Suzuki and Lydia Lassila - A Winning Partnership

LAVERTON, AUSTRALIA – Jan 19, 2012: Suzuki Australia has extended the partnership with its first ambassador – Olympic and world champion aerial skier Lydia Lassila.

A delighted Lydia accepted the keys to her new Grand Vitara Prestige this week at Suzuki HQ in Laverton North.

“It’s been an incredible past year with the birth of little Kai and the Grand Vitara has been the perfect vehicle to enjoy the family life,” she said.

“As a little girl the first car I ever wanted was a Suzuki Vitara and one year after having my first one I’m still the proudest Suzuki driver on the road!”

“The Grand Vitara is so easy to drive in everyday city traffic, and it was great to take up to the snow.

“We had to laugh each time we went to the snow last year watching so-called 4WDs have to get towed out of situations the Grand Vitara just breezed through.”

The most successful Australian aerial skier of our generation is back in training as part of her campaign to defend her Gold Medal at Sochi in Russia in 2014, but this time as a mother.

“I’ll be moving to the new water ramp training facility in Brisbane later this year in preparation for the 2012-13 World Cup Season.

“My focus at this time is the World Championships in Norway early next year.

“The next Winter Olympics are only two years away, and at this stage everything is right on track. I feel refreshed after the break and getting ready to start winding up for the title defence.”

Suzuki Australia General Manager Tony Devers said the company was proud to extend its partnership with one of the country’s leading sports stars.

“Suzuki has a long association with winter sports and we are very happy with Lydia’s contribution to the Suzuki family,” Devers said.

“We are coming off a record finish to 2011 and, like our stable of stars such as Lydia and Billy Slater, we are ready for another championship season in 2012.”