Winter Olympians Laura Peel and Matt Graham both created history over the weekend, with Peel's back-to-back Crystal Globe win putting her in the company of multiple World Cup-winning legends like Jacqui Cooper and Alisa Camplin, while Graham became the first Aussie male since Dale Begg-Smith in 2010, to win the Crystal Globe.
Peel was again the dominant athlete of the season performing the most difficult triple back somersaults at each event, recording four World Cup podium performances and the second World Championship gold medal of her career earlier in the week in Almaty.
“It’s been a massive week, but honestly I could not have asked for more, I started the season with the yellow leaders bib and to finish with the yellow bib and a World Championship win is the dream ending really”
“It’s been nine months now that I have been on the road so looking forward to heading home.”
Joining Peel in the super final was teammate Danielle Scott who finished in fifth place, with Gabi Ash in ninth after earlier qualifying for finals in a personal best fourth place.
Peel finished the season on top of the World Cup standings with 450 points, followed by American Winter Vinecki with 343 points with Marion Thenault of Canada in third with 312 points.
Heading into the final event, Matt Graham had an 18 point lead in the standings, but after a number of delays due to snow and bad visibility, the event organisers were forced to cancel the competition and Graham was crowned the World Cup champion.
The 26-year-old from the NSW Central Coast had an outstanding season, winning three World cup medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze) and also claimed the silver medal at the Word Championships in Almaty earlier this week.
Graham finished the season on 289 points, followed by Frenchman Benjamin Cavet on 271 points, with Ludavig Fjallstrom of Sweden in third place with 258 points.
“I am very excited and very happy to have earnt this, the Crystal Globe is one of those things I have always wanted competing in mogul skiing,” said the 2018 Olympic silver medallist.
“We arrived overseas in November not even sure if events would happen, we more or less came over with the intention to train as much as we can and if we got to compete that would be a bonus.”
“Winning the globe would be the highlight of my season, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, some events didn’t necessarily go my way and I didn’t ski that great, but I managed to hang in there and get enough results and a few podiums to be on top when it counted.”
Graham’s teammate Brodie Summers finished the season in fifth place on the standings, the highest end of season ranking of the 27-year-old's career with Jakara Anthony the highest-ranked Australian female in tenth.
