(Updated Monday 15th February 2010)
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An incredible amount of media coverage revolving around 15 year old Britteny Cox, who learnt how to ski the moguls at Falls Creek, competing at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics has been quite remarkable.
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Watching our youngest Winter Olympic participant in 50 years, Britteny Cox, you had to admire her tenacity which has allowed her to represent Australia is some elite company.
Her ability to ski down a world-class mogul course (which included two jumps) was evident as we watched her take on the challenge and attempt to reach the final medal round of the women's Freestyle Mogul event.
It didn't have a fairy tale outcome many of the Falls Creek community were hoping it would but it did show how talented this fresh-faced former Falls Creek resident is.
Some of the very best in the sport of Freestyle mogul skiing feel Britteny has a big future and this experience will be invaluable as she develops a repertoire of skills which will be used when she next competes at the top level of her chosen alpine discipline.
The inclusion of 15 year old Britteny Cox (in our current Winter Olympic team) retains a Falls Creek tradition of nurturing winter sports participants such as former Winter Olympian Steven Lee, who is a key member of the commentary team covering the Alpine skiing events at the 21st Winter Olympics.
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(Updated Monday 1st February 2010)
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The Australian Olympic Committee has confirmed selection of three cross country skiers to the 2010 Australian Winter Olympic Team.
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Two, Esther Bottomley and Paul Murray (currently in Silver Star in Canada undergoing their final preparation for Vancouver) from Mt Beauty train and compete at Falls Creek each Australian winter.
They'll join 15 year old Britteny Cox (who also learnt her chosen alpine discipline at Falls Creek) who's family now reside in Mt Beauty.
Bottomley and Murray, who competed in the Freestyle Sprint at the 2006 Winter Olympics held in Torino, Italy, are focusing on the Classic Sprint on February 17.
The team is doing most of their distance training on the Silver Star trails and the higher intensity sessions over on the World Cup tracks at Sovereign Lake. Other teams training in the same location include Finland, Czech, Japan, Denmark, and the Norwegian biathlon team.
"Aims for Vancouver are high. Both Esther Bottomley and Paul Murray are capable of making it into the top 30 on their day, said National
Team coach Finn Marsland "Murray, who hasn't quite hit peak form yet this winter, still has his eyes set on making the sprint finals."
Murray said: "I'm looking forward to the games starting,"
"For the last four years I've been dreaming of making the Olympic finals. I can picture every inch of the sprint course at Whistler.
When I hit that start line I'll be giving it everything I've got."
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(Updated Thursday 28th January 2010)
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15 year old skier Britteny Cox grew up chasing her brother Hamish over the moguls at Falls Creek, Victoria's largest alpine resort.
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Her inclusion in our team to represent Australia at the Vancouver Winter Olympics is testimony to her rapid rise through the ranks of women's mogul skiing.
From eight years of age Britteny has been winning titles at state and national level in her chosen alpine discipline - mogul skiing.
Her on-snow skills have been honed by input from her father Graeme, older brother Hamish (who's currently coaching our national team at Deer Valley), Falls Creek-based Adrian Costa a four time Winter Olympian and coaches attached to the Falls Creek Race Club.
Older brother Hamish represented Australia in the winter of 2007 (at Park City, Utah where younger sister Britteny recently secured a first and second place in the Park City Classic). However, it is Albury Scots College student Britteny who has rewritten sports history with her selection in Australia's mogul team which will compete in the forthcoming Winter Olympics.
Graeme Cox said:"We are a bit numb. Britteny was targeted for the 2014 Winter Olympics and her dream to represent Australia on the World Cup (and Winter Olympics) circuit has come a lot earlier than we expected. "Her mogul career was built at Falls Creek where she attended the local school. They provided valuable training courses which made it possible for her to follow her quest to be a world-class mogul skier.
"I'm trying to organise flights today to Vancouver whilst Britteny is competing in Europe (before returning to Deer Valley to join the Australian mogul team. "Britteny would have woken up today knowing what is expected of her and her coaches all say she is a self-motivated athlete who will reset her focus and remain safe and strong before she competes against 29 of the top women mogul skiers."
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