Australian ski cross athlete Anton Grimus has carved out the best start to a season in his three years of World Cup competition when he again finished in the top 10 today and was the fourth fastest in qualifying at Val Thorens, France.
The result provides the Australian Institute of Sport / NSW Institute of Sport skier with a career high ranking of sixth in the world.
Grimus, who finished on the podium in Canada earlier this month, shares his place in the top 10 with fellow Australian squad member Scott Kneller who has retained his 10th place ranking by also making the quarter finals and finishing in twelfth place overall in Val Thorens.
Today’s third round World Cup competition was won by Switzerland’s Armin Niederer, who has enjoyed victory in two of the three races this season, with Canadian Brady Leman in second and American Joe Swensson taking the other podium placing.
Grimus improved ranking was the highlight of the day for the five person Australian squad.
Going into the final day of racing at Val Thorens, AIS ski cross head coach Matt Lyons thought that practice times from the day before indicated that Australians would figure in higher places than what eventuated.
Both Grimus and Kneller were very fast in practice but unfortunately were not able to carry forward their pre-race form.
Grimus looked like he would advance to the semi-finals when he fought his way into second, after missing the start of the quarter final, but the Australian was passed soon after. Only the top two quarter finalists progress to the semis.
“Today’s course was not particularly technical, with not that many features, comparatively flat and was more of a ‘‘gliding’ type of track, which did not suit our athletes,” Lyons said.
“It was the sort of course that was hard to go fast and easy to go slow.”
As well as allowing opponents too much space and opportunity to pass, the squad’s selection of wax played a part in the result and, with hindsight, Lyons believes a different wax selection would have made his athletes faster.
The three women in the squad had a day they would like to forget with Katya Crema placing 19th, Sami Kennedy-Sim in 21st and Jenny Owens in 34th.
Swiss ace Fanny Smith made it three on the run by winning in Val Thorens, followed by Norway’s Marte Hoeie Gjefsen and Austrian Andrea Limbacher in third.
The squad journeys to Italy for the fourth round at Innichen / San Candido on Sunday December 23.
This resort has fond memories for Kneller, who won there in 2010.
The result provides the Australian Institute of Sport / NSW Institute of Sport skier with a career high ranking of sixth in the world.
Grimus, who finished on the podium in Canada earlier this month, shares his place in the top 10 with fellow Australian squad member Scott Kneller who has retained his 10th place ranking by also making the quarter finals and finishing in twelfth place overall in Val Thorens.
Today’s third round World Cup competition was won by Switzerland’s Armin Niederer, who has enjoyed victory in two of the three races this season, with Canadian Brady Leman in second and American Joe Swensson taking the other podium placing.
Grimus improved ranking was the highlight of the day for the five person Australian squad.
Going into the final day of racing at Val Thorens, AIS ski cross head coach Matt Lyons thought that practice times from the day before indicated that Australians would figure in higher places than what eventuated.
Both Grimus and Kneller were very fast in practice but unfortunately were not able to carry forward their pre-race form.
Grimus looked like he would advance to the semi-finals when he fought his way into second, after missing the start of the quarter final, but the Australian was passed soon after. Only the top two quarter finalists progress to the semis.
“Today’s course was not particularly technical, with not that many features, comparatively flat and was more of a ‘‘gliding’ type of track, which did not suit our athletes,” Lyons said.
“It was the sort of course that was hard to go fast and easy to go slow.”
As well as allowing opponents too much space and opportunity to pass, the squad’s selection of wax played a part in the result and, with hindsight, Lyons believes a different wax selection would have made his athletes faster.
The three women in the squad had a day they would like to forget with Katya Crema placing 19th, Sami Kennedy-Sim in 21st and Jenny Owens in 34th.
Swiss ace Fanny Smith made it three on the run by winning in Val Thorens, followed by Norway’s Marte Hoeie Gjefsen and Austrian Andrea Limbacher in third.
The squad journeys to Italy for the fourth round at Innichen / San Candido on Sunday December 23.
This resort has fond memories for Kneller, who won there in 2010.
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