AERIALS:

Shouldice dazzles for 2nd place, secures Olympic opportunity

Jan. 22, 2010 — Canadian Freestyle Ski Association

►Photos: Warren Shouldice, below; home page, Olivier Rochon (Mike Ridewood, CFSA)

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Aerialist Warren Shouldice of Calgary clinched a berth at his second Olympic Games in dramatic fashion Friday night, landing his signature jump with a near-perfect score.

Ryan Blais of Grande-Prairie, Alberta, joined Shouldice on the podium, placing third, in FIS freestyle World Cup action. Unfortunately for Blais, despite achieving his first podium this year, he narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympic team, as he did in 2006.

Shouldice will be joined on the 2010 Olympic aerials squad by Kyle Nissen of Calgary and Steve Omischl of Kelowna, B.C., the top-ranked aerialist in the world in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Shouldice, 26, was in good position to fill one of freestyle skiing’s 18 spots on the Olympic team prior to Friday night’s final. But he left no doubt by performing a unique version of a quad-twisting triple somersault that no one else tries on the World Cup circuit.

“I did it as well as I can do it,” he said, adding, “that’s exactly how I want to do it at the Olympics.”

The jump, called a lay triple full-full, collected a near-maximum score of 132 points, as Shouldice vaulted from ninth place in the qualifying round to second in the final.

His silver-medal score was 251.55, as Shouldice now heads to the Olympics looking to improve on his sixth-place finish in the 2006 Games.

“I want to be on the podium, no doubt about it,” said Shouldice.

Anton Kushnir of Belarus continued his incredible season to win the event with a score of 253.55. His third World Cup win this season also extended his medal-winning streak to five medals in five starts.

Blais took third in 250.80, while Nissen was fourth in 249.59, Olivier Rochon of Gatineau, Que., sixth in 245.49 and Omischl ninth in 233.01.

Rémi Bélanger of Mascouche, Que. narrowly missed making it to the finals and finished in 14th position. Travis Gerrits of Milton, Ont., was 29th.

Amber Peterson finished ninth in the women’s aerials finals. It was her second-best World Cup placing this season, but it wasn’t enough to clinch an Olympic team berth.

“I’m just a little devastated,” said Peterson, trying to keep her emotions in check after landing two different versions of triple-twisting double somersaults.

“I’ve been making finals and I feel I’m on top of my game, but I haven’t been getting the results,” she added.

“It looks like these 2010 Olympics are probably … well, they are done for me,” concluded Peterson, who competed at the 2006 Olympics.

Lydia Lassila of Australia won the women’s aerials with a score of 203.38. Three-time world champion Nina Li of China was second in 197.56 and Xin Zhang of China took third in 181.72.

Peterson scored 165.14 in ninth, and Sabrina Guérin of Laval, Que., 134.92 for 12th in the 12-skier final. The only other Canadian woman in the finals, Geneviève Tougas of St-Hubert, Que. was 19th.

The Canadian Olympic Freestyle Team will be nominated on Monday in Montreal.  SRC

Lake Placid men's World Cup aerials results

Lake Placid women's World Cup aerials results