Jack Gower: World Junior 1 GS Champion

When things go right, they go right in a big way. British racing has been in a bit of a low recently: Money issues, injuries to top racers and then losing the backing and support of UK Sport. Things are looking so much brighter after one of the best weekends British Ski racing has experienced in years. The World Junior Championships are the Junior equivalent of Garmisch Partenkirchen for the Seniors. For racers of the fifteen to nineteen year olds, this is their goal for the season. Britain has not had a great record in the races, but this has now changed: Jack Gower won the Junior 1 age group in the Giant Slalom.

Although Gower is well known within the British racing circles, this result is immense. Gower was a slow starter in the Children age group due to breaking two collar bones and numerous knee injuries; only making the British Children Ski Team in the Children 2 age group yet has now proved that up with the big boys he is more than capable of holding his own. Gower started 75 in the Giant Slalom, “into 57^th after the first run and then into 50^th after the second run,” he explained once he was back at school two days later. Was he aware that the Junior 1 Title was up for grabs after the first run? “To be honest, I was completely oblivious to it all,” admitted Gower. It was only after the race that he was aware that he had won the Junior 1 age group: “They had to call my name three of four times before I was able to get through the crowd, so that was a little embarrassing!”

With the Giant Slalom in the bag, the slalom the following day “was the trickiest slalom I have skied for ages, the steepest it went to in places was fifty five degrees!” While he was not able to match his age group victory (he finished fifth in the age group in the slalom, 54^th Overall), the whole weekend of racing was “a great experience,” he admitted.

Dave Edwards from British Ski and Snowboard commented “Jack’s results if measured against the other J1 athletes are outstanding. In the GS he finished ahead of all of the other men born in 1994 or 1995. In the Slalom only 4 men from this age group were ahead of him. We now look forward with great excitement to see Jack and the other talented young athletes in this age group compete for TeamGB at the European Youth Olympic Festival later this month.”

Gower now has to juggle studying at Blythe Hall where he is doing AS levels in Business Studies and PE along with studying German. Next up for this hugely talented youngster are the European Youth Olympics that are taking place in Liberec, The Czech Republic from February 12. The last time a Brit won a medal in the five disciplines in Great Britain are competing was back in 1999 when current British number one alpine skier Chemmy Alcott won silver and bronze in Poprad-Tatry, Slovakia. Could this all be about to change? Gower said: "I am feeling confident. Obviously, anything can happen on the day and everyone is competing to win.

While other nations may not have sent many Junior 1 racers, nothing can take away from Gower the fact that he was the top Junior 1 on the day and the record books will show this. Now though it is on to the European Youth Olympics Festival. If the saying you are only as good as your last race is true, the rest have some serious competition. Gower and his Head skis are certainly up for the challenge!