Another GB World Cup Win Ahead Of Bumper Weekend Of Snowsport
Telemark skier Jasmin Taylor has kicked off a huge weekend of GB Snowsport action with her fifth World Cup victory today in France. She has another chance at success tomorrow, while there are also World Cups in Alpine, Cross Country, Ski Cross, Park+Pipe and Moguls, X-Games continue in Aspen and GB enters the world of Nordic Combined.
TELEMARK
World Cup, Pralognan-la-Vanoise FRA – Fri 25 to Sat 26 January
Jasmin Taylor has picked up GB Snowsport’s first World Cup victory of the season by taking out the ladies’ sprint in France. After carrying a 3.24sec lead into the second run, Taylor was able to hold on to her lead to win by 0.79sec from Switzerland’s Amelie Reymond and Beatrice Zimmerman. It is the first time Taylor has beaten Telemark legend Reymond who has 134 World Cup wins.
“It was a really good race,” said Taylor, after recording her fifth-career win. “[It was] quite stressful to be the last down on the second run but I tried to stay focused and it was enough.”
Taylor will be looking for more success in tomorrow’s classic race.
In the men’s sprint, Sion Bingham was the best-placed Brit in 23rd, ahead of Colin Dixon (27th), Magnus McIntosh (29th), Jack Emsley (30th), Ben Silva (31st) and Louis Hatchwell (DNF 1st run).
Tomorrow’s classic can be streamed live from 9:30am GMT at https://livestream.com/TeleHo
ALPINE
World Cup, Kitzbuhel AUT & Schladming AUT – Sat 26 & Tue 29 January
Dave Ryding created history at Kitzbuhel two years ago when he earned his maiden World Cup podium and after a strong run of form in January he will be targeting more success when he takes to the slalom course tomorrow.
Laurie Taylor will also be competing and targeting the top 30 for the first time in his World Cup career.
In what is the most-highly attended few days of racing throughout the season, the skiers will quickly move onto Schladming on Tuesday. Ryding finished 12th in Schladming last year with his best result coming the year prior when he backed up his second place at Kitzbuhel with a top 10 in ‘The Nightrace’.
The first run of the men’s slalom from Kitzbuhel will be broadcast on Eurosport Player from Saturday 8:20am GMT and replayed from 10:30am GMT on Eurosport 2. The second run will be broadcast on Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Player from 11:15am GMT.
Europa Cup, Zinal SUI – Mon 21 to Tue 22 January
Cara Brown competed in Monday’s Europa Cup giant slalom in Switzerland but recorded a DNF on the first run. She made it into the top 60 on Tuesday to score a second run, ultimately finishing 54th.
Europa Cup, Courchevel FRA – Wed 23 to Thu 24 January
Charlie Raposo scored his second-best career Europa Cup result on Wednesday when he finished 14th at Courchevel giant slalom on Wednesday. Unfortunately, he recorded a DNF on the second run in Thursday’s race.
PARK & PIPE
X-Games, Aspen USA – Thu 24 to Sun 27 January
Two of GB Park & Pipe’s leading skiers will showcase their skills at one of the sport’s iconic events when they compete at X-Games this week. James Woods and Izzy Atkin both stood on the podium last year at Aspen and are back chasing more glory.
Woods is a four-time X-Games medallist and has had recent success in Aspen where he won the big air in 2017 and finished third last year. He is on a run of three-straight fourth-place finishes in slopestyle but did claim bronze back in 2013.
Atkin returns to the X-Games for the third consecutive year and will be looking to emulate her podium-winning efforts from last January when she won silver just weeks before claiming Olympic bronze.
Following an injury to one of the 2018 top three, Woods received a free pass through last night’s slopestyle qualifications and is straight into Sunday’s final. Tonight will feature Atkin in the ladies’ slopestyle final and Woods in men’s big air qualifying. The men’s ski big air final will then take place in the early hours of Sunday (UK time) followed by the men’s ski slopestyle final on Sunday evening.
X-Games will be screened live on BT Sport-ESPN; the schedule is available at http://www.xgames.com/events/2019/aspen/schedule/inperson.
World Cup, Seiser Alm ITA – Thu 24 to Sun 27 January
Snowboarder Matt McCormick is guaranteed his best-ever World Cup result after a stunning effort in qualifying yesterday in Seiser Alm. The 21-year-old nailed a 85.75 score on his first run which was good enough for second place in his heat. That pushes him straight past the semi-final stage and directly into Saturday’s 12-man slopestyle final where he will definitely improve on his 17th in the Czech Republic two years ago.
In the ski slopestyle World Cup today, Sam Ward finished 12th in his heat and won’t progress through to Sunday’s semi-finals.
