Aerial Skiing Development Squad Recruitment 2017

Article courtesy www.gymnastics.org.au

There have been some amazing results come in over the week from the Aussie athletes competing at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships in the Sierra Nevada, Spain.

2015 World Half Pipe Champion Scotty James won the event again with a stunning performance. James qualified first for the finals and put in a solid first run scoring an impressive 95.75.  As number one qualifier, James had the advantage of being the last competitor to drop in and when his nearest rival scored 93.25, there was no doubt of the result and James was able to enjoy a victory lap on his final run. James, a former Trampoline athlete trained at the Bulleen Templestowe Youth Club (BTYC) with coach Karen Jones before turning his focus to snowboarding. 

The Flying Kangaroos (aka the Australian Aerial Skiing team) were also flying high in Spain as Australia featured on the Men’s and Women’s Aerial Skiing podiums, with Danielle Scott claiming silver and David Morris bronze in a best ever Australian Aerial Skiing Team performance at a ‎World Championships.  

Danielle Scott, a former gymnast at Cromer (now known as Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club) has had an amazing season with many podium performances and second place in the world rankings. Scott jumped consistently, and saving her best jump for last she scored 94.47 with a back full-double full to clinch the silver medal.

David Morris, a former gymnast at Nunawading Gymnastics and Sports Club scored 114.13 and a bronze medal landing a back double full-full-full as his final jump.

“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,” Morris said.  

Other Aussie aerialists who came from gymnastics:

• Laura Peel (former gymnast at Canberra City Gymnastics Club) scored 62.39 to finish 8th in the super final
• Samantha Wells (former gymnast at Lakeside Gymnastics Academy) scored 69.30 to finish 10th overall
• Lydia Lassila (former gymnast at Niddrie Gymnastics Club and MLC Gymnastics Club) finished 11th with 62.37 points

The Aerial Skiing program is a talent transfer program, recruiting athletes from gymnastics, trampoline and acrobatic backgrounds, teaching them to ski and jump on snow with the aim of creating World Cup and Olympic aerial skiers.

Gymnastics Australia's Spin to Win project, partners with SSA and OWIA to help find new talent for the 2017 Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) Aerial Skiing Development Squad.

Key attributes in a potential aerial skier:

• A strong acrobatic background in gymnastics or trampoline 
• Good training ethics, motivation and organisation 
• Females aged 14 to 17 years 
• Strength, fitness and agility 
• Recovered from prior injuries 
• The ability to take direction and learn new things i.e. skiing and snow jumping 
• The ability to perform well under pressure 
• A desire to be the best.
   

If you would like a copy of the Aerial Skiing Handbook and Application form or have any questions about the Aerial Skiing Development Squad, please contact Bree Bryant or fill out the Spin to Win form. 

Applications for the 2017 Aerial Skiing Development Squad close on March 30.

The Aerial Skiing program is supported by the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS), Ski and Snowboard Australia (SSA) and the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA).