So you put your ticket offer in, your ticket offer out, in, out, in out, you mess it all about, you do the okey cokey and, erm, admit that you've made another mess of trying to attract fans into Bescot.
For those who missed it, on Wednesday morning the official website proudly boasted a rather impressive offer of getting your Johnston's Paint Trophy ticket for the Luton game for free should you invest in the two league games either side of it. Great, this was the kind of inventive thinking that many fans had been pleading for over the past decade or more. A well deserved pat on the back was due, not least from this columnist, who has constantly questioned why any initiative to increase attendance levels always appeared, half hearted, half baked and smacking of desperation.
So when, 24 hours later, the offer was withdrawn for fear of upsetting season ticket holders I doubt that I was the only one who felt like banging my head up against a brick wall. Yes the terse statement that accompanied the notification of offer withdrawl barely disguised the frustration at being forced to backtrack, but after producing such a commendable offer was it really too much to ask that the hierarchy at WFC stood their ground and honoured their excellent promotion?
Indeed for this deal to get anywhere near to the publication stage without consideration being given to season ticket holders feelings is pretty inconceivable. The first question asked at the meeting where this idea was muted should (and hopefully would) have been "What will season ticket holders think?" and after deciding to ride out the minor storm that this offer was always likely to brew the Club really should have had the courage and backbone to stand by their decision. Season ticket holders are generally forgiving folk, indeed anyone who forked out another £300 after the carnage of the first 5 months of 2008 has already proved that they will accept almost anything and still return for more.
So, in a week where we were the only league team in the area in action and could only muster a few stragglers over 4100 in home support, in retracting this latest offer the club have again opened the door for those who question their policy of increasing attendances to have another field day. Usually I'd oblige fully but, on this occasion, even I'm too embarrassed for them to have a dig.
Finally a quick mention to Geoff Horsfield, a player whom I have always admired. His bullish presence, spearheading his teams frontline, ensured that every centre half he faced knew that they'd been in a hell of a battle. Feared by most, repected by all, Horsfield is the kind of player that any supporter born with a love of the game but without the talent to match would have given their right arm to be for an hour and a half each Saturday afternoon. Defeat was utterly unthinkable.
Personally I'd hoped over the past few weeks that Horsfield would do enough in his training with us to convince Jimmy Mullen that there was one more winter in those tree trunks he called legs. Sadly this was not to be and he now faces the fight that every young parent must dread. However if anyone was ever up for a battle then it was Geoff Horsfield, indeed should he tackle his current opponent in the same manner that he terrorised hard nosed centre halves such as Messrs Viveash, Barras and Ritchie then his illness is in for a bit of a battering. We all wish him well.
Friday 17 October 2008
Wednesday 1 October 2008
You Don't Have To Be Mad......
British Dry Slope Championships
September 28th, 2008
Pontypool
You don’t have to be mad to be a ski racer but it most certainly helps. Indeed, secured upon on a couple of wood & plastic planks by a spring that’s designed to release when you get into trouble, whilst achieving speeds that make Usain Bolt look sluggish, the commitment and belief in their own ability that every dry slope racer requires and displays on each and every summer weekend is, in truth, utterly mind blowing.
And whilst madness is not a compulsory component in the career of a dendix ski racer, a high pain threshold, the ability to recover quickly and, often quite literally, bounce back after a high speed collision with that synthetic brillo-pad underneath your boots, are characteristics that no ski racer can survive or prosper without. Bravery and bottle only tell half the story whilst the word fear doesn’t even come close to the equation.
So when, only 14 days earlier, Gerard Flahive’s skis rebounded at full velocity and catapulted the young Hemel racer into virtual orbit before gravity took over and smashed him back onto the most unforgiving of surfaces, his chances of making it to the top of Wales’ premier ski slope in order to challenge for the 2008 Cadog British Dry Slope Championship probably looked thinner then the sheet of skin the matting had just left on his back. The fact that less then 30 seconds later he was back in a vertical position, albeit slightly dazed and on legs that made Amir Khan look rock solid, was testimony to how tough these athletes truly are. Not only would he be back, he would be back to challenge.
And what a challenge. Indeed, as he powered his way through the demands of speedily dealing with Championship level offset gates down the daunting Pontypool steep section, amid the pressure and tension of the British Dry Slope Championships, he could have surely been forgiven for a momentary negative thought and to consider if he really did want to risk putting his body through another bone crunching meeting with the matting.
If the negative thought came, it certainly wasn’t acted upon. Indeed, if anything, this young, hugely talented racer accelerated through the demons of a fortnight earlier and, in producing a flawless second run display of power and precision, he magnificently brushed aside the challenge from each and every one of his piers.
And whilst Flahive’s devastating afternoon run proved the conclusive difference between himself and the rest, the pressure placed upon him in the start gate should also not be underestimated. With runner up Alex Jeal squeezing just inside the combined time of third placed Benn Hall, Flahive would have been fully aware that room for mistakes was non existent. To then produce a time fully half a second inside that of any other racer showed a great deal of mettle to accompany his undeniable abilities.
In the categories Andrew Crawford again confirmed his status as a master of tricky conditions, with a well deserved 4th pace overall and 1st in the seniors with Ben Clark and Jonathon Powell joining the Swansea racer on the podium. In the Masters David Blackwell and Rob Hales again produced another fierce battle for supremacy, Hales eventually overturning a first run deficit to claim the category spoils and 6th place overall. In Jun 2 James Crowther joined Jeal and Hall on the podium, whilst Cardiff racers Andrew and Colin Davies joined Flahive in 2nd & 3rd respectively in Jun 1. James Grant triumphed in a fascinating battle for Chi 2 with Timothy Dannatt and Kaigan Witts not far behind and in Chi 1 Ashley Breese capped an absolutely fantastic season in top spot and 13th overall with Daniel Poth and Luke Seymour also claiming podium positions.
In the ladies race Rachel Adcock provided the Arrows Race Club with a fitting conclusion to their racing activities in producing a breathtaking afternoon run that turned the tables on a number of her rivals and catapulted her up onto the top spot on the podium. Indeed with first run leader Alice Hales, the precociously talented Emily Evans and warhorse Abby Clifford all in front of Adcock prior to run 2, the situation certainly required something special.
Again, like Flahive, Adcock found time in the afternoon course that none of her compatriots could, producing a wonderfully smooth, controlled second run that was half a second quicker than the rest of the field and this proved more than enough to leapfrog Adcock to victory.
Hales eventually claimed the runners up spot with Evans comfortably keeping the rest of the field at arms length for 3rd place overall. Abby Clifford ended up settling for 4th overall just in front of Cardiff racer Jeni Thomas and her rapidly improving Telford team mate Charlotte Gould in 5th and 6th respectively.
In the categories; Alice Thelwell made it an Arrows 1-2 in the seniors with Aimee Broughton completing the podium. In Jun 2 Emily Dawes claimed runners up spot in front of 3rd placed Niamh Lyons. Jun 1 was dominated by the Hales, Thomas & Gould triumvirate whilst Emily Hopkins and Stephanie Davies followed Emily Evans home in Chi 2. In the youngest category Kelly Greenbank justified the decision to re-embrace plastic slope summer racing by deservedly claiming 1st place in front of Georgia Hallet and Florence Bell in 2nd & 3rd respectively.
And as the racing concluded and the trophies and medals were being distributed it was impossible not to reflect upon the horror crash suffered by Charlotte Davies earlier that morning. Less than twenty four hours before that another nasty fall had rearranged the direction that her thumb was pointing. On that occasion she rose from the floor, removed her glove, realised the damage, put her glove back on and continued racing dual slaloms. This time was enough however to bring an end to her rather impressive season. As Gerard Flahive proved, she will be back though- injuries heal, whereas the desire to race, challenge and go even faster does not.
You don’t have to be mad to be a ski racer. But, blimey, it certainly helps!
September 28th, 2008
Pontypool
You don’t have to be mad to be a ski racer but it most certainly helps. Indeed, secured upon on a couple of wood & plastic planks by a spring that’s designed to release when you get into trouble, whilst achieving speeds that make Usain Bolt look sluggish, the commitment and belief in their own ability that every dry slope racer requires and displays on each and every summer weekend is, in truth, utterly mind blowing.
And whilst madness is not a compulsory component in the career of a dendix ski racer, a high pain threshold, the ability to recover quickly and, often quite literally, bounce back after a high speed collision with that synthetic brillo-pad underneath your boots, are characteristics that no ski racer can survive or prosper without. Bravery and bottle only tell half the story whilst the word fear doesn’t even come close to the equation.
So when, only 14 days earlier, Gerard Flahive’s skis rebounded at full velocity and catapulted the young Hemel racer into virtual orbit before gravity took over and smashed him back onto the most unforgiving of surfaces, his chances of making it to the top of Wales’ premier ski slope in order to challenge for the 2008 Cadog British Dry Slope Championship probably looked thinner then the sheet of skin the matting had just left on his back. The fact that less then 30 seconds later he was back in a vertical position, albeit slightly dazed and on legs that made Amir Khan look rock solid, was testimony to how tough these athletes truly are. Not only would he be back, he would be back to challenge.
And what a challenge. Indeed, as he powered his way through the demands of speedily dealing with Championship level offset gates down the daunting Pontypool steep section, amid the pressure and tension of the British Dry Slope Championships, he could have surely been forgiven for a momentary negative thought and to consider if he really did want to risk putting his body through another bone crunching meeting with the matting.
If the negative thought came, it certainly wasn’t acted upon. Indeed, if anything, this young, hugely talented racer accelerated through the demons of a fortnight earlier and, in producing a flawless second run display of power and precision, he magnificently brushed aside the challenge from each and every one of his piers.
And whilst Flahive’s devastating afternoon run proved the conclusive difference between himself and the rest, the pressure placed upon him in the start gate should also not be underestimated. With runner up Alex Jeal squeezing just inside the combined time of third placed Benn Hall, Flahive would have been fully aware that room for mistakes was non existent. To then produce a time fully half a second inside that of any other racer showed a great deal of mettle to accompany his undeniable abilities.
In the categories Andrew Crawford again confirmed his status as a master of tricky conditions, with a well deserved 4th pace overall and 1st in the seniors with Ben Clark and Jonathon Powell joining the Swansea racer on the podium. In the Masters David Blackwell and Rob Hales again produced another fierce battle for supremacy, Hales eventually overturning a first run deficit to claim the category spoils and 6th place overall. In Jun 2 James Crowther joined Jeal and Hall on the podium, whilst Cardiff racers Andrew and Colin Davies joined Flahive in 2nd & 3rd respectively in Jun 1. James Grant triumphed in a fascinating battle for Chi 2 with Timothy Dannatt and Kaigan Witts not far behind and in Chi 1 Ashley Breese capped an absolutely fantastic season in top spot and 13th overall with Daniel Poth and Luke Seymour also claiming podium positions.
In the ladies race Rachel Adcock provided the Arrows Race Club with a fitting conclusion to their racing activities in producing a breathtaking afternoon run that turned the tables on a number of her rivals and catapulted her up onto the top spot on the podium. Indeed with first run leader Alice Hales, the precociously talented Emily Evans and warhorse Abby Clifford all in front of Adcock prior to run 2, the situation certainly required something special.
Again, like Flahive, Adcock found time in the afternoon course that none of her compatriots could, producing a wonderfully smooth, controlled second run that was half a second quicker than the rest of the field and this proved more than enough to leapfrog Adcock to victory.
Hales eventually claimed the runners up spot with Evans comfortably keeping the rest of the field at arms length for 3rd place overall. Abby Clifford ended up settling for 4th overall just in front of Cardiff racer Jeni Thomas and her rapidly improving Telford team mate Charlotte Gould in 5th and 6th respectively.
