Dougie Crawford made it two wins from two races with victory in the Delancey British Alpine Championship Downhill for the Sir John Ritblat Trophy. ... Crawford was happy with his run and felt the benefit of running the course before the girls, being "done early and no waiting around," things a lot better for the Bearsden Racer. After a season that has had more disappointments due to bad weather, conditions for the premier downhill on the British calendar were just about perfect. Jack Gower edged out TJ Baldwin by just one hundredth of a second.
Crawford and Baldwin have long held the mantel of British speed skiing aloft yet the rise of Jack Gower over the last few seasons has not gone unnoticed. Crawford was surprised that he managed to edge out his training partner but recognised the improvements that Gower has made this season under his new coaching set up. For Crawford the frustration of having made a few errors n turns that he had done well on the training run was tempered by the fact that he had come down in to the lead.
Crawford said: “It always feels great to get back to back wins and I was pleased to beat team mates Jack and TJ into 2nd and 3rd. The piste was in great shape today, the sun wasn't quite on it so the slope was much harder and held up well; it was challenging but enjoyable, it's great to be in Meribel.”
While Gower admitted that he goes in to every race to do his best and ski as fast as he can, the Downhill Trophy is something that he is really aspiring to. Having won his first National Title in the Giant Slalom last year, he has now raised his aspirations and is looking to the big one - The Sir John Ritblat Trophy for the Downhill.
While Baldwin has been on the benefit of hundredth of a second placings before, it is never nice to lose out on a place by the smallest of margins. In true sportsmanship, Baldwin was full of applaud to Gower for his run. It has been a tough season for Baldwin with race cancellations and a lack of behind the scenes support from those that could have helped. What the racer really needs is a good result to get his career back on track. The Norfolk racer who was trained at the British Ski Academy has a lot of talent and should not let it go to waste. Given a break he will go far!
Results:Â NC DH Men results
Picture credit: Dougie Crawford by RACER READY
Pictures from the racing today are on www.racer-ready.ifp3.com
Day three at the Delancey British Alpine Ski Championships from Racer Ready Ski-Magazine on Vimeo.
Crawford and Alcott make it two from two at the Delancey British Alpine Ski Championships.