Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest seal double Crystal Globes from stunning season
Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest concluded a golden 2023-24 season with a scarcely believable 12 World Cup podiums and a brace of Crystal Globes to cement their position as one of the strongest pairings in Visually Impaired Para Alpine skiing.
An overall haul of four Gold, three Silver, and five Bronze World Cup medals saw the pair clinch the Super-G Crystal Globe outright and share the Downhill Crystal Globe, while also taking third in the overall standings, third in Giant Slalom and fourth in Slalom.
Opening their account with Silver and Gold at the St Moritz Downhill World Cups in December, Fitzpatrick and Guest remained consistent right through the season, taking their final podiums of the year in Sella Nevea’s World Cup finals with Slalom Bronze and and Giant Slalom Silver.
Mia Brookes and Zoe Atkin brought their A Games to X Games 2024, while there were Para Alpine podiums to celebrate in Veysonnaz
Brookes and Atkin take Gold and Silver in Aspen
Mia Brookes and Zoe Atkin continued Britain’s proud record at X Games with medals in Freestyle Snowboard Slopestyle and Freeski Superpipe at the 2024 edition of the contest.
Brookes, the second youngest athlete at the invitational event, got the Games off to a stunning start with victory in the Women’s Freestyle competition. Such was Brookes’ dominance of the event that any of her three runs would have scored highly enough to take victory, with flawless rail sections, a Cab 12 on her highest scoring run, and a Cab 14 on her final run.
In the Women’s Freeski Superpipe, Zoe Atkin delivered a super clean display of Halfpipe skiing that included the highest amplitude recorded on the night to take Silver behind Eileen Gu, and back up the Gold medal that she won at X Games 2023.
British interest rounded out with a solid fourth place finish for Brookes in the Freestyle Snowboard Big Air competition.
Fitzpatrick and Guest take Para Alpine Podiums in Veysonnaz
Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest added two more World Cup podiums and two FIS podium to their season tally in a busy week of competition in Veysonnaz. Bronze medals in World Cup Giant Slalom and Super G races were followed with Gold and Silver in FIS Super G competitions to round out a successful week of racing in the Swiss resort.
In the Women’s Seated classification, Shona Brownlee was also in action with a pair of fifth place finishes.
Taylor adds fifth podium of season in Melchsee-Frutt
Jaz Taylor’s remarkable Telemark World Cup campaign continued with a fifth podium of the season in the Melchsee-Frutt Classic World Cup. With third place in the first of the weekend’s competition, Taylor secured her first Classic podium since March 2022, further consolidating top spot in the Telemark overall rankings, where she sits 135 points clear of France’s Lily Chaucheprat. In the Men’s competition, Timote Gough was also in action, with 14th place in the Classic the pick of his results.
And the rest…
In Ski Cross, Ollie Davies made it through to the 1/8 Finals stages at the St. Moritz World Cup to take 20th spot while Scott Johns, on World Cup debut, finished in 58th place. The St. Moritz Snowboard Cross World Cup saw Charlotte Bankes finish just outside the top-10 with an 11th place finish, while Huw Nightingale took 55th spot.
In Moguls, Makayla Gerken Schofield continued their comeback from a knee injury with 22nd place in the Waterville World Cup, while Mateo Jeannesson finished 24th in the Dual Moguls event.
In Cross-Country, James Clugnet sealed his best World Cup result of the season with 20th place in the Sprint F World Cup in Goms and 26th in the 20km F Mass Start, with Andrew Musgrave finishing 12th in the latter.
A record-breaking weekend saw British skiers and snowboarders take eight World Cup podiums
Brookes takes bronze, secures Crystal Globe
The weekend’s first podium arrived with Mia Brookes taking bronze at the Copper Mountain Big Air World Cup, and securing with it the Freestyle Snowboard Big Air Crystal Globe.
A score of 155.75 was enough to propel Brookes into the podium positions, behind Japan’s Kokomo Murase and Mari Fukada in first and second spot. The result, with Reira Iwabuchi finishing in fifth, was enough to confirm Brookes’ Crystal Globe title with three podiums in four Big Air World Cup competitions this season.
