TOUGH CONDITIONS ON MELBOURNE’S  YARRA RIVER

With many of our World Cup Stars on site for the famous Moomba Masters in Melbourne, today was our first chance to see who is in form at this early part of the World Cup season ahead.  Surprisingly, the Yarra River delivered unpredictable weather on Day One and this impacted the results of the early part of the competition. It was cold and wet with temperatures down as low as 12C / 54Fh.

World Slalom Record holder Chris Parrish USA emerged top seed after all competitors battled rain, cold and an unusually high tide. He was the only one to get on to the 11.25m line with a score of 5 buoys – with Jodi Fisher GBR and Aaron Larkin NZL nearest on the 12m line. So, it looks like our World Cup Stars are kicking off where they closed our 2008 season.  In the Womens Slalom opening round, Australian superstar Karina Nowlan proved her toughness as other top women skiers stumbled in the difficult conditions. Anais Amade FRA and Stacy Gilbert NZL were close behind. Nowlan goes into Saturday’s round as the top seed.

Conditions were no better in the Jump event today. ‘ Not sure what happened to World Cup Jump Champion, Ageliki Andriopoulou GRE – will report later. However, Marion Mathieu FRA landed a respectable 46.7m to come out on top today – ahead of Denmark’s Maj Lund Jepsen and June Fladborg. In the Mens event, with no sign of expectant father Freddy Krueger USA, the battle still continues. So far, Damien Sharman GBR is on top with 62.2m – ahead of Jason Seels GBR and Sebastien DiPasqua SUI.

Junior Moomba concluded on Thursday with a big win by young New South Wales teenager Tim Bradstreet, taking the boys Overall crown from a tough field of international competitors. There was also a great show from the youngsters from South America this year. Bradstreet’s training partner, Josh Briant AUS, became the youngest ever, at just 13 years of age, to win the Tricks event at the Junior Moomba Masters.

That is all we have for you so far – and it looks like our World Cup Stars are already well placed to bring home their first trophies of the 2009 season. More tomorrow.