Date: 10/12/02

Olympic Winter Institute moguls skiers Michael Robertson and Maria Despas have placed in the top ten in the second round of the World Cup in Sauze D’Oulx, Italy.

Robertson finished in sixth position, a remarkable result in just the second World Cup event of his career.

The 20 year-old Mt Hotham skier had made his World Cup debut the previous weekend, placing 18th in Tignes, France, with the combined results catapulting him into the number 9 world moguls ranking.

OWI team-mate Despas finished ninth in the women’s event, and sits in eighth spot on the World Cup standings after a 13th place in the opening event in Tignes.

It was the best performance by the world championship silver medallist since a career-threatening knee injury in August 2001.

OWI team members Manuela Berchtold and Jane Sexton finished 17th and 20th respectively, while Adrian Costa placed 27th in the men’s event.

The men’s event was won by reigning world champion Mikko Ronkainen of Finland, while the women’s went to two time World Cup champion and Salt Lake gold medallist Kari Traa of Norway.