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Jacqui Cooper has
missed her opportunity to equal the world record for most career
aerial skiing victories, crashing on landing in the World Cup final
in Apex, Canada.
Cooper finished at the rear of the field after opting out of the
second round of jumping, but was not injured in the fall.
The event was won by Belarussian skier Alla Tsuper on 184.63 points
from Shaung Cheng of China on 178.44 points.
Difficult wind conditions played a major part in the result, with
top Chinese jumper Xin Xin Guo - another who competes triple
somersaults - also missing the landing on her first jump, and Torino
gold medallist Evelyne Leu failing to land her second jump.
"We had a massive head wind during training and the jump was very
slushy, so I was right at the top of the inrun and pushing to get
enough speed for my triple," Cooper said.
"But then the cloud came in just before the competition and the
speed went up, and the wind dropped off."
"So I was three kilometres too fast going into my first jump and as
soon as I took off I was stretching to try and slow down, and just
preparing for impact."
"I decided I wasn't going to make a move on the scoreboard with my
second jump, and the conditions were too risky so it was best to let
it go."
"I would have liked to equal the record here, and then broken it at
Mt Buller, but I guess I'll just have to win both events at Buller
now."
Leu added the World Cup aerial skiing title to her Torino gold
medal, ending the season on 524 points, 17 ahead of Tsuper, with
fellow Swiss skier Manuela Mueller in third place on 438 points.
Cooper was the best of the Australians for the season, placed 12th
on 220 points.
Australia's Kirstie Marshall and Canadian Marie-Claud Asselin share
the world record of 17 career victories.
Courtesy OWI/Sportcom
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