WINTER: World Championship gold medals have secured aerial skier Laura Peel and snowboarder Scotty James the joint title of Australia’s Snowsports Athlete of the Year at a special presentation in Melbourne tonight (Thursday April 30).

Peel, a member of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) strong aerial squad, was the first of the two Australians to capture a world title at the Ski and Snowboard World Championships in Kreischberg, Austria, in January.

Two days later, James claimed Australia’s second gold medal by winning the snowboard halfpipe event, beating a top class field from across the globe.

At the same championships, Russ Henshaw won silver in the ski slopestyle event and Britt Cox took the bronze in moguls, completing a highly successful championships for the Australians.

Another moguls skier, Matt Graham, was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award after his rise in world rankings throughout last season, while rising snowboard cross athlete, Jarryd Hughes, took the Junior Athlete of the Year Award.

Other winners were:

Coach of the Year – Steve Desovich and Jerri Grossi (mogul skiing)
Development Coach of the Year – Peter McNiel
Rising Star Award - Jakara Anthony
School of the Year – Caulfield Grammar (Victoria)

SSA