ALPINE SKIING: Australia’s first three Alpine Skiing athletes have been selected to compete at the Sochi Winter Games with Greta Small, Ross Peraudo and Dominic Demschar joining the nation’s largest ever Team as they prepare to make their Olympic debut.
ALPINE SKIING: Australia’s first three Alpine Skiing athletes have been selected to compete at the Sochi Winter Games. Greta Small, Ross Peraudo and Dominic Demschar join the nation’s largest ever Winter Team as they prepare to make their Olympic debut.
In a feat that highlights the growing strength of winter sports in Australia, 18-year-old Small will be Australia’s first female Alpine athlete in 12 years.
The young Aussie who was born in Wangaratta and splits her time now between Western Australia and Austria, will take to the slopes to compete in all five Alpine events – Downhill, Super Combined, Super-G, Slalom and Giant Slalom. Peraudo will feature in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events while Demschar has also qualified in the Super G event.
After having the honour of being the Australian flagbearer at the inaugural Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2012, Small has progressed strongly to now be competing on the world’s greatest stage.
“Obviously it is a great achievement being selected in my first Olympic Team,” Small said.
“I have made the leap forward from Youth Olympics to the Olympic Games so I'm very happy.”
Small is fine-tuning her preparations for the Games in the Far East Cup in Yongpyong, Korea where she has claimed a second and seventh in the Giant Slalom and a fifth in the Slalom.
“I am feeling confident in my skiing going into Sochi. I am just really excited to get back on the hill at Sochi and see what the snow is like.”
Small finished in 25th place in the Super Combined at the 2013 World Championships in Schladming, Austria and believes that if she leaves everything out on the Sochi slopes, she can post some strong results.
“My expectations are to put down all my runs as fast as I can pushing the limit, that's ski racing. My goal is to make the top 15 in any discipline.”
Australia’s leading male Ross Peraudo is the current junior and senior Australian Champion. After seven top 20 finishes since he began competing in France in late 2013, the 21-year-old is keen to break new boundaries.
“I know I can get close to the best if I ski my best so a top 30 result (in Sochi) would be great.”
Demschar made a late run for the Team to secure his spot with two top 10 performances in the Giant Slalom in Park City, Utah.
Ranked inside the top 200 in his preferred event, the 20-year-old’s persistence since joining the international circuit in 2008 has paid dividends as he prepares to wear his national uniform with pride.
"I am really excited to represent Australia in the Games," Demschar said.
"This has been a goal of mine for as long as I can remember. My dad coached Olympic athletes his whole coaching career and that is what really sparked the dream for me.
"My goals for Sochi are to be inside of the top 30 in the Giant Slalom, and to ski the best I can."
Two additional Alpine athletes will be announced on 29 February 2014 following the outcome an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
