going on to secure another six victories as well as the world championship title in Spain.
"This time it is different again. Going in as world number one and then world champion I definitely have a huge target on my back," she said.
"But when I ask myself in what position I would rather be in I think that this is exactly where I want to be.
"It shows me that the training I am doing is going in the right direction and I look forward to going in with that target on my back."
The Australian Championships field has a strong international flavour with the likes of World Cup winners Mikaela Matthews (United States) and Maxime Dufour-Lapoint (Canada) slated to compete.
Meanwhile Australian men's hope Matt Graham will face off against the likes of six-time World Cup champion Mikael Kingsbury (Canada).
Graham admits being in awe of Kingsbury who is regarded as the greatest moguls skier of all time.
"He's an incredible athlete," says Graham. "I put him up with the greatest sports people of all time. He is a Roger Federer, a Le Bron James, a Michael Jordan. He has changed the sport and is on the next level."
After finishing second overall in the 2015/16 season Graham had hoped to challenge Kingsbury regularly in 2016/17 but admitted falling short despite a World Cup victory amongst his four podium finishes.
"I was really gunning to be up against Mick in a lot of events but I felt that I didn't really achieve that goal. In hindsight it has definitely motivated me more to work harder this year."
The men's competition also features regular podium finisher Phillippe Marquis from Canada and last season's overall runner-up Benjamin Cavet from France.
AAP
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