Apex WC Finals: Aerialist Cook 3rd for first podium since 2001

Apex WC Finals: Aerialist Cook 3rd for first podium since 2001{mosimage}PENTICTON, B.C. – Aerialist Emily Cook stepped onto her first World Cup podium in five years Sunday, finishing third at World Cup Finals.

Eric Bergoust had the top U.S. men’s result, finishing sixth. Belarussians won both events with Dmitri Dashinski clinching the men’s World Cup title with his victory.

Alla Tsuper of Belarus won the women’s event at Apex Mountain Resort with 184.63 points and China’s Shuang Cheng was second at 178.44. Cook, clicking with a lay full and full, full (two twists, two flips), had 171.85 while Jill Priest was 10th.

It’s the first top three for Cook since Jan. 6, 2001, when she also finished third at Deer Valley, Utah. Cook, who had qualified for the 2002 Olympic teams, was off the World Cup for 2 1/2 seasons after shattering her feet in a bad landing during training on the eve of the Olympics; she returned before the 2005 season and made this season’s Olympic team, finishing 19th.

‘Those were my two best jumps in a really, really long time’ Cook said. ‘This is such a nice way to end the World Cup season.’

She said training during the week had been problematic because of winds and a couple of snowstorms. ‘So, to come out on comp day and have it so nice — it was awesome — was so good’ she added.

In the men’s contest, Dashinski had 259.52 points to 250.74 for Canadian Ryan Blais. Bergoust received 232.89 for his two jumps while Ryan St. Onge finished seventh with 230.31. Tim Massucco was 13th.

The Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships begin Thursday at Vermont’s Killington resort.

– USSA

FREESTYLE WORLD CUP
World Cup Finals
Apex Mountain Resort
Penticton, B.C. – March 19, 2006
Men’s aerials
1. Dmitri Dashinski, Belarus, 259.52 points
2. Ryan Blais, Canada, 250.74
3. Ales Valenta, Czech Republic, 245.14
4. Stanislav Kravchuk, Ukraine, 240.93
5. Sen Qiu, China, 233.61
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6. Eric Bergoust, Missoula, Mont., 232.89
7. Ryan St. Onge, Steamboat Springs, Colo., 230.31
13. Tim Massucco, East Otis, Mass., 158.26

Women’s aerials
1. Alla Tsuper, Belarus, 184.63
2. Shuang Cheng, China, 178.44
3. Emily Cook, Belmont, Mass., 171.85
4. Evelyne Leu, Switzerland, 163.50
5. Assoli Slivets, Belarus, 162.77
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10. Jill Priest, Park City, Utah, 125.58