LISI GRAM WINS HALFPIPE YOUTH OLYMPICS GOLD

KUHTAI, Jan 15 - Tyrolean native and SCOTT Austrian Team athlete Elisabeth GRAM has won Austria's first Gold Medal of the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games in the Women's Ski Halfpipe Final on Sunday.

GRAM, who revealed she took up Freestyle Skiing at the age of 11 as a way to help cope with the death of her mother, amassed 84.75 points to win the Gold in front of a delighted crowd. The native of Fliess in the Tyrol region, looked natural and smooth on her way to the Gold as she linked a straight-edge safety with a 540, then finished with her signature hand-plant. "It's my special trick," GRAM said of her hand-plant. "That's my trick and if I do it everyone knows, 'Yeah that's Lizzy'." Lizzie just after her winning run The 15 year old, who was delighted with her win, admitted her road into the sport was paved with sadness. "When my mom died I focused on Slopestyle and last year in spring I focused on Halfpipe," GRAM said. "Skiing is like a therapy for me. I can forget all the hard things in my life and it's everything I want to do."

"Lisi" Gram literally going for gold at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria Photo by: TT (Tiroler Tageszeitung) Norway's Tiril SJAASTAD CHRISTIANSEN, who skied with a cast on her right hand after breaking her thumb in training this week, still managed an impressive score of 79.25 to secure the Silver medal. Bronze went to Marine TRIPIER MONDANCIN (FRA), who skied with great skill and style, but lacked the sheer amplitude of the other medallists, and finished with 69.50. Everyone at SCOTT Sports would like to congratulate Lizzie for her Winter Olympic Gold medal.

Way to go girl!

Be sure to like us on FACEBOOK and add us on TWITTER in order to keep up with the latest SCOTT news.