Ramone Cooper - Australian Mogul Skiier

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| Home| About| Results| Blog| Photo| Video| Media| Links| Contact| HomeThe BackgroundOlympic Winter Institute, May 2009Ramone Cooper: Strong finish to an interrupted seasonInjury problems restricted Ramone Cooper to just two World Cup events in the 2008/09 season, though he was able to end the year in strong style at the biennial World Championships.The lingering effects of a knee injury from the previous season, as well as hamstring problems, meant that he ewas unable to produce his best form in the two events he did contest, in Mont Gabriel and at the Olympic test event in Cypress Mountain. But at the World Championships in Inawashiro in March he finished in 20th place in the single moguls two days after his 20th birthday then followed up with 15th place in the dual moguls.He ended the northern hemisphere schedule close to full fitness, and looking forward to a big pre-Olympic season in 2009/10.BackgroundThe highlight of Ramone Coopers 2007/08 season was the first top ten of his career, an eighth placing in Lake Placid after qualifying in seventh position.His previous best had been 18th in La Plagne, France, in February 2007.The top ten result came in the second event of the season, after a 23rd placing in the opener in Tignes, but the rest of the Jindabyne 20-year-olds season was significantly compromised by a persistent knee injury.He remained with the team for the Cypress Mountain pre-Olympic event where he was sitting in 13th place and heading for the finals before the event was cancelled and he also went to Inawashiro (the venue for the 2009 World championships), but returned home to Australia after the Japanese leg of the circuit for surgery.In a best case scenario, Cooper could be back on snow in August, and ready for competition at some point in the 2009 World Cup season.Cooper had ended the 2006/07 World Cup season his first full year on the circuit as Australia's number two ranked moguls skier behind Dale Begg-Smith.Still only 18 at the time, Cooper demonstrated his enormous potential by qualifying in sixth place in single moguls at the World Freestyle Championships, a superb performance. He ultimately finished in 15th place in both that event and in the World Championships dual moguls.In World Cup he had a best result of 18th in La Plagne, and just missed a place on the podium in the World Junior Championships, finishing in fourth place in the dual moguls. He also placed sixth in single moguls at the same event. Cooper finished the World Cup season ranked 33rd in the world.The Perisher Blue skier had a very exciting World Cup debut, competing on the Torino 2006 Olympic course of Sauze d'Oulx in February 2005, a year out from the Games, making it an impressive entry onto the elite level of mogul skiing.He finished in 46th place, but in a field of 62 skiers, and still three months short of his 17th birthday, it was a promising beginning.This World Cup appearance had followed a series of Europa Cup events, with his best performance an 11th placing in dual moguls in San Martino di Castrozza, Italy.The following 2005/06 season he went to Europe again, making his first podium in a Europa Cup event in Dolni Morava, Czech Republic, collecting bronze.He capped off the season with another World Cup appearance, this one even more impressive, with a 24th placing in Spindleruv Mlyn, finishing two places ahead of seasoned team-mate Nick Fisher and a handful behind Michael Robertson and Jason Begg-Smith.

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The StatsName: Ramone CooperAge: 21Sport: Freestyle Mogul SkiingClub: Olympic Winter Institute/ Australian Institute of sport/ NSW Institute of SportSponsors: Perisher Blue, Bolle Eyewear, Event Supplies, IDoneski, DalbelloResort: Perisher BlueNick Name: StiffyDate of Birth: 3rd May 1988Place of Birth: Newcastle, NSW, AustraliaResidence Place: Jindabyne, NSW, AustraliaHeight: 176 cmWeight: 78 kgEducation: NSW HSC, currently enrolled at University of CanberraCoach: Steve DesovichAge First Participated: 10Years On National Team (World Cup): 3Skiing Background: I grew up in the footholds of the Australian Snowy Mountains, so skiing became a lifestyle at a young age, and becoming involved in freestyle was really a natural progression.Breakthrough Moment: Skiing on the World Cup for the first time in 2005.Favorite Terrain: Slush bumps. Endless, Weightless powder.Dream Conditions: Spring warmth and sunshine.The Best Thing About Skiing:Expressing yourself through movement, the lifestyle and the travel.The Worst Thing About Skiing: Injuries, Cold Temperatures.The Best Training For Skiing: Lifting Weights, Bike Sprints, Trampoline, Water Ramps.Worst Injury from Skiing: Knees.Superstitions: I dont have superstitions.Favourite Music: Tom WaitsFavourite Band: At the moment: Whitest Boy Alive, Blind PilotFavourite Movie: The Boondock SaintsFavourite Ski Flick: Matchstick Films.Hobbies: Golf, Frolf, Trampoline, Music, Reading, My dog Hoover.Advice: Ski moguls.Claim of Fame : 2 Time Australian Champion (2006, 2007)2007: 4th Junior World Freestyle Ski Championships2007: 15th World Freestyle Ski Championships2008: 8th World Cup 2009: 15th World Freestyle Ski ChampionshipsThe InterviewWinter Volume - September, 2009- How did you first get into skiing? And then how did that progress to the level you are at today?My family moved down to the Snowy Mountains area in 95 when I was just beginning school. Before moving to Cooma we lived on a property in the Hunter Valley, so it was a huge change in scenery and lifestyle for us. I started skiing with the school, and on weekends with my parents at Perisher, before joining the local freestyle club run by freestyle legend Toppa. From there, it was a steady progression competing at regional and age class events, and achieving results to progress onto the next level of teams and competitions.