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.
Friday, 7 May 2010
Pendle Duo Dominate
British Indoor Championships
Chill Factor, Manchester
Sunday 25th April, 2010
With snow hardly having time to defrost from ski boots, plenty of goggle marked faces on show and stories of Meribel triumphs still very much to the fore the British ski circus snapped closed its boot buckles, clicked into its bindings and headed to Manchester for the first big event of a new summer season.
With Chill Factore - Britain’s biggest and best indoor slope - hosting the event, the snow in prime racing condition and ski legs still full of Alpine training there was never going to be any need for excuses. The first championship shoot out of 2010 was upon us. Indeed with race full signs posted and a number of home nation selected athletes in attendance the eventual winners could be sure that they’d prevailed in a race loaded with both quality and depth.
The male race proved to be a two way shoot out between home racer Brad Morgan and Hemel’s Matt Thompson. Following the completion of run 1 only 0.02s separated the two England selected athletes and everything was still to fight for down Mark Vinter’s afternoon challenge. Indeed with the then fourth placed Andy Roose cranking up the pressure with an absolute beauty of a second run it was going to be interesting to see who of the two leaders would crack. In the end neither flinched, as first Thompson proved there was still room to manoeuvre with Roose’s time, posting 0.25s inside the mark and then watched as Morgan unleashed every ounce of strength out of the start gate and stretched every inch of his frame around Vinter’s course to shave Thompson’s mark by 0.2 seconds. A quite remarkable effort that truly deserved to claim victory.
In the ladies race a similar battle raged as England’s Jo Ryding and Scotland’s Alex Tilley squared up and battled it out. Leading the rest of the field by half a second after run one but only separated by 0.08s the two ladies locked horns at the business end of run 2. Tilley’s time of 13.40 – a full second quicker than any of the other ladies – looked like it might just be enough but Ryding reacted and in undercutting Tilley’s time by 0.43s Ryding retained the title she claimed 12 months earlier.
In the categories, Kerry Turnock, Caroline Powell, Florence Bell and Megan Jenkins joined Ryding and Tilley as respective winners amongst the ladies. Whilst Andrew Hjort, Eliya Beelaert-Rubin, Ashley Breese and Zak Vinter joined Morgan and Roose as winners of the males categories.
The day belonged to Brad Morgan and Jo Ryding however. Following team mate David Ryding’s Vancouver appearance in February these two Pendle trained races proved yet again the impressive depth of talent that has emerged from the North West club in recent times. With Ryding & Morgan collecting indoor National Championships we’ve witnessed another impressive chapter for a club with a proud and impressive pedigree of producing racers of the very highest quality.
If the rest of this summer lives up to the quality of this race then we’re all in for a bit of a treat.
Chill Factor, Manchester
Sunday 25th April, 2010
With snow hardly having time to defrost from ski boots, plenty of goggle marked faces on show and stories of Meribel triumphs still very much to the fore the British ski circus snapped closed its boot buckles, clicked into its bindings and headed to Manchester for the first big event of a new summer season.
With Chill Factore - Britain’s biggest and best indoor slope - hosting the event, the snow in prime racing condition and ski legs still full of Alpine training there was never going to be any need for excuses. The first championship shoot out of 2010 was upon us. Indeed with race full signs posted and a number of home nation selected athletes in attendance the eventual winners could be sure that they’d prevailed in a race loaded with both quality and depth.
The male race proved to be a two way shoot out between home racer Brad Morgan and Hemel’s Matt Thompson. Following the completion of run 1 only 0.02s separated the two England selected athletes and everything was still to fight for down Mark Vinter’s afternoon challenge. Indeed with the then fourth placed Andy Roose cranking up the pressure with an absolute beauty of a second run it was going to be interesting to see who of the two leaders would crack. In the end neither flinched, as first Thompson proved there was still room to manoeuvre with Roose’s time, posting 0.25s inside the mark and then watched as Morgan unleashed every ounce of strength out of the start gate and stretched every inch of his frame around Vinter’s course to shave Thompson’s mark by 0.2 seconds. A quite remarkable effort that truly deserved to claim victory.
In the ladies race a similar battle raged as England’s Jo Ryding and Scotland’s Alex Tilley squared up and battled it out. Leading the rest of the field by half a second after run one but only separated by 0.08s the two ladies locked horns at the business end of run 2. Tilley’s time of 13.40 – a full second quicker than any of the other ladies – looked like it might just be enough but Ryding reacted and in undercutting Tilley’s time by 0.43s Ryding retained the title she claimed 12 months earlier.
In the categories, Kerry Turnock, Caroline Powell, Florence Bell and Megan Jenkins joined Ryding and Tilley as respective winners amongst the ladies. Whilst Andrew Hjort, Eliya Beelaert-Rubin, Ashley Breese and Zak Vinter joined Morgan and Roose as winners of the males categories.
