Subject: MCKENNA WINS SNOWBOARD WORLD CUP HALF PIPE/ALCOTT MAKES WOMEN'S DOWNHILL HISTORY

PRESS RELEASE
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF SNOWSPORT GB
2200HRS GMT, FRIDAY 5 DEC

MCKENNA WINS SNOWBOARD WORLD CUP HALF PIPE                 FULL RESULTS
ALCOTT MAKES WOMEN'S DOWNHILL HISTORY WITH A TOP 30 FINISH IN LAKE LOUISE         FULL RESULTS

Chemmy Alcott and Lesley McKenna gave Britain's female snowsports stars the upper hand over their male British counterparts after an inspirational day on their respective world cup circuits yesterday.

While Alcott became the first British women's downhiller to score World Ccup points for over fifteen years when she took 22nd place in the first downhill of the season in Lake Louise,  Canada,  McKenna won the season's opening Nokia FIS World Cup half-pipe in Tandadalen, Sweden.

Alcott showed great composure and was in touch all the way down the former Men's Olympic Downhill course, finishing just 1.37 seconds behind France's Carole Montillet, the reigning Olympic downhill gold medallist. Having started 50th down the course Alcott was the only one of the higher ranking starters to break the top 30.

After also making points in giant slalom on her first World Cup outing in Sölden last month, when she finished 25th,  Alcott, who is still just 21 years of age, now lies 50th on the overall World Cup standings. "Chemmy skied really well. The conditions are perfect, although it is getting a little warmer now, but the course is a really good test with difficult technical turns, jumps and plenty of gliding and Chemmy went well all the way. She can go faster on this course so we will see what tomorrow brings." commented her coach Geri Greber of The British Land Alpine Ski Team.

A second donwnhill takes place tomorrow, Saturday.

Half pipe snowboarder Lesley McKenna started her new 2004  Nokia FIS World Cup season as she means to go on, winning the first event last night in Tandadalen, Sweden.

The Aviemore rider repeated her outstanding victory she scored in Sapporo, Japan late last season when she became Britain's first ever snowboarder to win a World Cup. After qualifying in fourth place she used the same series of safe tricks as worked for her in Japan to win.

After days of mild temperatures a hard overnight frost had left the half-pipe hard and icy, McKenna's courage and conviction stood her in good stead as she eclipsed Switzerland's Fabienne Reuteler to win. " It was really quite windy during the final and between that and the icy conditions I think it was really putting some of the girls off, but I knew it was good for me and really just went for it." Reported a delighted McKenna, who recently proved her outstanding fitness and athleticism by winning BBC TV's Superstars.  " I really feel very confident after a good summer doing so many different kinds of cross training. There is a long season ahead but this really just gives me the best possible start."

Results: Nokia FIS Snowboard World Cup:
1 L McKenna (GBR) 1000pts
2 F Reuteler (Sui) 800pts
3 A Olofsson (Swe) 600pts 
4 S Yamoka (Japan) 500pts
5 K Buaas (Nor)    450pts

Audi FIS Alpine World Cup, Womens Downhill, Lake Louise. 
1 C Montillet (Fra) 1:34.03
2 H Gerg (Ger)      1:34.19
3 K Clark (USA)     1:34.36
4 S Berthod (Sui)   1:34.36
5 D Ceccarelli (Ita)1:34.37
22 C Alcott (GBR)   1:35.40