Ski racing continues away from the World Championships and it is great to see British run races happening. It is normally at this time of the year that the English Alpine Championships, the largest event of the British alpine calendar year with six days and 6 FIS / NJR races, 4 U14, 4 U16 and Minis races all happening. This year the Covid pandemic has restricted the movement of racets and the races were cancelled. Ambition proactively approached Santa Caterina to host some speed races and took over the FIS booking. This has allowed those athletes lucky enough to be out in Europe to some more speed races.
With hosting races as well as athletes competing all part of the equation in how FIS give money to National Federations, the importance of hosting these races cannot be under estimated.
"Max Vaughton was really good in the Alpine Combined, decent enough in SG but then wicked run in slalom to take the Men’s Overall win," explained Marc Telling from Ambition. Owen Vinter finished up in seventh with Jack Cunningham in 12th.
"Sarah Woodward and Jess Anderson have been smashing in PB’s across both DH and SG, Sarah will now drop to top 150 in world in DH on next FIS list, opening up the doors for World Cup starts (potentially) in 21/22 & Jess just missing the win in her favourite discipline of Alpine Combined by 0.04 overall," Telling continued
"Of the young guns, Cunningham fast in SG but the real stand out yesterday was Max Laughland who is currently with Excel, putting down some very impressive SG / SL performances in the Alpine Combined," added Telling.
Telling was keen to thank Santa Caterina for providing "a perfect speed track following on from women’s WC, great organisation with races finishing by 1230 / 1300 (through Omar Galli’s hill team) and we will definitely be back in the future."
The races saw the continued return from almost two years out injured of Darcie Mead. Mead has had her fair share of injuries in the last two years but it is great to see her back scoring mid fifty point results in Giant Slalom as well as hitting good results in Super G.
Vaughton and Vinter continued producing strong performances in the Super G races, both finishing in the top ten (sixth and seventh in the first race and third and fifth in the second race. Anderson and Woodward also hit more top ten results in the two women's Super G's on 13 February.
And there is still the slalom races to go!
Link to all results
Picture from Santa Caterina from when the Men's World Cup came to town. Courtesy Zoom Agence
Many thanks to Marc Telling for providing the updates on who has been skiing well. If you feel you should have also been mentioned email your results in and we will do our best to add you in!