Snowsport England Aosta Valley Grand Prix Series
Round 3 - WMSA GP, Chill Factor
20th June, 2010
So after an eventful and somewhat traditionally chilly Pendle round of the Snowsport England Grand Prix series the racers moved a few miles south and what felt like a few degrees warmer into the UK’s finest refrigerator, better known to most of us as Chill Factor.
As ever, the Manchester slope had been prepared in perfect condition for ski racing, hard enough to provide racers wearing later bib numbers with a course that hadn’t rutted whilst not degenerating into ice rink conditions that would have made those same later bib numbers feel like they were more involved in a lottery than a ski race. Chill Factor’s reputation for being the best racing slope in the UK isn’t misplaced.
On the hill an impressively substantial field gathered to fight out the third round of this year’s Aosta Valley sponsored series. Indeed with the Manchester location and indoor setting attracting a good contingent of racers from the other side of Hadrian’s Wall and the challenge of two fantastically flowing courses set by Benn Hall and Dave Ryding the only certainty of the day was that the overall winners would be of the very highest calibre
And so it proved.
However despite the influx of visiting challengers it was the home club who dominated proceedings as Chill Factor’s Joanna Ryding brushed aside the rest of the field to claim her latest Grand Prix victory. In opening up a substantial gap after run 1 and then doubling it on run 2 Ryding recorded her 14th Grand Prix overall victory and extended her summer racing winning streak to an impressive 19 races, a run that goes back as far as Sept 2005.
In Emily Whitelock and Beth Widdup, both co-Chill Factor team mates, Ryding found her strongest competition. In edging out her younger counterpart by 0.3 seconds on run 1 Whitelock further extended her advantage by an additional 0.2 on run 2 to comfortably and deservedly claim the runners up spot. For Widdup however, this was an impressive step up in class and with such an impressive display now behind her she has confirmed herself as a serious challenger for future Grand Prix honours.
In the male field, whilst the Chill Factor club didn’t dominate to the same extent as in the ladies they still managed to claim the name of the winner as Brad Morgan followed Jo Ryding’s lead and brushed aside all challengers. With a half second advantage after run 1 Morgan launched his imposing frame down through David Ryding’s wonderfully flowing challenge and carved another half second gap to complete what ended up as an impressive and somewhat straightforward victory.
Callum Henderson and Scott McWhirter proved to be Morgan’s biggest challengers. In the earlier run Henderson’s time marginally eclipsed his fellow countryman’s effort but the Glasgow Ski Racing athlete hit back in run two to inch in front of Henderson and claim the runner up spot in the overall standings.
In the categories Kerry Turnock proved to be the best of the ladies masters and joined Ryding (seniors) Whitelock (jun 2) and Widdup (jun 1) on the top step of the podium. Kelly Greenbank’s 7th overall proved too good for the rest of the children 2 field whilst Megan Jenkins’s fabulous 5th place overall was more than enough to prove decisive over the rest of the children 1 competitors.
In the male categories Andrew Hjort claimed 1st place in the masters category whilst Henderson and Morgan followed suit in the Senior and Jun 2 categories respectively. In Jun 1 Eliya Beelaert-Rubin impressive 5th place proved more than enough with Dan Poth and Matt Davies claiming the spoils in the children categories.
As the prize giving ceremony completed however it was clear that both the sport and the host venue also had reasons to celebrate. The magnificent facility never fails to deliver top rate racing conditions and in attracting such a substantial field of high quality athletes both the sport and the Grand Prix series can see that the long term future is extremely positive.
A superb venue, a fantastic event and two magnificent winners - what more could you want?
Tuesday 22 June 2010
Tuesday 1 June 2010
Thrills, Spills and Skills
Snowsport England Aosta Valley Grand Prix Series
Round 2 - NWSF GP, Pendle
30th May, 2010
Sabden Hill, historically the home of the Pendle witches but now at least equally as famous for the feats and achievements of the ski team that have shared the famous hill for the past forty odd years. And with fantastic views and scenery, rain & cloud permitting, that spans the Ribble Valley and beyond it isn’t just the skiing that takes your breath away.
With round 2 of the 2010 Snowsport England Grand Prix Series sponsored by Aosta Valley arriving on a clear but blustery late spring, the views - albeit stunning - had to play second fiddle to the thrills, spills and skills on show on Pendle’s famous rolling green dendix carpet.
The ladies race featured a three way tussle at the halfway stage as Telford racer Charlotte Gould’s sterling first effort opened up a gap of 0.1 seconds to 2nd placed Sarah Lambden with her co-Gloucester racer Emily Goddard an additional 0.1 seconds back in 3rd.
Goddard’s solid second run, expertly negotiating Carl Ryding’s forest of wind resisting short, tight turns suggested that her rivals would have to up their game in order to resist their more experienced rival. Lambden followed and after initially suggesting she was capable of at least matching Goddard’s time perished on Pendle’s 3rd roller leaving Gould as the sole competitor between Goddard and GP victory. Could Charlotte go where she’d never been before and snatch her first ever GP triumph?