Musgrave’s superb silver
Andrew Musgrave secured his best ever World Cup result and matched Britain’s highest finish in Cross-Country World Cup competition with a breathtaking second place finish at the Trondheim Skiathlon World Cup.
Coming into the weekend’s competitions in a rich vein of form with four top-10s under his belt already, Musgrave delivered a near flawless display of Cross-Country skiing to finish in 43:51.4 just 0.7s behind race winner, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. The result gave Musgrave his third World Cup podium, after third place finishes in Toblach in 2017 and Beitostolen in 2022.
Fitzpatrick and Guest strike Gold (and Silver)
Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest ensured the start to the Para Alpine season would be a memorable one, with silver and gold medal finishes in back-to-back Para Alpine Downhill World Cup races in St. Moritz.
After a hugely encouraging showing on day one of competition which yielded an excellent second place, Fitzpatrick and Guest stepped up a gear to take victory on the second day of racing, finishing ahead of South Korea’s Sara Choi and Sanghyun Jung, and Slovakia’s Alexandra Rexova and Hugo Rybar.
Atkin and Muir bank Freeski Bronzes
The Copper Mountain Freeski World Cup saw further bronze medal performances from Kirsty Muir (Freeski Big Air) and Zoe Atkin (Freeski Halfpipe), taking the overall British tally from the competition to three third place finishes.
In her first World Cup of the season, Atkin skied superbly to qualify in first before delivering a highly technical performance to secure the fourth World Cup podium of her career and her second in Copper Mountain.
Muir showed enormous bravery and grit to overcome a nasty looking fall in the second jump of the Freeski Big Air finals to ensure she also secured bronze and a fourth career World Cup podium finish. An overall score of 173.75 was enough to confirm third place, behind France’s Tess Ledeux and Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland.
Double Golds for Jaz Taylor
Telemark sensation Jaz Taylor took the 46th and 47th World Cup podiums of her career, and her first race victories since March 2022, with a brace of stunning Sprint victories in the Pinzolo Telemark World Cup.
The results further cement Taylor’s standing as the pre-eminent Telemark skier of her generation, and as one of the finest British snowsport athletes of all time.
Jeannesson in top-10 again
Mateo Jeanneasson‘s excellent early season form continued in the Alpe d’Huez Moguls World Cup with a ninth place finish giving him a second top-10 of the season. Backing up his stunning sixth place in Ruka with 12th in Idre Fjall, Jeannesson once again made finals with a superb score of 73.58 at the iconic French venue, making him the youngest athlete in the top-10.
Mixed weekend for Snowboard Cross team
Charlotte Bankes and Huw Nightingale endured a mixed weekend at the Cervinia Snowboard Cross World Cup, but nevertheless took a commendable fifth place finish in the Mixed Team event to follow their victory in the previous Team World Cup in Les Deux Alpes.
Individual World Cup races saw Nightingale finish in 31st and Bankes in 21st positions.
Guest takes another Europa Cup top-10
Charlie Guest took her second Slalom Europa Cup top-10 finish in a week with seventh place in the Valle Aurina/Ahrntal EC on Saturday, having finished eighth in Mayrhofen the previous week.
World Cup debuts for Carr, Gledhill, and Holden
Amid the good news from this weekend’s performances, there was more to celebrate with World Cup debuts for Cali Carr (Moguls), Gabriel Gledhill (Cross-Country), and Gidget Holden (Freestyle Snowboard Halfpipe).
Fitzpatrick and guide Katie Guest follow silver with superb gold
Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest ensured the St. Moritz double header Downhill World Cup would end in glory with a. superb first place finish in the second of the weekend’s two Downhill contests.
Coming off the back of a hugely encouraging second place showing yesterday, the British pair put in an excellent showing to finish 2.42s clear of South Korea’s Sara Choi and Sanghyun Jung in second place, with Alexandra Rexova and Hugo Rybar taking third.
The result rounds out an excellent first weekend of the Para Alpine World Cup season, and adds a seventh podium to an astonishing weekend for British skiers and snowboarders.