In the categories; Alice Thelwell made it an Arrows 1-2 in the seniors with Aimee Broughton completing the podium. In Jun 2 Emily Dawes claimed runners up spot in front of 3rd placed Niamh Lyons. Jun 1 was dominated by the Hales, Thomas & Gould triumvirate whilst Emily Hopkins and Stephanie Davies followed Emily Evans home in Chi 2. In the youngest category Kelly Greenbank justified the decision to re-embrace plastic slope summer racing by deservedly claiming 1st place in front of Georgia Hallet and Florence Bell in 2nd & 3rd respectively.
And as the racing concluded and the trophies and medals were being distributed it was impossible not to reflect upon the horror crash suffered by Charlotte Davies earlier that morning. Less than twenty four hours before that another nasty fall had rearranged the direction that her thumb was pointing. On that occasion she rose from the floor, removed her glove, realised the damage, put her glove back on and continued racing dual slaloms. This time was enough however to bring an end to her rather impressive season. As Gerard Flahive proved, she will be back though- injuries heal, whereas the desire to race, challenge and go even faster does not.
You don’t have to be mad to be a ski racer. But, blimey, it certainly helps!
Monday 15 September 2008
Telling Triumph to Stand Test of Time
All England Championships
6th September, 2008
Norfolk Ski Club
In a sporting world of media over-hype words such as outstanding, great and legendary tend to get so over used that they’ve become utterly devalued over time. In truth time is the only genuine judge of what was actually outstanding against what was pretty good. It differentiates disappointment from disaster and the sublime from the mundane. Time allows us space to take breath, to measure, compare and judge away from the adrenalin rush that you get by viewing sporting prowess. Time alone tells us who are our indubitable sporting legends and who, by contrast, were the fly-by-night heroes.
At around half past four on Saturday afternoon Marc Telling again re-confirmed his status as no fly-by-night hero. Amid the supercharged, testosterone fuelled atmosphere found at the start gate at the business end of Snowsport England’s showpiece summer event Telling, the 2006 Champion, regained his crown, producing another devastating 13 second blast of power, balance, complete control and ice cool nerve. Magnificent is another word that tends to become devalued by over use. In this case however it, unquestionably, is a more than appropriate description.
And it had to be because with Bradley Morgan, Oliver Robinson and Peter Walters pushing him every inch of the way Telling found himself involved in a serious four-way battle for supremacy. Indeed as the second run start list edged towards its conclusion the UK ’s dendix heavyweights slugged it out and provided spectators, officials, sponsors and the other racers with a vintage festival of dry slope ski racing. One by one they each chipped a couple of tenths off the previous leading time and simultaneously nudged the pressure level up another notch for those still to race. Morgan’s run in particular looked capable of taking the title before Telling expeditious run left the Pendle racer to settle for the runners up spot in front of 3rd placed Oliver Robinson and the evergreen Peter Walters.
In the categories the 5th placed overall Andy Roose claimed 2nd place in Jun 2 in front of Tom Hales whilst Gerard Flahive continued his recent hot streak with 1st place in Jun 1 category and 9th overall. Ashley Hill and Andrew Davies completed the podium whilst Shaun Blythe, impressively dominated the field in Chi 2 category ahead of Kaigan Witts and Timothy Dannatt. In Chi 1 Ashley Breese eased to a deserved victory in front of Robert and Daniel Poth who collected 2nd & 3rd spots respectively.
Never ones to be outdone however the ladies race also made highly compulsive viewing and, as with Telling, Charlotte Davies proved not only a fierce competitor but also a worthy Champion. On numerous occasions this summer Davies has shown her opponents a clean pair of heels in compiling a number of notable successes but this, of course, was the day that truly mattered. Would she? Could she? Might she? Well yes, yes and yes came the emphatic response as the Gloucester racer completely dominated her event, posting fastest runs on both courses en-route to a well deserved victory and the title that all of her piers craved.
In runners up spot Alice Hales superbly tore up the form book and seeding list storming to the second fastest run on both courses, proving the only serious challenger to Davies and deservedly demolish her seed point ranking. In third place overall Emily Evans continued her excellent development producing a fine 2nd run that nudged elder sister Charlotte off the podium and into 4th place.
In the categories Rachel Adcock’s 5th place overall proved good enough to win the senior category ahead of Arrows team mate Alice Thelwell and Lesley Mearns. Kirsty Hatcher followed Charlotte(s) Davies and Evans onto the Jun 2 podium whilst Emily Whitelock’s 6th place overall was enough to secure runners up spot in Jun 1 category in front of Alessia Thomas Jackson in 3rd. In Chi 2 behind Emily Evans finished Nia Jenkins whose 2nd run proved too good for 3rd placed Sarah Lambden. Polly Shailes claimed the chi 1 title, just in front of Hannah Bozier in the runners up spot and Katie Eden in 3rd.
In the Minis race Megan Jenkins and Matthew Davis ensured that their summer of event domination continued as both claimed 1st place in the youngster’s event. Runner-up spots were claimed by Yasmin Cooper and Nathan Breese with Freya Eaton and Declan Huppach also celebrating podium positions in a race that offered real promise for the future of British skiing.
The day however belonged to Marc Telling. Behind that cheeky grin and happy go lucky exterior lies a highly skilled racer with the heart of a lion and the intelligence to match. Amid an intoxicating battle for the 2008 Ingham's All England Championship Telling applied those skills to again rise above his piers and re-claim the title that clearly means much to this superb athlete. Time may well judge our 2008 champion extremely well.
6th September, 2008
Norfolk Ski Club
In a sporting world of media over-hype words such as outstanding, great and legendary tend to get so over used that they’ve become utterly devalued over time. In truth time is the only genuine judge of what was actually outstanding against what was pretty good. It differentiates disappointment from disaster and the sublime from the mundane. Time allows us space to take breath, to measure, compare and judge away from the adrenalin rush that you get by viewing sporting prowess. Time alone tells us who are our indubitable sporting legends and who, by contrast, were the fly-by-night heroes.
At around half past four on Saturday afternoon Marc Telling again re-confirmed his status as no fly-by-night hero. Amid the supercharged, testosterone fuelled atmosphere found at the start gate at the business end of Snowsport England’s showpiece summer event Telling, the 2006 Champion, regained his crown, producing another devastating 13 second blast of power, balance, complete control and ice cool nerve. Magnificent is another word that tends to become devalued by over use. In this case however it, unquestionably, is a more than appropriate description.
And it had to be because with Bradley Morgan, Oliver Robinson and Peter Walters pushing him every inch of the way Telling found himself involved in a serious four-way battle for supremacy. Indeed as the second run start list edged towards its conclusion the UK ’s dendix heavyweights slugged it out and provided spectators, officials, sponsors and the other racers with a vintage festival of dry slope ski racing. One by one they each chipped a couple of tenths off the previous leading time and simultaneously nudged the pressure level up another notch for those still to race. Morgan’s run in particular looked capable of taking the title before Telling expeditious run left the Pendle racer to settle for the runners up spot in front of 3rd placed Oliver Robinson and the evergreen Peter Walters.
In the categories the 5th placed overall Andy Roose claimed 2nd place in Jun 2 in front of Tom Hales whilst Gerard Flahive continued his recent hot streak with 1st place in Jun 1 category and 9th overall. Ashley Hill and Andrew Davies completed the podium whilst Shaun Blythe, impressively dominated the field in Chi 2 category ahead of Kaigan Witts and Timothy Dannatt. In Chi 1 Ashley Breese eased to a deserved victory in front of Robert and Daniel Poth who collected 2nd & 3rd spots respectively.
Never ones to be outdone however the ladies race also made highly compulsive viewing and, as with Telling, Charlotte Davies proved not only a fierce competitor but also a worthy Champion. On numerous occasions this summer Davies has shown her opponents a clean pair of heels in compiling a number of notable successes but this, of course, was the day that truly mattered. Would she? Could she? Might she? Well yes, yes and yes came the emphatic response as the Gloucester racer completely dominated her event, posting fastest runs on both courses en-route to a well deserved victory and the title that all of her piers craved.
In runners up spot Alice Hales superbly tore up the form book and seeding list storming to the second fastest run on both courses, proving the only serious challenger to Davies and deservedly demolish her seed point ranking. In third place overall Emily Evans continued her excellent development producing a fine 2nd run that nudged elder sister Charlotte off the podium and into 4th place.
In the categories Rachel Adcock’s 5th place overall proved good enough to win the senior category ahead of Arrows team mate Alice Thelwell and Lesley Mearns. Kirsty Hatcher followed Charlotte(s) Davies and Evans onto the Jun 2 podium whilst Emily Whitelock’s 6th place overall was enough to secure runners up spot in Jun 1 category in front of Alessia Thomas Jackson in 3rd. In Chi 2 behind Emily Evans finished Nia Jenkins whose 2nd run proved too good for 3rd placed Sarah Lambden. Polly Shailes claimed the chi 1 title, just in front of Hannah Bozier in the runners up spot and Katie Eden in 3rd.
In the Minis race Megan Jenkins and Matthew Davis ensured that their summer of event domination continued as both claimed 1st place in the youngster’s event. Runner-up spots were claimed by Yasmin Cooper and Nathan Breese with Freya Eaton and Declan Huppach also celebrating podium positions in a race that offered real promise for the future of British skiing.
The day however belonged to Marc Telling. Behind that cheeky grin and happy go lucky exterior lies a highly skilled racer with the heart of a lion and the intelligence to match. Amid an intoxicating battle for the 2008 Ingham's All England Championship Telling applied those skills to again rise above his piers and re-claim the title that clearly means much to this superb athlete. Time may well judge our 2008 champion extremely well.
Monday 28 July 2008
If You Can't Take The Heat….
Well you were in the wrong place at Rossendale on Saturday. Pure blue skies, blistering temperatures, and two ripping courses set along 200 metres of rumbling dendix were all that separated the nation’s best young skiers from realising their hopes, dreams and aspirations in the 5th and concluding Inghams sponsored Grand Prix of Summer 2008.
Indeed, with course setters Craig Ruddick and Lee Bennett setting 18 & 20 gate headaches respectively, it was fairly obvious that any exposed skin wasn’t just in danger from the sun gods. Get your inspection wrong, under-estimate the difficulty and technicality or simply fail to respect the challenge set and a trip to the matting loomed large. Like a walk through the lions den, one loss of concentration was sure to end in a bite on the backside.
Not that these were bad courses, quite the opposite in fact. Inspect properly, prepare thoroughly and apply all those little things that your coach keeps saying to you and there was a route home. Add a bit of nous and experience into the equation and the racers who could find the right blend and were able to balance the equation were going to be fast and clean.
In the female race, previous winners Rachel Adcock and Emily Evans slugged out two runs of genuine heavyweight proportions for the victory spoils. Marginally behind Adcock after run 1 Evans produced a sublime 2nd run of courage and skill, three times looking in real danger of being spat out the young racer utilised every ounce of her flexibility and balance to attack and increase speed where others may have looked to defend and scrub pace. A tactic the proved decisive as Evans overturned a 0.12s deficit to storm to victory and leave Adcock with the runners up spot.
In third place finished Alessia Thomas-Jackson who, with the whole series in her hands, produced one of the gutsiest runs of 2008, risking everything in search of the few tenths of a second she needed to turn the screw on Evans & Adcock. Completing the top five overall positions finished Charlotte Davies and Georgia Luck with 4th and 5th respectively.
In the categories, overall 6th placed Stacey Luck claimed the Jun 2 runners up spot behind Davies with Melanie Wilcockson placed in 3rd. In junior 1 Frances Bryon placed 3rd behind Thomas-Jackson & and Georgia Luck respectively. Charlotte Shrimpton posted her best career result taking 7th overall and 2nd in chi 1 followed home by Caroline Powell in 3rd. Shrimpton’s Telford team mate Kelly Greenbank claimed top spot in chi 1 ahead of 2nd placed Klara Hommel and Georgia Hallet in 3rd.
In the males race blown wide apart by the failure of a number of the pre-race favourites to negotiate both courses Andrew Crawford again proved master of testing conditions placing himself in a position to strike with a faultless 1st run and then producing arguably the best single run of the season on run 2, magnificently slicing his way through Bennett’s minefield with sniper like precision and leave the rocket launchers and mortar bombers behind him to fight for the minor placings.
