Across the Board - 05.12.07
Snowsports Stamp Out Drugs
There is no place for drugs in sport, and winter sports are
no exception.
Snowsport GB is one of the first sports in the UK to fully
induct all World Cup athletes onto the World Anti-Doping Agency's
(WADA) new Anti-Doping Administration Management System (ADAMS),
which is provided through UK Sport and requires athletes to
provide daily details of where they are for out of competition
testing.
British athletes are among the first in the world to use
the online ADAMS system. There are four core functions of
ADAMS
Snowsport GB Charity Ball 2008
February 12th 2008 sees Snowsport GB hold a Charity Ball at
London's Dorchester Hotel. HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
will be in attendance at the prestigious event which aims
to raise funds for the British Alpine Ski and Snowboard teams
to assist in their quest for success at the 2010 Vancouver
Winter Olympic Games.
The charity ball will also raise funds for the British Adaptive
Ski Team through the charity Disability Snowsport UK which
aims to increase the opportunities, fitness and skills of
people with disabilities, and to identify and nurture the
potential of young athletes.
A glittering crowd is expected
James Foster, Fighting Fit
James Foster is currently concentrating on the ever-closer
2010 Winter Olympics. Representing Great Britain, the Canadian-born
rider is fighting fit to shine in the Snowboardcross events,
following surgery on a persistent shoulder injury.
No newcomer to winter sports, Foster began skiing at the
age of four, moving to become a rider at the age of 12. At
26, the globe-trotting James Foster now lives in Painswick,
Gloucestershire.
Foster, with a current World Cup standing of 51, is the first
British Snowboardcross rider to have qualified for the World
Cup finals. After four years without competing in a Snowboardcross
event, James entered the Saas Fee Kaprun event in November
2006 coming 39th out of 130 riders, a respectable reintroduction
to competition, which is sure to build his confidence in training
for the Olympics.
Foster's current dream of representing Great Britain is a
far cry from his childhood aspirations of being a fighter
pilot - although we're sure some would argue being a rider
can be just as exciting!
We'll keep you updated on how James performs throughout the
season. We are sure he has something special to give us at
the 2010 Olympics.
Britain's Indoor Winter Wonderlands
Why not try practicing your snowboarding skills at one of
the UK SNO!Zones at Braehead, Milton Keynes or Castleford,
part of the Xscape leisure facility. If you're not included
in the world rankings of professional snowboarding or can't
whisk yourself off to the dizzy heights of the Alps this winter,
then don't worry. Having just played host to the Quiksilver
British Indoor Big Air Championships, Braehead SNO!Zone is
the UK's premier indoor real snow slope.
SNO!Zone is sponsoring the British Junior Snowboard Squad
and the athletes have unlimited access to all three facilities
in the UK. In partnership with Snowsport GB they have set
up the Rookie Academy with two training sessions a month -
a coaching scheme designed for the British Junior Squad to
allow them to train whilst in the UK and also to help develop
young riders into future British Junior Squad members
Freestyle
Ski Cross
 Former
Australian World Cup Ski Cross athlete Sarah Sauvey is set
to represent Great Britain this season, having successfully
changed her FIS nation to Great Britain during the summer.
As both of Sarah's parents are English and holders of British
passports, the switch was a relatively natural and logical
step to take.
Sarah has been competing at international level since she
was 15. She was State and Australian National junior champion
in both Slalom and Giant Slalom by the age of 17 and in 2003
became National Open Slalom Champion as well as junior champion
in both events. She made the switch to Ski Cross in 2005 after
competing in the discipline at the 2005 World University Games
and discovered that she absolutely loved it.
Currently ranked 23rd in the World
Moguls
Great Britain Moguls athletes are delighted to welcome a
new team manager, Will Brannon. Will, who comes from a professional
coaching background, brings a wealth of knowledge and experience
and will be a major boost to the structure, organisation and
future development of the British team.
Britiain's number one female moguls skier, Ellie Koyander,
is all set for an exciting season ahead. Having already spent
10 weeks training on the Mount Hood glacier in Oregon, and
completing six weeks of pre-competition training
Channel 4 the World Cup
As mentioned in the last edition of Across the Board, Channel
4 will showcase the 2007 Snowboard World Cup every Saturday
morning from 3.20am. (So if you're not up, be sure to set
your recorders!).
* To help keep track of the World Cup, the writers of Across
the Board have provided every reader with a timetable for
the Channel 4 coverage right through to March 2008. Be sure
to watch out for the British Snowboard Teams progress in the
Half Pipe, Snowboardcross and Big Air events. We expect great
things!
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