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GETTING UP IN THE WORLD 5b this competitor in the final freestyle event of the season at Whistler. The world
champions were decided following the meet in the sun on Sunday. (Gill Shaw photo)

&

Laurelee Bowie takes Aerials

By GILL SHAW

Grouse Mountain’s own
Laurelee Bowle wrapped up
the Labatt’s World Cup
Freestyle ski tour by winning
the women’s aerial event at
Whistler mountain last
Sunday.

In an event that is perhaps
the most spectacular in
freestyle the aerial com-
petition demands the
combined skills of a
trampolinist and a diver.

The aerialist must possess
the nerve to leap straight
into mid air, and not only
land upright on a pair of skis,
but do ae few fancy
manocuvres on the way
down.

There is more than nerve
and skill involved: the skier
who makes that apparently

Who remembers the old Maka

suicidal leap must have more
than a regular share of
foolish daring. But the most
breathtaking part of the
aerials competition is that,
amazingly cnough, these
skiers can land on their feet,
or rather their skis, and
cruise down the rest of the
slope as if it were quite an
everyday exercise.

And Bowie did just that on
Sunday, capturing the
women's acrial cham-
pionship for the season; her
second year as top acrialist
in the world. She won with a
healthy 15 point lead over
second place Renee Smith of
Vancouver. Mary Beddor of
the United States came
third.

Laurelee Bowie is only
one representative of a
talented skiing family. Her

brother, Rick placed third in
the men’s aerials on Sunday
and tied for second place in
the men’s combined title.
And yet another brother,
Darryl Bowie, former
freestyle champion, was
present for Sunday’s events
in his capacity as president
of the Canadian Freestyle
Association.

In men's competition,
Murray Cluss of Medicine
Hat, Alberta, won the

combined men’s title. John
Eaves of Calgary, three time
men's World Cup Champion,
tied for second place with
Bowie and Scott Brooksbank
of Sandy, Utah took third
spot.

The men's aerials were
dominated by Canada’s
“Quebec Air Force,” with
Craig Clow of Quebec City

Freestyle finals at Whistler

capturing the men’s event
just ahead of Jean Coriveau.

The Labatt’s Freestyle
tour has been plagued by
poor weather this season.
Two earlier meets this winter
in eastern Canada’ were
cancelled due to poor snow
condition as well as one
scheduled for Austria. It
seemed, as blinding snow
gusted around the top of
Whistler Mountain last
Saturday that the Whistler
meet would be no exception.
But following the  post-
ponement on Saturday of the
mogul events, Sunday
dawned bright and sunny,
and thanks to some fast
organization, the mogul
events were completed in
the morning and the acrials
took place the samc af-
ternoon.

PARK ROYAL SOUTH

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