The day belonged to Brad Morgan and Jo Ryding however. Following team mate David Ryding’s Vancouver appearance in February these two Pendle trained races proved yet again the impressive depth of talent that has emerged from the North West club in recent times. With Ryding & Morgan collecting indoor National Championships we’ve witnessed another impressive chapter for a club with a proud and impressive pedigree of producing racers of the very highest quality.
If the rest of this summer lives up to the quality of this race then we’re all in for a bit of a treat.
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Home Sweet Home
Snowsport England Aosta Valley Grand Prix Series
Race 1 – Norfolk Ski Centre
Sunday 2nd May, 2010
How sweet it is to sit beneath a fond father's smile,
And the caress of a mother to soothe and beguile.
Let others delight amid new pleasures to roam,
But give me, oh, give me, the pleasures of home.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There is no place like home, oh, there is no place like home.
And for Norfolk racers Michael Molloy and Sophie Skipper home soil proved especially enjoyable as they swept to impressive victories in the first race of the Snowsport England’s Grand Prix Series for summer 2010.
Following the wonderful news of Aosta Valley’s sponsorship agreement for the Grand Prix Series and the All England Championships for the next 2 years, Norfolk’s magnificent artificial ski complex – the finest in the UK - was the perfect location from which to launch the 2010 series. And whilst the weather appeared to refuse to acknowledge the fact that May had arrived even those gunmetal grey skies overhead and a bitterly cold wind that raced across the start area couldn’t cool the action happening on the hill.
In the men’s race Cardiff stable mates Andrew Watson & Andrew Davies, Hemel’s Gerard Flahive and co-Norfolk racers Stuart Riches and Shaun Blyth all found themselves within 0.3 seconds after run 1 and looking to overturn Molloy’s slender first half advantage in run 2. Indeed as each racer attacked John Riedy’s 2nd run course Molloy kept his nerve at the top of the hill before blasting out of the start gate and magnificently dissecting Riedy’s 18 gate challenge to not only hang onto his slender lead but to build a buffer into the final result. Behind Molloy, Watson’s 2nd run proved good enough to claim the runners up spot in the overall rankings with first year junior Shaun Blyth claiming a very impressive 3rdoverall.
Placed 2nd after run 1 in the ladies race Sophie Skipper’s fabulous afternoon run proved decisive as 1st run leader Alice Hales and 3rd placed Caroline Powell perished whilst chasing Skipper’s challenging mark. The Telford junior 1 duo of Alexandra Bullock and Charlotte Shrimpton eventually proved Skipper’s main challengers and whilst both were the only other ladies under the 16 second mark in the afternoon run, neither could quite steal the day from the Norfolk based junior, placing 2nd & 3rd overall respectively.
In the categories Beverley Anderson, Emily Goddard, Claire Brown, Georgia Hallet and Francesca Lee joined Skipper as category winners in the ladies race whilst Robert Hales, Stuart Riches, Shaun Blyth, Ashley Breese and Nathan Breese joined Molloy in claiming category victories in the male field.
Race 2 sees the series move north from Norfolk’s lowlands to the weather carved hills of Lancashire as Pendle plays host to the nation’s finest young racers. If that hill provides half the excitement that the Norfolk one did then it’ll be an event not to be missed. Who will add their names alongside Michael Molloy and Sophie Skipper as winners in 2010?
Sunday May 30th is the date and whilst there may be no place like home, there equally are few challenges quite like Pendle Hill. If it isn’t yet in your diary then add it.
Race 1 – Norfolk Ski Centre
Sunday 2nd May, 2010
How sweet it is to sit beneath a fond father's smile,
And the caress of a mother to soothe and beguile.
Let others delight amid new pleasures to roam,
But give me, oh, give me, the pleasures of home.
Home, home, sweet, sweet home!
There is no place like home, oh, there is no place like home.
And for Norfolk racers Michael Molloy and Sophie Skipper home soil proved especially enjoyable as they swept to impressive victories in the first race of the Snowsport England’s Grand Prix Series for summer 2010.
Following the wonderful news of Aosta Valley’s sponsorship agreement for the Grand Prix Series and the All England Championships for the next 2 years, Norfolk’s magnificent artificial ski complex – the finest in the UK - was the perfect location from which to launch the 2010 series. And whilst the weather appeared to refuse to acknowledge the fact that May had arrived even those gunmetal grey skies overhead and a bitterly cold wind that raced across the start area couldn’t cool the action happening on the hill.
In the men’s race Cardiff stable mates Andrew Watson & Andrew Davies, Hemel’s Gerard Flahive and co-Norfolk racers Stuart Riches and Shaun Blyth all found themselves within 0.3 seconds after run 1 and looking to overturn Molloy’s slender first half advantage in run 2. Indeed as each racer attacked John Riedy’s 2nd run course Molloy kept his nerve at the top of the hill before blasting out of the start gate and magnificently dissecting Riedy’s 18 gate challenge to not only hang onto his slender lead but to build a buffer into the final result. Behind Molloy, Watson’s 2nd run proved good enough to claim the runners up spot in the overall rankings with first year junior Shaun Blyth claiming a very impressive 3rdoverall.
