Tuesday, December 18, 2001
Dionne's soaring higher than ever
Red Deer freestyle aerialist confident after competition
By RON MANZ -- Calgary Sun
The World Cup Freestyle Ski Competitive Aerial season does not take flight until January but already Red Deer's Deidra Dionne is setting the stage for what could be a memorable season.
In her first competition of the winter season last weekend at Fortress Mountain, Dionne won a silver medal in the opening NorAm Freestyle Aerials event Friday and grabbed a fourth-place finish in the second Sunday.
She was top Canadian both times.
"It was definitely a confidence-booster for me," said Dionne following Sunday's event.
"The World Cups don't start until the New Year and that meant many of the best competitors in the world were here for this event.
"It was kind of like a mini-World Cup.
"To be able to medal right off the bat against about a quarter of the entrants I will face in World Cup was great."
It's also especially gratifying because Dionne did it by competing her new jump she's been working on this off-season.
Dionne threw a triple-twisting double-flip followed by a double-twisting double-flip.
She is hoping to include the triple when she competes at the Salt Lake Olympics in February.
"Right now, I'm still at the learning stage with my new trick.
"By February, I believe I can complete it enough to feel comfortable to include it in my Olympic experience.
"The top seven or eight women in the world are doing the triple twists already with the double flip.
"This just means I'm now on the same playing level as them, and with the higher degree of difficulty the jump rates, I have a very legitimate shot at a medal every time I use it.
"It also means I have a shot at an Olympic podium if everything goes well on the day."
Dionne is only on her second full season of World Cup competition but the 1999-2000 rookie of the year has already qualified for the Winter Olympics.
A bronze medal at last year's World Championships guaranteed her spot on Canada's team.
"Competing in the Olympics has been a dream of mine since I was just a little girl.
"Winning on the World Cup tour is special and a goal but there is no greater accomplishment for an amateur athlete than to compete in and medal at the Olympics.
"I'm not there yet and I don't want to jinx myself by getting injured but I feel I have a strong chance at these Olympics.
"Our sport is so unique in that no one person is so totally dominant they are expected to win all the time.
"If I put it all together on that one day, and with my new jump having a higher degree of difficulty, you never know what might happen."
Dionne is busy shooting a television commercial at Fortress this week. She will then head home to Red Deer for Christmas and then embark on the World Cup Tour at Mount Tremblant, Que., Jan. 12-13.
She competes in the Olympic Winter Games at Deer Valley, Utah, with aerial qualifying for women Feb. 16 and the aerial final Feb. 18.
2002 Games Freestyle Skiing Coverage
