As the summer sun beat down on Pontypool Ski Centre, over 100 of Britain’s best racers took the course to compete for the winning spot. Competitors ranged from eight years old all the way up to 60 years old in the Masters category and there were three races in total, 2 Slalom courses and one Giant Slalom event. ...
The Oxygene GBR race was one of a series of summertime races across the UK, proving that snow sports is by no means restricted to wintertime activity. Oxygene Ski School were sponsoring the event and are providing a very exciting opportunity to two well-deserving British skiers ahead of next winter. The Oxygene Ski Instructor Academy is offering two fully paid Instructor scholarships to one female and one male British registered racer, making the step from competitive skiing to a longterm career in snow sports as accessible as possible. Oxygene Ski School Academy is based in two of France’s largest resorts, Paradiski and Espace Killy and is a fully recognised centre of training and one of the few non-ESF ski schools in France legally permitted to employ trainee instructors.
Those who have proved themselves to be more than worthy applicants to the scholarship programme are Welsh Ski Team racers Georgia Hallett and Tom Hales. Georgia won both slalom events, achieving her first win at a national series event. Her coach Robin Kellen (head coach of the Welsh Team) said he was sure it would be the first of many to come. Tom Hales, who is a long standing member of the Welsh Team and ranked no. 1 British racer on the artificial circuit won Sundays slalom, making the sure that Wales stands strong on the British stage of ski racing.
The fastest time recorded during the weekend was 17.93 seconds and the average speed of the winning skiers was 30mph. The top speed reached during the weekend was an impressive 40mph. After such a fun, varied and successful race weekend Snowsport Cymru Wales is very much looking forward to the next Pontypool races, the Welsh and British Championships to be held on 12th September 2015.
Picture Snowsport Wales