With many races over the summer struggling for numbers, schools ski racing seems to be bucking the trend with a field of 258 racers at the BISS Champs at Hemel Snowcentre on the 29th  September. ...
Nearly 40 schools were represented over the two events with juniors in the morning racing stubbies and the seniors racing full gates in the afternoon.
On a hill staffed with a course crew of young, but experienced coaches, managing and maintaining the course, the young racers competed for individual medals and trophies for best school team in the mixed school, girls school and boys school categories in each event.
In the morning, some great performances saw some good, and some very close results with only one hundredth separating the top two U 10 boys, Oscar Louth (Meadowbrook)and Laurence Sinclair (Orwell Park). U10 girls saw Honor Bartlett (Littlegarth) take the win from Nicole Bateman (Chesham Prep).
With some racers new to the sport, we also saw some experienced competitors taking part with Sophie Foster (Danes Hill) taking first in the U12 girls just ahead of Matilda O'Brien (Wellow House) and Joseph Thompson (All Saints, Lessingham) becoming U12 champ with Zach Metheringham (Beachborough)in second.
The morning was rounded off with the U14's and wins for Seamus O'Brien (Wellow House) and Cosima Banon (Harrodian) leaving us with the winning teams from Rokeby (Boys), St Swithuns (Girls) and Wellow House (Mixed) with Wellow House winning the overall team prize from one of our sponsors, Ski Bitz.
The afternoon saw the seniors competing and the winning teams being Whitgift School (Boys), Surbiton High School (Girls) and Portsmouth Grammar School (Mixed), PGS also won the overall school prize.
Winning racers, counting towards the team placings in the afternoon included Anna Caldwell (U14, PGS), David Williams-Gravener (U14, Ashford), Nicole Shering (U16, Burgate), Finlay Davies (U16, Danetre), Cameron Manson (U18, PGS), Yuu Kurihara (U18, Millfield), Daisy Perez (U21, New Hall) and Sam Todd-Saunders (U18, Hurst College).
Feedback was good for the event and the schools are looking forward to next years BISS Indoor Champs and the April event, both at the Snowcentre.
Full results:Â http://schoolsskiracing.co.uk/index.php/news/biss-indoor-champs-2014/
Picture of Nicole Shering competing at the recent ERSA Indoor Champs at Hemel. Credit Racer Ready - all rights reserved