Discipline: Freestyle Aerials
Olympic Participation: Salt Lake City 2002, Torino 2006, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, Pyeongchang 2018
Achievements: Gold Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, Bronze Sochi Winter Olympics, World Cup Crystal Globe 2009
Medal awarded in: 2021

Lassila is one of Australia’s most-decorated female skiers having won gold in 2010 and bronze four years later in Sochi – a title she shares with fellow aerial skier and dual medallist Alisa Camplin.

A former gymnast, Lassila made her Games debut in 2002 at Salt Lake City having only been skiing for two years. A water jump accident almost ruined her 2006 campaign but just 8 months later she headed to her second Games. It was in Torino where, after landing awkwardly, she blew her knee out and would again be forced off the snow.
Back and more determined than ever, 2009 saw her take out the World Cup title, setting her up as one of the favourites at the Vancouver 2010 Games and Lassila didn’t disappoint. She became Australia’s fifth Winter Olympic champion when her triple-twisting triple somersault in the final saw her claim the gold medal. Four years later she would return to the Olympic arena, following the birth of her first son, and win bronze at the Sochi 2014 Games.

Having not competed since the Sochi Games and having welcoming her second son, Lassila made a remarkable return to the snow in 2017. Lassila took out two World Cup events, including her first event back, finished third overall in the World Cup standings before competing at the 2017 World Championships where windy conditions cruelled her chances of more success.

Following the World Championships Lassila waited until the first World Cup of 2018 to get back into elite competition where she finished 13th in Deer Valley. The 36-year-old showed the world she is still at the top of her game by winning gold and silver at the back-to-back World Cup events at Lake Placid just three weeks out from the PyeongChang 2018 Games, where she finished 14th in her final Olympic appearance.

At Sochi, she became the first woman ever to compete a quad-twisting triple somersault, cementing her in the history books as one of the aerial skiing’s greats. At PyeongChang she became the first Australian woman to compete in five Olympic Games
In her career, she and an impressive 77 World Cup starts, having made her debut in 2001in Mt Buller. She received 39 podium medals, including 16 gold medals, and won the World Cup Crystal Globe in 2009.

A long list of career of honours and awards include 2010 AIS Athlete of the Year, 2010 Sport Australia Hall of Fame ‘The Don’ Award.
In 2016 she founded BodyICE, a range of ice and heat compression packs to help with injuries.

She was the subject of a feature documentary film “The Will To Fly” that chronicles her life and sport pursuits. She speaks at film screenings of the documentary about her career and life advice. She also made an appearance on two seasons of Australian Survivor.