Weekend Wrap: Tilley Leads GB Charge
GB Snowsport athletes saw international action in World Cup, Europa Cup and FIS competitions across a range of disciplines over the weekend throughout Austria, Norway, Canada and the United States.
FIS Alpine World Cup, Lake Louise CAN & Killington USA – Sat 24-Sun 25 November
For the third straight year, Alex Tilley finished 21st in the giant slalom World Cup at Killington, Vermont on Saturday.
The 25-year-old started in bib 26 and surged up the leaderboard to sit in 16th after the first run. While she lost some time on the second run, her combined time was just 0.54sec off the top ten.
On Sunday Tilley competed in the slalom World Cup but recorded a DNF in the top section of the first run.
In Canada, Jack Gower was also in World Cup action at Lake Louise contesting the speed events.
On Saturday the 24-year-old finished at the back of the 69-strong field in the downhill event, but improved to a career-best World Cup result of 48th in Sunday’s super G.
** Dave Ryding and Laurie Taylor will line up for midweek Europa Cup slalom races in Levi, Finland on Thursday and Friday while a contingent of GB Alpine squad members are off to China ahead of Far East Cup races in early December.
Ski+Snowboard Cross Europa Cup, Pitztal AUT – Fri 23-Thu 29 November
A strong contingent of GB Ski+Snowboard Cross squad members are in Austria for a series of races in Pitztal which commenced late last week and run through until Thursday.
The Ski Cross races wrapped up yesterday and it was PyeongChang Olympian Emily Sarsfield who led the British charge. Sarsfield made it through qualifying for both of her races, eventually finishing 18th in the Austrian National Championship on Saturday before recording 24th place in yesterday’s Europa Cup.
World Junior Champion Ollie Davies was the best-placed British skier in the men’s events, finishing 50th in the National Championship on Friday and 37th in Sunday’s Europa Cup.
Focus now shifts to snowboard cross with a pair of Europa Cup races on Wednesday and Thursday. The fields will be stacked with World Cup talent including Charlotte Bankes who will compete in GB colours for the first time after changing nations from France last week.
Cross Country Norwegian Cup, Gaalaa NOR – Fri 23-Sun 25 November
While the 2018/19 World Cup was kicking off in Finland, the GB Cross Country team elected to take on the Norwegian Cup in Gaalaa.
In Friday’s free skate, Annika Taylor raced to a top ten finish (9th) while Nichole Bathe was 15th. Andrew Musgrave flew the flag in the men’s event where he finished 20th.
On Saturday, Taylor just missed out on a place in the semi-finals to finish 14th while Bathe was 21st. In the men’s event, James Clugnet (18th) and Andrew Young (27th) both qualified from the prologue into the heats but were unable to fight their way into the top 12.
Bathe claimed the team’s second top ten in yesterday’s classic race where she finished ninth, around 30 seconds off the podium, while Annika Taylor earned her third top 20 of the weekend (19th). In the men’s race Young was 55th and Clugnet 85th.
GB Cross Country opens its World Cup season in Lillehammer this week with the stage World Cup featuring the sprint on Friday and free skate on Saturday before Sunday’s classic pursuit.
