Australia's record-breaking aerial skiing team has been barred from training at its regular waterjump training base in Park City, Utah, prompting renewed calls for the development of a home-based facility.

Coming just five months out from the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, the decision by the United States Ski Association is a significant setback for the team's Games preparation, and demonstrates the precarious nature of having to rely on access to venues controlled by rival nations.

The Chef de Mission of Australia's Vancouver Games team, Ian Chesterman, Is unhappy about the disruption so close to the Games, but also sees it as a backhanded compliment from the US.

"The Americans obviously fear our best women, and with good reason, given our record over recent years and the past two Games," Chesterman said.

"And the Olympic Winter Institute has been able to source an alternative training venue in Switzerland, courtesy of additional funding supplied by the Australian Sports Commission."

"But our preference was certainly to train in Utah, where we have been hosted by the USA on a friendly basis many times before. In fact the team now has many close friends and supporters in the local area around the facility."

"This episode just highlights the need for our own waterjump, not only for our aerial skiers, but also so that our mogul skiers and our halfpipe snowboarders can train their various acrobatic manoeuvres at home."

"Apart from an Australian base giving us control over our training environment, it would also save us a truckload of money on overseas airfares and accommodation."

The Olympic Winter Institute first became aware of the problem when five-time World Cup champion Jacqui Cooper was told she could have only ten days' access to the site, not the six weeks the Institute had requested.

"It has been disappointing," said OWI CEO Geoff Lipshut. "We've had a good arrangement with the US for the past 10 to 12 years, where they have let us train over there, and we have tried to help USA skiers who visited Australia during the southern hemisphere winter."

"We are hopeful of being able to continue that level of cooperation in the future, but in any case, this has made us more determined than ever to push for the development of our own waterjump facility."

The OWI has completed feasibility studies and detailed planning for the development of a multisport outdoor deep water pool complex, to be situated at the Chandler Aquatic Centre in Brisbane.

The Queensland State Government has been asked to consider a commitment to fund the construction of the pool, and a further commitment of funding is still being sought from the Federal Government for the jump and associated infrastructure.

Australia's aerial skiing team has won nine of the last 18 World Cup titles - an unparalleled performance in the sport – has won gold and bronze at the last two Olympic Games, and boasts the current World Cup champion in Lydia Lassila.

Lassila and Cooper will go to Vancouver as leading contenders for the gold medal.

OWI