Alice Macaulay did not let the fact that she was one of the last racers down stop her from winning the first of two races being held at Chill Factore in Manchester this weekend. Macaulay rarely races on the summer scene and as a result had seen her seed points grow yet from starting 28, she took the lead on the first run ahead of Beth Widdup and Sophie Ogden and held on to win the race ahead of Widdup with Francesca Lee taking third overall. This was a good quality field and the racing was tight and competitive amongst the girls.
Macaulay, a product of Surbiton High School and the Ambition training group, has put in a lot of work in the last year and this result showed just how the hard work has benefited her. After taking a number of podiums at the Delancey British Championships in March and April, on the shortened course Macaulay was almost two tenths ahead after the first run yet stretched her lead out to almost seven tenths after the second run. Beth Widdup, the top ranked racer in the field was the next best racer in the results and must be looking forward to next winter when she will have exams out of the way and will be able to focus on her skiing and catching the likes of Macaulay up. Widdup had just pipped Sophie Ogden on the first run by two hundredths yet was a different racer on the second run and extended her lead over Ogden yet had to contend with a great second run from Francesca Lee, the only racer in a full race suit, who came within two hundredths of taking the runners up spot with the second fastest second run time. Ogden had to settle for fourth overall just ahead of Megan Jenkins in fifth.
Olivia Ward won the Under 14 race on her birthday, ahead of Shana Danenbergsons with Lois Jackson just pipping Kirsten Walton for third place in the age group. In the Under 16 age group, Francesca Lee and Megan Jenkins, in the top five overall, took the top two spots with Cameron Manson taking third place (and ninth place overall).
The Under 18 age group saw Sophie Ogden take the win ahead of Deborah Henerey and Rachel Ferrier, all three racers in the top ten overall. The Under 21's were won by Macaulay with Widdup in second and Emily Hopkins taking third. Laura Kiemle-Gabbay won the Senior age group ahead of Ireland's Carolyn Dent-Neville and Aleksandra Bojarska won the Masters age group.
With the girls racing down the same course that the guys had used on the first run, the great efforts put in by parents and coaches in keeping the race course in good condition was to be applauded.
Full results
Pictures from the racing will soon be up on www.racer-ready.ifp3.com