Chinese skiers Han Xiaopeng and Li Nina swept the aerials competitions yesterday at the freestyle world championships in Madonna di campiglio, Italy.

 

 

Dale Begg-Smith of Australia and Jennifer Heil of Canada won the dual moguls, The Associated Press reported.

 

Olympic champion Han won the men's aerials with 240.86 points. Dmitri Dashinski of Belarus was second with 236.42, matching his Olympic silver medal, and World Cup champion Steve Omischl of Canada was third with 235.81.

 

Jeret Peterson of the United States finished seventh after failing to land his Hurricane jump.

 

"I got a little bit too much speed on take off and I lost it," said Peterson, who also crashed while attempting the jump at the 2005 worlds.

 

In the women's competition, Olympic silver medalist Li defended her title with 188.05 points. Assoli Slivets of Belarus was second with 186.55 and World Cup champion Jacqui Cooper of Australia was third with 182.58.

 

Emily Cook was the top American in sixth. She landed her full double full jump for the first time in competition.

 

Cook missed the 2003 and 2004 seasons due to injury.

 

"It's been a long road but I finally feel like I'm progressing," she said.

 

Begg-Smith, the Olympic champion in moguls, beat Guilbaut Colas of France in the duals final, while Ruslan Sharifullin of Russia took the bronze medal.

 

Heil, also the Olympic champion in moguls, edged Shannon Bahrke of the United States, with Margarita Marbler of Austria taking the bronze.

 

Bahrke won a silver medal in moguls at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics and finished fourth Friday.

 

"Duals is usually not my best event. But I told myself I've got to do better than fourth and I just came out on fire," Bahrke said. "This is huge for me."

 

(Shanghai Daily March 11, 2007)