In runners up spot Gerard Flahive ensured that his recent excellent form continued, again producing a wonderfully clean 2nd run to finish 0.30s behind Crawford with clear daylight between himself and 3rd placed Bromley racer Benjamin Clark. In 4th place overall (& 3rd placed senior racer) Colin Armstrong proved the old adage of there being no substitute for experience whilst chi 1 racer James Grant simultaneously proved a young man can bring also an experienced head to the battle with a super 5th place overall.
In the categories Sam Goodlass’s 6th place overall was good enough to claim top spot in Jun 2 in front of Tom Hales in 2nd and home slope racer Niall Misell in 3rd. In Jun 1 8th & 11th overall finishes were enough for Andrew Davies and James Milstead to claim 2nd and 3rd respectively behind Flahive whilst in chi 2 9th & 10th overall were good enough for Samual Fairbarn and Richard Leeson to claim category 2nd & 3rd places. In Chi 1 Ashley Breese produced a superb 7th place overall to claim top spot with team mate Jordan Fellows claiming 2nd and Nicholas Phelps in 3rd.
And so the final Grand Prix of the season had produced yet another stunning race for 2008. Amid the heat haze of a wonderfully sunny Lancashire hillside spectators and racers alike drew breath, wiped perspiration from their brows, quenched their thirst and reached for the calculators.
Have they done enough? Did they achieve their aspirations and ambitions for 2008? Personally I hope that each and every one of them did. Amid the blood, sweat and cheers of Norfolk, Pendle, Sunderland, Suffolk and Rossendale we have all been privileged to witness the youth (and occasionally not so youth) of today doing what they do best. Making the very most of their talents.
If you can stand the heat…………..then you’re almost certainly a ski racer.
Indeed, with course setters Craig Ruddick and Lee Bennett setting 18 & 20 gate headaches respectively, it was fairly obvious that any exposed skin wasn’t just in danger from the sun gods. Get your inspection wrong, under-estimate the difficulty and technicality or simply fail to respect the challenge set and a trip to the matting loomed large. Like a walk through the lions den, one loss of concentration was sure to end in a bite on the backside.
Not that these were bad courses, quite the opposite in fact. Inspect properly, prepare thoroughly and apply all those little things that your coach keeps saying to you and there was a route home. Add a bit of nous and experience into the equation and the racers who could find the right blend and were able to balance the equation were going to be fast and clean.
In the female race, previous winners Rachel Adcock and Emily Evans slugged out two runs of genuine heavyweight proportions for the victory spoils. Marginally behind Adcock after run 1 Evans produced a sublime 2nd run of courage and skill, three times looking in real danger of being spat out the young racer utilised every ounce of her flexibility and balance to attack and increase speed where others may have looked to defend and scrub pace. A tactic the proved decisive as Evans overturned a 0.12s deficit to storm to victory and leave Adcock with the runners up spot.
In third place finished Alessia Thomas-Jackson who, with the whole series in her hands, produced one of the gutsiest runs of 2008, risking everything in search of the few tenths of a second she needed to turn the screw on Evans & Adcock. Completing the top five overall positions finished Charlotte Davies and Georgia Luck with 4th and 5th respectively.
In the categories, overall 6th placed Stacey Luck claimed the Jun 2 runners up spot behind Davies with Melanie Wilcockson placed in 3rd. In junior 1 Frances Bryon placed 3rd behind Thomas-Jackson & and Georgia Luck respectively. Charlotte Shrimpton posted her best career result taking 7th overall and 2nd in chi 1 followed home by Caroline Powell in 3rd. Shrimpton’s Telford team mate Kelly Greenbank claimed top spot in chi 1 ahead of 2nd placed Klara Hommel and Georgia Hallet in 3rd.
In the males race blown wide apart by the failure of a number of the pre-race favourites to negotiate both courses Andrew Crawford again proved master of testing conditions placing himself in a position to strike with a faultless 1st run and then producing arguably the best single run of the season on run 2, magnificently slicing his way through Bennett’s minefield with sniper like precision and leave the rocket launchers and mortar bombers behind him to fight for the minor placings.
In runners up spot Gerard Flahive ensured that his recent excellent form continued, again producing a wonderfully clean 2nd run to finish 0.30s behind Crawford with clear daylight between himself and 3rd placed Bromley racer Benjamin Clark. In 4th place overall (& 3rd placed senior racer) Colin Armstrong proved the old adage of there being no substitute for experience whilst chi 1 racer James Grant simultaneously proved a young man can bring also an experienced head to the battle with a super 5th place overall.
In the categories Sam Goodlass’s 6th place overall was good enough to claim top spot in Jun 2 in front of Tom Hales in 2nd and home slope racer Niall Misell in 3rd. In Jun 1 8th & 11th overall finishes were enough for Andrew Davies and James Milstead to claim 2nd and 3rd respectively behind Flahive whilst in chi 2 9th & 10th overall were good enough for Samual Fairbarn and Richard Leeson to claim category 2nd & 3rd places. In Chi 1 Ashley Breese produced a superb 7th place overall to claim top spot with team mate Jordan Fellows claiming 2nd and Nicholas Phelps in 3rd.
And so the final Grand Prix of the season had produced yet another stunning race for 2008. Amid the heat haze of a wonderfully sunny Lancashire hillside spectators and racers alike drew breath, wiped perspiration from their brows, quenched their thirst and reached for the calculators.
Have they done enough? Did they achieve their aspirations and ambitions for 2008? Personally I hope that each and every one of them did. Amid the blood, sweat and cheers of Norfolk, Pendle, Sunderland, Suffolk and Rossendale we have all been privileged to witness the youth (and occasionally not so youth) of today doing what they do best. Making the very most of their talents.
If you can stand the heat…………..then you’re almost certainly a ski racer.
Monday 14 July 2008
Lil Nath and the Norfolk Express
Saturday 14th July
Celtic Cup Round 5
Gloucester
I never came here before the landslide wiped out the top 100 metres or so but, by ‘eck, what a slope it must have been in those days. The now first 15 metres of flat nothingness would have been an entirely different kettle of fish as you thundered over the ridge at full throttle. What would have certainly been a leap of Dendix based faith is now little more than a signal that the early pushes are over and it’s time to settle into some kind of rhythm.
Not that Gloucester now isn’t a fine facility - because it most certainly is, I just wish I’d been able to witness what must have been an awesome challenge from the very top.
However, whilst bemoaning the reduction in length it is worth noting the quality of what is left. This is a slope that clearly looks after its surface, no worn patches to demolish you brand new pair of Fischers or Volkls, a lift system better than almost everywhere and the menace of tubing parties and snowboarding cast onto the snowflex slope that runs alongside without ever interfering.
As always, with Gloucester being relatively local, Team Telford were again out in fairly substantial numbers. In the minis Nathan Breese led the charge recovering from a first run dropped pole with a stunning second run that placed the pocket rocket overall 2nd position. William Lucas and Joshua Ainsworth also both produced improved second run times to place 8th & 10th respectively.
In the girls race Claire Brown stole the Telford honours, claiming 5th in Jun 1 category with an excellent time of 12.89 in her second run, a time the assisted her to leapfrog 6th placed (in category) Charlotte Gould. Alex Bullock produced an excellent 2nd run of 13.30 to place 4th in category and qualify her for the afternoon dual slalom, whilst Charlotte Shrimpton & George Gould posted 5th & 6th in the same category respectively. In Children 1 Kelly Greenbank again found herself on the podium, this time in runners up spot, Claire Ainsworth finished in 6th place in the same category and the ever smiling and always cheerful Kirsty Thomas delighted everyone by shattering her seed point ranking (134 + penalty) with an excellent 5th in Jun 2 category.
In the boys, with Ashley still on the injury roster, Jordan Fellows claimed Telford honours with a brace of solid runs that claimed 1st place in chi 1. Chris Yates produced 2 equally solid runs to complete a Telford 1-2 in chi 1 with Joe Humfress being the meat in a chi1 sandwich consolidating an excellent 1st run with a solid 2nd to score sub 120 points. Marco Furio’s brace of clean runs was enough to see him finish 8th in chi 2 with Josh Mills just behind in 14th.
As usual the afternoon dual slaloms produced the expected thrills and spills and not for the first time the minis proved that they have the hearts of lions (and lionesses) in this most exacting of environments. At the semi final stage Nathan Breese and home slope heavyweight Matthew Davis slugged out two fantastic head to heads. With Matthew taking the first Nathan reacted brilliantly to burst out of the start and produce a victory margin large enough to claim a place in the final.
A final that was real David and Goliath stuff as ‘lil Nath (all three stone nothing of him) faced up to the powerful and ever impressive Megan Jenkins, Queen of the minis. Again the first run was a real slugfest as Megan reacted to an absolutely blistering start from the boy Breese to claw back almost all of the half gate deficit she’d conceded and they crossed a line with no more than a cigarette paper between them.
With a 0.028 second lead you could hardly claim it was advantage Nathan but the Norfolk Express knew she couldn’t afford the Telford racer another start like the first one. Sure enough, Jenkins bulleted out of the start gate on run two, gained a lead that Nathan never really looked like closing and in skiing a clean run crossed the line as victor.
Yet again however the true winner was mini racing. The young lions British ski racing again proved that they have the technique, temperament and desire to race hard and true. Believe me, the more you knock them back the more often they will come back for more. The Celtic Cup offers them the platform to display their full range of talents first hand and credit has to go to the organisers for having the courage and foresight to allow them the opportunity.
Sunday 15th July
Celtic Cup Round 6
And so to the final race of the series. With a number of Telford racers in overall contention the pressure was on to bring you’re a game to the top of the hill. In particular the battle between good friends and, almost certainly, future partners in crime Chris Yates and Jordan Fellows produced a fascinating backdrop to the morning’s proceedings. Awaiting their first runs five yards apart with backs facing one another two dads chuckled in the expectation of guns that looked soon to be drawn in a winner takes all shoot out. With the sun shining brightly and temperature already high all we needed was Clint Eastwood to appear from under the start ramp and the bullets could have flown in from all directions.
In the end Chris claimed the honours, deservedly doing enough on the day, as his excellent 1st run left Jordan’s no show run dead and buried and offered Chris the knowledge that a safe no risk 2nd run strategy was always going to be enough. From a personal point of view the sight of them playing at lunch time amid the pressures of what had and was going to occur told you more about these boys than 13 ½ seconds of plastic racing ever will. Ten out of ten in the sportsmanship stakes to both lads.
Elsewhere William Lucas produced a season best finish of 4th, capitalising on course inspection error from Nathan Breese which left the previous afternoon’s hero in DNF country.
In the ladies, Charlotte Gould (5th, Jun 1) turned the tables on Claire Brown (7th) with the point gleaned from 5th position gave our favourite Brummie 3rd place overall in the series, whilst 4th in Chi 2 was enough also ensure that Alex Bullock claimed an excellent 3rd overall in her category. 5th in category was also enough to ensure a top 15 overall finish for Charlotte Shrimpton whilst George Gould was just squeezed out in 17th (6th overall). In chi 1 Kelly Greenbank’s 2nd in category gave her 2nd overall and Claire Ainsworth’s 5th place ensured and overall series finish of 4th.
In the boys, Marco Furio took Telford honours with 5th in chi 2, Joe Humfress perished on the technical mid section of run 2 whilst Josh Mills climbed off the floor like a pole-axed super middleweight to cross the line and finish 13th in category.
All that was left was to witness an absolutely spectacular and utterly sickening crash from first run leader Andrew Watson. Fortunately, after a minute or so of real concern, he appeared to be OK but at the end of another excellent Celtic Cup series the sight of Watson double flipping himself backwards(ish) down the hill at racing speed highlighted the dangers that these kids face every time they snap their bindings closed. Where ever they finished, they are all winners.
