Brits’ strong start to season continues with impressive Slalom and Cross-Country performances

British snowsport athletes’ impressive early-season form continued with the Men’s Slalom and Cross-Country teams banking some impressive results in Gurgl and Beitostoelen this weekend

Men’s Slalom team deliver flying start in Gurgl

The Men’s Slalom World Cup season got off to a flying start in Gurgl, as Dave Ryding, Billy Major, and Laurie Taylor all made the second run of the season’s first Men’s Slalom race on a highly technically challenging piste.

After a first run which saw Ryding land the second fastest top section in the competition before qualifying in 15th spot with Major in 24th and Taylor in 28th, the Brits put down some sensational skiing in the second run. Ryding’s efforts were enough to see him finish in fourth, just 0.01s behind the all-Austrian podium while Major banked a World Cup personal best with 16th spot including the fourth fastest second run in the competition. Taylor meanwhile straddled for a DNF having looked in superb form.

The final standings leave the British team in a stunning fourth spot in the overall Men’s Slalom World Cup standings after the first race of the season, and cements the reputation of the World Cup team as serious contenders among the world’s best Slalom fields.

Musgrave lands another podium in Beitostoelen FIS races

The first Cross Country races of the season for the British team also saw a superb podium for Andrew Musgrave in the FIS 10km Classic in Beitostoelen, for the 21st podium of the 33-year-old’s career. Coming in behind the Norwegian pair of Erik Valnes and Emil Iversen, Musgrave was one of only two non-Norwegians in the top-10, alongside Frenchman Hugo Lapels in ninth place.

20-year-old Gabriel Gledhill, competing in only his fifth season on the international circuit, came inside the top-10 in the u23 category for an overall 53rd place finish demonstrating the potential which has seen him spoken about as a prospective future star of the sport.