Australia has won its first medal in the aerial skiing mixed team event since 2017, after Laura Peel led Australia to a bronze medal performance in Lake Placid, USA.
The Australian team featuring two-time World Champion Laura Peel, World Cup medallist Abbey Willcox and World Cup debutant Reilly Flanagan, qualified for the final in fourth place with 263.33 points, highlighted by Peel’s triple twisting triple back somersault scoring 114.62 points which was comparable with the leading men in the event.
In the final, Laura was even better, scoring 118.48 points performing the same jump. Abbey and Reilly both landed every competition jump on the night, which were double somersaults with two twists and one twist respectively.
The Australian team landed all six jumps in competition, to finish on the podium in third place and a combined score of 277.63 points. All of the other teams in the competition featured two men and one female competitor, while Team Australia was two females and one male.
Finishing in first place was China on 328.41 points, followed by Canada in second with 289.17.
“It was a good day, I am super happy, it was the first time I have competed in a team event in a long time, we are happy to have Reilly here now, we have someone in the men’s event so we can compete, and to finish on the podium is amazing” said the 35-year-old Laura from Canberra.
“It was great conditions out there, everybody jumped so amazing, it was great to be a part of it” said the 28-year-old Abbey from Brisbane.
“It feels amazing to be here, I feel like we are so privileged to have a team after so long, and I am just enjoying the moment” said the 20-year-old Reilly from Brisbane.
The Aerial Skiing Team now heads to Lac-Beauport, Canada, for a double World Cup next weekend on January 25 and 26.