Celtic Cup Round 5
Gloucester
I never came here before the landslide wiped out the top 100 metres or so but, by ‘eck, what a slope it must have been in those days. The now first 15 metres of flat nothingness would have been an entirely different kettle of fish as you thundered over the ridge at full throttle. What would have certainly been a leap of Dendix based faith is now little more than a signal that the early pushes are over and it’s time to settle into some kind of rhythm.
Not that Gloucester now isn’t a fine facility - because it most certainly is, I just wish I’d been able to witness what must have been an awesome challenge from the very top.
However, whilst bemoaning the reduction in length it is worth noting the quality of what is left. This is a slope that clearly looks after its surface, no worn patches to demolish you brand new pair of Fischers or Volkls, a lift system better than almost everywhere and the menace of tubing parties and snowboarding cast onto the snowflex slope that runs alongside without ever interfering.
As always, with Gloucester being relatively local, Team Telford were again out in fairly substantial numbers. In the minis Nathan Breese led the charge recovering from a first run dropped pole with a stunning second run that placed the pocket rocket overall 2nd position. William Lucas and Joshua Ainsworth also both produced improved second run times to place 8th & 10th respectively.
In the girls race Claire Brown stole the Telford honours, claiming 5th in Jun 1 category with an excellent time of 12.89 in her second run, a time the assisted her to leapfrog 6th placed (in category) Charlotte Gould. Alex Bullock produced an excellent 2nd run of 13.30 to place 4th in category and qualify her for the afternoon dual slalom, whilst Charlotte Shrimpton & George Gould posted 5th & 6th in the same category respectively. In Children 1 Kelly Greenbank again found herself on the podium, this time in runners up spot, Claire Ainsworth finished in 6th place in the same category and the ever smiling and always cheerful Kirsty Thomas delighted everyone by shattering her seed point ranking (134 + penalty) with an excellent 5th in Jun 2 category.
In the boys, with Ashley still on the injury roster, Jordan Fellows claimed Telford honours with a brace of solid runs that claimed 1st place in chi 1. Chris Yates produced 2 equally solid runs to complete a Telford 1-2 in chi 1 with Joe Humfress being the meat in a chi1 sandwich consolidating an excellent 1st run with a solid 2nd to score sub 120 points. Marco Furio’s brace of clean runs was enough to see him finish 8th in chi 2 with Josh Mills just behind in 14th.
As usual the afternoon dual slaloms produced the expected thrills and spills and not for the first time the minis proved that they have the hearts of lions (and lionesses) in this most exacting of environments. At the semi final stage Nathan Breese and home slope heavyweight Matthew Davis slugged out two fantastic head to heads. With Matthew taking the first Nathan reacted brilliantly to burst out of the start and produce a victory margin large enough to claim a place in the final.
A final that was real David and Goliath stuff as ‘lil Nath (all three stone nothing of him) faced up to the powerful and ever impressive Megan Jenkins, Queen of the minis. Again the first run was a real slugfest as Megan reacted to an absolutely blistering start from the boy Breese to claw back almost all of the half gate deficit she’d conceded and they crossed a line with no more than a cigarette paper between them.
With a 0.028 second lead you could hardly claim it was advantage Nathan but the Norfolk Express knew she couldn’t afford the Telford racer another start like the first one. Sure enough, Jenkins bulleted out of the start gate on run two, gained a lead that Nathan never really looked like closing and in skiing a clean run crossed the line as victor.
Yet again however the true winner was mini racing. The young lions British ski racing again proved that they have the technique, temperament and desire to race hard and true. Believe me, the more you knock them back the more often they will come back for more. The Celtic Cup offers them the platform to display their full range of talents first hand and credit has to go to the organisers for having the courage and foresight to allow them the opportunity.
Sunday 15th July
Celtic Cup Round 6
And so to the final race of the series. With a number of Telford racers in overall contention the pressure was on to bring you’re a game to the top of the hill. In particular the battle between good friends and, almost certainly, future partners in crime Chris Yates and Jordan Fellows produced a fascinating backdrop to the morning’s proceedings. Awaiting their first runs five yards apart with backs facing one another two dads chuckled in the expectation of guns that looked soon to be drawn in a winner takes all shoot out. With the sun shining brightly and temperature already high all we needed was Clint Eastwood to appear from under the start ramp and the bullets could have flown in from all directions.
In the end Chris claimed the honours, deservedly doing enough on the day, as his excellent 1st run left Jordan’s no show run dead and buried and offered Chris the knowledge that a safe no risk 2nd run strategy was always going to be enough. From a personal point of view the sight of them playing at lunch time amid the pressures of what had and was going to occur told you more about these boys than 13 ½ seconds of plastic racing ever will. Ten out of ten in the sportsmanship stakes to both lads.
Elsewhere William Lucas produced a season best finish of 4th, capitalising on course inspection error from Nathan Breese which left the previous afternoon’s hero in DNF country.
In the ladies, Charlotte Gould (5th, Jun 1) turned the tables on Claire Brown (7th) with the point gleaned from 5th position gave our favourite Brummie 3rd place overall in the series, whilst 4th in Chi 2 was enough also ensure that Alex Bullock claimed an excellent 3rd overall in her category. 5th in category was also enough to ensure a top 15 overall finish for Charlotte Shrimpton whilst George Gould was just squeezed out in 17th (6th overall). In chi 1 Kelly Greenbank’s 2nd in category gave her 2nd overall and Claire Ainsworth’s 5th place ensured and overall series finish of 4th.
In the boys, Marco Furio took Telford honours with 5th in chi 2, Joe Humfress perished on the technical mid section of run 2 whilst Josh Mills climbed off the floor like a pole-axed super middleweight to cross the line and finish 13th in category.
All that was left was to witness an absolutely spectacular and utterly sickening crash from first run leader Andrew Watson. Fortunately, after a minute or so of real concern, he appeared to be OK but at the end of another excellent Celtic Cup series the sight of Watson double flipping himself backwards(ish) down the hill at racing speed highlighted the dangers that these kids face every time they snap their bindings closed. Where ever they finished, they are all winners.
Wednesday 9 July 2008
Forget SW19 & Silverstone. All eyes point to Suffolk.
So what exactly do the organisers of this race know that those a little further up the British sporting ladder don’t? As Lewis Hamilton sailed to victory at a monsoon swept Silverstone and Federer & Nadal attempted to produce another SW19 classic between the rain showers the 4th race of the Inghams sponsored Snowsport England Grand Prix series to place amid a windswept but sunny and, more importantly, dry Ipswich.
Sat on the edge of the River Orwell, overlooked by the spectacular Orwell Bridge and surrounded by pretty rural setting of Bourne Hill, Suffolk Ski Centre provides a wonderfully picturesque backdrop amid the flurry and bustle as the nation’s very best ski racers locked horns for the penultimate battle of this summer’s series.
With course setting duties shared by Sally Bartlett and Marc Telling the racers were provided with a brace of challenging runs that whilst asking many questions also offered those who learned from their inspection time the opportunity to expose their talents to the full.
In the female race, blown wide open by the first run demise of pre-race series leader Rachel Adcock, Charlotte Evans mirrored her early summer Grand Prix success by producing a solid first run that found her well placed for an afternoon challenge and then demolished the hopes of those around her with a blistering second run that none of her piers could either emulate or improve upon.
Closest of the chasing pack finished runner up and new series leader Alessia Thomas-Jackson. The junior 1 racer finishing 0.01 seconds in front of third placed Gloucester racer Rowan Vernon.
In the categories 4th placed overall athlete Alice Thelwell claimed 2nd place in the seniors with Emily Goddard following home in 3rd. Katherine Barber place 2nd in Jun 2 (behind Evans) with Danielle Freeze posting 3rd. Behind Thomas-Jackson in the Jun 1 category and in 4th placed overall finished Jeni Thomas with Claire Brown (6th overall) completing the podium positions. In the children’s categories Stephanie Davies took the Chi 2 honours, followed home by Nia Jenkins (2nd) and Sarah Lambden in 3rd whilst in the Children 1 category saw Polly Shailes demolish her seed point ranking to claim victory in front of 2nd placed Georgia Hallett and Jenny Davies in 3rd.
With the male race enhanced by the entry of British Senior team member David Ryding those chasing his tail were in no doubt that if they had any serious pretensions of going home as overall victor they needed not only to bring their ‘A Game’ but be able to execute it from the first gate to very last.
Whenever Ryding snaps his binding in the start gate a notable hush falls around the slope as each and every spectator looks up the hill to witness what might be one of the final times we get to see the ever popular Pendle racer compete on the plastic circuit. Long since his piers and rivals have abandoned dendix Ryding commendably continues to support the surface and series that those who aspire to his achievements depend upon.
The fact that he also continues to put himself through the pressures of potential defeat should not be underestimated. Not that that was ever likely to happen here as Ryding dominated the male race, posting fastest times in both runs whilst making the whole thing look almost breathtakingly easy.
Only overall runner up Andrew Watson looked capable of mounting any sort of credible challenge and even then you got the feeling that, if required, Ryding still had an extra gear or two to go through. Series leader Nicholas Robinson confirmed his place at the top of the standings with a fine 3rd place overall with Craig Ruddick and Alex Jeal claiming 4th & 5th respectively.
In the categories Sunderland victor Andrew Crawford claimed 3rd place behind Ryding and Ruddick whilst Watson, Robinson & Jeal filled the podium in Jun 2 category. In Jun 1 Gerard Flahive produced his best display of 2008 to claim the honours in front of a consistent Michael Molloy and Ian Williams. In the children’s categories Shaun Blyth claimed a deserved 1st place closely followed by James Grant (2nd) and Samual Fairbairn (3rd) whilst Max Moss proved too good for the rest of the field in children 1 category, taking 1st place with James Sieber in 2nd and Daniel Poth 3rd.
The first Grand Prix to be held at this wonderful facility had not disappointed. Location, both geographically and aesthetically, will surely make this a key race in future years and the organisers truly deserve great credit for both ensuring the Grand Prix series benefits from what will hopefully be an annual visit and for providing another very smoothly run race.
The final stage of the series sees us heading back up the M6 to Rossendale in three weeks time. Even at this late stage nothing is settled, titles are still begging to be won. Expect it fast and expect it furious. Just don’t expect the organisers to be quite as good when it comes to sorting out the weather.
Sat on the edge of the River Orwell, overlooked by the spectacular Orwell Bridge and surrounded by pretty rural setting of Bourne Hill, Suffolk Ski Centre provides a wonderfully picturesque backdrop amid the flurry and bustle as the nation’s very best ski racers locked horns for the penultimate battle of this summer’s series.
With course setting duties shared by Sally Bartlett and Marc Telling the racers were provided with a brace of challenging runs that whilst asking many questions also offered those who learned from their inspection time the opportunity to expose their talents to the full.
In the female race, blown wide open by the first run demise of pre-race series leader Rachel Adcock, Charlotte Evans mirrored her early summer Grand Prix success by producing a solid first run that found her well placed for an afternoon challenge and then demolished the hopes of those around her with a blistering second run that none of her piers could either emulate or improve upon.
Closest of the chasing pack finished runner up and new series leader Alessia Thomas-Jackson. The junior 1 racer finishing 0.01 seconds in front of third placed Gloucester racer Rowan Vernon.
In the categories 4th placed overall athlete Alice Thelwell claimed 2nd place in the seniors with Emily Goddard following home in 3rd. Katherine Barber place 2nd in Jun 2 (behind Evans) with Danielle Freeze posting 3rd. Behind Thomas-Jackson in the Jun 1 category and in 4th placed overall finished Jeni Thomas with Claire Brown (6th overall) completing the podium positions. In the children’s categories Stephanie Davies took the Chi 2 honours, followed home by Nia Jenkins (2nd) and Sarah Lambden in 3rd whilst in the Children 1 category saw Polly Shailes demolish her seed point ranking to claim victory in front of 2nd placed Georgia Hallett and Jenny Davies in 3rd.
