Australian Freestyle skiers have enjoyed fantastic success over the years, winning five of Australia’s nine Olympic medals. The 21 freestyle skiers selected for the 2014 Australian Olympic Team are poised to continue this success. 

Along with the traditionally strong Aerials and Moguls squads, the Ski Cross Section has never been bigger and Australia has great talent in the new Olympic events; Ski Slopestyle and Ski Halfpipe. Together this is Australia’s biggest section in Sochi. 

Lassila leads Aerials squad to Sochi 

The Aerials section is led by defending Olympic Champion Lydia Lassila. The experienced Lassila will be joined by three former gymnasts who will make their Olympic debuts. World Championship medallist Danielle Scott, World Cup medallist Laura Peel and Samantha Wells are all selected for Sochi. 

David Morris is the sole Australian male aerialist. He just missed the final on his Olympic debut in 2010 and has had great success on the World Cup circuit in the past two seasons. 

Lassila, who has become a mother since her Vancouver triumph, is happy with her progress after returning to competition in December 2012. 

“It's been an interesting build up over the last four years and I feel like everything is coming together and I'm on my plan,” Lassila said. 

“I've had some great performances and jumps this season- and a few slip ups, but all in all I’m heading in the right direction. 

“I continue to learn and revise every day. The next training camp in Ruka, Finland is crucial to consolidate my skills and refine them further. Beyond that, I am as ready as I'll ever be.” 

Off to her fourth Games, the 32-year-old is as excited as when she made her Olympic debut in 2002. 

“It's great and it makes me wonder where all the years have gone. I remember all three Olympics so clearly, but it (Sochi) really feels the same as the others. I feel hungry to do my best and have a great result....which I guess hasn't changed since I was a 20 year old.”

The strong Chinese athletes are the obvious challengers to the Australians. The new competition format will be another interesting factor in Sochi.

Olympic Champion spearheads Moguls Section

Australia boasts four men and three women to tackle the Moguls bumps and jumps of Extreme Park in Rosa Khutor.

In a remarkable return to his competition best, Australia’s most successful Winter Olympian Dale Begg-Smith (gold- Torino 2006; silver- Vancouver 2010) needed only four World Cup competitions this season to earn his spot at a third Games.

Matt Graham from the NSW Central Coast was fourth at the last World Championships and now at only 19 is on the Olympic Team with his idol. World Championship finalists Sam Hall and Brodie Summers also earn selection at their first Games.    

Nicole Parks from Cooma in NSW has dreamt of competing at the Olympics since she was a child skiing at Perisher and now she has earned that goal. Sydney 19-year-old Taylah O’Neill also makes her Olympic debut in Sochi after consistent results in the qualification period. Britt Cox, the youngest competitor at the entire Games in 2010 returns faster, stronger and more determined. 

“My Olympic experience in Vancouver at just 15 years old provided me with lots of valuable knowledge, confidence and competitive fire leading into this four-year cycle,” Cox explained. 

“Vancouver showed me not only the magnitude of the Olympic buzz and atmosphere ,but also how the top athletes, trained and competed and what it takes to be like that.” 

Cox reached the World Cup podium in December 2012 and January 2013. She also topped qualifying in a World cup this season. The focus on training the body and mind is paying off for Cox and the entire squad. 

“Everyone is happy and currently training hard in our final training camp. I am very proud to be a part of the Australian Olympic team and thrilled for my teammates who are coming with me,” Cox said, thanking coaches Steve Desovich and Jerry Grossi. 

Ski Cross racers seeking Sochi luck 

Despite a challenging year for most of the Australian Ski Cross squad all five have qualified for the Sochi Games. Jenny Owens, Katya Crema, Sami Kennedy-Sim, Anton Grimus and Scott Kneller will tackle the Rosa Khutor course and their competitors. 

Owens, 35, is the most experienced. The 2002 Olympian for Alpine Skiing was 13^th at Vancouver 2010 and she has done everything possible to make her Olympic swansong as memorable exit from racing. Crema from Melbourne has recovered from an early season knee injury and is confident Sochi will provide another career highlight. Crema was 15^th in Vancouver as a 21-year-old. 

Sami Kennedy-Sim will make her Olympic debut aged 25. Amazingly Kennedy-Sim, the wife of cross country 2010 Olympian Ben Sim, has fought back from a minor stroke - infarct stroke (cerebral infarction) - in April 2013. After five days in hospital and months of treatment she was back on snow. 

“I never thought it was impossible! Kennedy-Sim said of her selection. “But I was more determined to make it happen and overcome my demons to keep my dream alive! It is really satisfying but honestly, I won't believe it until I get to Russia!” 

Kennedy-Sim was keen to thank those who had supported her on a tough Olympic journey. 

