Britain Wins First Ever Olympic Alpine Skiing Gold

Almost a century to the day from the start of the first winter Olympics in Chamonix, Britain’s 16 year old Zak Carrick-Smith has won our first ever Olympic Alpine Skiing Gold.

Zak is competing at the fourth Youth Olympic Games, currently underway at Gangwon in South Korea.

He won his gold in the Combined event, racing Super G and Slalom. Zak was lying in 26th place after the Super G but climbed up an incredible 26 places with a sensational slalom run, to win by 0.13 seconds overall.

Zak is the son of four-time Olympian Emma Carrick-Anderson and former English ski champion Phil Smith who, among other things, run Snoworks ski training courses.

Emma and Phil have been training their three sons, who include Zak’s twin brother Freddy who is due to compete in the Junior World Championships in France later this month and older brother Luca, to be ski racers for many years.

“Our whole team have worked like crazy for many years now and what Zak and his brothers have achieved recently is just an accumulation of a huge love for the sport, hard work, drive and daily commitment,” Emma posted on social media.

Zak’s win came less than 24 hours after Britain had three ski racers place in the top 20 for the first ever time in a World Cup race at the Kitzbuhel Hahnenkamm Slalom.

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IMAGE TOP CREDIT OIS JOEL MARKUND