L a t e s t  n e w s ..... Rachel Adcock and Gerard Flahive win both races at Scottish Dry Slope Championships ...

'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams' (Eleanor Roosevelt).

David Ryding and his sister Jo Ryding showed that it will be a long summer for the rest of the top plastic racers if they cannot find some speed down the plastic slopes around the the country.  Both racers fastest on all three runs of the Club National format.  While not all the top racers were racing, Shanna Prince and Adam Lee elected to forerun rather than race, this gave other racers a chance to perform for podium places. 

Despite a brief period of changeable weather, including hail, sunny weather was predominate throughout the opening day of the first Thomson Grand Prix weekend. 

David Ryding, after a successful season on snow, showed that he is the racer in form at the moment. All three of his runs were smooth, fast and yet he looked like he could still step up a gear.  Ominous for those waiting in the wings! Late entries from Dan Wyatt and Craig Wallduck saw them take 4th and 5th respectively while Antony Heaversedge and Pete Thelwell took second and third.  Wyatt and Thelwell just managed to keep their eyes open long enough having spent the previous night at the Newcastle Uni Ski Club Ball!

Thelwell managed to secure victory in the Senior age group ahead of Tom Francis (6th overall) and Martin Stephenson (8th).  Junior 1 was won by Joe Ogden with David Tee (10th) and Benn Hall in third (11th overall).  Mikey Thelwell (21st) took Children two honours ahead of Andrew Watson (22nd) and Ed Gardner (28th).  David Askew (43rd) took top honours for the second week running in the Children 1 age group ahead of Dan Evans (44th) and Tom Walsh (55th).  In the Masters group, victory went comfortably to Rob Hales ahead of Paul Bunton (50th) and Jim Gibb (57th).

In the women's race, Jo Ryding was a class ahead of the rest: She was quickest on all three runs, Alice Thelwell was the best of the rest.  Despite the lack of many of the top racers on plastic from the last few years: Shanna Prince was forerunning, Jayme Baggio was ill and Sega Fairweather electing not to race on plastic at the moment; Ryding is demonstrating that she is the one setting the standard at the moment.  The top five were completed by Alice Thelwell, Rachel Adcock, Emily Goddard and Rowan Vernon. All of the top five came from the Junior 2 age group.

Abby Clifford, in sixth overall, won Junior 1 ahead of Lauren Cadman (12th) and Kathryn Barber (19th).  Children 2 was won by Harriet Steggles in 8th, Charlotte Evans took tenth to come second in the age group and Katie Adams took 14th overall to take third in the age group.  Alessia Thomas Jackson won the Children 1 age group with an impressive 11th overall, ahead of Charlotte Jesse (27th) and Sarah Ayling Bate (29th).  Lucy Newman won the seniors age group and Sheila Driscoll the Masters age group.

In the mini's races, Flora Peel recovered from failing to register a time on the first run to post two exactly equal times to win the girls race ahead of Stephanie Davies and Amy Young.  Despite getting a little lost on his first run, Max Baggio stormed back to win the boys race ahead of Max Moss and Ashley Breese with James Gibb in fourth.

Full Results

Pictures are available of all the racers.  To view pictures please email and mention the name of the racer who's pictures you wish to see.