With the male race enhanced by the entry of British Senior team member David Ryding those chasing his tail were in no doubt that if they had any serious pretensions of going home as overall victor they needed not only to bring their ‘A Game’ but be able to execute it from the first gate to very last.
Whenever Ryding snaps his binding in the start gate a notable hush falls around the slope as each and every spectator looks up the hill to witness what might be one of the final times we get to see the ever popular Pendle racer compete on the plastic circuit. Long since his piers and rivals have abandoned dendix Ryding commendably continues to support the surface and series that those who aspire to his achievements depend upon.
The fact that he also continues to put himself through the pressures of potential defeat should not be underestimated. Not that that was ever likely to happen here as Ryding dominated the male race, posting fastest times in both runs whilst making the whole thing look almost breathtakingly easy.
Only overall runner up Andrew Watson looked capable of mounting any sort of credible challenge and even then you got the feeling that, if required, Ryding still had an extra gear or two to go through. Series leader Nicholas Robinson confirmed his place at the top of the standings with a fine 3rd place overall with Craig Ruddick and Alex Jeal claiming 4th & 5th respectively.
In the categories Sunderland victor Andrew Crawford claimed 3rd place behind Ryding and Ruddick whilst Watson, Robinson & Jeal filled the podium in Jun 2 category. In Jun 1 Gerard Flahive produced his best display of 2008 to claim the honours in front of a consistent Michael Molloy and Ian Williams. In the children’s categories Shaun Blyth claimed a deserved 1st place closely followed by James Grant (2nd) and Samual Fairbairn (3rd) whilst Max Moss proved too good for the rest of the field in children 1 category, taking 1st place with James Sieber in 2nd and Daniel Poth 3rd.
The first Grand Prix to be held at this wonderful facility had not disappointed. Location, both geographically and aesthetically, will surely make this a key race in future years and the organisers truly deserve great credit for both ensuring the Grand Prix series benefits from what will hopefully be an annual visit and for providing another very smoothly run race.
The final stage of the series sees us heading back up the M6 to Rossendale in three weeks time. Even at this late stage nothing is settled, titles are still begging to be won. Expect it fast and expect it furious. Just don’t expect the organisers to be quite as good when it comes to sorting out the weather.
Thursday 3 July 2008
Field blown away by Adcock & Crawford
So, on the longest weekend of the year, the 2008 summer ski circus descended upon a windswept North Eastern Coastline as Sunderland ’s Silksworth complex played host to Round 3 of the Inghams sponsored Snowsport England Grand Prix series.
With course setters Pierre Mahon & Lee Bennett doing an excellent job of providing contrasting courses that tested all aspects of the racers abilities and a wind sharper than the edges on the racers skis it was clear that those who were to eventually prevail would need to utilise both the talent in their legs and the nous in their brains in equal measures. Play it too safe and you’d find yourself marooned down the field, go gung-ho and an early finish or slide along the matting awaited.
Experience was going to be key.And so it proved in both categories as senior stalwarts Rachael Adcock and Andrew Crawford prevailed over their younger competitors whilst simultaneously confirming the old adage that there is still no substitute for experience. Adcock, in particular, impressed with her complete domination of the female race. In posting a first run time that none of her competitors could get anywhere close to she provided herself with the relative comfort of knowing she could afford a mistake on her afternoon run and still hang on to the win. A mistake that never actually arrived as the Arrows racer clinically dissected a brute of a second course with surgeon-like precision to leave the chasing pack scrambling for the remaining podium places.
In second place, and a shade faster than Adcock on run 2, finished Emily Evans. The Chatham racer’s welcome return from injury providing the only genuine competition for the top podium position and at the same time issued a warning to her rivals that not only was she back but, if anything, she’s now even faster. In third place Jeni Thomas prevailed from a second run three way scrap denying Rowan Vernon and Georgia Hood respectively.
In the categories Alice Thelwell completed the senior podium behind Adcock and Vernon , Heidi Parker claimed the honours in Jun 2 with Lauren Elliot and Melanie Wilcockson just behind and Alessia Thomas-Jackson (3rd) joined Thomas and Hood on the Jun 1 podium. In the Children’s categories Nia Jenkins claimed 2nd in chi 2 behind Emily Evans with Louise Bain claiming 3rd whilst Kelly Greenbank produced the two fastest times to claim the honours in chi 1 followed home by Katie Allan in 2nd and Klara Hommel 3rd.
In the male race decimated by dnf & dsq’s Andrew Crawford’s blistering second run proved that there was indeed a racing line amongst slalom poles that often leaned in the wind like isolated trees on a links golf course. With seven racers ahead of him after run 1 Crawford was left to watch as one by one their challenges faded amid a battery of errors on a course that punished the smallest mistake to maximum effect.
In second place 0.07s behind Crawford finished Pendle racer Brad Morgan. Morgan’s 2nd run time eclipsed all but the breath taking Crawford and whilst he will be disappointed to have come out on the wrong side of the photo finish he can be delighted to have leapfrogged co Jun 2 athlete Andrew Watson onto the middle tier of the podium. Watson’s combined time of 26.94 proving 0.06s slower than Morgan and 0.13s outside the efforts of Crawford. Senior category runner up Colin Armstrong placed 4th overall and Michael Molloy continued this seasons excellent form with a well deserved 5th place overall.In the categories Andrew Richardson completed the triumberate of seniors in 3rd place, whilst 6th placed overall racer Marcus Orrell closed out the podium in Jun 2.
Following closely behind Norfolk ’s Molloy in Jun 1 finished Benjamin Potter (2nd) and Dan Evans signalled his return from injury in taking 3rd place. Children 2 saw a Pendle 1-2 with Richard Leeson (1st) and Jake Morgan (2nd) being joined on the podium by Samual Fairbairn (3rd) and in Chi 1 category Chris Yates, an impressive 15th overall claimed victory ahead of Telford’s Jordan Fellows (2nd) with Daniel Poth (3rd).
By the end of the race it was clear that we’d witnessed another superb race in 2008 and the race officials deserve immense credit for somehow keeping control amongst the very worst that Mother Nature could hurl at them.
The penultimate race of the series takes us down to the incredibly picturesque setting of Suffolk Ski Centre in Ipswich . The competition is still wide open and all is still to battle for. As usual, the action on the hill is sure to be red hot but, after 4 hours of trying to avoid being blown off my feet, I’d settle for just being warm.
With course setters Pierre Mahon & Lee Bennett doing an excellent job of providing contrasting courses that tested all aspects of the racers abilities and a wind sharper than the edges on the racers skis it was clear that those who were to eventually prevail would need to utilise both the talent in their legs and the nous in their brains in equal measures. Play it too safe and you’d find yourself marooned down the field, go gung-ho and an early finish or slide along the matting awaited.
Experience was going to be key.And so it proved in both categories as senior stalwarts Rachael Adcock and Andrew Crawford prevailed over their younger competitors whilst simultaneously confirming the old adage that there is still no substitute for experience. Adcock, in particular, impressed with her complete domination of the female race. In posting a first run time that none of her competitors could get anywhere close to she provided herself with the relative comfort of knowing she could afford a mistake on her afternoon run and still hang on to the win. A mistake that never actually arrived as the Arrows racer clinically dissected a brute of a second course with surgeon-like precision to leave the chasing pack scrambling for the remaining podium places.
In second place, and a shade faster than Adcock on run 2, finished Emily Evans. The Chatham racer’s welcome return from injury providing the only genuine competition for the top podium position and at the same time issued a warning to her rivals that not only was she back but, if anything, she’s now even faster. In third place Jeni Thomas prevailed from a second run three way scrap denying Rowan Vernon and Georgia Hood respectively.
In the categories Alice Thelwell completed the senior podium behind Adcock and Vernon , Heidi Parker claimed the honours in Jun 2 with Lauren Elliot and Melanie Wilcockson just behind and Alessia Thomas-Jackson (3rd) joined Thomas and Hood on the Jun 1 podium. In the Children’s categories Nia Jenkins claimed 2nd in chi 2 behind Emily Evans with Louise Bain claiming 3rd whilst Kelly Greenbank produced the two fastest times to claim the honours in chi 1 followed home by Katie Allan in 2nd and Klara Hommel 3rd.
In the male race decimated by dnf & dsq’s Andrew Crawford’s blistering second run proved that there was indeed a racing line amongst slalom poles that often leaned in the wind like isolated trees on a links golf course. With seven racers ahead of him after run 1 Crawford was left to watch as one by one their challenges faded amid a battery of errors on a course that punished the smallest mistake to maximum effect.
In second place 0.07s behind Crawford finished Pendle racer Brad Morgan. Morgan’s 2nd run time eclipsed all but the breath taking Crawford and whilst he will be disappointed to have come out on the wrong side of the photo finish he can be delighted to have leapfrogged co Jun 2 athlete Andrew Watson onto the middle tier of the podium. Watson’s combined time of 26.94 proving 0.06s slower than Morgan and 0.13s outside the efforts of Crawford. Senior category runner up Colin Armstrong placed 4th overall and Michael Molloy continued this seasons excellent form with a well deserved 5th place overall.In the categories Andrew Richardson completed the triumberate of seniors in 3rd place, whilst 6th placed overall racer Marcus Orrell closed out the podium in Jun 2.
Following closely behind Norfolk ’s Molloy in Jun 1 finished Benjamin Potter (2nd) and Dan Evans signalled his return from injury in taking 3rd place. Children 2 saw a Pendle 1-2 with Richard Leeson (1st) and Jake Morgan (2nd) being joined on the podium by Samual Fairbairn (3rd) and in Chi 1 category Chris Yates, an impressive 15th overall claimed victory ahead of Telford’s Jordan Fellows (2nd) with Daniel Poth (3rd).
By the end of the race it was clear that we’d witnessed another superb race in 2008 and the race officials deserve immense credit for somehow keeping control amongst the very worst that Mother Nature could hurl at them.
The penultimate race of the series takes us down to the incredibly picturesque setting of Suffolk Ski Centre in Ipswich . The competition is still wide open and all is still to battle for. As usual, the action on the hill is sure to be red hot but, after 4 hours of trying to avoid being blown off my feet, I’d settle for just being warm.
Friday 23 May 2008
It's Do or Die (and a week in the shed)
17th May, 2008
Pendle Club National
Pendle Hill, an 1800 feet giant of the Ribble Valley, home of the legendary witches and, in ski circles at least, the equally legendary Pendle Ski Club. A hill where if you can’t see the valley below then it’s probably raining and if you can see the valley base then it’ll probably be raining soon. On a good day a blustery oasis of sheep, sunshine and ski slope. Not the place you want to be chasing the game with a final all or nothing blast. Indeed almost every do or die run I’ve ever seen on this hill inevitably ends on the wrong side of the equation and a metaphoric moments silence follows the winced oooooh’s of the watching crowd as your run descends into at best dnf territory or, at worst, a hefty trip onto camouflaged matting.
So this wasn’t exactly the best day for the representatives of Team Telford to leave their best form in Shropshire and venture deeply into the realms of catch up ski racing.
In the minis William Lucas at least proved that one Telford racer had bought an ounce worth of form with him producing possibly his best club national performance of a fledgling career in claiming a well deserved 5th place. An unusually ragged Nathan Breese however failed to adapt his style to the idiosyncratic contours the Pendle hill provides and ended up having to settle for 3rd place on the podium.
In the Girls, the latest chapter in the Gould / Brown head to header saw Claire claim the honours with a career high 2nd place in Jun 1 with Charlotte having to settle for 4th in the same category. In Children 2 Charlotte Shrimpton also struggled to adapt to the challenge of the slope posting 8th in category mainly built around of a much cleaner and more aggressive afternoon run. A feat mirrored by George Gould, whose 3rd run time sliced 1½ seconds off her opening effort and placed her 12th in the same category.
An then there was Kelly Greenbank. Three years since she abandoned plastic racing and with only the practice session the night before to re-find her feet Kelly produced a impressive day of improving times to place an excellent 2nd in Children 1.