- How did it feel to be ranked Australia's no.2 moguls skier behind Begg-Smith when you were only 18?I first got involved with mogul skiing as the sport was undergoing significant rule changes. This was mainly concerned with the aerial component and the tricks you were allowed to perform - traditionally, inverts/ off-axis tricks were not allowed. So lucky for me, as I was coming up I was able to use all the hours of backyard trampoline experience and bring those tricks onto snow at a young age. I was also lucky to be accepted into the NSW institute of Sport program when I was 14 years of age, and had access to some of the best coaching, and athletes services going around. This gave me a big advantage over the older, more experienced athletes and enabled me to be ranked no.2 behind Dale. - The Aussie mogul team are all very young. Do you feel as though this contributes any feelings of more pressure / less pressure from your coaches, or other athletes, who might be much older? We are a very young team, compared to previous teams assembled. However, compared to the age of the other National teams in Moguls were not far off. The reason also lies with the aerial rule changes which happened after the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. The old saying you cant teach an old dog new tricks was somewhat correct, and the newer, younger athletes who could perform the new tricks became more successful. It changed the way the programs were structured here in Australia, with a new focus of developing and nurturing young athletes all the way through, rather than focusing on older athletes on their way out.Although I am considered young still, I have been competing here in Australia and Overseas since the Age of 14, so my competitive age is quite old. I dont feel that it adds any more pressure, just a more prospective future.- How do you feel about your most recent season/year?Ive had a string of bad luck with injuries over the past two seasons. Something youll probably hear a lot of Australian winter athletes say. I had knee surgery last March, and then when feeling fit and ready to compete again, I tore my hamstring and knocked myself out. I was unable to compete in the Majority of the World Cup events last season, which were also Olympic qualifying events. However, I was back and relatively fit for the World Championships in Japan in March this year, where I had results of 15th and 20th which both count towards Olympic qualification. Ive had a good domestic season training block, and Im feeling confident going into the World Cups prior to the Games. - I understand you have torn your hamstring, and endured some knee problems. How has the affected your training regime? Well, it definitely hasnt been ideal. I feel like I am progressing more and more with the time I spend on snow training, and when you have injuries to manage its tough to train and compete to your full potential. But with less time on snow, there is more time invested into the off snow components of training, with a focus on strength and conditioning/ rehab in the gym, video analysis, etc.- Furthermore, how has it affected your mentality?Sometimes it becomes frustrating to deal with injuries. More than the injuries themselves its hard to deal with the fact that while youre sitting around doing rehab, everyone else is out there skiing and progressing further. I guess it makes you more hungry to get the most out of the time you do have on snow, and makes you appreciate the risks in sport both in terms of your physical well being, and also investing too much mentally in it.- Considering these injuries, do you feel ready for the World Cup and the Olympics?I do feel I am prepared for the season ahead. Weve had a busy year so far, with water ramp training in Melbourne in April, spring technical training in Whistler in May, our domestic season training block at Perisher from July through September, and at the moment were preparing to head over to ski on the glacier in Zermatt, Switzerland. Ive got my injuries under control, and my physical testing results at the AIS are some of the best Ive had. The Olympic Winter Institute have certainly invested a lot of time, effort, and money into making this Olympic preparation first class.- What are your expectations?I expect to make the final firstly. In the final, anything can happen. But with the way I am skiing, and hopefully gaining more competitive experience in the World Cups prior the Olympics Id expect to make the top 10.- What are your plans after the Games, will you be continuing skiing, will you dedicate more time to studying/working etc?I havent yet decided completely what I will do in regards with my skiing after the Olympics. I presume Ill continue to compete, but it really depends on how I am going with injuries, how competitive I am this season, and if I am still enjoying it as much as I do now. I'll definitely spend more time on studying though, and I plan to go back to University when I arrive home after the Games.| ResultsThe ResultsAchievements:Member of the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Shadow Team2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Junior Freestyle Athlete of the year Australian Ski Awards2006, 2007 Australian Champion2002 - 2006 Australian Junior Freestyle Champion2003 - 2006 Recipient of Future Olympians Scholarship2006 Sport-Star of the year Snowy Mountains regionOlympic Winter Institute/ Australian Institute Of Sport / NSW Institute Of Sport Scholarship Holder2009 Results9th World Cup - Suomu, Finland26th World Cup - Suomu, Finland8th Europa Cup - Suomu, Finland15th World Ski Championships, Dual Moguls Inawashiro, Japan20th World Ski Championships, Single Moguls Inawashiro, Japan2008 Results:8th World Cup - Lake Placid, USA13th Qualification - World Cup - Cypress, Canada (Event Cancelled)22nd World Cup - Lake Placid, USA23rd World Cup Tignes, France2007 Results: 15th World Ski Championships Single Moguls Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy (After qualifying 6th)15th World Ski Championships Dual Moguls Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy6th Junior World Ski Championships Single Moguls Airolo, Switzerland4th Junior World Ski Championships Dual Moguls Airolo, Switzerland18th World Cup La Plagne, France21st World Cup Mont Gabriel, Canada7th Mogul Manifest Are, Sweden1st Swedish Cup Single and Dual Moguls Stockholm, Sweden1st Overall Australian Continental Cup Standings2nd Australian Nationals Perisher Blue, Australia2nd Abom Mogul Challenge Mt. Buller, Australia 2006 Results:1st Overall Australian Continental Cup Standings3rd Australian Nationals Perisher Blue3rd Europa Cup Dolni Morava, Czech Republic1st BC Championships Single and Dual Moguls Apex, Canada24th World Cup Spinderluv Mlyn, Czech Republic