Placed 2nd after run 1 in the ladies race Sophie Skipper’s fabulous afternoon run proved decisive as 1st run leader Alice Hales and 3rd placed Caroline Powell perished whilst chasing Skipper’s challenging mark. The Telford junior 1 duo of Alexandra Bullock and Charlotte Shrimpton eventually proved Skipper’s main challengers and whilst both were the only other ladies under the 16 second mark in the afternoon run, neither could quite steal the day from the Norfolk based junior, placing 2nd & 3rd overall respectively.
In the categories Beverley Anderson, Emily Goddard, Claire Brown, Georgia Hallet and Francesca Lee joined Skipper as category winners in the ladies race whilst Robert Hales, Stuart Riches, Shaun Blyth, Ashley Breese and Nathan Breese joined Molloy in claiming category victories in the male field.
Race 2 sees the series move north from Norfolk’s lowlands to the weather carved hills of Lancashire as Pendle plays host to the nation’s finest young racers. If that hill provides half the excitement that the Norfolk one did then it’ll be an event not to be missed. Who will add their names alongside Michael Molloy and Sophie Skipper as winners in 2010?
Sunday May 30th is the date and whilst there may be no place like home, there equally are few challenges quite like Pendle Hill. If it isn’t yet in your diary then add it.
Friday, 4 September 2009
Dan’s the Man at MK
Snowsport England Grand Prix Series
Race 7 - ERSA Grand Prix
Xscape Milton Keynes
Sunday 16th August, 2009
And so after the six previous races in the series had taken us the length and breadth of our green and pleasant land, the final race of the 2009 Snowsport England Grand Prix series took place in Milton Keynes, smack bang in the centre of the county, home of concrete cows, stolen football teams and the first snow centre in the UK to come close to replicating 160 metres of Alpine fun.
With much still to play for in most categories and many of the traditional summer plastic race fraternity somewhat out of their hexagonal dendix comfort zone there were plenty of opportunities available for racers to climb the category rankings and ski themselves into overall contention or score a morale boosting result right at the mid point between the last and next winter’s racing.
In the girls event Lucy Peel stamped an immediate authority upon the race, posting a first run 17.03s time that only Florence Bell & Charlotte Davies looked anywhere capable of matching. Indeed had Davies not lost 0.26 seconds on the first run she may have been able to capitalise on her storming 2nd run that not only overhauled Bell into the runners up spot but also threatened to claim the event victory that would have also jumped her into the runners up spot in the overall series. Peel, however, had other ideas and a 2nd run time of 14.85 seconds proved to be enough to ensure that the final race of 2009 was hers.
Unlike the ladies race the first run of the male event left us with probably more questions than we were likely to get answers for. Had Gerard Flahive’s first run blaster provided him with enough of a buffer to hold Georgie Hunt and the rest of the male field at bay? Did Georgie have enough in the tank to rectify a first run defeat? And could Dan Evans or James Greenwood overturn their small deficits to rattle a few reputations right at the front of the field?
Time – and an overly worn course - eventually provided us with the answers however and with Greenwood & Evans producing outstanding times the screw had been turned sufficiently tightly for Hunt to fail to negotiate his way through Ross Green’s course, exiting the race early and leaving the proverbial hen house door open for the cunning fox we all know as Gerard Flahive. Strangely however a subdued 2nd run time, around two tenths of a second off the pace, proved to be just short of what was required and in a blink of an eye Daniel Evans had sneaked in, sent feathers flying and captured his first ever overall Grand Prix victory.
In the categories Abby Clifford’s unusually disappointing 1st run time forced her to settle for 3rd spot behind Peel & Davies. Caroline Powell claimed 1st in Junior 1 with Claire Brown in 2nd and the elder Bell sister, Victoria in 3rd. Fifth place overall proved enough for Lottie Mayer to claim 2nd behind Florence Bell in Children 2 category with Nia Jenkins claiming 3rd. In Children 1 Jessica Anderson’s first run blast proved the decisive factor in her win over runner up Megan Jenkins who in turn leapfrogged 3rd placed Yasmin Cooper on run 2.
In the seniors Stuart Riches proved too good for 2nd place Andrew Crawford with Christopher Crowther 3rd. Gerard Flahive’s overall runners up spot was one place too far for runner up James Greenwood in Junior 2 whilst 5th placed overall James Knock claimed 3rd. Samuel Fairburn’s 6th overall was enough to claim the runners up berth in Jun 1 behind race winner Dan Evans with Giacomo Ghislanzoni in 3rd. In the children’s categories Daniel Poth proved too good for his contempories, scoring a fine win whilst Barney Lewis overturned a small first run deficit to squeeze into 2nd with Ashley Breese in 3rd. In Children 1 Robert Poth made it a family double nudging Jordan Fellows into the runners up spot with Benjamin Smith in 3rd.
