Feature: History-writing Gu Ailing aims for Beijing 2022 with high hopes

BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Learning a difficult trick in three weeks and becoming the first woman ever to land it in any freeski competition, what else can you say other than a true genius?

In the FIS (International Ski Federation) freeski big air World Cup in Steamboat, Colorado, the United States on Dec. 4, 2021, Gu Ailing stomped a right double cork 1440 to become the first woman ever to land the trick in any Freeski competition. With a total score of 184.25, the 18-years-old claimed her first Freeski big air World Cup title.

Born in San Francisco in 2003, Gu started skiing at the age of three and joined a professional ski team in the Lake Tahoe area when she was eight. Being the only first on the team, Gu was afraid to talk to anyone but using skiing as a tool, she was then able to communicate with teammates and encourage each other. When someone learned a new trick, Gu would also try it.

Before winning the World Cup in Steamboat, Gu titled freeski slopestyle and halfpipe and won third place in big air at her X Games debut. With the big air World Cup title, Gu completed major international wins in all three freeski events, following her freeski slopestyle and halfpipe World Cup victories in Calgary, Canada in 2020, and slopestyle and halfpipe World Champions in Aspen, USA March this year.

Gu also has great achievements outside the sport. She taught herself in high school and graduated early, and was admitted to Stanford University with a very high SAT score.

Although being called "a genius girl" a lot, Gu mentioned more about her passion. "I have always loved skiing, challenging myself, breaking my limitations, and then sharing with others, regardless of age, gender and nationality. I just hope everyone enjoys sports," Gu said.

"I'm very happy to be able to do the double cork 1440 because I just learned it when I was training in Austria in November," said an excited Gu. "I was able to learn it three weeks ago, and I am very happy to be able to do it in the game now!" She also said that there's still room for improvements, but freestyle skiing is not only about a blind pursuit of difficulty.

"Players can perform open-mindedly in freestyle skiing due to individual's style and interest, I wish I could embed my style into the double cork 1440," said Gu.

"I'm very confident of completing with this trick. I have successfully landed the trick every time since I learned it," Gu spoke with confidence when expressing her sports philosophy, "But from the perspective of style, I can always do better."

The teenager is not only brave and confident but also quite humble and calm.

"I think I'm still very young that I'm still learning to manage my mentality and pressure and optimize my skills. For me, I think the more I compete, the better I will perform," Gu added.

Despite the big air event being her weakest, Gu has now made up for the shortcomings and become one of the best.

Gu is probably going to be the busiest athlete at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as she will participate in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe events. With the Games less than two months away, Gu still has many more competitions to play in, with the mentality of competing instead of training.

Speaking of the Beijing Winter Olympics, the "Beijing Girl" expressed her expectations to play on home soil. "Of course I can't wait to participate in the Winter Olympics and have high expectations for my performance".

As Beijing 2022 coincides with the Chinese Spring Festival, Gu, who is determined to become a food critic, has already thought about her food choices. "We should have some dumplings and share the Chinese culture so that people from all over the world can taste Chinese delicacies."