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Anderson takes fourth GB Alpine Championships podium, Guigonnet named British Combined Champ

Amid more tricky conditions, Jessica Anderson bagged her fourth podium of the GB Alpine Championships and Ed Guigonnet was named British Men’s Combined Champion

With slope conditions in Tignes remaining challenging, Jess Anderson navigated a tricky Giant Slalom contest to take third place in the Women’s Giant Slalom National Championships, and with it her fourth podium of the week. One of four Brits to make the top-10, with Daisi Daniels, Abi Bruce, and Lois Jackson taking fifth, eighth and ninth spots respectively, Anderson’s time of 2:04.93 saw her slot in behind Annie Farquet of Switzerland and French skier Louison Accambray in second and first spots.

The result saw Anderson take the Ski Club of Great Britain Challenge Cup, while the Ladies Ski Club Open Challenge Cup and the Gordon Skiers Cup were shared by Candice Bromberg and Charlotte Holmes, who both notched times of 2:09.52. Anderson was also confirmed as the Women’s Combined Champion, taking the Lillywhite Gretton Trophy, with Lois Jackson and Daisi Daniels in second and third, while she also received the DHO Challenge Trophy.

The race was also significant away from the piste, as an all female Hill Team managed the Women’s GS, with Kirsty Crawford as Chief of Race, Christy Mackinnon as Referee, Stiliani Chroni the Technical Delegate, Alexandra Jubb as Start Ref, and Andrea Grant the Finish Ref.

Speaking afterwards, Anderson said:

“It wasn’t my best skiing today, but in the difficult conditions I fought for the finish, and I’m pretty proud of that, and it’s nice to hold onto the DHO Challenge Trophy too!”

The Men’s Slalom race felt the worst of the day’s conditions, with an all-French podium of Leo Anguenot, August Aulnette, and Guerlain Favre managing a course which saw more than 50 skiers fail to finish to take the top three spots. The highest British finisher, Rob Poth, skied brilliantly to take eighth place, just over 2.00 back from Anguenot’s winning time, taking the National Ski Union Cup in the process.

Poth said:

“As always, it’s a bit of a fight in Tignes with these conditions. It was pretty brutal! I felt like I skied okay, I know I’m skiing quite well currently. First run was a bit squeaky bum time, to be honest, but I put one down and knew that the second run was just about getting in the track and fighting all the way down. Halfway down it was a little bit sketchy and I could hear the coaches shouting at me to hurry up.

“Defending the [National Ski Union Cup] title means a lot. I tried to not really think about it and just treat it like any other race. I felt like I dealt with the pressure, and I’m super happy to get my name on it second time running.”

Courtesy of his 17th place finish, Ed Guigonnet took the Fedden Cup for the British Combined title ahead of Owen Vinter and Toby Jennings, as well as the British Victoria Ludorum British Land Company Trophy.

Guigonnet said:

“The whole week’s been different with the conditions and today was complete chaos with the weather. I just tried to focus on my skiing and not on the race. Winning the Combined was quite a good surprise – there’s some big names on that trophy, so it’s quite impressive to be there for the next year!”

The McLeod Trophies were taken by Toby Jennings and Charlotte Holmes in the Men’s and Women’s categories respectively, with Jennings also awarded the Spence Trophy and the Schools Abroad Trophy, and Holmes the Inghams Hotel Plan Trophy. The Baird Trophy, meanwhile, went to Samuel Todd-Saunders.

Header Image: Giant Slalom Jess Anderson at the 2022 GB Alpine Championships in Tignes, France, March 2022. Photo: GB Snowsport/ Amelia Steele