In a brilliant start to the 2007/08 season for the OWI aerial skiing team, Jacqui Cooper and Lydia Lassila have emerged as number one and two in the world after the opening two events in China.

Cooper came away from the Lianhuan Mountain season opener with two gold medals and a significant early lead on the World Cup standings.

But just as significantly, Lassila (nee ierodiaconou), jumped to a silver medal result in her comeback event, and then added a fifth placing in the second Chinese World Cup to secure the number two World Cup ranking going into the North American legs of the circuit.

In the first event of the season, Cooper, 34, posted a massive score of 110.36 points for her triple twisting triple somersault in the qualifying round, then did enough in her double twisting triple somersault final jump to claim the gold on 196.62 points.

It was the 20th victory of her career, now into its 14th season.

“I was really happy with my first jump,” Cooper said. “But some of the jumps I have been doing in training were better so I know I can improve on that.”

“And then during the second round there was a big change in the light – the sun went down and the landing hill got very dark and I couldn’t see it properly.”

“I was right there but I just didn’t trust myself and I dragged a hand all the way down the landing hill. So I’ll have to visualize that tonight and be prepared for it tomorrow.”

Lassila, 25, who blew out her knee at the Torino Games, was lying in fifth place after the qualifying round on 90.76 points.

But her triple twisting double jump in the final earned 99.58 points for a total of 190.34, vaulting her past a brace of Chinese opponents for her 20th podium placing.

The result was made more remarkable by the fact that bad weather at their training base in Switzerland has wiped out most of the Australian team’s final two weeks of training.

“Considering the lack of preparation we’ve had, I’m really happy - I’ll take this for sure,” Lassila said.

“I did my first triple twisting doubles here two days ago. I tried one in training in Switzerland but landed on my face.”

“So I think I’ve got up to speed very fast and up to doing nice jumps in a very short time. Plus it’s a long while since I’ve been on snow so there was a bit to get used to. All in all I think it’s been a pretty good job. I’m very happy.”

The third member of the Olympic Winter Institute team, Liz Gardner, finished in seventh place on 168.36 points.

Cooper also took out the second event at the Chanchung venue, posting a 200-plus score to claim the 21st victory of her career.

Landing both of her triple somersaults for a total of 204.28 points, she defeated her nearest rival, reigning world champion Nina Li, by more than eight points.

Li scored 195.81 points, with Chinese team-mate Shuang Cheng in third place on 188.22 points. 

Lassila was in fifth position on 179.76 points.

Gardner took 10th place again, this time on 156.62 points, her form in the jumps excellent, but her relatively low degree of difficulty – as she re-works her technique - not enough to deliver a higher placing.

Cooper faced difficult conditions in her second round, but still managed to land the jump that sealed the gold.

“I’m very excited about the win. It’s been a tough week,” Cooper said.

“We arrived from Europe on Monday and had five days of jumping and I was very drained after yesterday’s event, and then to back up and have to get up at 4:30 in the morning for a second event was quite tough.”

“And conditions changed all day – it went from a very slick in-run to almost spring-like, sloshy conditions in the afternoon and I ran out of in-run and couldn’t get any more speed on my last jump. So I had to settle for doing a lay-full-full in a very broken-form position, but there was nothing I could do - there was no more speed and as long as I landed I knew that I could win.”

“So to land two jumps in very different conditions from the morning to the afternoon was great and I think that shows the depth of experience I have when it comes to competition days like today and the pressure of jumping two days in a row with only limited training – I’ve only done maybe five or six days of triples.”

“So I’m patting myself on the back and I’m pretty proud. To sit in first place at Christmas time is great, and competing in front of a pretty tough home crowd like China, it was really good to perform well here.“

“To come away from this event with number one and two on the standings is a great result for the team.”

Cooper and Lassila lead the World Cup standings after the second event of the season, the four-time Olympian on 200 points and Lassila on 125 points.

The next event of the season will take place in Lake Placid, New York, on January 19. Australia’s mogul skiers will also be in action in Lake Placid, contesting a single moguls event on January 18, and a duals event on January 20.