The day however belonged to a young man who over the years has suggested that there were a number of Grand Prix victories in his young and highly talented feet. Always competitive, always smiling, always flat out and never one to scrub speed – you always know where you are with young Mr Evans, and at the final GP event of 2009 Dan proved very much that he was indeed the man.
Race 7 - ERSA Grand Prix
Xscape Milton Keynes
Sunday 16th August, 2009
And so after the six previous races in the series had taken us the length and breadth of our green and pleasant land, the final race of the 2009 Snowsport England Grand Prix series took place in Milton Keynes, smack bang in the centre of the county, home of concrete cows, stolen football teams and the first snow centre in the UK to come close to replicating 160 metres of Alpine fun.
With much still to play for in most categories and many of the traditional summer plastic race fraternity somewhat out of their hexagonal dendix comfort zone there were plenty of opportunities available for racers to climb the category rankings and ski themselves into overall contention or score a morale boosting result right at the mid point between the last and next winter’s racing.
In the girls event Lucy Peel stamped an immediate authority upon the race, posting a first run 17.03s time that only Florence Bell & Charlotte Davies looked anywhere capable of matching. Indeed had Davies not lost 0.26 seconds on the first run she may have been able to capitalise on her storming 2nd run that not only overhauled Bell into the runners up spot but also threatened to claim the event victory that would have also jumped her into the runners up spot in the overall series. Peel, however, had other ideas and a 2nd run time of 14.85 seconds proved to be enough to ensure that the final race of 2009 was hers.
Unlike the ladies race the first run of the male event left us with probably more questions than we were likely to get answers for. Had Gerard Flahive’s first run blaster provided him with enough of a buffer to hold Georgie Hunt and the rest of the male field at bay? Did Georgie have enough in the tank to rectify a first run defeat? And could Dan Evans or James Greenwood overturn their small deficits to rattle a few reputations right at the front of the field?
Time – and an overly worn course - eventually provided us with the answers however and with Greenwood & Evans producing outstanding times the screw had been turned sufficiently tightly for Hunt to fail to negotiate his way through Ross Green’s course, exiting the race early and leaving the proverbial hen house door open for the cunning fox we all know as Gerard Flahive. Strangely however a subdued 2nd run time, around two tenths of a second off the pace, proved to be just short of what was required and in a blink of an eye Daniel Evans had sneaked in, sent feathers flying and captured his first ever overall Grand Prix victory.
In the categories Abby Clifford’s unusually disappointing 1st run time forced her to settle for 3rd spot behind Peel & Davies. Caroline Powell claimed 1st in Junior 1 with Claire Brown in 2nd and the elder Bell sister, Victoria in 3rd. Fifth place overall proved enough for Lottie Mayer to claim 2nd behind Florence Bell in Children 2 category with Nia Jenkins claiming 3rd. In Children 1 Jessica Anderson’s first run blast proved the decisive factor in her win over runner up Megan Jenkins who in turn leapfrogged 3rd placed Yasmin Cooper on run 2.
In the seniors Stuart Riches proved too good for 2nd place Andrew Crawford with Christopher Crowther 3rd. Gerard Flahive’s overall runners up spot was one place too far for runner up James Greenwood in Junior 2 whilst 5th placed overall James Knock claimed 3rd. Samuel Fairburn’s 6th overall was enough to claim the runners up berth in Jun 1 behind race winner Dan Evans with Giacomo Ghislanzoni in 3rd. In the children’s categories Daniel Poth proved too good for his contempories, scoring a fine win whilst Barney Lewis overturned a small first run deficit to squeeze into 2nd with Ashley Breese in 3rd. In Children 1 Robert Poth made it a family double nudging Jordan Fellows into the runners up spot with Benjamin Smith in 3rd.
The day however belonged to a young man who over the years has suggested that there were a number of Grand Prix victories in his young and highly talented feet. Always competitive, always smiling, always flat out and never one to scrub speed – you always know where you are with young Mr Evans, and at the final GP event of 2009 Dan proved very much that he was indeed the man.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Mad Dogs and Englishmen
Snowsport England Grand Prix Series
Race 6 - ERSA Grand Prix
Hemel
Sunday 26th July, 2009
Apparently only mad dogs & Englishmen go out in the mid day sun. Quite what Noel Coward would have made of us Brits spending a summer sabbath inside a gigantic refrigerator is anyone’s guess. One thing that is for sure however is that the song he’d have written about it wouldn’t be half as catchy as his more famous ditty.
So in the middle of summer the mad dogs, or at least those without florescent jackets and clip boards, were left outside in the sunshine whilst the 2009 Snowsport England Grand Prix series took its first tentative steps onto indoor dome racing. That was just about as far as the new adventure went however as, on the hill, events were soon being dominated by two rather familiar figures.
In the ladies race Joanna Ryding proved a class apart from the rest of the field. Leading by almost a second after run 1 the Pendle racer doubled her advantage in the 2nd run to claim her 2nd victory of the 2009 GP series. Lucy Peel did her upmost to keep Ryding honest and in the process capitalised on a Charlotte Davies 2nd run error to claim the overall runners up spot, whilst in 3rd overall Caroline Powell successfully continued her 2009 GP campaign.
