Australian freestyle ski star Danielle Scott has retained her title as World Cup aerials champion — but only after weather ruined the climax to the season in Kazakhstan.
The 34-year-old Scott was awarded the crystal globe as season’s aerials champion after the finals at Almaty had to be called off on Sunday because the venue was enveloped by thick fog.
Organisers decided to base the final results on the qualification positions, with Scott’s second place being enough to leapfrog her above American Winter Vinecki, who had been the leader going into Sunday’s final World Cup event of 2023-24.
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Scott’s overall victory meant a third Australian freestyle ski triumph in three days at Almaty’s Shymbulak Mountain Resort, following the golden double of Jakara Anthony in the moguls and dual moguls on Friday and Saturday.
So, despite not winning any of the six events over the season, Scott’s four second-place finishes and overall consistency was enough for her to successfully defend her title on 420 points with Vinecki on 378.
Vinecki, who had won three of the season’s events, could afford to feel somewhat aggrieved after a conservative qualification attempt saw her finish 10th and pick up only 26 points to Scott’s 80.
If the jury had decided to ignore the qualification scores, Vinecki, the only skier to have landed tripe jumps during the season, would have won by 12 points.
But it could not detract from another landmark season for Sydneysider Scott, the triple Olympian who had won the previous crystal globe in 2022-23 from her teammate Laura Peel.
A second overall World Cup crown only adds to the former gymnast’s impressive CV that also features two world championship silvers (2017 and 2023) and a bronze (2013).
