Snowsport GB Newsletter Vol. 05
Alpine
While the results for the top world cup skiers have varied
between the very promising and the disappointing, it has also
been a frustrating season so far for other members of The
British Land Alpine Ski Team and the development team.
Christmas and New Year leaves little time for a break for
the athletes and coaches. All have been determined to make
the most of what little snow there was and the few races which
did take place. But, short as it may be, it does present a
timely opportunity to take stock of early season form.“Chemmy
has been very encouraging in some races, but there have been
some disappointments too.” Explains British Land Alpine
Team head coach Mark Tilston, “Val d'Isere in particular
was disappointing. In general there were some gliding issues
early on, but I think they are behind her. She is certainly
on the up and up. Most recently her giant slalom (GS) has
been very encouraging too, and the thing to remember is that
she always been a good giant slalom skier. Now it is going
well because she has the time andopportunity to ski giant
slalom. The problem before was that GS was worse for her feet,
but now they are holding up really well.Her programme with
Monaco is! also working well and the girls get on well together
and are making results which is important.
Finlay was disappointing in North America and Canada. I feel
he was just never on top of it there, not confident and not
attacking. Val Gardena was good but Bormio was very poor with
a lack of confidence, but the conditions were bumpier and
quicker than before. His focus has changed in that now he
is looking to be a top downhill skier and that has changed
from simply ensuring he has the right fundamental solid technical
skiing to do the job, now he has to be prepared to ski taking
the right risks. World Cup Slalom is difficult for the Men
at the moment with just one world cup spot."
A second spot requires one of the British World Cup Slalom
men to get back inside the world's top 60 on the World Cup
Start List, which is a tough ask since neither Alain nor Noel
Baxter have made world cup Slalom points this season. Practically
that has meant that there have now been two three way race
offs for the spot,and so far Noel has held the upper hand
relatively conclusively.
Alain will race this weekend in Wengen. Noel was very close
to the top 30 in Adelboden but further out in Altabadia. Noel
has been skiing well in Slalom, technically strong but now
spreading his challenge across the Super Combined, Giant Slalom
and Slalom has meant he is no longer concentrating just on
Slalom training, but Tilston is convinced that while Slalom
progress may slow temporarily the medium to longterm benefits
are in each discipline:
“I am not a believer in concentrating in one discipline.
It is about
improving the feeling from the skis, the balance and the adaptability
and I think that is where some of our skiers have struggled
in the past. It is something we will work on with Finlay,
being adaptable to all courses, and varieties of turns. It
is a slightly wider approach. But meantime for Noel I think
it is about him getting that one result and then it will come.
Andy Noble made some solid results in Finland at the start
of the season and is also following this multi disciplinary
approach, indeed it is the same for all of them other than
Alain and Fin. Alain remains remarkably positive considering
the position he is in. He still knows he can make results,
and is certainly looking back at the missed opportunities
last year. He has taken on a lot more responsibility for his
direction, but it is tough for him not getting the starts
at the moment.”
James Leuzinger has remained relatively inconsistent. The
biggest problem recently has been getting races and good training
due to the lack of snow: "It has just been very complex
getting guys in snow, for example finding good GS training,
just a constant juggling act."
Women's team coach Alex Hosp has been replaced with Duncan
Freshwater now working alongside Boris Gruden.
”I am pleased Duncan is helping because it should really
help improve the communicationsand understanding, using a
coach whose first language is English, but the Women’sprogramme
is quite close in terms of needs at the moment so from that
point ofview then we are quite fortunate.”
As far as World Championships selection goes at the moment
it looks like being just the established world cup skiers.
Andy Noble needs another good result imminently to cement
a place which is marginal at the moment Selection to the team
for the World Champs is one thing but there will also be a
GS qualifying race in Are to secure entry to the main event.
Only 75 starters willbe allowed in.
Snowboard
The British Snowboard Team are ready to compete in the 2007
Snowboard World Championships, to be held in Arosa, Switzerland.
Competing at the 7th FIS World Snowboard Championships will
be Snowboard Cross hopefuls Zöe Gillings, James Foster
and Nick Dudar and Olympian Dan Wakeham, Ben Kilner, Sam Cullum,
Angus Leith and Lesley McKenna will compete in the Half Pipe.
The Snowboard cross finals are held on Sunday 14th January
with the Half Pipe finals closing the Championships on Saturday
20th January 2007.
European Youth Olympics
The British Olympic Association (BOA) have announced the athletes
selected to represent Team GB at the 8th European Youth Olympic
Winter Festival (EYOWF) in Jaca, Spain from 18th -23rd February.
The 2007 EYOWF will see over 1200 athletes from 40 European
countries assembled to compete in six different winter sports.
The 21 strong British team will compete in four sports: Alpine
Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Figure Skating and Snowboarding.
The full team can be following the link TeamGB.
For almost all the competitors, aged between 14 and 17. It
will be the first opportunity to experience a multi-sport
event and a chance to savour the atmosphere of an Olympic
Village and Olympic competition.
Mark England, Team GB's EYOWF Chef de Mission, said:
"We recognize the importance of participating in these
prestigious events for the development of future Team GB athletes.
We are delighted to be taking such a promising squad to Jaca
in February which demonstrates Great Britain, developing strength
across a range of Winter Sports."
British Championships
Entry to the British Land National Ski Championships senior
and junior championships is now open. More information and
entry forms can be found on the snowsportgb website under
British Championships.
As in 2005 the British Adaptive Ski Team will be participating
in the senior event.
Other News
Jason Cockburn has decided to leave the post of Chief Executive
of SnowsportGB and make a return to industry at the end of
the current season. Commenting on his decision Jason states:
"It has been a great pleasure holding the post of CEO
for the last three seasons however I have decided that the
time is right to seek fresh challenges and pass the baton
on to someone new. I would like to thank the Board for their
tremendous support during my tenure."
Oliver Jones, Chairman of SnowsportGB commented:
"Jason has made many significant and positive differences
to the operations of the Federation during his time with us
and we have seen many important milestones achieved as a result.
We are very sorry that he will be leaving us, but wish him
every success in his new commercial sector role. The appointment
process for a new CEO is now underway and we are delighted
that Jason will continue to be with us for the remainder of
the season and will continue to support us in ensuring a seamless
transition to his successor."
FIS have announced the cancellation of races in Chamonix
that were scheduled for the weekend of 20th-21st January.
These will be rescheduled to Val D'Isere on the original dates.
Lord Moynihan, Chairman of the British Olympic Association
has expressed how impressed he was to see at first hand the
strength and depth we have in talented young skiers when he
recently attended the BARSC races in Les Menuires, France
( More)
Mark Tilston, Head Coach, of the British Ski Team has announced
captain's for the British Ski Team. Noel Baxter will be captain
of the Men's team with Chemmy Alcott captaining the Ladies
team.
Entries are now being taken for the re-scheduled Welsh Alpine
Championships, in Champery, Switzerland on 7th and 8th March
2007. For more information please go to the Snowsport Wales
website, www.snowsportwales.net
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