Para Alpine Head Coach, Ally Brown, said:
“Menna and Katie proving that hard work and a positive attitude pays off! After a result like this, there needs to be a big thanks to the coaching team: Peter, Liam, Eilidh, and Kate.”
Downhill silver adds to Fitzpatrick and Guest’s remarkable record
Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest got the Para Alpine season off to an excellent start with silver in the St. Moritz Downhill World Cup.
Fitzpatrick and Guest’s finished 1.70s behind the Slovakian pair of Alexandra Rexova and Hugo Rybar, with South Korea’s Sara Choi and Sanghyun Jung in third. The race marks the first in a Downhill double-header in St. Moritz, with the second race set for tomorrow.
Menna spoke of her pride at the performance, saying:
“For me today’s race was all about building confidence in speed and especially in downhill so I’m super proud of our performance today and Katie couldn’t have done a better job. Can’t wait to give it another go tomorrow.”
Ally Brown, Para Alpine Head Coach, said:
“I am really pleased for Menna, not just because of the podium but because of how she skied. It really reflects the hard work that Menna puts in, the excellent guiding from Katie and the hard work that the coaching team has put in to help Menna perform. It is a great foundation to lay at the beginning of the season and the most exciting thing is that I know that there is much more to come from Menna and Katie.”
GB Snowsport has today confirmed the selection of 14 athletes to the Para Alpine, Para Nordic, and Para Snowboard squads ahead of the coming season.
A ten-athlete Para Alpine squad featuring luminaries of the sport Menna Fitzpatrick and Neil Simpson is joined by a returning three-person Para Snowboard team, with Scott Meenagh named as the sole representative of the Para Nordic squad.
Fitzpatrick and Simpson are named alongside Shona Brownlee, Alex Slegg, Michael Kear, and VI Guides Katie Guest, Andrew Simpson, Rob Poth, Adam Hall, and Louise Harrison in a Para Alpine squad rich in experience and success over recent seasons.
The Para Snowboard squad remains unchanged from last season, with James Barnes-Miller, Ollie Hill, and Nina Sparks seeking to build on a series of high-grade performances last year which returned multiple World Cup and World Championships podiums across the team.
Scott Meenagh, meanwhile, returns in the Para Nordic squad having made history last season with a first ever World Championships medal, delivering on the rich promise that British Para Nordic skiing has shown throughout the past few years.
GB Snowpsort Para Programme Manager, James Redpath, said:
“The stability and success of our Para Snowsport squads has been really clear over recent seasons, and that’s reflected in the growing list of race and competition victories held by athletes named in these squads today.
“This is a really important season for all of our athletes, many of whom will have ambitions to compete at the next Paralympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina in 2026, and I’d like to congratulate all of them alongside their coaching and support teams for their selections today.”
With pre-season training underway and a number of athletes making their way back from injury, the countdown to the season is on with the first Para Snowboard World Cup scheduled for Landgraaf in late November, while the Para Alpine World Cup season is slated to begin in Steinach am Brenner in mid-December. The Para Nordic calendar is expected to be confirmed shortly.
Full Squad Lists
Para Alpine
- Shona Brownlee
- Menna Fitzpatrick
- Katie Guest (Guide)
- Adam Hall (Guide)
- Louise Harrison (Guide – Invitational)
- Michael Kear
- Rob Poth (Guide)
- Andrew Simpson (Guide)
- Neil Simpson
- Alex Slegg
Para Nordic
- Scott Meenagh
Para Snowboard
- James Barnes-Miller
- Ollie Hill
- Nina Sparks
We look forward to working with Phil Smith in the build-up to the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games
GB Snowsport are delighted with the news of ParalympicsGB’s appointment of Phil Smith as Chef de Mission of the British team for the Milan-Cortina Paralympic Winter Games,
Phil, who has built strong relationships with members of the GB Snowsport Paralympic discipline squads, held the same role at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games and has been a staunch supporter of British Paralympic skiers and snowboarders throughout his time at ParalympicsGB.
We look forward to working with Phil again in the coming years, and hope to enjoy more positive results at the Milan-Cortina Games following the significant successes seen in Beijing.
