Australia’s women’s aerial skiing team faces a challenging competition schedule at the Winter Olympics following cancellations and postponements due to heavy snowfall in the Italian Alps. The adverse weather has led to the qualifying round for women’s aerials being rescheduled to 10 AM on Wednesday (8 PM AEDT), with finals scheduled to follow just hours later at 1 PM (11 PM AEDT). This compressed timetable means the athletes will have to navigate two qualification rounds and three finals in a single day with minimal recovery time.
Danielle Scott is set to spearhead the Australian effort in the women’s aerials after the competition was delayed due to poor visibility caused by more than 20 cm of snow accumulation in Livigno. The harsh conditions raised safety concerns, particularly with medical access being hindered by fog and blocked roads, prompting officials to postpone both the men’s and women’s qualifying rounds.
Channel 9 commentator Brenton Speed described the weather as “atrocious,” reflecting the challenges faced by athletes. The adverse conditions also led to the delay of the women’s snowboard slopestyle finals, which features 16-year-old Australian athlete Ally Hickman.
Australian aerials coach Renee McElduff emphasized that safety is the top priority. “It’s a little disappointing we couldn’t jump today, but our athletes’ safety is our number one priority,” she stated. McElduff noted the difficulties that the fog created for medical personnel and the potential risks of competing without proper medical support. Despite the setbacks, she expressed confidence in her team’s adaptability, highlighting the rigorous training that prepares athletes for unexpected situations.
The men’s aerial qualification will occur on Wednesday between the women’s qualifying and finals, although they have been granted an extra day between qualification and their finals event, unlike the women. Australia has four female competitors in the event, though Laura Peel has had to withdraw due to a knee injury. With training also canceled, debut athletes Airleigh Frigo, Abbey Willcox, and Sidney Stephens face a steep learning curve as they prepare for the competition.
Looking ahead, McElduff remains cautiously optimistic. “We’re actually hoping the weather will be good tomorrow – the forecast suggests it will be a nice day,” she said. She believes the team has strategies in place to tackle the demanding schedule, especially with versatile athletes like Danielle Scott primed for any challenge.
As the winter games progress, the focus will remain on the well-being of the athletes while hoping for better weather conditions to facilitate a successful competition.