Australian aerials skier Laura Peel has recorded a breakthrough victory to claim World Cup gold in Kreischberg, Austria on Friday.
The 22-year-old from Mount Buller joins an elite club of Australians to have won a World Cup aerials event after finishing ahead of Ukraine’s Olga Volkolva and China’s Yu Yang in the event.
Only Kirstie Marshall, Jacqui Cooper and Olympic gold medallists Alisa Camplin and Lydia Lassila have won World Cup aerials events for Australia before.
Peel’s win was Australia’s first major aerials win since Lassila’s gold at the Vancouver Winter Games two years ago.
The Victorian’s win lifts her to fourth in the world after seven rounds of the World Cup circuit and comes after a trio of top five placings already this year.
“It’s going to take a while for today to sink in because it is a big shock,” Peel said.
“I would not have dreamed of this at the start of the season.
“I think this is now the start of my career and I can achieve a lot more, using jumps with a higher degree of difficulty.”
The next round of the World Cup circuit is in Minsk on February 25.