Chinese big names in freestyle skiing like Turino Olympic Games gold medal winner Han Xiaopeng and silver medalist Li Nina are all absent from the roster of the 11th Winter Games aerial event slated for Jan. 18 to Jan. 21.

 

According to Ren Hongguo, deputy president of the Chinese Skiing Association, Han, Li and their two national teammates, Guo Xinxin and Wang Jiao, will take part in two FIS World Cup events from January 18 to 26 in the United States and Canada.

 

"Preparation for the coming Vancouver Winter Games is the priority for the national teams. Therefore, Han and Li will miss the national winter games due to an overlapped schedule," said Ren.

 

Apart from the overlapped schedule, Ren revealed another cause of the four elite jumpers' absence. Both Heilongjiang and Liaoning had sponsored the training of the four athletes. However, the two provinces failed to reach an agreement on which side they should represent in the Winter Games. The four jumpers' absence can solve the tricky problem in an indirect way.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2008)