MOGULS: Talented Australian teenagers Matt Graham and Britt Cox both recorded top 10 finishes in World Cup mogul skiing at Deer Valley, in the United States, today.

It was a World Cup personal best for Graham, who is competing in his first full season in the northern hemisphere series, as well as the first time this year that Australia was represented in the men’s and women’s finals at a World Cup level.

Graham’s 10th place in the massive field of 73 competitor saw the Australian Institute of Sport / NSW Institute of Sport athlete’s world ranking jump 13 places to 23.

Cox also finished in 10th, her third top 10 after five rounds of competition.

Cox and Graham have the opportunity to back up these results and further build their seasons when they compete in dual moguls at Deer Valley in two days.

Graham finished behind Canadian duo Mikael Kingsbury and Alex Bilodeau in first and second, with American Patrick Deneen taking the other podium placing.

The women’s event was an all American podium finish, with Hannah Kearney, Heather McPhie and Eliza Outtrim finishing in first, second and third places.

Cox, ranked 8th in the world, said that her impressive results this season are directly linked to becoming a more consistent skier.

“Today I had a really clean run but I have more in the tank for Saturday and I’m looking for another top 10,” Cox said.

“My skiing across the board is a lot more consistent so I have been able to improve each element of my skiing which has meant that I have been able to get into a few more finals and a few more top 10 finishes.

“This season is going well for me.”

Graham said that finishing 10th has reinforced his belief that he can challenge the world’s best mogul skiers.

“I am really happy with my result today,” he said.

“To achieve better results each week has been one of my main goals this season.

“I’ve been trying to improve all my tricks and I think today’s result showed that.”

“I have thought for a while that I can compete with these guys and today showed it.”

Freestyle skiing continues at Deer Valley tomorrow with Olympic Champion Lydia Lassila looking to achieve her fourth podium finish of the season.

Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA)

 

Results – Women’s World Cup mogul skiing, Deer Valley, USA

1. Hannah Kearney (USA), 2. Heather McPhie(USA), 3. Eliza Outtrim (USA), 4. Miki Ito (JPN), 5. Arisa Murato (JPN), 6. YuliaGalysheva (KAZ), 10. Britt Cox (AUS).

Women’s mogul skiing world ranking after 5 rounds

1.    Justine Dufour-Lapointe (CAN) 312, 2. Heather McPhie (USA) 285, 3. Hannah Kearney (USA) 245, 4. Chloe Dufour-Lapointe (CAN), 5. Nikola Sudova (CZE), 6. Miki Ito (JPN), 8. Britt Cox (AUS) 160.

Results – Men’s World Cup mogul skiing, Deer Valley, USA.

1.    Mikael Kingsbury (CASN), 2. Alex Bilodeau (CAN), 3. Patrick Deneen (USA), 4. Sho Endo (JPN), 5. Philippe Marquis (CAN), 6. Alexandr Smyshlyaev (RUS), 10 Matt Graham (AUS).

Men’s mogul skiing world standings after round 5

1.    Mikael Kingsbury (CAN) 460, 2. Alex Bilodeau (CAN) 335, 3. Patrick Deneen (USA) 261, 4. Marc-Antoine Gagnon (CAN) 185, 5. Byron Wilson (USA) 183, 6. Alexandr Smyshlyaev (RUS) 172, 23. Matt Graham (AUS) 48.