Defending champions made a good start at the first stop of the
2007-08 Free Style FIS (International Ski Federation) World Cup
series at Lianhuashan ski resort in Changchun on Friday.
Steve Omischl from Canada and Jacqui Cooper from Australia, last
season's overall World Cup champions, won the men's and women's
freestyle skiing aerial gold medals, while Chinese skiers Han
Xiaopeng and Guo Xinxin won the men's and women's bronze
medals.
Finishing first in the qualifiers, Omischl, the 2005 world
champion, led the 12-competitor final to win the men's event with
247.55 points. Dmitri Dashinski from Belarus finished second with
237.33.
"I'm very happy with my performance today. I won the overall
last year, so I wear the yellow jet and I want to defend my title,"
said Omischl. "I'm ready for another strong season."
For Han, the biggest home favorite, 2006 Turin Winter Olympic
gold medalist and reigning world champion, it was a little
disappointment to lose the gold, but he promised to do better at
the second stop.
"It's a pity that I didn't win the gold," he said. "My
unsteadiness in landing cost me victory and I will try to improve
it next time."
On the women's side, veteran Cooper claimed the gold with two
clean and steady jumps, beating her compatriot Lydia Lassila.
China's young skier Guo finished third.
(China Daily December 22, 2007)