Well if there was any doubt in anyone’s mind it certainly wasn’t in the head of the diminutive Telford racer. Right from her exiting of the start gate Gould looked a class above her rivals and blitzed Ryding’s challenge without a hint of an error and promptly claimed a first GP victory. Make no mistake, this was a classy performance fully deserving the victory.
The men’s race was a far less clean cut affair however with Hemel’s Gerard Flahive proving very much to be the comeback kid. In overturning a massive near half second deficit after the first run Flahive not only claimed the win but also generated an impressive amount of daylight behind himself and runner up Andrew Watson. Having played Russian roulette against the blustery wind in the run 1 start gate Flahive caught a most brutal burst on Pendle’s second roller and with his speed wiped out he completed much of run 1 in damage limitation mode. In applying the old mantle of whilst you can’t win a race on run one you can certainly lose it Flahive’s race experience and maturity kept him in a race that many others would have given up on.
So in run 2, where conditions favoured him much more that first run leader Andrew Watson and 2nd placed Sam Stephens, Flahive literally made hay whilst the sun shone laying down a fabulous sub 14 second run that none of his rivals – 4th placed William Deakin aside - could get anywhere near to. Watson’s wind restricted second run proved good enough to claim the runners up spot with Cardiff team mate Sam Stephens following suit to claim 3rd overall.
In the categories Andrew Hjort (masters), Timothy Nichol (seniors), James Grant (jun 1), Thomas Grant (chi 2) and Brandon Matthews (chi 1) joined Flahive on the top step of the male podium. In the ladies categories Beverley Anderson (masters), Emily Goddard (seniors), Stephanie Davies (jun 1), Georgia Hallett (chi 2) and Francesca Lee (chi 1) matched Charlotte Gould (jun 2) in victory.
The series now moves a few miles south and for parents at least a few degrees warmer as on Sunday June 20th the indoor facility at Chill Factor in Manchester plays host to round 3. Again, if the racing is anywhere near as good and exciting as the Pendle round was then it’s an event not to be missed.
Round 2 - NWSF GP, Pendle
30th May, 2010
Sabden Hill, historically the home of the Pendle witches but now at least equally as famous for the feats and achievements of the ski team that have shared the famous hill for the past forty odd years. And with fantastic views and scenery, rain & cloud permitting, that spans the Ribble Valley and beyond it isn’t just the skiing that takes your breath away.
With round 2 of the 2010 Snowsport England Grand Prix Series sponsored by Aosta Valley arriving on a clear but blustery late spring, the views - albeit stunning - had to play second fiddle to the thrills, spills and skills on show on Pendle’s famous rolling green dendix carpet.
The ladies race featured a three way tussle at the halfway stage as Telford racer Charlotte Gould’s sterling first effort opened up a gap of 0.1 seconds to 2nd placed Sarah Lambden with her co-Gloucester racer Emily Goddard an additional 0.1 seconds back in 3rd.
Goddard’s solid second run, expertly negotiating Carl Ryding’s forest of wind resisting short, tight turns suggested that her rivals would have to up their game in order to resist their more experienced rival. Lambden followed and after initially suggesting she was capable of at least matching Goddard’s time perished on Pendle’s 3rd roller leaving Gould as the sole competitor between Goddard and GP victory. Could Charlotte go where she’d never been before and snatch her first ever GP triumph?
Well if there was any doubt in anyone’s mind it certainly wasn’t in the head of the diminutive Telford racer. Right from her exiting of the start gate Gould looked a class above her rivals and blitzed Ryding’s challenge without a hint of an error and promptly claimed a first GP victory. Make no mistake, this was a classy performance fully deserving the victory.
The men’s race was a far less clean cut affair however with Hemel’s Gerard Flahive proving very much to be the comeback kid. In overturning a massive near half second deficit after the first run Flahive not only claimed the win but also generated an impressive amount of daylight behind himself and runner up Andrew Watson. Having played Russian roulette against the blustery wind in the run 1 start gate Flahive caught a most brutal burst on Pendle’s second roller and with his speed wiped out he completed much of run 1 in damage limitation mode. In applying the old mantle of whilst you can’t win a race on run one you can certainly lose it Flahive’s race experience and maturity kept him in a race that many others would have given up on.
So in run 2, where conditions favoured him much more that first run leader Andrew Watson and 2nd placed Sam Stephens, Flahive literally made hay whilst the sun shone laying down a fabulous sub 14 second run that none of his rivals – 4th placed William Deakin aside - could get anywhere near to. Watson’s wind restricted second run proved good enough to claim the runners up spot with Cardiff team mate Sam Stephens following suit to claim 3rd overall.
In the categories Andrew Hjort (masters), Timothy Nichol (seniors), James Grant (jun 1), Thomas Grant (chi 2) and Brandon Matthews (chi 1) joined Flahive on the top step of the male podium. In the ladies categories Beverley Anderson (masters), Emily Goddard (seniors), Stephanie Davies (jun 1), Georgia Hallett (chi 2) and Francesca Lee (chi 1) matched Charlotte Gould (jun 2) in victory.
The series now moves a few miles south and for parents at least a few degrees warmer as on Sunday June 20th the indoor facility at Chill Factor in Manchester plays host to round 3. Again, if the racing is anywhere near as good and exciting as the Pendle round was then it’s an event not to be missed.
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