Lydia Lassila has continued her comeback to the top echelon of aerial skiing, winning bronze in a World Cup in Mont Gabriel, Canada.

While team-mate Jacqui Cooper crashed out of contention after missing her opening jump, Lassila (nee Ierodiaconou) made her second podium of the season and moved up to the world number two ranking behind her Olympic Winter Institute team-mate.

Belarussian skier Alla Tsuper led the opening qualifying, scoring 107.92 points, but Lassila was lying in second place on 100.63 points, her first 100-plus score since returning to competition.

Reigning World Champion Nina Li of China was in third place on 100.46 points, while Cooper was well back in ninth place on 85.65 points after missing her first triple twisting triple somersault for the season.

In the final round, Lassila just missed another three figure score, earning 99.58 points from the judges for her triple twisting double somersault.

While that was enough to give the 26-year-old Mt Buller skier the first 200-plus total of her return season, it was not enough to overtake Tsuper or hold off Li.

In a very tight contest, final results gave gold to the Belarussian with 201.02 points, silver to Li with 200.57 and bronze to Lassila on 200.21.

Cooper rallied with the highest-scoring jump of the final round, 101.84, which moved her up to sixth place overall on 187.49 points.

The third member of the Australian team, Liz Gardner, missed a place in the final after finishing in 15th place on 80.95 points in the qualifying round.

“I’m just so happy,” Lassila said.

“It was really high octane today. To come third with 200 points, that tells you the quality of the jumping.”

“It was so tight and so close - it was high pressure.”

“But it was fun. I had a lot of fun today.”

“My landings were better today. My jumps have been really good all season, but the landings haven’t been perfect. So we worked on polishing up the landings today and that made all the difference.”

“My knee has to be managed – it’s a little temperamental first season back, but we’re on top of everything, and the physio is all working well.”

Cooper retains her position at the top of the World Cup standings on 340 points, with Lassila in second place on 235 points. Li is in third place on 200 points.

Gardner is in tenth position on 107 points.

The fifth World Cup of the season will be held next weekend on the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic jump site in Deer Valley.

Courtesy OWI/Sportcom