Press Release
Issued by Snowsport GB,
The
British Land National Ski Championships,
Meribel, France
Friday 31st March
2006
While it was Chemmy Alcott and Noel Baxter who won today's final
event of this year's British Land Naitonal Championships Slalom and both could
do no more in their quest for the overall British Championship title, they could
not catch Katrina Head who won the Women's combined title for the first time and
in so doing lifted the Sir John Ritblat Trophy for the Victrix
Ludorum.
Baxter and Alcott showed the same superiority in Slalom as they
did in Thursday's Giant Slalom. Once again several of the other top seeds fell
from contention. Alain Baxter skidded out on the flat before the final steep.
Jan Michael Kochalski lost control on the last few gates and did not finish, and
Andy Noble also did not manage to complete the first run.
Building a
margin of 2.35 seconds over the two runs Noel's nearest rival was the British
Development Squad's David Ryding (19, Preston) who scored his career best slalom
result. Skiing the second quickest second run he narrowly overhauled
Douglas
Crawford (18, Bearsden/The British Land Alpine Team) who lay second
after the first run.
"I skied two good runs, especially the second one,
but I really felt relaxed and did not want to have to push too hard. It is a
matter of the risks you have to take and felt that I could ski within my limits
and win. I do feel that the pressure is on the other guys here. Maybe now I've
reached the stage where, here, it's the old head on the young shoulders. I've
had my fair share of disasters but certainly here I feel like the pressure is
off." Said Noel, who also won the British Men's Combined title
which he last
won two years ago. "I am the one who pushes myself hardest and I do come here to
win. I just try to win each race as it comes and don't think about the overall.
But, now it's good to have won it again."
" I am pretty pleased
with that result." Said David Ryding who finished runner up, somewhat better
than last year on the same slope in the same race when his ski popped off at the
third gate, dashing his slalom hopes. "It is really good for me. I did not
expect to do so well but when Alain came out I knew there might be a
chance.
Ryding, who is on his first year with the British Development
Team has already scored two top 10 results at FIS races this
season.
Taking second place behind Chemmy today in Slalom Katrina Head
gave herself enough of a margin from the three events she skied - taking second
in the downhill and third in the giant slalom - to win the event's top
award.
"To be honest it's a bit of a surprise to me because I have had an
up and down season. I am happy. I did not really give winning here much of a
thought because I have not really been skiing that well. I skied best today
which is ironic because it is my worst discipline." Admitted Head who has missed
alternate years through injury since she was 15 and including three
knee
injuries and a back injury. "I kind of feel like this might be a bit of a reward
for coming back all the time."
British Land National Ski Championships,
Meribel. Results, Slalom,
Men:
1 N Baxter (Aviemore/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)
38.91, 36.73 1:15.64,
2 D Ryding (Preston/The British Development Team)
40.43, 37.64 1:18.04,
3 D Crawford (Glasgow/The British Land Alpine Ski
Team) 40.40, 37.64 1:18.04,
4 J Bennett (Bexley/The British Development Team)
41.88, 37.39 1:19.27,
5 K Morton (Perthshire/The British
Development Team) 42.45, 38.52 1:20.97.
Women:
1 C Alcott (Hove/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)
41.81, 38.49 1:20.30,
2 K Head (Oxford/The British Development Team) 44.30,
41.48 1:25.78,
3 J Mashiter (Kendal/The English Alpine Team) 46.11,
42.21 1:28.32,
5 C Findlay (Camberley/The English Alpine Team) 46.13,
42.83 1:28.96.
Combined Prizes: Victrix Ludorum for the overall championship:
Katrina Head.
British Non-Team Champion, British Under 18 Champion: E Norton
(Carrbridge/The Scottish Alpine Ski Team).
Men: British Men's Combined Champion: N Baxter.
British Non Team: D Berry (London/The British Development Team),
British Under 18 Champion: C Campbell
(Italy).
Ends
Andi Robertson
Newslink Communications
Ltd
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