In the categories, overall top ten positions were enough for Monica Gash to claim 2nd place in the senior category just pipping Hannah Parker into 3rd. In Jun 2 Charlotte Gould and Rebecca Lyth also profited from Davies’s error to post 2nd & 3rd respectively whilst the Telford duo of Claire Brown and Charlotte Shrimpton claimed 2nd & 3rd in the jun 1 category. The children’s categories were dominated by the Jenkins sisters as Nia not only claimed a superb 4th overall to win the older category but could claim to be the only child to beat her sister and chi 1 victor Megan. Georgia Hallet and Samantha Baxter claimed 2nd & 3rd in the older children category with Yasmin Cooper & Emma Peters both continuing fine 2009 GP campaigns in 2nd & 3rd respectively
In the men’s race Georgie Hunt returned to Grand Prix racing for the first time since 2005 and promptly celebrated the event by winning the race. Hunt’s first run time was just enough to provide him with a half way lead but a stunning second run proved the decisive factor in the day’s proceedings. In the runners up spot Gerard Flahive’s cracking 1st run ensured that Hunt had to fully commit to his 2nd run and also ensured a smidgen of daylight that divided the Hemel powerhouse from the 3rd placed Matt Thompson.
In the categories Andrew Crawford claimed 2nd place in the seniors whilst Andrew Watson and Benjamin Porter finished 2nd & 3rd in junior 2 behind Flahive. Runners up spot in Junior 1 behind Thompson was claimed by Daniel Evans with Max Greenfield in 3rd. In the children’s categories Barney Lewis again proved his capabilities on the indoor surface by claiming a deserved win with home racer Thomas Grant in 2nd and Edmund Fenton-Fowler in 3rd. In Chi 1 George Richardson deservedly claimed a first GP category victory with Callum Begg in 2nd and Ethan Powell in 3rd.
So as Snowsport England’s premier summer series broke new, somewhat chillier ground, it was left to two of our more senior stagers to remind the young guns who will race this surface long into the future that whilst they might not spend so much time in the company of those mad dogs outdoors, when it comes to the white stuff the Ryding’s and Hunt’s of British skiing are most certainly still around and more than competitive.
Race 6 - ERSA Grand Prix
Hemel
Sunday 26th July, 2009
Apparently only mad dogs & Englishmen go out in the mid day sun. Quite what Noel Coward would have made of us Brits spending a summer sabbath inside a gigantic refrigerator is anyone’s guess. One thing that is for sure however is that the song he’d have written about it wouldn’t be half as catchy as his more famous ditty.
So in the middle of summer the mad dogs, or at least those without florescent jackets and clip boards, were left outside in the sunshine whilst the 2009 Snowsport England Grand Prix series took its first tentative steps onto indoor dome racing. That was just about as far as the new adventure went however as, on the hill, events were soon being dominated by two rather familiar figures.
In the ladies race Joanna Ryding proved a class apart from the rest of the field. Leading by almost a second after run 1 the Pendle racer doubled her advantage in the 2nd run to claim her 2nd victory of the 2009 GP series. Lucy Peel did her upmost to keep Ryding honest and in the process capitalised on a Charlotte Davies 2nd run error to claim the overall runners up spot, whilst in 3rd overall Caroline Powell successfully continued her 2009 GP campaign.
In the categories, overall top ten positions were enough for Monica Gash to claim 2nd place in the senior category just pipping Hannah Parker into 3rd. In Jun 2 Charlotte Gould and Rebecca Lyth also profited from Davies’s error to post 2nd & 3rd respectively whilst the Telford duo of Claire Brown and Charlotte Shrimpton claimed 2nd & 3rd in the jun 1 category. The children’s categories were dominated by the Jenkins sisters as Nia not only claimed a superb 4th overall to win the older category but could claim to be the only child to beat her sister and chi 1 victor Megan. Georgia Hallet and Samantha Baxter claimed 2nd & 3rd in the older children category with Yasmin Cooper & Emma Peters both continuing fine 2009 GP campaigns in 2nd & 3rd respectively
In the men’s race Georgie Hunt returned to Grand Prix racing for the first time since 2005 and promptly celebrated the event by winning the race. Hunt’s first run time was just enough to provide him with a half way lead but a stunning second run proved the decisive factor in the day’s proceedings. In the runners up spot Gerard Flahive’s cracking 1st run ensured that Hunt had to fully commit to his 2nd run and also ensured a smidgen of daylight that divided the Hemel powerhouse from the 3rd placed Matt Thompson.