In the males Josh Mills & Marco Furio again stole the show from their more experienced team mates. Josh, in his second race, produced possibly the gutsiest run of the day from a Telford racer placing 21st in the traditionally most competitive category of children 2. A position that was bettered by Marco, again making light of his relative inexperience, to place 14th in category and drop below 160 BARTS points in one swoop.
In Children 1 Ashley and Jordan failed to finish run 3, both abandoning and semblance of self preservation in the quest for 3rd round speed and a leap up the final standings. Jordan’s inside edge snagged just beyond midway of a decent looking run and Ashley perished one gate later in a blaze of kung fu kicking glory leaving the matting by a full 2 feet before symbolically crashing back down to earth with a hell of a thump. Both went gung ho and finished with nothing to show.
18th May, 2008
NWSA Grand Prix
And so to the following day’s grand prix. Again Claire Brown claimed Team Telford honours this time producing an absolute sizzler of a first run that forced Charlotte Gould to throw caution to the wind on an unforgiving 2nd run course. Pressure that told on Charlotte who stretched herself on ounce or two too far and ended up with a dnf. Credit has to go however to her younger sibling George and Charlotte Shrimpton who both kept their head amongst the carnage of run 2 and profited with career best 7th and 4th place category placings respectively. A feat mirrored by Kelly Greenbank who placed a fine 2nd in Children 1
In the boys Jordan completed a miserable weekend by surviving the tight fast turns at the top of run 2 and then relaxed a little too much on the bottom section and paid the ultimate price with a trip to the matting and Ashley regained a little pride for both himself and his team with an excellent 2nd run to finish 2nd in category and 9th overall.
Yet again the witches of Pendle Hill had cast their spells and one or two Telford racers will be spending the next week looking for a princess (or handsome prince) to kiss and end the spell. The last thing I need is another frog in my shed!
Pendle Club National
Pendle Hill, an 1800 feet giant of the Ribble Valley, home of the legendary witches and, in ski circles at least, the equally legendary Pendle Ski Club. A hill where if you can’t see the valley below then it’s probably raining and if you can see the valley base then it’ll probably be raining soon. On a good day a blustery oasis of sheep, sunshine and ski slope. Not the place you want to be chasing the game with a final all or nothing blast. Indeed almost every do or die run I’ve ever seen on this hill inevitably ends on the wrong side of the equation and a metaphoric moments silence follows the winced oooooh’s of the watching crowd as your run descends into at best dnf territory or, at worst, a hefty trip onto camouflaged matting.
So this wasn’t exactly the best day for the representatives of Team Telford to leave their best form in Shropshire and venture deeply into the realms of catch up ski racing.
In the minis William Lucas at least proved that one Telford racer had bought an ounce worth of form with him producing possibly his best club national performance of a fledgling career in claiming a well deserved 5th place. An unusually ragged Nathan Breese however failed to adapt his style to the idiosyncratic contours the Pendle hill provides and ended up having to settle for 3rd place on the podium.
In the Girls, the latest chapter in the Gould / Brown head to header saw Claire claim the honours with a career high 2nd place in Jun 1 with Charlotte having to settle for 4th in the same category. In Children 2 Charlotte Shrimpton also struggled to adapt to the challenge of the slope posting 8th in category mainly built around of a much cleaner and more aggressive afternoon run. A feat mirrored by George Gould, whose 3rd run time sliced 1½ seconds off her opening effort and placed her 12th in the same category.
An then there was Kelly Greenbank. Three years since she abandoned plastic racing and with only the practice session the night before to re-find her feet Kelly produced a impressive day of improving times to place an excellent 2nd in Children 1.
In the males Josh Mills & Marco Furio again stole the show from their more experienced team mates. Josh, in his second race, produced possibly the gutsiest run of the day from a Telford racer placing 21st in the traditionally most competitive category of children 2. A position that was bettered by Marco, again making light of his relative inexperience, to place 14th in category and drop below 160 BARTS points in one swoop.
In Children 1 Ashley and Jordan failed to finish run 3, both abandoning and semblance of self preservation in the quest for 3rd round speed and a leap up the final standings. Jordan’s inside edge snagged just beyond midway of a decent looking run and Ashley perished one gate later in a blaze of kung fu kicking glory leaving the matting by a full 2 feet before symbolically crashing back down to earth with a hell of a thump. Both went gung ho and finished with nothing to show.
18th May, 2008
NWSA Grand Prix
And so to the following day’s grand prix. Again Claire Brown claimed Team Telford honours this time producing an absolute sizzler of a first run that forced Charlotte Gould to throw caution to the wind on an unforgiving 2nd run course. Pressure that told on Charlotte who stretched herself on ounce or two too far and ended up with a dnf. Credit has to go however to her younger sibling George and Charlotte Shrimpton who both kept their head amongst the carnage of run 2 and profited with career best 7th and 4th place category placings respectively. A feat mirrored by Kelly Greenbank who placed a fine 2nd in Children 1
In the boys Jordan completed a miserable weekend by surviving the tight fast turns at the top of run 2 and then relaxed a little too much on the bottom section and paid the ultimate price with a trip to the matting and Ashley regained a little pride for both himself and his team with an excellent 2nd run to finish 2nd in category and 9th overall.
Yet again the witches of Pendle Hill had cast their spells and one or two Telford racers will be spending the next week looking for a princess (or handsome prince) to kiss and end the spell. The last thing I need is another frog in my shed!
Saturday 10 May 2008
The Outstanding Venue…..but where was the Black Label?
Norwich, heart of Anglia, England’s most complete medieval city and home to the best ski facility in the UK. Indeed, if a plastic ski facility can ever be called sexy then the particular few acres that this site is sat upon are just about as sexy as Dendix can get. And that’s before you can get a pre practise full English brekkie and still have enough change for a post race pint out of a five pound note! Yes, I do love this place.
With the Breese brothers returning to the fold after giving Welwyn a wide berth and Josh Mills making his Club National debut Team Telford were again out in sizeable numbers, evenly spread over mini, girls and boys events.
In the minis Emma Taylor again proved her abilities to mix it with anyone in her category barring the exceptional Megan Jenkins this time however having to settle for 3rd place with a time that would also have found her well placed in the boy’s race.
In the male minis Team Telford were well represented with Nathan Breese, Daniel Taylor and William Lucas all in action. After a 1st round meeting with the matting William Lucas recovered well to post a solid time in run 2 and shave almost a second off it in run 3 on the way to claim 8th place. As usual the scrap for podium positions was hard fought and bought the very best out of both Daniel and Nathan. Rocked by Daniel’s superb 1st run which had in front of his rival Nathan reacted magnificently to rip 0.99s off his first run time and backed it up with an even better 3rd run time to claim 2nd place overall. With just too much to make up after run 2 Daniel then produced his personal best of the day in run 3 comfortably collecting 3rd place overall and ensuring another sizeable Telford representation on the Mini’s podiums.
In the girls race Charlotte Gould and Claire Brown again locked horns in what appears to be a season long battle for Telford honours. This time it was Charlotte who gained and maintained the edge, posting a trio of times that her team mate got close to without ever looking like surpassing, culminating in Junior 1 category finishing positions of 10th & 11th respectively. In Children 2 Charlotte Shrimpton looked in better form than her previous Club National outing at Welwyn, posting solid 1st & 2nd run times before wiping over 1 second off this with an excellent 3rd run to finish 9th in category and notably score substantially below her seed point ranking. A little further back in 17th overall was Georgina Gould, still finding her racing legs after a lengthy absence following a fractured right arm, posting a third run time almost 1.5 seconds less than her first run time.
With injury biting hard into Team Telford’s already smallish pool of Junior males it was left to debutante Josh Mills to represent us in Chi 2 and Ashley Breese and Jordan fellows to fly the flag in the younger children’s category. After a real confidence boosting 1st run the scene was set for Josh Mills to have a real attack at run 2. A run that never actually made it over the start line as the new kid on the block (remember them?) burst his bindings, buck-a-rooing through the start wand before gambolling through gate 1. Now, (hands up time) I have to say that I let the lad down here, failing to check that bindings had been adjusted from the relative serenity of training mode to the requirements of bursting out of the start gate like a bull in a china shop. Standing, utterly helpless, only 2 feet from his stranded Atomics as Josh regained his senses and then hiked back up the hill before struggling to snap on his skis was possibly the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do at a race. Somehow I doubt that he’ll let me forget it in years to come. Not that it affected his afternoon run as with bindings freshly adjusted and edges sharper than Paul Merton’s sense of humour the new boy showed his mettle with a solid 3rd run that claimed a more than respectable 21st in category position.
In Children 1 Ashley improved on an iffy 1st run with a super 2nd run time that had him well placed for a 3rd run attack on the upper echelons of the podium. An attack that came undone just past the halfway mark on run 3 as an over reliance on the inside ski proved his undoing and left him in DNFville. A feat mirrored by Jordan, who after a scrappy 1st run improved sufficiently on run 2 to find himself in a position to challenge for a podium place before succumbing to a similar mistake to that of his team mate and ending up shed bound (or, as it is better known, with a DNF).
The post race visit to the bar for refreshment (it was a very sunny day after all) threatened to descend into a bit of a lengthy spell of, erm, refuelling before the sense of reason (aka Mrs Breese) suggested that our time may be better spent checking into hotels, feeding children and preparing skis for the following day. Alas, despite coaxing (yeah, right) half a San Miguel down her a re-think was out of the question and a trip to the hotel wasn’t. Clearly she’s more of a Carling Extra Cold girl!
The following morning’s Grand Prix was new territory for Jordan and with Ashley looking to make up for the disappointment of the previous afternoon the chances of an improved return from our males were substantial. Still, given that neither recorded a finish in the Club National, it couldn’t really get any worse!
Neither failed to deliver. Ashley produced a vintage Breese performance to demolish a field that gave their older contemporise a real run for their money, notching a time that not only gave him a victory in his own category but also would have been good enough to claim 1st in Children 2. Jordan, whilst not quite at Ashley’s pace, bagged a brace of excellent times to post a fine 6th in category, again a time that would have claimed 6th in the older children’s category.
In the ladies category Claire Brown turned the tables round on team mate Charlotte Gould claiming 10th place in Junior 1 and relegating Charlotte into 11th. In Children 2 Charlotte Shrimpton continued the good form of Saturday afternoon with another brace of fine runs, again shattering her BARTS ranking points in the process of claiming 10th in category whilst George Gould posted another brace of solid runs to claim 17th in the same category.
With the Breese brothers returning to the fold after giving Welwyn a wide berth and Josh Mills making his Club National debut Team Telford were again out in sizeable numbers, evenly spread over mini, girls and boys events.
In the minis Emma Taylor again proved her abilities to mix it with anyone in her category barring the exceptional Megan Jenkins this time however having to settle for 3rd place with a time that would also have found her well placed in the boy’s race.
In the male minis Team Telford were well represented with Nathan Breese, Daniel Taylor and William Lucas all in action. After a 1st round meeting with the matting William Lucas recovered well to post a solid time in run 2 and shave almost a second off it in run 3 on the way to claim 8th place. As usual the scrap for podium positions was hard fought and bought the very best out of both Daniel and Nathan. Rocked by Daniel’s superb 1st run which had in front of his rival Nathan reacted magnificently to rip 0.99s off his first run time and backed it up with an even better 3rd run time to claim 2nd place overall. With just too much to make up after run 2 Daniel then produced his personal best of the day in run 3 comfortably collecting 3rd place overall and ensuring another sizeable Telford representation on the Mini’s podiums.
In the girls race Charlotte Gould and Claire Brown again locked horns in what appears to be a season long battle for Telford honours. This time it was Charlotte who gained and maintained the edge, posting a trio of times that her team mate got close to without ever looking like surpassing, culminating in Junior 1 category finishing positions of 10th & 11th respectively. In Children 2 Charlotte Shrimpton looked in better form than her previous Club National outing at Welwyn, posting solid 1st & 2nd run times before wiping over 1 second off this with an excellent 3rd run to finish 9th in category and notably score substantially below her seed point ranking. A little further back in 17th overall was Georgina Gould, still finding her racing legs after a lengthy absence following a fractured right arm, posting a third run time almost 1.5 seconds less than her first run time.