“My family have been so supportive of my endeavours. They are there for me for the highest of highs and my darkest lows. I am looking forward to sharing Sochi with them. 

“And also my team - five athletes who are working together to succeed and under the close eye of Matt Lyons. We are a family and experiencing my first Olympics with them will be amazing.” 

Not only has Kennedy-Sim been selected for her first Games after a major health scare she was so close to her first World Cup podium in the final qualification event. 

“I am really happy with my Val Thorens result, but so hungry for more. It really reaffirmed to me that the path I am on is the correct one. I was so close to the podium, I could taste it!! 

Australian Team Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman has the highest praise for the Kennedy-Sim. 

“Sami is one of the stories of the Team, someone who has fought back against adversity to fulfil her dream of making an Olympic Games. She is tough and talented. Ski Cross is very challenging, but recently Sami has shown that she can mix it with the very best.” 

Ski Cross team-mate Scott Kneller, who was a sensational seventh at Vancouver 2010, has also had a serious injury setback. Just before Christmas Kneller had a ‘pretty good stack whilst training’ for a World Cup qualification in Italy. He was in hospital for three days with concussion, breathing issues and damage to four vertebra. After recovering in Europe he has returned to Australia and is undergoing intense treatment to get him right for the Games. His selection is subject to a medical clearance on or by 10 February. 

“I’ve come along in leaps and bounds. I’m really happy. My progress has been much quicker than I anticipated. I’m in good shape and making good progress every day,” Kneller said. 

“Over the last week I started to see all of the gains and how achievable it really is. 

“The Olympics are all about overcoming adversity and making memories and doing something memorable. Just to have the opportunity to get back to the Games and relive that experience that I had in 2010 and go on the world stage and do my thing, that’s a huge achievement in itself.” 

Like Kennedy-Sim, Grimus has been selected for his first Olympic Team. All his hard work and Ned Kelly look-alike beard are starting to pay off for the Victorian who finished the 2012/13 season ranked 13^th in the world. He was 2^nd fastest in qualifying at the Sochi Test Event and at a World Cup in France this month he was the fastest in qualifying, before finishing 17^th in the weather affected event. 

Slopestyle dreams come true for Henshaw and Segal

Ski Slopestyle is set to be one of the hits of the Sochi Games and Australians Anna Segal and Russ Henshaw will be right in the mix if they can put down their runs. Segal was the star of the sport before it was added to the Olympic schedule. She won the X-Games in 2009 and then the 2011 World Championships. Injury prevented her from defending in 2013 and has impacted her Olympic campaign. Body permitting Segal will make her rivals nervous. The 27-year-old from Melbourne is selected subject to a medical clearance on or by 2 February. 

Meanwhile, Russ Henshaw who is renowned for his hard physical training, is looking forward to fulfilling his childhood dream. 

“It’s a dream come true,” Henshaw said on his selection. “I used to ski race and it was always a dream to go to the Olympics and when I gave up ski racing I gave up my dream of going to the Olympics. Now that Slopestyle is in the Olympics I can finally achieve a childhood dream.” 

The 25-year-old from Jindabyne has won two World Cup and one Dew Tour bronze this season. He has been working on new tricks and is keeping the Olympics in perspective to get the best result from himself. 

“Have fun,” is Henshaw’s advice to young athletes. “If you are having fun on skis that is all that matters! A lot of my success has come from me having a good time.”

Halfpipe duo make the most of Olympic shot

Amy Sheehan and Davina Williams have jumped at the opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games in the new Ski Halfpipe event with determination and fantastic success. Williams, 28, won her first medal in World Cup Halfpipe back in 2007. After injury and personal setbacks, the Olympics gave her a fresh goal and in early 2013 she committed to qualifying.

Twenty-seven-year-old Sheehan has not only achieved her childhood dream of going to the Olympics, but has done so in career best form with bronze medals at the last two World Cups.

“As a child I dreamt of being just like Cathy Freeman or Ian Thorpe, an Olympian. Back then I didn't even know the Winter Olympics existed- let alone skiing Halfpipe,” Sheehan said. “It's so surreal to think that I will be joining my heroes under the Australian flag, doing what I love.”

“It wasn't until I placed 3rd in Calgary (this season) that I knew I had locked in my spot. The Olympics has always been a dream of mine so no matter where I was at, I was determined to work my butt off to get there. It may have seemed like a long shot but somehow I knew I had it in me.”

Being a Ski Halfpipe competitor at the first Olympic competition is very unique.

“It is incredible to think that something we did for fun has accelerated to such a place. I have made friends all over the world through competing in the Halfpipe and it is so special that we get to share such an amazing achievement together and create history.”