An Olympic debut wasnโt even on her radar a year ago. But Brown has had an exceptional year.
โI just kind of thought, OK, sheโs super passionate about what sheโs doing, and sheโs just really enjoying herself,โ Anne says.
โTo come away with a bronze was definitely unexpected and super exciting.โ
Indra Brown on her impressive World Cup results
โFor her, itโs a challenge against herself, not so much against her competition … I think itโs just been quite organic in terms of the progression and the improvement [sheโs] been making.
โAnd then the North American season that weโve just had, was probably when I was like, OK, sheโs not bad, sheโs doing OK.โ
Brown is definitely doing OK. The Melbourne teenager has stunned in her short time on the World Cup circuit, and has two more competitions โ in Calgary and Aspen โ before Olympic selections are finalised.
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Competitors typically qualify in three freestyle skiing disciplines โ big air, slopestyle and halfpipe โ but Brown is only competing in the halfpipe event for her first season.
โIโd love to do all three events, but just for my first year on the circuit, it can be pretty chaotic travelling around and going to all the competitions that you need to qualify for,โ she says.
โSo, for my first one, Iโm just going to focus on halfpipe and just get lots of experience in it, so Iโm not flustered. And then hopefully, after this Olympics, Iโll be able to go into the three disciplines with some more experience and navigate it better.โ
Focusing on one discipline has been working for Brown, who was able to salvage silver at Copper Mountain despite crashing on her second run in the final.
Brownโs secret weapon is the โcork 9โ, a mirror trick that shows you can spin both left and right.
Indra Brown crashes in one of her runs in the half pipe final.Credit: Getty Images
After launching herself up the wall of the halfpipe, Brown then performs two and a half rotations, which means she lands facing backwards. She then rides up the next wall backwards, before doing the same again but spinning the opposite direction.
The trick is technically difficult, which means it scores well if executed properly.
When judges are marking a run, they score skiers based on amplitude (height above the halfpipe), difficulty, execution, variety and progression.
Skiers are in the halfpipe for about 30 seconds per run and do six tricks โ three on each wall.
Itโs always daunting trying a new trick for the first time, says Brown, but there are safety nets to help test them before you get into the halfpipe.
โI remember most of my first tries and definitely the nerves going into and just committing,โ she says. โThatโs always I feel is the scariest part for me, just getting over that mental factor or just committing to something thatโs unknown.
โThere are some airbag facilities [to train]. Itโs a fake snow in-run, made of these plastic bristles, and then itโs a take-off into an airbag. Itโs like a blown-up bouncy castle, so weโre able to safely try new tricks and not hurt ourselves.โ
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However daunting Brown finds it, her mum is even more anxious.
โThe wall of the halfpipe is 7.2 metres, and then when they air out of it, depending on what amplitude they get, they add a number of extra feet,โ Anne says.
โ[Itโs] quite frightening. I love watching all the kids compete in whatever sports they do, but I do admit watching them in the halfpipe does scare me quite a bit.โ
The Winter Olympic Games will be broadcast on the 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport.
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