For the fifth year the English Alpine Championships returned to Bormio, for a fifth year Bormio laid on an improved and exciting Championships using the Stelvio piste, as used for the World Cup each December. With the numbers staying steady and the weather being kind, how did the racing go...
Day 1, Monday 18 February:
FIS NJR Slalom - Quality international field sees Moynihan and Rogers emerge as best English (click here for more)
U16 & U14 Super G - Jenkins & Innes open with victory in Super G at English Alpine Champs (click here for more)
Day 2, Tuesday 19 February
FIS NJR GS - Moynihan reacts to Coach to podium overall again in Bormio; Miller wins English girls race (click here for more)
U12 & U10 Giant Slalom - Krahelski, Wills, Clissold and Poth all take the top step in Bormio (click here for more)
Watch the video of Day 1 & 2 -Â click here
Day 3, Wednesday 20 February
BARSC FIS SG & FIS SG - Thompson and Morgan take wins in Super G at English Super G; Miller wins both girls races (click here for more)
U16 & U14 GS - Krahelski, Wills, Clissold and Poth win English U14 and U16 GS titles (click here for more)
U12 & U10 Combi - If the smiles are to be believed, Combi racing is the way forward for the next stars (click here for more)
Day 4, Thursday 21 February
FIS GS -Â Moynihan leads the way in the GS, Rogers takes English Women's race (click here for more)
U16 & U14 Slalom - Krahelski and Wills win U14 Slalom titles; Jenkins and Poth take the U16 titles (click here for more)
Day 5, Friday 22 February
FIS SL - Parker & Bullen secure English Slalom Titles in Bormio (click here for more)
Watch the video of Day 3, 4 & 5 -Â click here
Conclusions
The 2013 English Alpine Championships raised the bar in many ways: Video coverage, professional commentators and more importantly improved performances from many of the racers. Results talk and if racers want to get noticed they need to make results when they count. While the young racers in the Under 14 and 16 age group showed some hugely impressive performances, it was great to see results in the 30's for some of the top British racers.
Once again Bormio itself did a great job for the racers and unlike another resort, people were approaching the Championship Organisers asking to come back again next year. If you are reading these reports as a ski fan and wondering what all the fuss is about, Bormio is well worth a visit in summer or winter - with the Stelvio Glacier half an hour away, you can ski all the year around.
Many thanks to the Hotel Baite dei Paini for hosting Racer Ready during the Championships.