Nick Moynihan reacted positively to the words given to him by his coach after what was considered a poor first run. Moynihan is the top English male in the races and his coach felt that he should have been much closer in on the leading racers despite still being in third place overall after the first run. The stern words from the coach proved fruitful as this galvanised the eighteen year old to his best ever Giant Slalom FIS point result in his young career. The English podium was completed by Tom White and Lawrence Buchwiser with George Davis and Kieran Norris rounding out the top five English racers. Scot Jo Morrison was second out of the British racers behind Moynihan.
These were encouraging performances by the young racers Buchwiser, Davis and Norris. Norris knows that he can ski better, and according to his coaches has skied better in training, yet delivering on race day is a hard business. The International field was good and they were all racing hard. This is a reflection of the quality of racing that is being put on at these races: Fields of over 100 racers in the mens race and over 60 in the girls are further evidence of this.
In the girls race, the failure to finish of Rachelle Rogers on the first run, opened up the race for the English racers. Violet Miller raised her game to finish in 20th spot overall and take her first English Title. Alice Macaulay and Beth Widdup joined her on the English podium yet both were beaten by Scottish pair Kate Angus and Nicole Ritchie amongst the British racers.
The Bormio piste held up well despite a number of coaches muttering that the course was long. This was a National Junior Race and the best times of the racers were well over a minute (1.14 for the men and 1.17 for the girls each run). With the course starting above the famed Cuic jump (part of the men's downhill course that sees the racers fly over 60 metres down the pitch on race day), The hard and on some gates, icy, conditions caught out a number of racers or all levels as they failed with one of the basic skiing principles of skiing on their outside ski. Racers that tried to ski with their weight on the inside ski were soon found out and had a short day. Frustration was evident but a simple technique change would have seen them go further down the course.
With the start utilising the Cuic section, the finish was also brought up so that the public did not interfere with the final section of the course. This did make the course longer and harder but for racers (and some coaches) who want the easy option, ski racing is not for the feint hearted, this is a tough sport.
While Moynihan scored an encouraging 34 FIS point result, there is still much to do for the racer, he admits. Having spent the summer getting used to the new 35 metre radius skis, he managed to injure his knee while training on the new regulation skis. Now back to full fitness the likeable racer has a full programme for the remainder of the season and with results appearing with other racers, the competition at the British Championships at the end of the season is looking an exciting event with the two speed racers TJ Baldwin and Dougie Crawford in great form as well as Dave Ryding and all three will be wanting to keep the new exciting young guns Moynihan, Jack Gower and Charlie Raposo at bay. The rest of the field will have to raise its game to challenge these six racers. Exciting times.