PARK CITY, Utah (Oct. 5) - U.S. aerialists are heading into the final days of the final splash pool camp at Utah Olympic Park, concluding off-snow technique tweaks before they up their focus on strength and conditioning heading into the Olympic season.

A highly successful World Cup opening weekend a month ago – two victories and four podiums by the men plus a handful of top-10s from the resurgent women – helped re-energize athletes for the final push, Aerials Head Coach Matt Christensen said.

“We’re winding down. This is always the toughest part of the preseason,” he said, “because just about everyone’s ready to be done with the splash pool,” which enabled athletes to work on their jumps when they can’t be on snow. Aerated bubbles help cushion the landings as athletes fine-tune their maneuvers.

“Everyone’s looking good. ‘Bergy’ [former Olympic, Worlds and World Cup champion Eric Bergoust – Missoula, MT] and Emily [Cook – Belmont, MA] are going to Lake Placid to get an extra three or four days of jumping, but we’ll finish this week at UOP.

Women beefing-up jumps
“The women have all upgraded their jumps. Saturday we had seven women do triples [triple-twist jumps] - Kate Reed [Montrose, CO]…Jana Lindsey [Black Hawk, SD]…Jill Priest [Park City, UT]…Lacy Schnoor [Draper, UT]…Kelly [Hilliman [Tonawanda, NY]…Sharlee [Strebel – Layton, UT]…and Jaime Myers [Boise, ID]. Jana’s even done some quad twists [four twist], and she’ll have two triple-twists for this season, which is outstanding,” Christensen said.

On the men’s side, he was pleased with defending World Cup champion – and current leader after the first two contests of the Olympic season – Jeret “Speedy” Peterson (Boise, ID), who nailed three quint-twisting triples, which entail five twists and three flips. “His last two were the best I’ve ever seen him do,” the coach added.

Peterson said he was going to concentrate on his strength workouts for the next two months, looking to further boost his conditioning. “I’m done for the summer. I’m excited and I’m ready,” he said, “and now it’s a question of getting stronger and working on my flexibility.

“I’m exactly where I want to be at this point, totally ready. I’m anxious to get back on snow,” he said.

Coach: summer of hard work, measurable achievement
In addition to Peterson and Bergoust, Christensen said Ryan St. Onge (Steamboat Springs, CO), who won the second event at Mount Buller, Australia, a month ago – after Peterson took the opener, has been clicking regularly with quad-twists. Olympic medalist Joe Pack (also Park City), who opened the season by finishing third behind Peterson, is fine-tuning his jumps, Christensen said.

“It’s been a good summer with some outstanding jumping and everyone working hard,” the coach said. “We’re ready to wind it down and give everyone a chance to let their body heal…and then turn things up again in China in December.”

The season rolls into its continuous competition phase Dec. 17-18 in Long Zhu, China, with two more aerials competitions. The U.S. Ski Team Olympic Trials, with the aerials and moguls winners earning an automatic spot on the Olympic Team, will be Dec. 30-31 in Steamboat Springs, Colo., as part of the 10 Weeks to Torino program of top-level ski and snowboard action in this country before the Olympics Feb. 10-26 in Torino, Italy.