Changchun Wins First Ski Gold at Winter Games

Paced by national team jumper Li Ke, Changchun men's freestyle skiing team crowned in the aerial team event on Friday, wining the first ski gold medal at the 11th Chinese Winter Games.

The 24-year-old Li topped the difficulty degree list with two flawless jumps, scoring a total of 223.550 points. Li's teammates Qi Guangpu and Wu Chao gave him enough support by achieving 218.473 and 165.147 respectively.

The Yabuli ski resort enjoyed a windless day today, and all skiers showed their sound form in such good weather. "Li never jumped so perfectly in the pre-game training, and his performance reached World Cup level," said Ji Dong, coach of the Chinese national team.

As the only male national aerial team member taking part in the national winter gala, Li Ke is also considered as the top favorite to claim the individual title.

Qiqihar took the silver with 534.214 points. Heihe finished at the bottom in the three-team event but received a rewarding bronze medal.

Wu Chao, who made a minor mistake in the first jump, said after the match,"Han Xiaopeng's absence give us good chance. I trust my teammates, and I hope our team can win in the individual event."

Olympic champion Han, who will compete in two FIS World Cup events from January 18 to 26 in the United States and Canada, missed the Winter Games due to an overlapped schedule.