AERIALS:

Nissen leads qualifying at Lake Placid aerials World Cup

Jan. 22, 2010 — The Canadian Press

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Kyle Nissen of Calgary set the pace Friday as five Canadians qualified for a World Cup men's aerials final.

Nissen hit his full-double-full-full jump with ease, scoring 128.32 points on a chilly night at the Intervale Jump Center. Switzerland's Renato Ulrich was second with 126.47, while Olivier Rochon of Gatineau, Que., placed third with 125.89.

Ryan Blais of Grande Prairie, Alta., finished fourth in 124.78. Rochon and Blais are battling for what could be the fourth and final men's aerials spot on the Olympic freestyle team, with Lake Placid representing the final Olympic qualification event.

Steve Omischl of North Bay, Ont., the defending World Cup champion, qualified seventh with 122.17, while Calgary's Warren Shouldice was ninth with 119.03. Omischl has already secured an Olympic berth, while Shouldice is also expected to make the team.

Amber Peterson of Thunder Bay, Ont., was 11th with 86.01, while Sabrina Guerin of Laval, Que., placed 12th with 81.42.

Evelyne Leu of Switzerland topped qualifying with 107.32, while Lydia Lassila of Austria (106.78) and Nina Li of China (98.34) rounded out the top three.  SRC