Find out more about Phil Smith’s appointment from the British Paralympic Association here.
Millie Knight, Britain’s greatest ever Paralympic Downhill Skier, announces retirement
Britain’s greatest ever Paralympic Downhill Skier, and 4-time Paralympic Medallist, Millie Knight, has announced she is retiring from the sport marking the end of a remarkable and inspirational career.
Millie Knight aged 24 from Canterbury, Kent, who lost the majority of the sight due to an infection age 6, discovered skiing shortly afterwards while on holiday in Meribel, France. She took up the sport seriously in 2012 after contacting Disability Snowsport UK and was initially being ski-guided by her mother.
At just 15, Millie became the youngest British athlete to compete in the Winter Paralympics in 2014 and was also named Great Britain’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony in Sochi, marking the start of her meteoric rise to becoming a world-class Paralympian and talisman in the sport.
Working with guide Brett Wild since 2016, Millie Knight has amassed an impressive collection of accolades including 4 Paralympic Medals, 2 World Championship titles and several World Cup victories. Her dedication, perseverance, and sheer talent have made her a role model for aspiring athletes, both with and without disabilities.
Millie’s impact extends beyond her own sport, raising awareness about the incredible abilities of athletes with disabilities. Millie has spoken very openly about the affects her concussion had on her journey to Paralympic success. Her resilience in the face of adversity and her commitment to achieving her dreams has inspired many to overcome their own challenges and pursue their passions.
A year away from competitive racing due to injury led to the discovery of a new passion for Millie, the sport of Karate. Millie has achieved remarkable success in this new pursuit, including the prestigious title of Commonwealth Karate Champion and participation in the European Championships. She is currently preparing for her first Karate World Championships at the end of this October.
Beyond sport Millie is actively working towards finishing her degree at the Open University where she is writing her dissertation on concussion in sport and plans to start a master’s in Physiotherapy next year with the hope to eventually work in sport again.
Millie said:
“Looking back at my skiing journey, it’s almost overwhelming, from my early days on the British ski team to winning 4 Paralympic medals with Brett. Becoming GB’s first Snowsports World Champions in 2017 was an incredible achievement, one I wish I could remember more vividly but my memory was affected by a concussion. Winning our first-ever Paralympic medal was the most sensational feeling and one I will cherish forever. Going on to win two more medals was far beyond our wildest expectations. Turning a disappointing fourth place finish in training to a Bronze medal the following day in the Downhill at the Beijing Paralympics was an unbelievable and perfect way to end my career.
“After Beijing, Brett announced his retirement from the sport, which was devastating as we had an incredible seven years skiing together and built up the most fantastic partnership and one that would be difficult to replace. A leg injury also led to a year away from racing, during which I found a new passion in Karate, and I’m delighted to also announce my selection for the 2023 World Karate Championships.
“I want to end my skiing career on a high note and on my terms. The idea of finding a new guide was daunting, and I’ve also had my share of crashes which take their toll physically and mentally. It’s not an easy decision, but one I’ve made with a sense of peace and optimism.
“I hope to continue to inspire people with disabilities to discover sport, find their passions and realise the positive impacts of physical activity on physical and mental health. I also want to help raise awareness around the dangers of concussion in sport and especially in skiing.
“Thank you so much to Brett, my family, my friends, the National Lottery, The British Paralympic Association, GB Snowsport, the charity Get Kids Going, my sponsors, and everyone who has helped me along the way, I couldn’t have done this without you!”
GB Snowsport Head Coach, Pat Sharples, said:
“When I think of what Millie’s achieved in her career, the impact she’s had on the sport, and what she’s meant to GB Snowsport, it’s absolutely sensational. From her Paralympic medals and World Championship achievements to her amazing World Cup record, Millie’s come about as close as you can get to completing the sport, and in doing so she’s really shown the way for the next generation of Para Alpine skiers.
“We’ll all miss Millie hugely, but it’s clear how much passion Karate has ignited within her. They’ve got a wonderful athlete, and maybe more importantly a wonderful person on their hands.”
