Winter Olympics: Cobbing chases aerial supremacy

RICHARD COBBING yesterday gave British freestyle skiing a high- profile lift with his qualification in fifth place for the men's Olympic aerials final on Thursday, writes Bill Scott from Lillehammer.

The 26-year-old did well to stay in touch with the leader, Alexei Parfenkov, of Belarus. Philippe Laroche and Lloyd Langlois, of Canada, and Trace Worthington, of the United States, separate the Newcastle skier from the top rung in the Olympic debut event.

There was a 21st placing for Jilly Curry in the women's competition, which does not qualify her for anything but a ticket home. The Londoner, fourth in the aerials in Albertville when it was a demonstration sport, could not overcome a knee injury which she picked up in competition the week prior to the Games. The Australian, Kirstie Marshall, heads the women for the finale.

Cobbing, competing in his second Games, did quite well in his run. He had a double-twisting back somersault and a treble-twisting triple back somersault on his jumps.

(Photograph omitted)