Australia’s aerial skiing athletes will have a final pre-Vancouver tune-up in two Nor-Am competitions in Mont Gabriel this weekend.

Although it is nominally a second tier event, not a World Cup, the four women and one man in the 2010 Games team will face strong competition from the Swiss and Belarussian teams, a perfect preparation for what they will face in two weeks time.

Swiss skier Evelyne Leu is the defending Olympic champion, while Belarussian Anton Kusnir is the current World Cup number one, having won four of the season’s six events.

While Jacqui Cooper has stayed in Mont Gabriel training over the past week, her four team-mates have taken a well-earned break, returning for a pre-event training session on Friday, Vancouver time.

The Australian aerial team will arrive in Vancouver a few days before the Opening Ceremony on Friday February 12 (Australian time).

Barry White
Team Media Liaison - Vancouver