Snowsport GB 2007-03-30 16:10:00
British Championship Update Day 3

Dougie Crawford served notice of his title winning potential when he took second place in Tuesday’s downhill, but today he went one better when he scooped the Men’s Super G title at the British Land National Ski Championships in Meribel, France.

For Crawford (20, Bearsden, Glasgow) it is his first ever senior title. He left top British world cup speed disciplines skier Finlay Mickel trailing 85 hundredths of a second behind in third place. Conditions for the Super G were near perfect. Chill overnight temperatures and solid piste preparation meant there was no reason to hold back. Crawford was handed an early advantage when he was given a re-run after he was stopped half-way down the course because the racer before him had crashed, while top seed Mickel admitted later he had not attacked enough. In the Super G discipline where competitors are not allowed to ski the course before the race, Crawford was quick to acknowledge he had gained from skiing most of the top section of the course before he was flagged from the course.

Andy Noble (23, Edinburgh) added to Mickel’s woes, stealing second place despite a relative lack of speed training this winter. “I am so pleased to win a senior championship title for the first time. Having won a few junior titles this just proves that I have made the next step up and to me that is important, particularly beating Finlay. Getting a re-run definitely helped. I was not really getting into it first time, so it really helped and I was much more confident that I could really attack the course. I have definitely been skiing downhill and super g well.” Said Crawford.

Defending champion Mickel, who was bidding for his sixth consecutive Super G title, was objective and generous in defeat: “I just gave the course way too much respect and did not really push it enough, skiing too safe and too conservative. I knew that Dougie was skiing well but did not expect Andy Noble to get in to second as well. It is great for them. Dougie needs a good year of Europa Cup skiing before he comes to World Cup, but for me it is the sooner the better.”

Crawford skied 1 minute 15.62 seconds, and was the only skier to break 1 minute 16 seconds. Noel Baxter finished fourth and needs to keep Crawford behind him in tomorrow’s Slalom if he is to retain his overall British Combined Champion title.

Thomas Baldwin (17, Norwich) won the British Under 18 Super G prize while Craig McFie (19, Edinburgh) was awarded the best non-British Team member prize, finishing seventh.

Chemmy Alcott (24, Twickenham) may have been rushed to the point of nearly missing her run, but she composed herself in the start gate before attacking the course to add the Women’s Super G title to her downhill win of Tuesday. “I was so late getting to the start which is hard for me to deal with because I am like my routines. Half an hour was not enough for a Super G inspection and I was always running late, but it was okay in the end.” Said Alcott, who won this title in 2001, 2, and 3.

Inclement weather at the last two championships means this is the first time since 2003 that a Super G has been completed, “ It was tough because there was big difference between the light and shaded areas of the course. I felt pretty confident on the top section but through the hard, shaded area I did not feel so good, but in the end a win is a win and feels good.”

Alcott skied 1:19.25, 2.55 seconds quicker than second placed Pam Thorburn (24, Strathaven) while Louise Thomas (19, Guildford/Val d’Isere) won the best non-British team prize, taking third overall. Coming to the end of her first full time season Thomas finished 13th in the French Championships Giant Slalom last week. “I had hoped to put up a good challenge today and so I am pleased with the way I skied.” Said Thomas who is based in Val d’Isere where she works with her own coach and with the Club des Sports there.

The British Land National Ski Championship, Meribel, France. Results.Day 2: Super G

Men:
1	D Crawford	(Bearsden, Glasgow/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)	1:15.62
2	A Noble	(Edinburgh/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)	1:16.02
3	F Mickel	(Edinburgh/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)	1:16.47
4	N Baxter	(Aviemore/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)	1:16.65
5	D Ryding	(Lancs/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)	1:17.68
Women:
1	C Alcott	(Twickenham/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)	1:28.72
2	P Thorburn	(Strathaven/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)	1:30.18
3	L Sharp	(Glasgow/The British Land Alpine Ski Team)	1:30.90
4	S Readman	(Stirling/The British Home Nations Ski Team)	1:31.65
5	R O’Neill	(Kent/England Alpine Ski Team)	1:34.09.