Jacqui Cooper and Bree Munro have both qualified for the aerial skiing final of the 2009 FIS Freestyle World Championships at the Japanese resort of Inawashiro, but reigning World Cup champion Lydia Lassila and AIS team-mate Liz Gardner have been eliminated in the qualifying round.

Cooper finished in eighth place on 160.20 points after winding back her competition routine to two double somersaults following a crash in training just prior to the event.

Munro also opted to perform her lower degree of difficulty jumps, qualifying in ninth place on 158.80 points.
Lassila, who wrapped up her first World Cup title two weeks ago, finished one place short of a finals berth after missing the landing on her opening qualifying jump.

Though she landed her second triple twisting double, it was not enough to give her a place among the top 12 qualifiers.

Gardner finished in 20th position on 132.17 points after missing the landing on her opening single twisting triple somersault.

Chinese skiers filled the top three qualifying places, led by dual world champion Li Nina on 196.51 points.

World championship debutant David Morris finished in 18th position in a very creditable performance, scoring 193.33 points in total, with a 105.83 point double twisting triple for his second jump.

Canadian skier Warren Shouldice led the qualifying round on 247.93 points.