Day two of the English Alpine Ski Championships was blessed with clear blue skies and good snow conditions as the racers tackled the FIS Slalom and the Under 12 & Under 10s raced three runs of a Giant Slalom.
In the FIS Slalom, Oliver Davies took his second victory of the week and was crowned English Under 21 Slalom Champion, finishing more than a second faster than the second placed Brit, Laurie Taylor. Paul Henderson came home in third.
Ollie Davies said: “This is another really satisfying result for me. I’m not too happy with how I skied the second run as it was a bit scrappy and not as good as the first. That could have been better, but I can’t complain at all as it’s been two good days and another first-place finish for me. I’m happy with the way it’s going and I reckon I’ll jump up quite a lot in the next few months. I’d like to be somewhere close to 30 points by the end of the season.
For the Under 21 women, Scottish athlete Nicole Ritchie was the fastest Brit in third overall with Beth Widdup finishing as second Brit and being crowned the female English U21 Slalom Champion. Amber Buckland finished in third.
Beth Widdup said: “I don’t feel like I skied my best. Both runs I was just too grindy at the top and it wasn’t as good as what I am capable of skiing. I was hoping to win overall but I didn’t ski well enough. I guess there is still plenty of time to make a mark this week, although normally slalom is my main event so we’ll have to see how the GS goes. It’s a great feeling to win the English title though. I feel very proud to have done that as there are some really good girls here.”
Meanwhile, another Scot, Fraser Middleton took the win in the men’s Under 18 race, with Rory Farren in second spot and Daniel Barton got his first podium of the Championships, finishing in third. The result meant that Rory was crowned English Under 18 Slalom Champion.
Rory Farren said: “I was very happy with how I skied again today. I’m still working on that pressure on my outside ski above the gate, and the second run was a little shady towards the bottom, but my first run time held me up where I was. To be able to call myself an English Champion now is brilliant. I’m overwhelmed to be honest as this is only my second appearance at the English Alpine Championships and this is the first time I’ve won”
For the Under 18 women, Jessica Anderson took the win and was crowned English Under 18 Slalom Champion, beating off the challenge of Francesca Lee who finished in second and Freya Eaton in third.
Jessica Anderson said: “This is a really good feeling, especially after yesterday’s race where I was so disappointed to come out on the first run. I’m still coming back from a back injury so I’m taking it step-by-step, but this is a big one for me. I won in the GS last year, but to win another national title is still an amazing feeling, and hopefully I can get more podiums for the rest of this week.”
On the Stella Alpina piste, it was the turn of the ‘minis’ in the Under 12/Under 10 Giant Slalom, where it was the best time of three runs which counted. Taking victory for the boys in the Under 12 category was Max Laughland from British Ski Academy after a closely fought battle with Jack Upton from Ambition Racing who finished second and Luca Carrick-Smith in third. For the Under 12 girls, Scottish racer Isla Ward from Glasgow Ski Racing took top spot, with Matilda O’Brien from Evolution in second. Isla’s sister Erin Ward, also from GSR, took third spot with three consistent runs.
In the boys Under 10s category, brothers Freddy and Zak Carrick-Smith took first and second place respectively with some speedy skiing. Scottish racer Lewis Calder took third. For the girls, Alexia Redding-Hoet finished in top spot, just nudging out Molly Butler from Hemel Ski Race Club who was close to challenging Alexia, but missed a gate on run one, meaning her first run time didn’t count. Wanda Brzeska from Bromley Ski Race Club took third spot.
Max Laughland said: “I am really excited I have won. It didn’t feel like I skied that well in my second and third run, but my first one was the best. I wasn’t sure if I could podium, but I am glad I did. I have already had two firsts this season at the Anglo-Scottish races, so it was good I could continue.”
Isla Ward said: “It was a good course and a good race. My first run was fastest and I felt I skied well, so I was happy. This is my fourth time at the English Champs. It is a really good event and really well organised. The first year I was here I won, so I am glad I am back on the podium.”
Freddy Carrick-Smith said: “I was really pleased with my skiing today and really happy I won. Although I was fastest in my first run, I was really happy with my third run as I went a little bit rounder on my turns so I could skid, as in my other runs I went a little bit too down.”
Alexia Redding-Hoet said: “I had a good race today. I think my first run was my best one. I would have been happy with second or third, so the win is brilliant.”
The full results can be viewed on the English Alpine Championships website: www.englishalpinechamps.org.uk. All the action can be followed on Twitter @SnowsportEng / #AlpineChamps and the Snowsport England page on Facebook.
Tomorrow the action continues with the FIS NJR Giant Slalom on the Stella Alpina piste and the U16/U14 Super G on the Stelvio race piste. The evening sees the Floodlit Team Parallel Dual Slalom on the Stelvio.
Snowsport England would like to thank the continued sponsorship and support of the event by main sponsors Rossignol, Vital, Endsleigh and prize sponsors Ski Bartletts and Ski Bitz Ski Racing Supplies.