Music: {allcanada} CANADA'S ROCHON CAPTURES WORLD CUP FREESTYLE AERIALS EVENT

Sunday, January 29, 2012

{allcanada} CANADA'S ROCHON CAPTURES WORLD CUP FREESTYLE AERIALS EVENT

CALGARY -- Canadian freestyle skier Olivier Rochon won the men's aerials event at Canada Olympic Park on Sunday for his first career World Cup victory.

Rochon, from Gatineau, Que., finished first with 125.67 points.

"In my jump I got scared because I went big and I had to stretch out a lot," Rochon said. "I managed to put down my feet, so I was happy."

China's Qi Guangpu was second with 124.34 points and compatriot Liu Zhongqing was third with 119.03.

Jean-Christophe Andre of Montreal was eighth with 83.19 points.

Rochon remained atop the overall standings with 266 points. He was well ahead of Switzerland's Thomas Lambert, who was second with 195.

China's Xu Mengtao won the women's event with 98.52 points while compatriot Cheng Shuang was second with 92.35. Olga Volkova of Ukraine was third with 85.05.

Rochon won silver earlier this month in Quebec in his first official competition since being suspended by the Canadian team for disciplinary problems in July 2010.

He was named top rookie on the World Cup circuit in 2009.