Getting Ready To Rumble

Celtic Cup Rounds 5 & 6
Gloucester
14th & 15th July

With rounds 5 & 6 of Snowsport Wales’ popular Celtic Cup series on the weekend agenda all roads led to the leafy and somewhat sun drenched Welsh town of, erm, Gloucester. Still, if you’re going to borrow part of England for the weekend Gloucester is a decent place to start.

Saturday’s racing was split into two halves, a morning two run single course aggregate timed race and an afternoon dual slalom.

In the minis Jordan Fellows overcame a relatively scratchy first run with a scorching second run to claim a win and Nathan Breese again proved that age and size are no barrier against talent by posting 9th place and leaving a trail of older more experienced minis in his wake.

The Girls race saw Claire Brown take the Telford honours with 20th overall and 4th in chi 2, Charlotte Gould was frustrated back in 22nd overall and sister George should be delighted with 28th. Slowly, but surely, the green shoots of belief are growing, a belief that is reflected in the continued dropping of her times, finishing positions and seed points are coming down. Ellen Brown can also be pleased with her day posting 8th in chi 1 with two solid runs.

Ashley Breese led the way in the boys race, backing up an impressive first run with a solid 2nd to claim another top 30 placing with 29th and 2nd in chi 1. Jake Williams proved to be Mr Consistent with two runs separated by 0.06 seconds to post overall 32nd (5th chi 2), Ben Cooper’s first run dnf left him to contemplate the afternoon duals and Joe Humfress can be pleased with a morning that found him 8th in category and 46th overall.

Unlike just about every FA Cup final that’s ever been, the afternoon duals lived up to the promise of their billing. There’s nothing like head to head racing for excitement. Racers find a gear many of them didn’t know was there as they launch themselves down a hill with the sole intention of finishing ahead of the in the other start gate. Two races stood out from a Telford perspective – the final of the minis with Jordan facing Robert Poth and the big Telford head to head shoot out as Ashley and Ben faced up like two stags at dawn. All that was missing was booming music as each of our skiing cruiserweights made their entrance and Michael Buffer giving it the old "Llllllleeeeeeeeetttttttttsssssss get ready to RRRRRRUUUUMMMMBBBBBLLLEEE." Nothing could separate them as they left the gate and raced down the course, both looking for the one knockout edge change that would propel them across the line first. Gate after gate they slugged it out with nothing more than a cigarette paper between them. However, experience told in the end as the wily nous of Ashley kept him clear of trouble and two gates from requiring the judges decision Ben’s guard slipped and one late gate left him flat out on the mat as Ashley was announced as the victor.

In the minis final Jordan and Robert also slugged it out like a pair of gladiators. The first run of the final left Jordan 0.03 sec after the two lads had produced a breath taking display of synchronised skiing. And after suggesting that he might overturn the deficit in run two, a snatched pole mid way down left Robert with the door ajar. Six gates later and Jordan was again looking like he was homing in but Robert’s brace of faultless runs proved too good and Jordan came in as runner up by an aggregate of 0.07 seconds

For Sunday’s race it was back to the standard routine of one run on two courses and a rain storm of Glastonbury proportions. Indeed given the amount of water and mud around all we were missing was 40 minute sets from The Who and the Arctic Monkeys.

The minis race again saw another Jordan and Robert slug fest. With only 0.15 seconds separating them at the halfway stage the scene was set for another battle royale. And indeed it was, as Robert reacted to a stunner of a second run from Jordan to keep PacBoy at bay. Nathan Breese’s fall midway through the second run cost him the chance of a top 6 place and Kirran’s pair of solid runs found him placed in 8th.

In the girls race Charlotte Gould (6th Jun 1) reversed Saturday’s finishing positions by squeezing in front of an ever more confident Claire Brown (4th in chi 2) with 16th & 17th respectively. George Gould Climbed into 28th overall (11th in category) and not to be outdone the ever smiling Ellen Brown came home in 31st overall & 6th in category.

Ashley Breese again led the Telford charge in the boys race, producing another solid pair of runs to scoop 1st place in chi 1 and 29th overall. Ben Cooper finally added a plastic finish to his snow results placing 4th in chi 2 and 34th overall with Joe Humfress two category places back in 6th.

Congratulations to Ashley for winning the Childran 1 category of the Celtic Cup Series 2007 and Jake Williams for taking overall 3rd in Chi 2.