'I let you down': Aussie aerial skiers gutted in 'brutal' Olympics chaos

Australian medal hopes Laura Peel and Danielle Scott have been left shattered after a brutal final in the women's aerials at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The Aussie pair could only watch in envy as Xu Mengtao became the first Chinese athlete to win an Olympic women's aerials title with a brilliant jump of 108.61 points in the Super Six medal round.

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Xu's winning jump came was the same one that Peel nailed last month to score a career-high 118 points at a World Cup in Deer Valley, that saw her arrive in Beijing as a raging gold medal favourite.

But in freezing and blustery conditions at Zhangjiakou, Peel could only manage a score of 78.56 after being unable to stick her landings.

The Aussie flagberarer had to settle for fifth place.

World champion Peel, who also came fifth in PyeongChang, was consoled by Australia's aerial royalty Alisa Camplin-Warner and Lydia Lassila.

"Pretty disappointed. I know I can jump a lot better than I can tonight so I wish I'd done that," the 32-year-old said.

"I didn't have any excuses. It was a big jump and I needed to stretch a little bit earlier and I waited until the last flip and that was a bit too late and unfortunately I couldn't put it to my feet.

"That jump is well within my range and I know I can do it really nicely - at the last event I scored 118 points on it so I can do it a lot better than I did it tonight."

Peel was in danger of not even making it through to the medal round, before clinching her berth with a second-round effort of 100.02.

Australia's flagbearer at the opening ceremony, Peel said she was happy for Xu, who went one better than her silver in Sochi in 2014.

The Chinese 31-year-old also bagged a silver medal in the mixed team event last week in Beijing, with Australia unable to enter without two men ranked high enough.

"She's an incredible athlete who has been at this a long time and at the top of the sport a long time so I really respect her and I'm happy for her," Peel said.

"I think she'd been eyeing off that Olympic gold for a long time."

Defending Olympic champion Hanna Huskova of Belarus was second with 107.95 and the bronze went to American Megan Nick (93.76).

'Gut-wrenching' finish for Aussie duo

Australia's other medal chance Scott was similarly devastated after she finished in 10th spot, eliminated in the first final after she was also troubled by her landing.

Scott's night ended after back-slapping both of her efforts in the first final, with her best score of of 71.23 leaving her in 10th spot with only the top six advancing.

She said it was the first time through the international season that she hadn't been able to stick either jump.

"It’s brutal out here. I tried to give it my everything, but, you know, it’s a lot of pressure and I really tried to put it all on the line, but I just was feeling a little off," Scott told Channel Seven after the event.

"You know, I started off well, but just not what I wanted."

Scott, who came back from an ACL injury to compete, lamented the fact that she failed to live up to her own expectations and deliver what she's knows she's capable of.

“Love you guys. Thanks for watching. Thanks, Australia. Sorry I let you down. It hurts," she said in a message to her Australian supporters.

"It was pretty gut-wrenching - I didn't reach my full potential,"

"I had a lot more to give and unfortunately it wasn't my night.

"I've done a lot of good jumping this season and I'm proud to have done the triple to push the sport for women but I'm pretty devastated."

with agencies