Date: 29/11/02

Five Australian skiers will be in action this weekend as the World Cup moguls season begins in Tignes. Veteran Maria Despas will be heading into her 13th season on the circuit, with Adrian Costa just one year behind in his 12th season. At the other end of the career line, Mt Hotham skier Michael Robertson will be skiing in his first World Cup event. Michael, who has had podium placings in Europa Cup and been in the top five in Australia for the past few years, has been selected before, but been unable to join the Australian team due to injury.

Skiing with Maria in the women’s event will be fellow Salt Lake 2002 team members Maria Berchtold and Jane Sexton. The pair have been working with AIS physiotherapist Peter Hogg since the end of the Australian season, and have made major steps forward in conditioning and strength that are expected to serve them well in the coming season.

All five skiers have been training in Tignes for the past three weeks, but very bad weather has cost them significant training time.

The second event of the season is scheduled for the following weekend in the Italian resort of Sauze d’Oulx, but the event is in some doubt due to poor snow conditions.