LAKE PLACID, New York (AP) -- American teen Ashley Caldwell

grabbed gold for her first freestyle World Cup medal, winning the aerials

event on her home hill Friday.

The 17-year-old Caldwell beat Alla Tsuper of Belarus and Xu Mengtao

 of China just one week after her previous best World Cup finish, a

10th-place in Quebec. Caldwell, who was a 2010 Olympian and last

season's FIS Rookie of the Year, was fifth among the 12 skiers in the

 final round Friday and won by cleanly landing a back-full-double-full

jump. "I hadn't landed that jump until this week," said Caldwell, who

trains year-round in Lake Placid.

"This is one of the most exciting days in my life." said Caldwell.

Emily Cook was the only other U.S. woman to reach the final, finishing