Australia’s third ranked aerial skier Liz Gardner has proved she can challenge for a place on the podium at the Torino Olympics in 12 months time after finishing in sixth place in the 2005 World Championship final.
Australia’s third ranked aerial skier Liz Gardner has proved she can challenge for a place on the podium at the Torino Olympics in 12 months time after finishing in sixth place in the 2005 World Championship final.
Gardner missed what appeared to be a certain medal when she caught an edge and lost a ski after landing her second round jump in the Finnish resort of Ruka.
The 24-year-old Melbourne skier was lying in second place behind 2005 World Cup champion Nina Li after the first round of jumping.
As she had done in qualifying, Gardner produced a personal best score for her new triple twisting double somersault in the opening round today, a jump she has attempted on snow only nine times, and competed twice.
She was awarded 98.5 points by the judges, just 2.13 points behind Li. Swiss veteran Evelyne Leu was in third place on 97.66 points.
Gardner’s second round jump, another variant of a triple twisting double somersault, was sweet in the air, earning points of up to 6.4 (out of a maximum of 7) from the judges.
But after putting down an initially successful landing, she hit a patch of soft snow and the left ski released, crashing her to the landing hill.
That was enough to push her back to sixth overall on 178.20 points.
Li went on to win the event on 197.37 points from Leu on 196.01, with another Chinese skier, Xinxin Guo taking the bronze.
Australia’s second representative in the final, Lainie Cole, finished in 12th place on 147.91 points in what was her first World Championship outing.
Number one and two in the Flying Kangaroos team, Lydia Ierodiaconou and Jacqui Cooper, had both been eliminated in the qualifying round yesterday.
Though disappointed, Gardner was also pleased about her overall performance at the championships.
“It seriously felt like a perfect landing and I was skiing down the hill and thought I had it,” Gardner said.
“I haven’t seen the video, so I’m not sure whether it was the soft snow or whether I was too forward, or it was something else.”
“I think it was one of the better jumps I have ever done in the air. My vision was really good, I could see everything and I felt very prepared for the landing.”
“I’m frustrated for sure. But it’s been a really good week. I’ve been very focussed, very relaxed, and in the best mental place I have ever been competing.”
“I feel like I’ve done some of the best jumping ever, and though I’m disappointed with the result, stuff like that happens in our sport.”
An added blow to Gardner was that a top five placing would have met the qualifying standard for the Australian Torino Games team.
The Flying Kangaroos will return to Melbourne on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23.
Gardner missed what appeared to be a certain medal when she caught an edge and lost a ski after landing her second round jump in the Finnish resort of Ruka.
The 24-year-old Melbourne skier was lying in second place behind 2005 World Cup champion Nina Li after the first round of jumping.
As she had done in qualifying, Gardner produced a personal best score for her new triple twisting double somersault in the opening round today, a jump she has attempted on snow only nine times, and competed twice.
She was awarded 98.5 points by the judges, just 2.13 points behind Li. Swiss veteran Evelyne Leu was in third place on 97.66 points.
Gardner’s second round jump, another variant of a triple twisting double somersault, was sweet in the air, earning points of up to 6.4 (out of a maximum of 7) from the judges.
But after putting down an initially successful landing, she hit a patch of soft snow and the left ski released, crashing her to the landing hill.
That was enough to push her back to sixth overall on 178.20 points.
Li went on to win the event on 197.37 points from Leu on 196.01, with another Chinese skier, Xinxin Guo taking the bronze.
Australia’s second representative in the final, Lainie Cole, finished in 12th place on 147.91 points in what was her first World Championship outing.
Number one and two in the Flying Kangaroos team, Lydia Ierodiaconou and Jacqui Cooper, had both been eliminated in the qualifying round yesterday.
Though disappointed, Gardner was also pleased about her overall performance at the championships.
“It seriously felt like a perfect landing and I was skiing down the hill and thought I had it,” Gardner said.
“I haven’t seen the video, so I’m not sure whether it was the soft snow or whether I was too forward, or it was something else.”
“I think it was one of the better jumps I have ever done in the air. My vision was really good, I could see everything and I felt very prepared for the landing.”
“I’m frustrated for sure. But it’s been a really good week. I’ve been very focussed, very relaxed, and in the best mental place I have ever been competing.”
“I feel like I’ve done some of the best jumping ever, and though I’m disappointed with the result, stuff like that happens in our sport.”
An added blow to Gardner was that a top five placing would have met the qualifying standard for the Australian Torino Games team.
The Flying Kangaroos will return to Melbourne on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23.
