It was a spectacular opening to the FIS Freestyle World Cup season in Oberndorf (St Johan in Tirol), Austria, on Monday night, 5th January 2009. 4000 Austrian fans saw 24-year-old Michael Schmid from Switzerland and 22-year-old Marion Josserand from France win the opening competitions of the season. The 767-meter-long water injected track was full of changes posing a true challenge to all technical skills of the skiers.

In the ladies competition, the defending champion Ophelie David (FRA) was leading in the last round until her ski released in the specially designed ‘negative turn' (fall way slope) and Josserand, who was out all last season with an injury, passed her moving into the lead and victory. 42-year-old Katharina Gutenssohn of Austria took second while Kelsey Serwa of Canada, the team rookie from Kelowna, B.C., stole the third podium spot.

Michael Schmid of Switzerland won the men's race, beating Andreas Matt of Austria (brother of Mario Matt) in the final for his first World Cup title. Tommy Eliasen of Sweden took third, his first ever podium, after defeating American veteran Casey Puckett.

The Austrians gained two podiums much to the delight of the home town crowd and most of the top officials from the Austrian Ski Association which has launched a new program in ski cross.

The Freestyle FIS World Cup continues with two stops in France in the next seven days.

FIS
06 January, 2009