Competing nationally as a gymnast and skiing on weekends while growing up in Canberra, Australia, it was suggested to Laura Peel by the Victorian Institute of Sport that she combine her two passions and take up aerial skiing. At 19 years old, she did just that, the amalgamation of sports proving so successful the now 32-year-old is set to take part in her third Olympic Winter Games, and this time she wants a medal.
The ambition isn’t so far-fetched. Peel is a two-time world champion – in 2015 and 2021 – and was also not far from the podium in Sochi 2014 (7th) and closer still at PyeongChang 2018 in 5th.
On current form, Peel is even more entitled to have medal-ware in mind. Just one month ago, at the last World Cup before Beijing 2022, Peel won the event by landing a triple twisting triple backflip, a move hailed as “probably the greatest full-full-full ever done by a woman” by Australia’s deputy chef de mission Alisa Camplin.
The Australians have form in this discipline, with four of the nation’s 19 total Winter Olympic medals won by female aerials skiers. Peel will also be joined in the discipline by compatriot and also a soon-to-be three-time Olympian, Danielle Scott, one of Peel’s main challengers along with 23-year-old Olympic debutant Gabi Ash.
The women’s aerials competition starts on Sunday 13 February with two qualification runs followed by the final two rounds, which brings the hardware, on Monday 14 February, and we all know what Peel would love most that day.
To get to know Peel a little better, here’s three things to know.
Opening ceremony flagbearer
Peel described herself as “privileged” to be chosen as the flagbearer for Australia at Beijing 2022.
The 32-year-old was training in Canada when she received a phone call from the delegation’s Chef de Mission, Geoff Lipshut. “[It was a] super exciting phone call and the phone call that every athlete wants to get,” Peel told a media conference in People’s Republic of China.
“It’s an absolute honour and a privilege and I think we have such an incredible team. I couldn’t be more proud to walk out with the team,” she said.
Peel shared the honour with fellow three-time Olympian, figure skater Brendan Kerry, in a move introduced at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, where two flagbearers for each nation are selected in an effort to ensure gender equality.
“I really like the direction the Olympics went in at Tokyo, having two flagbearers – a male and a female. I really enjoyed watching that there and it’s super exciting for me to be the first at the Winter Games.”
Life of the ‘snowgi’
Peel loves practicing yoga, at home and with her teammates, and is also a registered Yoga teacher, hence the term, ‘snowgi’. During lockdown she ran some classes on IGTV and it is an important part of her life, even more so after a period of reflection during a lengthy recovery period.
In November 2020, Peel posted on her blog the changes made to her sport-life balance.
“About five years ago I found myself entirely consumed by sport and unhappy. During an 11-month hiatus due to injury I worked hard to find balance and meaning in life outside of sport. I made myself a promise that, as cliché as it sounds, I would enjoy the journey, and that it would be enough whether or not it was decorated with gold, silver and bronze. I came back a better athlete; happier, healthier and excited by opportunities, instead of frozen by the fear of failure. Maybe not so surprisingly, results followed.”
In a colourful turn of phrase, Peel sums up this new ideology as, “A gold medal is a cherry on top, but you’ve gotta bring your own sundae”.
Dream come true
Fellow Australian and 1999 aerials world champion, Jacqui Cooper, has mentored Peel throughout her freeski journey. Cooper was the one who discovered Peel and even had a dream that Peel was going to win the 2015 World Championships, an actual dream come true if you will. It was one of the proudest moments of her life, Cooper told Peel afterwards, even more than winning herself.
About Peel, Cooper said, “The thing I love about her most is that she’s never satisfied, she’s always looking for perfection. You get an athlete like that and you know they’re going to achieve greatness.”