Thirteen months out from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Australia’s winter sports prospects continue to improve, with Jenny Owens finishing fourth in a ski cross World Cup in France and Alex Pullin placing sixth in the third snowboard cross event of the season in Austria.

The results come a day after skeleton athlete Michelle Steele raced to fifth place in a World Cup in Konigssee, Germany.

Owens qualified in second place in the Les Contamines event, and then fought her way through the four woman head-to-head quarter final and semifinal rounds, finishing second each time to defending World Cup champion Ophelie David of France.

But the 30-year-old Perisher Blue skier got a poor start in the final, and despite several attempts to pass, had to be content with fourth place.

Norwegian Hedda Berntsen won the gold medal from David, with Katrin Offner of Austria taking the bronze.

The result puts Owens into seventh place on the World Cup standings on 65 points after the opening two events of the season. Berntsen leads the rankings on 145 points, 15 clear of David.

“I’m kind of happy but not super-excited,” Owens said.

“I had a bad start in the final run and obviously lost out in the end, but it’s a step forward for Flaine in the next couple of days, and certainly better than the sixteenth at the start of the week.”

The French resort of Flaine was the venue for one of Owens’ medal results last season.

Meanwhile in Bad Gastein, Austria, Olympic Winter Institute team-mate Alex Pullin raced to his second top ten result for the season.

Pullin qualified in seventh place, then won his finals round of 16 head-to-head encounter.

The 21-year-old Mt Buller rider finished in second place in his quarter final, but could only manage fourth place in the semi-final round.

His second place in the consolation final delivered the overall sixth placing, two spots shy of his best for the season so far.

“Alex was super motivated and fresh to ride after a good break over Christmas and New Year,” said OWI Head Snowboard Coach Ben Wordsworth.

“This is a great follow-up result for after his fourth place finish in Arosa before Christmas.”

Pullin’s OWI team-mate Damon Hayler scraped into the finals in 32nd place, but was knocked out in his first round heat putting him in 32nd position for the event.

Xavier De Le Rue of France won the gold medal from Czech rider Michal Novotny, with Nate Holland of the USA in third place.

Pullin now sits in ninth place on the World Cup points table on 928 points, 532 behind Stian Sivertzen of Norway on 1460 points. Hayler is in 22nd place on 446 points.

Another snowboard cross event will be contested at the same Bad Gastein venue tonight Australian time (January 11).

Athlete Audio
To visit the OWI Gallery and hear audio of Jenny Owens following the event, please click here.