The finals of the slopestyle World Cup in Seiser Alm will be broadcast live on Eurosport Player from 11:20 am on Saturday (snowboard) and Sunday (freeski).
Junior World Championships, Leysin SUI – Sun 27 January
The freestyle skiing and snowboard Junior World Championships for halfpipe will be held in Switzerland this week with Connie Brogden flying the British flag.
Brogden, 17, finished 10th at the 2018 Junior Worlds in New Zealand and has recorded a handful of top 10 results in both slopestyle and halfpipe at Rev Tour events in December and January.
CROSS COUNTRY
World Cup, Ulricehamn SWE – Sat 26 January
Andrew Musgrave has his first competitive hit-out in three weeks tomorrow when he competes at the World Cup in Sweden.
The three-time Olympian has had a break from competition since the Tour de Ski but will tomorrow toe the start line in the 15km free at Ulricehamn. Musgrave has competed at the venue just once before when he finished sixth in a 15km free World Cup in 2017.
“I've got good memories from here from two years ago,” said Musgrave. “A good race, awesome atmosphere and great crowds. Fingers crossed for the same again tomorrow.”
After competing at the Norwegian Cup, Dresden World Cup and U23 World Championships in recent weeks, other members of the GB Cross Country squad are bypassing this event ahead of next week’s Norwegian national championships.
The men’s 15km free will be broadcast on the Eurosport Player
U23/Junior World Championships, Lahti FIN – Sun 20 to Fri 25 January
The World Under 23 and Junior World Cross Country Championships wrapped up for the British contingent today in Finland where James Clugnet recorded the squad’s best results with 31st in Monday’s U23 classic sprint and 55th in Wednesday’s 15km free.
Fellow U23 skier Hamish Wolfe was 70th in sprint qualifying and 76th in Wednesday’s 15km free. Under 20 skier Oliver Newman was 87th in Sunday’s classic sprint, 93rd in Tuesday’s 10km free and 63rd in yesterday’s 30km classic mass start.
SKI CROSS
World Cup, Blue Mountain CAN – Fri 25 to Sat 26 January
A trio of GB Ski Cross skiers will be in action later today at the World Cup in Blue Mountain, Canada.
PyeongChang Olympian Emily Sarsfield will be joined in the ladies’ qualifying by Emma Peters while Junior World Champion Ollie Davies is in action for the men.
Qualifying takes place today with the top 32 men and top 16 ladies moving into tomorrow’s knockout races.
Qualifying is scheduled to begin today at 5pm GMT with finals to be broadcast on Eurosport Player tomorrow from 4:50pm GMT.
Europa Cup, Lenk SUI – Thu 24 to Fri 25 January
While the World Cup skiers do action in Canada, the next tier of ski cross racers are showing their wares in Switzerland.
In yesterday’s Europa Cup race, Alannah Lawrie (18th) was the highest-finisher in the ladies’ race ahead of Faith Davie (19th) and Claire Winthrop (21st). Laurence Willows was 40th in the men’s race.
All four skiers improved their results in today’s races where Lawrie was 14th, Davie 15th and Winthrop 20th for the ladies while Willows was 38th in the men’s event.
MOGULS
World Cup, Tremblant CAN – Saturday 26 January
Strong recent performances are showing encouraging signs for GB Moguls ahead of the upcoming World Championships and tomorrow’s World Cup at Mont Tremblant brings more high hopes for the squad.
Max Willis and Thomas Gerken Schofield both achieved their best-ever individual World Cup moguls results in Lake Placid last week, while Makayla Gerken Schofield has earned her four best World Cup results in the past six weeks.
Wil Willis is lining up for his fifth event at the top level while 19-year-old Will Feneley is scheduled to make his World Cup debut.
Qualifying is scheduled to begin at Saturday 1:55pm GMT with finals to be broadcast on Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Player from 6pm GMT.
PARA ALPINE
World Championships, Kranjska Gora SLO & Sella Nevea ITA – Mon 21 Jan to Fri 1 February
The technical events from the 2019 World Para Alpine Championships have wrapped up in Kranjska Gora with Menna Fitzpatrick and guide Jen Kehoe coming away with slalom silver and giant slalom bronze.
Kelly Gallagher and guide Gary Smith finished fourth in both events, while young gun Neil Simpson and guide Jamie Robertson recorded DNFs in their races.
James Whitley earned two top 10s in the standing categories.
The speed events will commence in Italy on Tuesday.
NORDIC COMBINED
Youth Cup, Trondheim NOR – Sat 26 to Sun 27 January
Mani Cooper will create a slice of history tomorrow when she becomes Britain’s first female athlete to compete in a FIS nordic combined event.
The 15-year-old who is based in Austria will take part in the Youth Cup event in Norway over the coming days and is considered a bright prospect for the future.
