Published: 11:13, February 16, 2020 | Updated: 07:51, June 6, 2023
Chinese freestyle skiers miss podium at Moscow World Cup
By Xinhua

In this March 10, 2017 photo, Chinese skier Xu Mengtao competes during the women's aerials final in the FIS Snowboard and Freestyle Ski World Championships 2017 in Sierra Nevada. (JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)

MOSCOW - The Chinese freestyle aerial squad led by former world champion Xu Mengtao failed to make any podium finish in the World Cup held in Moscow on Saturday.

The 2018 Olympic champion Hanna Huskova from Belarus took the gold by collecting 95.46 points, followed by Australian veteran Laura Peel in 91.42 points

A total of five Chinese women's skiers reached the first final of 12  with 2013 world champion Xu Mengtao leading the qualification in 105.13 points. 

Then three Chinese athletes qualified for the second final of six, but the best result from them was a fourth finish by Olympic bronze medallist Kong Fanyu in 74.92 points.

The 2018 Olympic champion Hanna Huskova from Belarus took the gold by collecting 95.46 points, followed by Australian veteran Laura Peel in 91.42 points.

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The third-placed Sofia Alekseeva of Russia was far behind as the 16-year-old chose an easy jump to finish in 76.56 points.

The 29-year-old Xu performed the highest-difficulty jump in the final but failed in landing. The six-time World Championships medallist ranked fifth in 72.98 points.

In the men's event, Pavel Krotov of the host team clinched the title in 137.50 points.