Jacqui Cooper
Website Jacqui Cooper

Jacqui Cooper

Aerial Skiing World Champion

Jacqui Cooper is nothing short of inspirational. Multiple reconstructions for her knee, elbow, shoulder and hip plus a broken back did not halt her quest and ambition to be the best.

Representing Australia in the sport of aerial skiing for over 20 years, Jacqui dominated and revolutionised her sport. In a long and decorated career, she has competed in 139 World Cup events, 9 World Championships and has been selected in 5 Winter Olympic teams, the first Australian Woman in history (Summer or Winter Games) to have enjoyed this honour. With a record 5 world titles, 39 World Cup medals, 25 World Cup wins and 3 major World Championship medals, Jacqui is indisputably the greatest aerial skier of all time.

Jacqui’s sport however is unforgiving. She has multiple reconstructions for her knee, elbow, shoulder and hip. In 2001 she broke her back in an attempt to win a record third World Title; she went on and won it. In 2002 at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics Jacqui shattered her knee and broke her leg just two days before scheduled to compete, destroying a dream years in the making. In 2010, Jacqui competed in Vancouver after a year of intense hip and knee rehabilitation, shocking doctors and spectators with her brave attempt to be competitive, despite the odds. She spent most of the months leading into the competition in a wheelchair, learning to walk again, and gaining confidence in a sport that is often brutal and cruel. She stunned the world when she placed fifth, the best Olympic result of her career.

 

Jacqui has devoted time to various Sporting Committees around the world, including Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) Board, the AOC Athlete’s Commission (Deputy Chair), Ski and Snowboard Australia Board, the Australian Institute of Sport Athletes Commission, the International Ski Federation (FIS) Athletes Committee, the FIS Freestyle Athletes Committee, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Athlete’s Committee and the WADA education committee.

She has also devoted time to speaking to primary, secondary, and university/TAFE students about living a healthy lifestyle, making smart choices, nutrition, being young role models, dreaming BIG, being active and goal setting. Jacqui has travelled to remote aboriginal communities as far as Darwin and beyond spending time promoting all things healthy with a heavy focus on ‘SAY NO’ to alcohol, petrol sniffing and smoking.

Jacqui is the author of two books – Frozen Hope for couples undergoing or embarking on the sometimes very long and emotional IVF journey, and It Took Three to Make Me an illustrated book that explains the IVF process to children. She is the founder of ‘Food For Me’, a range of gluten free foods manufactured in a fully gluten free facility in Langwarrin, Victoria and sold in IGA stores in VIC, QLD and NSW. 

Jacqui has won many awards in recognition for her achievements in sport and for her involvement in the community. During her career she was honoured as the Victorian ‘Young Australian of the Year’ for Sport, Victorian Sports Woman of the year and Ski and Snowboard Athlete of the year. In 2008 she was presented with the ‘Governor’s Award’ at the VIC Sports Awards for being a role model, a champion, and a woman who is successful in sport and life. Since 2010, she has been La Trobe Financial’ s Company Ambassador.

Start typing and press enter to search

Scroll to Top