China's Gu tops slopestyle qualification in World Championships debut

WASHINGTON - China's Freeski prodigy Gu Ailing claimed the leading position in women's Freeski slopestyle qualification in her FIS World Championships debut in Aspen, the United States on Thursday.

In the location where she claimed two golds and one bronze at the X Games in late January, 17-year-old Gu sat atop Thursday's qualification with 84.51 points to lead eight skiers into Saturday's final.

"I tore &fractured some stuff in my right hand a few weeks ago, and got a cast to protect it before getting my first surgery after the season ends," Gu revealed on her social media page prior to her World Championships campaign.

"I wasn't sure if I'd be able to grab/ski comfortably, but I'm feeling good and am excited to compete at my first World Championships in the coming weeks," she added.

Gu also advanced to Friday's halfpipe final with a seventh-place finish in Wednesday's qualification.

Gu is also poised to compete in the big air event at the biennial Freeski tournament with the qualification slated on Monday and the final on Tuesday.