The fantastic 2018/19 season for GB Snowsport got even better this week with a pair of crystal globes, a World Cup victory and there is more to come this weekend. Dave Ryding and Charlotte Bankes will be competing in their respective World Cup Finals, there is also World Cup action in para alpine and cross country while a trio of GB Alpine skiers are taking part in Europa Cup Finals.
PARA ALPINE
World Cup, La Molina ESP – Monday 11 to Saturday 16 March
The penultimate World Cup of the season is taking place in Spain with some impressive performances over the past week.
Menna Fitzpatrick and guide Jen Kehoe finished first and second in two of their giant slalom races, and today were third in the slalom.
Neil Simpson and guide Andrew Simpson finished fourth yesterday’s giant slalom and were second fastest in the second run today to claim another fourth place.
Both pairs conclude this week’s events with a final slalom race tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick and Kehoe received their Crystal Globes earlier this week for winning the overall World Cups in downhill and super G. They will also compete at the final World Cup of the season next week in Morzine.
Saturday’s World Cup slalom from La Molina is being streamed at https://www.youtube.com/user/ParalympicSportTV from 7:45am for the first run and 10:30am for the second run.
ALPINE SKIING
World Cup Finals, Soldeu AND – Sunday 17 March
Europa Cup Finals, Folgaria & Sella Nevea ITA – Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 March
In his final event before the Delancey GB Alpine Championships in April, Dave Ryding will take part in Sunday’s World Cup slalom final in Andorra on Sunday.
He is currently ranked eighth on the World Cup standings, hoping to maintain or improve on his career-best eighth from 2017.
In the Europa Cup Finals in Folgaria, Alex Tilley and Cara Brown will compete in tomorrow’s giant slalom with Charlie Guest lining up in Sunday’s slalom. Earlier in the week, Brown finished 19th in the super G held at Sella Nevea.
Meanwhile, at the Nor-Am Cup in Burke Mountain yesterday, Laurie Taylor sent down the fastest second run to finish third in the slalom.
Sunday’s World Cup Finals for slalom will be screened on Eurosport 1 from 9:15am (1st run) and Eurosport 2 from 12:05pm (2nd run).
CROSS COUNTRY
World Cup, Falun SWE – Saturday 16 to Sunday 17 March
Three members of the GB Cross Country team are lining up in Sweden this weekend for the second last World Cup of the season.
Andrew Musgrave, Andrew Young and James Clugnet have all scored fantastic results over the past few months and will be looking to qualify through to the top 30 and beyond in tomorrow’s skate sprint.
Young and Musgrave will also be in action in Sunday’s 15km free race.
Meanwhile at the Birkebeiner ski race in Norway, Annika Taylor finished won the ladies’ 54km classic race. Tomorrow Nichole Bathe will line up in the 54km skate.
Tomorrow’s World Cup sprint will be broadcast from the quarter-final stage with coverage commencing at 1:45pm on Eurosport 1. Sunday’s 15km will be on Eurosport 1 from 1:20pm.
SNOWBOARD CROSS
World Cup Finals, Veysonnaz SUI – Saturday 16 March
Charlotte Bankes will be looking to cap off her historic season with a strong result at tomorrow’s World Cup final in Switzerland.
The two-time Olympian has enjoyed a successful first season racing in GB colours, reaching the podium at the World Championships and is currently fourth on the World Cup rankings.
She has finished no worse than sixth in any World Cup race this season in addition to three Europa Cup wins and a silver medal at the World Championships.
MORE EVENTS
- Thomas Gerken Schofield, Makayla Gerken Schofield, Will Feneley and Wil Willis will be competing in the moguls Europa Cup in Airolo, Switzerland. Individual moguls are set for Sunday with a pair of dual moguls events on Monday and Tuesday.
- Kyle Wise and Chris Gregory competed at the snowboard cross Europa Cup in Sunny Valley, Russia earlier this week. Wise was 23rd in Wednesday’s race with Gregory 32nd, before finishing 22nd and 24th respectively on Thursday.