In the categories Andrew Crawford claimed 2nd place in the seniors whilst Andrew Watson and Benjamin Porter finished 2nd & 3rd in junior 2 behind Flahive. Runners up spot in Junior 1 behind Thompson was claimed by Daniel Evans with Max Greenfield in 3rd. In the children’s categories Barney Lewis again proved his capabilities on the indoor surface by claiming a deserved win with home racer Thomas Grant in 2nd and Edmund Fenton-Fowler in 3rd. In Chi 1 George Richardson deservedly claimed a first GP category victory with Callum Begg in 2nd and Ethan Powell in 3rd.
So as Snowsport England’s premier summer series broke new, somewhat chillier ground, it was left to two of our more senior stagers to remind the young guns who will race this surface long into the future that whilst they might not spend so much time in the company of those mad dogs outdoors, when it comes to the white stuff the Ryding’s and Hunt’s of British skiing are most certainly still around and more than competitive.
Sparks Fly As Watson & Flahive Tee Off
Snowsport England Grand Prix Series
Race 5 - NWSA Grand Prix
Rossendale
Sunday 19th July, 2009
In the summer of 1977 the two best golfers on the planet bumped into each other on Scotland’s west coast and produced a Sunday afternoon of epic sporting proportions as Jack Nicholas and Tom Watson slugged out what became forever know as the Dual in the Sun. Exactly 32 years later the name Watson again adorned the winners circle, though sadly for the 59 year old American golfing legend Tom it wasn’t to be at Turnberry. For a much younger namesake- amid the mud, rain and a smattering of dendix- it was a different story however.
Step forward Andrew Watson, more Cardiff than Kansas City, but very much from the same competitive mould of his illustrious namesake. Indeed with Gerard Flahive playing the Nicholas role to a tee and the rest of the field almost out of sight the final outdoor race of this summer’s GP series encapsulated much of the heroics of all those years ago.
So it was somewhat fitting that after Flahive’s metaphoric 30 footer of a second run – which up to that point was in excess of 0.6 seconds faster than any other racer - had laid down the gauntlet that Watson reacted like a true champion with a faultless afternoon run that matched the challenge laid before him and led him to a second SSE GP win of 2009. The fact the Watson was over a full second in front of third place, with Flahive less than 0.10 behind Watson only emphasised their dominance of the event.
In the ladies race Abby Clifford also made it 2 GP wins in 2009, however unlike her victory at Silksworth, Clifford this time had it all to do on run 2. However a faultless display of aggressive racing saw her not only overturn the slender first run lead held by Cardiff star Alice Hales but find herself with breathing space on the other side.
With the overall top 6 in the men’s field all fighting out the junior 2 category third placed overall went to Tom Hales the Cardiff racer building on a slender first run advantage to shed Benn Hall, Daniel Curtis and Adam Hutchings into 4th, 5th & 6th overall respectively. In the seniors Andrew Crawford shaded Colin Armstrong on both runs to claim victory whilst Samuel Stephens eased to a comfortable win the junior 1 category with Keigan Witts & Nicholas Miller in 2nd & 3rd. In the children’s categories Ashley Breese overturned a small deficit to squeeze an impressive James Davies into the runners up category with Mikey Knowles following home in 3rd. In the youngest category Jordan Fellows secured victory with Midland racer Nicholas Phelps in 2nd & first year racer Zak Vinter capturing a fine 3rd place.
In the ladies categories Hannah Parker’s 2nd run DNF opened the senior door for Lesley Mearns & Vivien Watson to challenge, Mearns doing enough on both runs to claim victory. In Jun 2 Charlotte Gould claimed 3rd behind overall winner Abby Clifford with 3rd placed overall Alice Hales being the meat between a Telford sandwich. Caroline Powell claimed the honours in Jun1, with Ellen Hathway 2nd & Charlotte Shrimpton in 3rd. In the children’s categories Sarah Lambden did more than enough to claim victory though runner up Nia Jenkins pushed her all the way with Beth Widdup doing enough to hold off a determined Kelly Greenbank for 3rd. In the children 1 category Megan Jenkins continued to dominate though runner up Emma Peters pushed her close with Isabella Hathway completing the podium positions.
Amid the impressive sight of Watson & Flahive’s battle it was important to also spare a thought for young Ravens racer Rory Farren whose horror fall on gate 2 cast a shadow over the final half of the men’s event. Dendix is an unforgiving surface amid a truly unforgiving sport. To be reminded quite how dangerous ski racing can be is never a nice thing, to be reminded by an injury to a lad so young is even less so and hopefully any injuries sustained will heal quickly. Everyone’s best wishes are with him.
Race 5 - NWSA Grand Prix
Rossendale
Sunday 19th July, 2009
In the summer of 1977 the two best golfers on the planet bumped into each other on Scotland’s west coast and produced a Sunday afternoon of epic sporting proportions as Jack Nicholas and Tom Watson slugged out what became forever know as the Dual in the Sun. Exactly 32 years later the name Watson again adorned the winners circle, though sadly for the 59 year old American golfing legend Tom it wasn’t to be at Turnberry. For a much younger namesake- amid the mud, rain and a smattering of dendix- it was a different story however.