With injury biting hard into Team Telford’s already smallish pool of Junior males it was left to debutante Josh Mills to represent us in Chi 2 and Ashley Breese and Jordan fellows to fly the flag in the younger children’s category. After a real confidence boosting 1st run the scene was set for Josh Mills to have a real attack at run 2. A run that never actually made it over the start line as the new kid on the block (remember them?) burst his bindings, buck-a-rooing through the start wand before gambolling through gate 1. Now, (hands up time) I have to say that I let the lad down here, failing to check that bindings had been adjusted from the relative serenity of training mode to the requirements of bursting out of the start gate like a bull in a china shop. Standing, utterly helpless, only 2 feet from his stranded Atomics as Josh regained his senses and then hiked back up the hill before struggling to snap on his skis was possibly the hardest thing I’ll ever have to do at a race. Somehow I doubt that he’ll let me forget it in years to come. Not that it affected his afternoon run as with bindings freshly adjusted and edges sharper than Paul Merton’s sense of humour the new boy showed his mettle with a solid 3rd run that claimed a more than respectable 21st in category position.
In Children 1 Ashley improved on an iffy 1st run with a super 2nd run time that had him well placed for a 3rd run attack on the upper echelons of the podium. An attack that came undone just past the halfway mark on run 3 as an over reliance on the inside ski proved his undoing and left him in DNFville. A feat mirrored by Jordan, who after a scrappy 1st run improved sufficiently on run 2 to find himself in a position to challenge for a podium place before succumbing to a similar mistake to that of his team mate and ending up shed bound (or, as it is better known, with a DNF).
The post race visit to the bar for refreshment (it was a very sunny day after all) threatened to descend into a bit of a lengthy spell of, erm, refuelling before the sense of reason (aka Mrs Breese) suggested that our time may be better spent checking into hotels, feeding children and preparing skis for the following day. Alas, despite coaxing (yeah, right) half a San Miguel down her a re-think was out of the question and a trip to the hotel wasn’t. Clearly she’s more of a Carling Extra Cold girl!
The following morning’s Grand Prix was new territory for Jordan and with Ashley looking to make up for the disappointment of the previous afternoon the chances of an improved return from our males were substantial. Still, given that neither recorded a finish in the Club National, it couldn’t really get any worse!
Neither failed to deliver. Ashley produced a vintage Breese performance to demolish a field that gave their older contemporise a real run for their money, notching a time that not only gave him a victory in his own category but also would have been good enough to claim 1st in Children 2. Jordan, whilst not quite at Ashley’s pace, bagged a brace of excellent times to post a fine 6th in category, again a time that would have claimed 6th in the older children’s category.
In the ladies category Claire Brown turned the tables round on team mate Charlotte Gould claiming 10th place in Junior 1 and relegating Charlotte into 11th. In Children 2 Charlotte Shrimpton continued the good form of Saturday afternoon with another brace of fine runs, again shattering her BARTS ranking points in the process of claiming 10th in category whilst George Gould posted another brace of solid runs to claim 17th in the same category.
Monday 21 April 2008
All's Welwyn That Ends Welwyn
Ah, I remember; five-thirty alarm calls, finger numbing freezing temperatures, coffee at 85mph down the M6, grey skies, car parks rammed beyond bursting point and a short sherpa-esque hike in search of friendly faces and a space under a club Gazebo.
With the frost barely defrosted off ski boot buckles and skis still sporting winter wax the Summer Dry Slope season metaphorically leapt from behind from behind the sofa and announced itself here. Now where did I put those rubber bungs for the bottom of ski poles?
Regular readers will be well aware of how impressed I am with the site and facilities at Welwyn. And with further building work in process the facility looks to be getting even better. All they need to do now is to bulldoze in a dual carriage way skimming the edge of Wheathampstead and add a water system under the ski slope matting and Bob’s-yer-uncle, everything will be absolutely perfecto.
On the slope Team Telford were out in decent numbers with ten racers evenly spread between boys, girls and minis. Jordan and Marco in particular were looking for a solid result in order to wipe sizeable amounts from their season opening 999.99 point BARTS ranking.
In the mini girls Emma Taylor opened the season with a great first run and proceeded to improve upon this time with runs 2 & 3, posting Team Telford’s first podium of summer 2008 with a well deserved 2nd place.
In mini boys Daniel Taylor and William Lucas led the charge in a category that Telford have traditionally done well in over recent seasons. Both boys can be well pleased with their performance with William saving his best run until last going on to collect a well deserved 5th place overall and collecting the scalps of a number of older, more experienced racers in the process. These did not include team mate Daniel Taylor however who produced possibly the day’s most consistent performance by a Telford racer, posting a trio of runs that none of his rivals could match in the process of claiming a thoroughly deserved 1st place in category.
With a number of high profile names absent from the start list of both the girls and boys fields the opportunity to record finishing positions in the upper echelons of the field was there and begging to be taken. Indeed, with both Claire Brown and Charlotte Gould featuring in the draw for the top 15 and Charlotte Shrimpton just outside hopes were high of (at least) equally impressive finishing positions. They did not disappoint. Georgina Gould, returning to ski racing for the first time since fracturing her arm in January posted a 17th Place in children 2, wisely ensuring that her 3rd run was the pick of her day. A feat matched by Charlotte Shrimpton whose 12.81 afternoon time propelled her into 15th place overall and a 7th place in category that suggests that winter 2007/08 has been well spent.
In the Junior girls category both Charlotte Gould and Claire Brown stepped up to the plate and produced an inter club race within a race driving each other closer and closer (if not beyond) the limit as they slugged it out for the final podium position in Junior 1 and overall finishing places within the top ten final standings. In run 1 Charlotte took the honours, Claire hit back in run 2 although Charlotte’s storming run promised great things until a missed penultimate gate left her in dnf territory and behind Claire in the overall standings. The post lunch rain helped to reduce friction under foot and after Charlotte’s barnstorming 12.1 piled the pressure on her team mate, Claire reacted superbly to post an identical time and seal 3rd in category and an excellent 8th place overall. However, whilst Charlotte was left to lick her wounds with 4th in category she should not be disappointed with her first ever top ten overall position. She raced well but this was to be Miss Brown’s day.
In the boys Joe Humfress, Marco Furio and Jordan Fellows were in action, with all three boys looking to make up as many places as they can on high end bib numbers. In Junior 1 Joe Humfress overcame the disappointment of a 2nd run dnf to post a fine third run time to claim 13th in category. Jordan overcame the disappointment on a 1st run dnf to somehow hanging on to a scrappy 2nd run before undoing much of the late morning good work with a result destroying 3rd run of 12.81 finishing 7th in category and 32nd overall. Sadly Marco failed to build upon a highly promising 2nd run of 12.94 straddling the penultimate gate for the second time in the day and therefore failing to claim a finishing position. Still, after incurring the wrath of yours truly for leaving his poles perched up against the fence at the bottom of the slope prior to run 2 he did learn something from the day and I seriously doubt he’ll be requiring the loan of Joe Humfress’s poles in the very near future.
All in all a good day for Team Telford. A hat-trick of podiums, three girls in the top 15 (without Abby) and Jordan survived one of his iffy days with Grand Prix entry criteria secured. Next stop Chill Factor. With cramped indoor conditions for spectating, refreshment prices that are guaranteed to provide a genuine Meribel feel to the facility and snow that struggles to hold a pole for any longer than an unguarded Warsaw prison cell it may be a patience testing Sunday. However, I for one can’t wait. Bring it on.
With the frost barely defrosted off ski boot buckles and skis still sporting winter wax the Summer Dry Slope season metaphorically leapt from behind from behind the sofa and announced itself here. Now where did I put those rubber bungs for the bottom of ski poles?
Regular readers will be well aware of how impressed I am with the site and facilities at Welwyn. And with further building work in process the facility looks to be getting even better. All they need to do now is to bulldoze in a dual carriage way skimming the edge of Wheathampstead and add a water system under the ski slope matting and Bob’s-yer-uncle, everything will be absolutely perfecto.
On the slope Team Telford were out in decent numbers with ten racers evenly spread between boys, girls and minis. Jordan and Marco in particular were looking for a solid result in order to wipe sizeable amounts from their season opening 999.99 point BARTS ranking.
In the mini girls Emma Taylor opened the season with a great first run and proceeded to improve upon this time with runs 2 & 3, posting Team Telford’s first podium of summer 2008 with a well deserved 2nd place.
In mini boys Daniel Taylor and William Lucas led the charge in a category that Telford have traditionally done well in over recent seasons. Both boys can be well pleased with their performance with William saving his best run until last going on to collect a well deserved 5th place overall and collecting the scalps of a number of older, more experienced racers in the process. These did not include team mate Daniel Taylor however who produced possibly the day’s most consistent performance by a Telford racer, posting a trio of runs that none of his rivals could match in the process of claiming a thoroughly deserved 1st place in category.
With a number of high profile names absent from the start list of both the girls and boys fields the opportunity to record finishing positions in the upper echelons of the field was there and begging to be taken. Indeed, with both Claire Brown and Charlotte Gould featuring in the draw for the top 15 and Charlotte Shrimpton just outside hopes were high of (at least) equally impressive finishing positions. They did not disappoint. Georgina Gould, returning to ski racing for the first time since fracturing her arm in January posted a 17th Place in children 2, wisely ensuring that her 3rd run was the pick of her day. A feat matched by Charlotte Shrimpton whose 12.81 afternoon time propelled her into 15th place overall and a 7th place in category that suggests that winter 2007/08 has been well spent.
In the Junior girls category both Charlotte Gould and Claire Brown stepped up to the plate and produced an inter club race within a race driving each other closer and closer (if not beyond) the limit as they slugged it out for the final podium position in Junior 1 and overall finishing places within the top ten final standings. In run 1 Charlotte took the honours, Claire hit back in run 2 although Charlotte’s storming run promised great things until a missed penultimate gate left her in dnf territory and behind Claire in the overall standings. The post lunch rain helped to reduce friction under foot and after Charlotte’s barnstorming 12.1 piled the pressure on her team mate, Claire reacted superbly to post an identical time and seal 3rd in category and an excellent 8th place overall. However, whilst Charlotte was left to lick her wounds with 4th in category she should not be disappointed with her first ever top ten overall position. She raced well but this was to be Miss Brown’s day.
In the boys Joe Humfress, Marco Furio and Jordan Fellows were in action, with all three boys looking to make up as many places as they can on high end bib numbers. In Junior 1 Joe Humfress overcame the disappointment of a 2nd run dnf to post a fine third run time to claim 13th in category. Jordan overcame the disappointment on a 1st run dnf to somehow hanging on to a scrappy 2nd run before undoing much of the late morning good work with a result destroying 3rd run of 12.81 finishing 7th in category and 32nd overall. Sadly Marco failed to build upon a highly promising 2nd run of 12.94 straddling the penultimate gate for the second time in the day and therefore failing to claim a finishing position. Still, after incurring the wrath of yours truly for leaving his poles perched up against the fence at the bottom of the slope prior to run 2 he did learn something from the day and I seriously doubt he’ll be requiring the loan of Joe Humfress’s poles in the very near future.
All in all a good day for Team Telford. A hat-trick of podiums, three girls in the top 15 (without Abby) and Jordan survived one of his iffy days with Grand Prix entry criteria secured. Next stop Chill Factor. With cramped indoor conditions for spectating, refreshment prices that are guaranteed to provide a genuine Meribel feel to the facility and snow that struggles to hold a pole for any longer than an unguarded Warsaw prison cell it may be a patience testing Sunday. However, I for one can’t wait. Bring it on.
