Naude off to stellar start

Photo: @canfreestyleski

Naude after her second-place qualifying run

Penticton mogul skier Andi Naude is off to a fantastic start at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Naude, 22, punched her ticket to the finals in ladies freestyle skiing on the opening day of competition Thursday.

She qualified in second place with a score of 79.60, just behind first-place Perrine Laffront of France at 79.72.

Fellow Canucks Audrey Robichaud (Quebec City) and Justine Dufour-Lapoint (Montreal) also qualified in the top ten with Naude.

Chloe Dufour-Lapointe (Montreal), the last Canadian female mogul skier, has one more chance to qualify prior to the finals.

Naude grew up in Penticton, skiing with the Apex Mountain Freestyle Club.

The finals run on Feb. 11, 2:30 and 4 a.m. local time. Canadian freestyle skiing schedule here.