Step forward Andrew Watson, more Cardiff than Kansas City, but very much from the same competitive mould of his illustrious namesake. Indeed with Gerard Flahive playing the Nicholas role to a tee and the rest of the field almost out of sight the final outdoor race of this summer’s GP series encapsulated much of the heroics of all those years ago.
So it was somewhat fitting that after Flahive’s metaphoric 30 footer of a second run – which up to that point was in excess of 0.6 seconds faster than any other racer - had laid down the gauntlet that Watson reacted like a true champion with a faultless afternoon run that matched the challenge laid before him and led him to a second SSE GP win of 2009. The fact the Watson was over a full second in front of third place, with Flahive less than 0.10 behind Watson only emphasised their dominance of the event.
In the ladies race Abby Clifford also made it 2 GP wins in 2009, however unlike her victory at Silksworth, Clifford this time had it all to do on run 2. However a faultless display of aggressive racing saw her not only overturn the slender first run lead held by Cardiff star Alice Hales but find herself with breathing space on the other side.
With the overall top 6 in the men’s field all fighting out the junior 2 category third placed overall went to Tom Hales the Cardiff racer building on a slender first run advantage to shed Benn Hall, Daniel Curtis and Adam Hutchings into 4th, 5th & 6th overall respectively. In the seniors Andrew Crawford shaded Colin Armstrong on both runs to claim victory whilst Samuel Stephens eased to a comfortable win the junior 1 category with Keigan Witts & Nicholas Miller in 2nd & 3rd. In the children’s categories Ashley Breese overturned a small deficit to squeeze an impressive James Davies into the runners up category with Mikey Knowles following home in 3rd. In the youngest category Jordan Fellows secured victory with Midland racer Nicholas Phelps in 2nd & first year racer Zak Vinter capturing a fine 3rd place.
In the ladies categories Hannah Parker’s 2nd run DNF opened the senior door for Lesley Mearns & Vivien Watson to challenge, Mearns doing enough on both runs to claim victory. In Jun 2 Charlotte Gould claimed 3rd behind overall winner Abby Clifford with 3rd placed overall Alice Hales being the meat between a Telford sandwich. Caroline Powell claimed the honours in Jun1, with Ellen Hathway 2nd & Charlotte Shrimpton in 3rd. In the children’s categories Sarah Lambden did more than enough to claim victory though runner up Nia Jenkins pushed her all the way with Beth Widdup doing enough to hold off a determined Kelly Greenbank for 3rd. In the children 1 category Megan Jenkins continued to dominate though runner up Emma Peters pushed her close with Isabella Hathway completing the podium positions.
Amid the impressive sight of Watson & Flahive’s battle it was important to also spare a thought for young Ravens racer Rory Farren whose horror fall on gate 2 cast a shadow over the final half of the men’s event. Dendix is an unforgiving surface amid a truly unforgiving sport. To be reminded quite how dangerous ski racing can be is never a nice thing, to be reminded by an injury to a lad so young is even less so and hopefully any injuries sustained will heal quickly. Everyone’s best wishes are with him.
Stuart Shines in Suffolk Sunshine
Snowsport England Grand Prix Series
Race 4 - ERSA Grand Prix
Ipswich
Sunday 5th July, 2009
There is no better place to watch ski racing in the UK than the Suffolk Ski Centre on a warm summer day. Perched on that grass bank at the bottom of the hill, soaking up the suns rays whilst watching skiers negotiate those idiosyncratic contours that make this hill one of the most interesting on the circuit the only thing that seems missing is the poolside bar and a multitude of Germans fighting for deckchairs at dawn.
Quite what it’s like on a bleak day in February is anyone’s guess, however since the race organisers seem to have the ability to order good weather for this event each and every year the thought of a Glastonbury-esque GP mudbath isn’t worth worrying about. Indeed, whilst temperatures soared and parents took cover underneath sun beaten gazebos the action on the hill somehow managed to be even hotter.
In the girl’s race Emily Evans immediately set about rectifying her defeat in the Norfolk leg of the 2009 series, this time producing a brace of error free runs that produced breathing space from the morning run and doubled her advantage in the later run to complete a relatively comfortable victory. The Chatham racer again proving that despite her relatively small frame there is bags of power available when she reaches for the accelerator.
In the male race Norfolk warhorse Stuart Riches, like Evans, produced the fastest run of the day on both courses to claim overall victory despite Dan Curtis pushing him every single inch of the way. Indeed with Curtis only nine hundredths of a second behind Riches after both runs he can count himself somewhat unlucky not to have added to his hat-trick of Club National wins in Southampton by completing his first overall GP victory.
In the categories Emily Goddard proved too good for the other seniors in the field with Stacey Luck claiming 2nd. Overall runner up Charlotte Davies took the spoils in the Junior 2 category with third placed overall Alice Hales 2nd and Charlotte Gould in 3rd. In the Junior 1 category Caroline Powell placed 2nd behind Emily Evans whilst Charlotte Shrimpton claimed 3rd. In Children 2 an excellent 6th place overall was sufficient to provide Sophie Skipper with the category victory, though 2nd placed Stephanie Davies and 3rd placed Bethany Widdup were not that far behind. In the children 1 category Yasmin Cooper went one better then her runners up spot at Sunderland to claim victory with Isabella Hathway 2nd and Emma Peters 3rd.
