Australian Bright shines in Olympic halfpipe qualification

From Sportsbeat staff, at Cypress Mountain

AUSTRALIA'S Torah Bright was the most impressive qualifier to the women's Olympic snowboarding halfpipe final.

IN CONTROL: Torah Bright was the most impressive direct qualifier to the women's snowboarding half pipe final (Getty Images)

Bright posted 45.8 score in the second of her two qualifying attempts to finish just fractions ahead of American Kelly Clarke, the 2002 Olympic champion, and Spain's Queralt Castellet.

And after Shaun White premiered his Double McTwist to take men's halfpipe gold, Bright hinted she wouldn't risk her new trick - the Double Cork.

"I don't think I'll be pulling it," she said.

"It's a trick that I've been working on but it is not quite perfected yet."

Reigning Olympic champion Hannah Teter was back in fourth while team-mate Gretchen Bleiler, the silver medallist in Torino, and China's Zhifeng Sun completed the six automatic qualifiers to the final, while 12 others will seek the six other spots in the semi-final.

"We are trying our hardest for an American sweep," said Teter.

"We have a lot of talent on the team and we want to nail it when it matters."

Bright - who suffered two concussions during the World Cup season and carried the Australian flag at last week's opening ceremony - will be cheered on by Great Britain's Lesley McKenna, a colleague on the professional Roxy snowboarding team.

McKenna - who is competing at her third Olympics - failed to progress to the final after falling on both her runs, finishing last of the 30 competitors.

It was a sad end to a snowboarding career that included two World Cup titles and six trips to the podium.

"I'm disappointed because I was really going well in training," she said. "However, my body is battered and broken and I could do with a rest."