Phil Smith, ParalympicsGB Chef de Mission at Beijing 2022, added:
“It’s been a privilege to follow Millie’s journey with ParalympicsGB from her debut at the Games in 2014 in Sochi where she showed not only that she had incredible potential on the piste, but was also a fantastic role model for others off the slopes with her enthusiasm, positive attitude and determination to succeed. It was that determination which saw her become one of our most decorated winter Paralympians and we are incredibly proud of everything she has achieved.
“Millie’s commitment to her sport and to ParalympicsGB throughout her career has been outstanding and we wish her the very best for the future.”
After a period of non-programme activity following the conclusion of the 2022/23 winter season, GB Snowsport squads are now back in pre-season training.
With the 2023/24 season approaching quickly and the Freestyle World Junior Championships already on the horizon, pre-season training camps have been confirmed in the following locations while the Alpine and Cross-Country Squads have both already completed a number of pre-season camps in Peer and Bo.
Freeski
Location: Perisher, Australia
Dates: 16 August – 3 September
Athletes Attending: Connie Brogden, Caoimhe Heavey, Chris McCormick, Kirsty Muir, Mia Rennie
Location: Cardona, New Zealand
Dates: 25 August – 29 September
Athletes Attending: Zoe Atkin, Connie Brogden, Tom Greenway, Caoimhe Heavey, Kirsty Muir, Mia Rennie
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Freestyle Snowboard
Location: Perisher, Australia
Dates: 2 – 23 August
Athletes Attending: Mia Brookes, Billy Cockrell, Charlie Lane
Location: Cardona, New Zealand
Dates: 20 August – 12 September
Athletes Attending: Mia Brookes, Charlie Lane, Katie Ormerod (completing return-to-snow protocols)
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Moguls
Location: Whistler, Canada – Water Ramp Camp
Dates: 8 – 30 July
Athletes Attending: Cali Carr, Will Feneley, Makayla Gerken Schofield, Mateo Jeannesson
Location: Perisher, Australia
Dates: 18 August – 5 September
Athletes Attending: Will Feneley, Makayla Gerken Schofield, Mateo Jeannesson
Location: Hintertux, Austria
Dates: 3 – 13 October
Athletes Attending: Will Feneley, Makayla Gerken Schofield, Mateo Jeannesson
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Ski Cross
Location: Corralco, Chile
Dates: 13 – 26 September
Athlete Attending: Ollie Davies
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Snowboard Cross
Location: Corralco, Chile
Dates: 9 – 29 September
Athletes Attending: Charlotte Bankes, Huw Nightingale
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Cross Country
Location: Blink Festival, Sandnes, Norway
Dates: 31 July – 6 August
Athletes Attending: James Clugnet, Joe Davies, Andrew Musgrave
Location: Hemsedal, Norway
Dates: 10 – 15 September
Athletes Attending: James Clugnet, Joe Davies, Andrew Musgrave, Andrew Young
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Alpine
Location: Saas Fee, Switzerland – Men’s Slalom Camp
Dates: 13 August – 2 September
Athletes Attending: Billy Major, Dave Ryding, Laurie Taylor
Location: Saas Fee, Switzerland – Van Deer Camp
Dates: 7 – 15 August
Athlete Attending: Charlie Raposo
Location: Saas Fee, Switzerland – Men’s Slalom Camp
Dates: 10 – 30 September
Athletes Attending: Billy Major, Dave Ryding, Laurie Taylor
Location: Saas Fee, Switzerland – Women’s Alpine Camp
Dates: 22 August – 1 September
Athlete Attending: Charlie Guest
Location: Argentina – Van Deer Camp
Dates: 23 August – 16 September
Athlete Attending: Charlie Raposo
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Para Alpine
Location: Oslo/Fonne – Norway
Dates: 27 July – 12 August
Athletes Attending: Shona Brownlee, Menna Fitzpatrick, Katie Guest, Adam Hall, Louise Harrison, Michael Kear
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Para Snowboard
Location: Perisher, Australia
Dates: 20 July – 17 August
Athletes Attending: James Barnes-Miller, Matt Hamilton (Invitational Athlete)