Monday 25 February 2008
Alpbach - The Return
Feb 9th - 16th
Alpbach, Austria
Given the traffic chaos of 12 months earlier the annual Team Telford pilgrimage to the Austrian resort of Alpbach was never likely to be anywhere near as stressful. Not that Jane Gould was taking any chances! Leaving on Thursday afternoon, incorporating overnight stops in Bruges & Munich, the Gould led convoy finally arrived at our base sometime on Saturday afternoon. Fresh & relaxed the ever cheerful Mrs Gould had no idea of how complicated the return trip was going to be.
With training groups established after tea on Saturday night the excitement of inclusion into the full race group was tempered by coach Chris Blagdon’s request the they reported at 6.45 the following morning for a pre-breakfast run. The silence in the room was deafening and only broken by the thought that there really might be two quarter to seven’s in a day. Yes, this was going to be another hard week.
At this point it might be worth noting my gratitude to Ben Cooper whose late arrival for pre breakfast training on the first morning led to fifty press ups and fifty tuck jumps, thus ensuring that Jordan didn’t need his semi-conscious old fella to ensure that he was up, washed and ready as the sun fought it’s way over the peaks of the Austrian Alps. Quite the opposite in fact as the little fella jumped up on the first hint of an alarm buzz and was coolly PSP-ing the buffer time he’d built into making certain he wasn’t going to have to face fifty big ones in front of his team mates!
On the mountain the first day was spent re-finding those snow legs as Chris, Richard and Ian Smith (on loan from Alpbach Activ) put their pupils and one or two ambitious parents through their paces. A bit too ambitious for one nameless parent (who shall only be known as Phil Taylor) who’s ski jacket saw a bit too much snow and tree branches for it’s own or wearers good.
However good the training went however, nothing could quite compete with the near military precision and synchronisation the ladies in the group demonstrated when preparing for that post supper night out on the lash. Fortunately none of them returned to their hotel room in the shape of a pumpkin, however, this was more by luck than judgement given the time many of them returned to their far more responsible husbands. One evening they even managed to return in a semi-sober state.
Obviously the low point of the week came in the form of Ben Cooper’s horrible cruciate knee ligament injury. It’s never nice to see a racer’s leg in plaster but given the efforts Ben has made and the potential he has shown, for him to be now facing an eternity of operations and rehab it proves what a cruel mistress this sport can be.
Hero of the Week has to go to Jane ‘Mother Theresa’ Gould for her Hannibal-esque final day alpine trek. With Charlotte’s plans in turmoil following Ben’s season ending crash it was left for the ever dependable mum to undertake the 6 hour trek into Bormio followed by a 12 hour chase back through Europe the same day in search of a Sunday ferry home for work on Monday. She made it, just although she now needs a sunroof fitted into her Beamer in order for that hard earned halo to sit comfortably on her shoulders. Are racers parents mad? You bet they are.
Honourable mentions have to go to Chris Brown, flying solo on that black mogul field makes him the man of the week, Thomas Breese & Charley Fellows – two four year olds who pushed this writer’s knees and feet to the limit of their endurance and capabilities, to Kirsty Thomas for retaining a semblance of swan like grace as she was invited to make her instructor debut (the outside was still but inside you could sense an explosion of excitement), to Pete Shrimpton for managing to keep the occupants in his hire car to single figures (just), to Chris & Richard for putting up with turbo charged kids for a whole week, to Kirran Singh Khalsa for proving that bionic armed boys can ski like demons and Andreas – our friendly hotelier – who put up with our lot for a whole week and managed to smile every morning.
Fall of the week? Well I think I’m home and dry on this one. Not content with a 20 metre head first, on my back half pipe creating slide (© Mr C Brown) that left half the snow made since Christmas in the back of my undies I surpassed myself on the final afternoon crashing into an unsuspecting German chap who decided to enter the piste from the side without looking and only actually realised I was there as my knee buried itself into the top of his calf. Quite why he felt the need to mix his squeals of pain with the odd B word is a bit of a mystery, however nothing quite prepared him for the sight of a big, bad and very unhappy Englander gazumping his selection of Anglo Saxon adjectives. The fact that the ever reliable Mrs Breese got the whole thing on video then whisked it around every table at dinner and has probably already spent her £250 You’ve Been Framed payout did little to play down the event.
Thanks must go to Richard Breese for organising another magnificent week, to Chris Blagdon for coming over and sharing the coaching duties, to Ian Smith for again proving he is the undisputed greatest instructor of kids on the planet today, to Alpbach Aktiv for the continued support, the Andreas and everyone at Haus Andreas for their magnificent hospitality.
Here’s to next year.
Alpbach, Austria
Given the traffic chaos of 12 months earlier the annual Team Telford pilgrimage to the Austrian resort of Alpbach was never likely to be anywhere near as stressful. Not that Jane Gould was taking any chances! Leaving on Thursday afternoon, incorporating overnight stops in Bruges & Munich, the Gould led convoy finally arrived at our base sometime on Saturday afternoon. Fresh & relaxed the ever cheerful Mrs Gould had no idea of how complicated the return trip was going to be.
With training groups established after tea on Saturday night the excitement of inclusion into the full race group was tempered by coach Chris Blagdon’s request the they reported at 6.45 the following morning for a pre-breakfast run. The silence in the room was deafening and only broken by the thought that there really might be two quarter to seven’s in a day. Yes, this was going to be another hard week.
At this point it might be worth noting my gratitude to Ben Cooper whose late arrival for pre breakfast training on the first morning led to fifty press ups and fifty tuck jumps, thus ensuring that Jordan didn’t need his semi-conscious old fella to ensure that he was up, washed and ready as the sun fought it’s way over the peaks of the Austrian Alps. Quite the opposite in fact as the little fella jumped up on the first hint of an alarm buzz and was coolly PSP-ing the buffer time he’d built into making certain he wasn’t going to have to face fifty big ones in front of his team mates!
On the mountain the first day was spent re-finding those snow legs as Chris, Richard and Ian Smith (on loan from Alpbach Activ) put their pupils and one or two ambitious parents through their paces. A bit too ambitious for one nameless parent (who shall only be known as Phil Taylor) who’s ski jacket saw a bit too much snow and tree branches for it’s own or wearers good.
However good the training went however, nothing could quite compete with the near military precision and synchronisation the ladies in the group demonstrated when preparing for that post supper night out on the lash. Fortunately none of them returned to their hotel room in the shape of a pumpkin, however, this was more by luck than judgement given the time many of them returned to their far more responsible husbands. One evening they even managed to return in a semi-sober state.
Obviously the low point of the week came in the form of Ben Cooper’s horrible cruciate knee ligament injury. It’s never nice to see a racer’s leg in plaster but given the efforts Ben has made and the potential he has shown, for him to be now facing an eternity of operations and rehab it proves what a cruel mistress this sport can be.
Hero of the Week has to go to Jane ‘Mother Theresa’ Gould for her Hannibal-esque final day alpine trek. With Charlotte’s plans in turmoil following Ben’s season ending crash it was left for the ever dependable mum to undertake the 6 hour trek into Bormio followed by a 12 hour chase back through Europe the same day in search of a Sunday ferry home for work on Monday. She made it, just although she now needs a sunroof fitted into her Beamer in order for that hard earned halo to sit comfortably on her shoulders. Are racers parents mad? You bet they are.
Honourable mentions have to go to Chris Brown, flying solo on that black mogul field makes him the man of the week, Thomas Breese & Charley Fellows – two four year olds who pushed this writer’s knees and feet to the limit of their endurance and capabilities, to Kirsty Thomas for retaining a semblance of swan like grace as she was invited to make her instructor debut (the outside was still but inside you could sense an explosion of excitement), to Pete Shrimpton for managing to keep the occupants in his hire car to single figures (just), to Chris & Richard for putting up with turbo charged kids for a whole week, to Kirran Singh Khalsa for proving that bionic armed boys can ski like demons and Andreas – our friendly hotelier – who put up with our lot for a whole week and managed to smile every morning.
Fall of the week? Well I think I’m home and dry on this one. Not content with a 20 metre head first, on my back half pipe creating slide (© Mr C Brown) that left half the snow made since Christmas in the back of my undies I surpassed myself on the final afternoon crashing into an unsuspecting German chap who decided to enter the piste from the side without looking and only actually realised I was there as my knee buried itself into the top of his calf. Quite why he felt the need to mix his squeals of pain with the odd B word is a bit of a mystery, however nothing quite prepared him for the sight of a big, bad and very unhappy Englander gazumping his selection of Anglo Saxon adjectives. The fact that the ever reliable Mrs Breese got the whole thing on video then whisked it around every table at dinner and has probably already spent her £250 You’ve Been Framed payout did little to play down the event.
Thanks must go to Richard Breese for organising another magnificent week, to Chris Blagdon for coming over and sharing the coaching duties, to Ian Smith for again proving he is the undisputed greatest instructor of kids on the planet today, to Alpbach Aktiv for the continued support, the Andreas and everyone at Haus Andreas for their magnificent hospitality.
Here’s to next year.
Saturday 2 February 2008
Beer & Skittles
Fri 1st Feb, 2008
The Shakespeare Inn, Bridgnorth
No time (or need) for a huge report but the annual skittles evening shouldn't be allowed to pass by without a comment (and video) or two.
Firstly congratulations to Adrian and Valerie Cooper for organinsing a great night. Taking over the mantle from Julia Wrigglesworth's slick operation was a big ask but somehow the Coopers pulled it off with aplomb. Nice atmosphere, nice food a few beers and laughs were had by all.
Top scorers were Will O'Connor who crashed 15 skittles in 3 balls and Cheryl Breese who proved her 12 skittle first round score was a complete fluke with a score of 4 in the 2nd round. The team competition was going well after two rounds and all would have been to play for had Georgina Gould not produced the blonde moment of the night in preparing to score round 3 by rubbing all the combined scores off the board leaving us with no idea of who was winning, losing or cheating.
Consequently the third round descended into farce as bowlers were challenged with ever more ridiculous tasks prior to bowling. Ben smashed his head on the wall spinning round, I smashed a glass on the floor, Ashley & Jordan hit the floor, Jane Gould had a go blindfolded, Chris Barnes Wallace-Brown delivered a trio of off target left handed bouncing bombs and Pete Shrimpton stole the night with a 20 rotation floor spin before crashing to the ground like he'd been on a week long drinking session with Oliver Reid & George Best. Fair play to the man however - no once did that chicken portion leave the vice like grips of his teeth. Why a chicken portion you may ask? Well this is Telford Ski Club, so why not?
Jordan..........................
The Shakespeare Inn, Bridgnorth
No time (or need) for a huge report but the annual skittles evening shouldn't be allowed to pass by without a comment (and video) or two.
Firstly congratulations to Adrian and Valerie Cooper for organinsing a great night. Taking over the mantle from Julia Wrigglesworth's slick operation was a big ask but somehow the Coopers pulled it off with aplomb. Nice atmosphere, nice food a few beers and laughs were had by all.
Top scorers were Will O'Connor who crashed 15 skittles in 3 balls and Cheryl Breese who proved her 12 skittle first round score was a complete fluke with a score of 4 in the 2nd round. The team competition was going well after two rounds and all would have been to play for had Georgina Gould not produced the blonde moment of the night in preparing to score round 3 by rubbing all the combined scores off the board leaving us with no idea of who was winning, losing or cheating.
Consequently the third round descended into farce as bowlers were challenged with ever more ridiculous tasks prior to bowling. Ben smashed his head on the wall spinning round, I smashed a glass on the floor, Ashley & Jordan hit the floor, Jane Gould had a go blindfolded, Chris Barnes Wallace-Brown delivered a trio of off target left handed bouncing bombs and Pete Shrimpton stole the night with a 20 rotation floor spin before crashing to the ground like he'd been on a week long drinking session with Oliver Reid & George Best. Fair play to the man however - no once did that chicken portion leave the vice like grips of his teeth. Why a chicken portion you may ask? Well this is Telford Ski Club, so why not?
Jordan..........................
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
