Todays Under 12 and under 10 racers are the future of the sport; they are the future stars of the sport hopefully. Daisi Daniels is fast raising her stock and being recognised as one of the new breed to follow. The new format of the Under 12 and Under 10 races gives the young racers the opportunity to have two goes down the course with their best time to count thus taking away the pressure of having to finish both runs. The format is proving to be a positive move and hopefully the TD Forum will see that this format plus the use of Combi's and other fun events will be incorporated into the racing scene for this age group over the winter. ...Â
Chill Factore's Daniels has a great feel for her skis and was fastest on both runs with her first run time counting towards her winning the race. Sophie Wheeler took second after improving her time on the second run to move ahead of Milton Keynes's Siena Horton. Maisie Burton took fourth and Matilda Magenes rounded out the top five. Sixteen girls took to the start, yet this could have been greater had the race not clashed with two of the larger regions, the Eastern and Southern regions both held their end of season races on the same day. Wheeler will be back next year to try and win the age group.
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Daisi Daniels on her way to winning the Under 12's title[/caption]
Matilda O'Brien was the best of the Under 10 age group, taking seventh place overall. Grace Bennett and Mya Walton joined O'Brien on the podium, Bennett will be back again next year to race in the same age group while the other two will move up to the older age group.
In the boys race, Oliver Pollitt took the spoils despite being at the younger end of the age group with Seamus O'Brien in second and Elliott Bennett, also at the young end of the age group in third. Bennett used all his determination on the second of the two runs to edge Alex Davies off the poidium by just three hundredths with Harry Cosham in fifth just seven hundredths behind Bennett. Close and exciting racing!
Zachery Metheringham took the spoils in the younger age group after crashing on the first run to place eighth overall. Kayne Stanway took second in the age group with Lucas Ellis in third. While some of the better young racers were away at regional races, the depth of talent of those on the start list was still great to see! the saying "You have to be in it to win it,' certainly comes to mind. What stood out more for those watching the young guns battle their way down was how much this race meant to them and how much they were enjoying the racing. This fun aspect of racing, at all levels, is to be encouraged!
The records will show who took their first National Titles and hopefully next year the regions and the national bodies will avoid major events clashing. At this age, many of the racers compete on both surfaces, it is as they get older that the racers go to different surfaces!
Full results