In the male categories Andrew Crawford followed Riches home for 3rd overall and runners up spot in the seniors with Andrew Leeson completing the podium positions in 3rd. In Jun 2 an impressive 4th place overall was enough to provide Harry Hornsby with 2nd overall and squeeze Ian Williams into 3rd by the very smallest of margins. Ashley Richards deservedly claimed the spoils in the Jun 1 with James Grant and Max Wheatman following each other home for 2nd & 3rd respectively. In the child categories Norfolk’s Shaun Blythe simply blew away the rest of the children’s field, claiming the older child category win by well over a second and a half. Ambition racer Max Moss proved to be the best of the rest in claiming 2nd with James Gibb in 3rd. In the younger category William Wheeler overturned a first run deficit to claim his second Grand Prix category victory of 2009 whilst Jordan Fellows claimed 2nd and Angus Ives 3rd.
So as the 2009 Grand Prix series passed the half way point, the only thing really decided was that everything was still undecided and just about every racer has something to race for. With this being a seven race series and two of the last three races indoors it would take a brave man (or lady) to claim they know the winner of any category or indeed the overall title. Much racing lies ahead, if it’s anywhere near as good as what has gone before then the final half of the season will be worth waiting for.
Race 4 - ERSA Grand Prix
Ipswich
Sunday 5th July, 2009
There is no better place to watch ski racing in the UK than the Suffolk Ski Centre on a warm summer day. Perched on that grass bank at the bottom of the hill, soaking up the suns rays whilst watching skiers negotiate those idiosyncratic contours that make this hill one of the most interesting on the circuit the only thing that seems missing is the poolside bar and a multitude of Germans fighting for deckchairs at dawn.
Quite what it’s like on a bleak day in February is anyone’s guess, however since the race organisers seem to have the ability to order good weather for this event each and every year the thought of a Glastonbury-esque GP mudbath isn’t worth worrying about. Indeed, whilst temperatures soared and parents took cover underneath sun beaten gazebos the action on the hill somehow managed to be even hotter.
In the girl’s race Emily Evans immediately set about rectifying her defeat in the Norfolk leg of the 2009 series, this time producing a brace of error free runs that produced breathing space from the morning run and doubled her advantage in the later run to complete a relatively comfortable victory. The Chatham racer again proving that despite her relatively small frame there is bags of power available when she reaches for the accelerator.
In the male race Norfolk warhorse Stuart Riches, like Evans, produced the fastest run of the day on both courses to claim overall victory despite Dan Curtis pushing him every single inch of the way. Indeed with Curtis only nine hundredths of a second behind Riches after both runs he can count himself somewhat unlucky not to have added to his hat-trick of Club National wins in Southampton by completing his first overall GP victory.
In the categories Emily Goddard proved too good for the other seniors in the field with Stacey Luck claiming 2nd. Overall runner up Charlotte Davies took the spoils in the Junior 2 category with third placed overall Alice Hales 2nd and Charlotte Gould in 3rd. In the Junior 1 category Caroline Powell placed 2nd behind Emily Evans whilst Charlotte Shrimpton claimed 3rd. In Children 2 an excellent 6th place overall was sufficient to provide Sophie Skipper with the category victory, though 2nd placed Stephanie Davies and 3rd placed Bethany Widdup were not that far behind. In the children 1 category Yasmin Cooper went one better then her runners up spot at Sunderland to claim victory with Isabella Hathway 2nd and Emma Peters 3rd.
In the male categories Andrew Crawford followed Riches home for 3rd overall and runners up spot in the seniors with Andrew Leeson completing the podium positions in 3rd. In Jun 2 an impressive 4th place overall was enough to provide Harry Hornsby with 2nd overall and squeeze Ian Williams into 3rd by the very smallest of margins. Ashley Richards deservedly claimed the spoils in the Jun 1 with James Grant and Max Wheatman following each other home for 2nd & 3rd respectively. In the child categories Norfolk’s Shaun Blythe simply blew away the rest of the children’s field, claiming the older child category win by well over a second and a half. Ambition racer Max Moss proved to be the best of the rest in claiming 2nd with James Gibb in 3rd. In the younger category William Wheeler overturned a first run deficit to claim his second Grand Prix category victory of 2009 whilst Jordan Fellows claimed 2nd and Angus Ives 3rd.
So as the 2009 Grand Prix series passed the half way point, the only thing really decided was that everything was still undecided and just about every racer has something to race for. With this being a seven race series and two of the last three races indoors it would take a brave man (or lady) to claim they know the winner of any category or indeed the overall title. Much racing lies ahead, if it’s anywhere near as good as what has gone before then the final half of the season will be worth waiting for.
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