RPT-FEATURE-Ski-cross-Young sport set for rousing Games debut

(Repeats feature first moved at 0002 GMT)

By Patrick Vignal

PARIS, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Ski-cross deserves its Olympic status and will offer a spectacular show at next year's Vancouver Games, says France's Ophelie David, the exciting young sport's undisputed queen.

Four skiers hurtle down a twisty, bumpy track shoulder-to-shoulder with winners of heats eventually progressing to the final.

The sport will be making its Olympic debut two years after its Summer Games equivalent, BMX or bicycle motocross, successfully did so in Beijing.

"Honestly, I believe ski-cross deserves to be at the Olympics," six-times World Cup champion David told Reuters in an interview.

"The sport and race format are modern, crowd-pleasing and perfect for television, just as BMX proved to be in Beijing."

Like BMX, ski-cross, the youngest member of the freestyle skiing family, is tailored to the tastes of the young audience the International Olympic Committee clearly targets.

Developed as a new, television-friendly event, it is, basically boarder-cross (snowboard-cross) on skis.