TORINO: Freestyle: Speedy only American to advance in aerials

TORINO: Freestyle: “Speedy” only American to advance in aerials{mosimage}SAUZE D’OULX, Italy – Jeret “Speedy” Peterson was the lone American of four to advance to finals in men’s aerials Monday, a disappointing effort for a U.S. freestyle team considered one of the best in the world.

While Peterson made it, Joe Pack, Ryan St. Onge and Eric Bergoust all failed to advance to Thursday night’s 12-man finals. Pack, the defending Olympic silver medalist, is ranked eighth in the world and St. Onge is ranked fourth.

Han Xiaopeng of China led the qualifying, followed by Dmitry Dashinski of Belarus and Warren Shouldice of Canada, who has dual citizenship in the United States.

The Americans weren’t the only disappointments: Defending Olympic gold medalist Ales Valenta of the Czech Republic and Steve Omischl of Canada, both considered medal contenders, failed to qualify.

The men’s Olympic aerials finals will be Thursday night, under the lights.

– The Associated Press