Aerial skiing gets Brit backing

By Anna Thompson
BBC Winter sports editor

Canada's Kyle Nissen in the men's aerials at the 2006 Games

Britain is focusing on freestyle winter sports as a potential medal target at the next Winter Olympics.

Freestyle manager Simon Ashton believes Britain can challenge for a podium finish in aerial skiing in Vancouver in Canada in 2010.

Athletes from backgrounds in trampolining and gymnastics are being recruited and coached.

"We are certainly hoping to make a big impression at the 2010 Games," Ashton told BBC Sport.

Aerials are where an athlete performs a series of somersaults and spins as they are catapulted up to 15 metres into the air off a jump. They are judged on how high they jump, how graceful the jump is and the landing.

There has not been a dedicated aerials programme in British winter sports for nearly a decade but Snowsports GB reviewed the situation and decided to back it.

Ashton said only 100 men and women compete at the top level in the world and he believed British aerialists could reach the elite level within the time frame of the next Winter Olympics.

We don't have natural facilities but with the water ramp and indoor snow zones I believe we will be able to compete with the best Simon Ashton

"You don't need to be a skier to compete in aerials. We are more interested in those with a background in gymnastics, tumbling, trampolining or diving," said Ashton.

"They have the natural ability and we can coach them to make the transition to snow."

Britain's top aerialist is Sarah Ainsworth who was originally a trampolinist and she is among seven athletes who have shown definite promise.

She has been competing in aerials competitions on water ramps for a year and has already become British champion and finished third in her first international competition.

The aerials squad spends most of its time honing their tricks and skills on the water ramp in Sheffield but they have just spent a week's intensive training on snow.

Aerialists practice at the water ramp at Sheffield Ski Village

Ashton explained: "We don't have the natural facilities like alpine countries but with the water ramp and indoor snow zones, who have been building ramps for us, I believe we will be able to compete with the best."

Ainsworth will compete on the Europa Cup circuit when the 2006-07 winter season kicks off and her aim is to move up to World Cup level and secure a top-10 finish in the 2008-09 season and then for an Olympic podium finish in 2010.

Ashton added: "It is a bold statement but it is definitely what we are aiming for."

Another freestyle discipline which Britain is aiming for the top in is ski-cross.

This is similar to snowboard-cross which was an instant success on its Olympic debut in Italy this year.

The International Olympic Committee will decide in November whether ski-cross will be included in the next Winter Olympics.

"We're really excited about the possibility of ski-cross in the Olympics although it was a shame they did not think to consider half-pipe too," said Ashton.

Britain's brightest hope is Emma Sarsfield who finished 15th in a World Cup race in her first season at the top level.