• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Surbiton High School Skiers complete Grand Slam on all three surfaces

Surbiton High School skiers are following in the footsteps of famous former pupil, Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott.  Having been crowned British Champions at the English Schools’ Ski Association Finals in Pontypool on the dry slope in November 2009, the squad went on to compete on snow.

In February the team travelled to Flaine in France to take part in the British Schoolgirls’ Races.  Fifty British school teams, of three ski racers each, compete in these exciting championships across three disciplines: Giant Slalom, Slalom and Parallel Slalom.  Competition is tough but the strength of all of the Surbiton High School racers meant that both the A and B teams were victorious. The A team won the Giant Slalom Shield and the B Team won the Slalom Challenge Cup and the Eve Alcott Cup. A record was then set in the Parallel Slalom when the Surbiton A team and the Surbiton B team met in the finals.  It was a great achievement for both teams to secure a place in the final and very exciting as the two teams challenged each other for the title. Surbiton A team just crossed the finish line a hare’s whisker ahead of Surbiton B team, and were crowned Combined British Schools Ski Champions. Surbiton High School skiers retuned to school thrilled with a bounty of 11 trophies and 41 medals between them.

More recently, this May, the team competed at the inaugural British Schools’ Indoor Ski Championships held at the indoor snow dome, Chill Factore in Manchester. The first 12 Girls’ teams and the first twelve Boys’ teams from the British Championships at Pontypool were invited to enter, the idea being that this would then form the peak of a school team racing pyramid which starts on the dry slopes in September each year.

Both Surbiton teams were up for the challenge and arrived well prepared, having trained in the Snow Centre at Hemel in the lead up to the competition. The Surbiton High A team was again triumphant and won the Championships and the B team came 2nd. The Championships closed with an exciting Parallel Slalom with both teams making the finals. Reminiscent of Flaine, the As managed to secure Gold narrowly ahead of the Bs who took Silver. With smiles all round, it was a truly amazing way to finish the season. Now champions on all three surfaces, a Grand Slam record has been set by Surbiton High School.

The SHS ski squad is captained by Emily Pocock and fellow racers are Hannah Bilgore, Caroline Croft, Stephanie Espinosa, Eloise Greenhalgh, Isabel Linacre, Evie Kock, Alice MacAulay, Darcy Mead and Lucy Plenderleith.

Mrs Wilkey, Head of PE at Surbiton High School, commented on the wonderful achievement, “All this success could not have happened without the dedication of the girls and the support of the parents, as well as the Ambition ski coaches, Marc and Paul Telling. Well done to all the girls who participated.”

By Karen Pocock and images by Nick Espinosa