Moguls, Alpine Snowboard, Ski Cross and Snowboard Cross WJC selections announced today
Some of Britain’s most talented young snowsport athletes have been selected to represent their country at the Moguls, Alpine Snowboard, Ski Cross and Snowboard Cross World Junior Championships later this month.
In total, eight athletes have been selected across four squads. The Moguls World Junior Championships is the first to get underway on 21 March in Valmalenco, with Mateo Jeannesson the sole British competitor. The Alpine Snowboard World Junior Championships will see Sam Carpenter compete in Bansko between 22 and 27 March, with the Snowboard Cross and Ski Cross Championships following in Passo San Pellegrino from 27 March to 31 March, with Tommy Dade, Scott Johns, Patrick Young, Emily Keen, Mackenzie Patrick, and Osian de Bagota selected.
Full Selection Details
Moguls World Junior championships – Valmalenco – 21-25 March
- Mateo Jeannesson
Alpine Snowboard World Junior Championships – Bansko – 22-27 March
- Sam Carpenter
Ski Cross World Junior championships – Passo San Pellegrino – 27-28 March
- Tommy Dade (Individual and Team)
- Scott Johns
- Emily Keen (Individual and Team)
- Patrick Young
Snowboard Cross World Junior Championships – Passo San Pellegrino – 30-31 March
- Mackenzie Patrick
- Osian de Bagota
GB Snowsport wishes all athletes selected the best of luck in their Championships.
Support Britain’s young athletes and become a donor
The British Ski and Snowboard National Foundation (BSSNF) supports young skiers and snowboarders, ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent talented athletes from reaching their sporting potential.
BSSNF provide opportunities for young people who are looking to get involved in competitive snowsport for the first time. Their mission is to break down barriers to participation in this exhilarating sport and give more young people in the UK the opportunity to develop their skills in skiing and snowboarding. This important work also supports para athletes and participation at the grassroots level of the sport.
The British Ski and Snowboard National Foundation works closely with GB Snowsport as our official charity partner to ensure this vital funding is spent where it is needed the most and will be of the greatest benefit to our athletes.
Help make a difference to the lives of young people by donating here: https://bssnf.uk/donate.html
With their World Cup season getting underway shortly, we hear from the British Telemark squad on the hopes and ambitions for 2023
Last season saw the British Telemark squad deliver the best results in its history. Jasmin Taylor finished second in the world rankings with two World Cup wins and eight podiums. Ben Emsley achieved two top-10 finishes, Tim Gough finished fifth in the World Junior Championship Sprint and recorded a World Cup top-10. Colin Dixon was consistently in the top-15, Magnus McIntosh took a top-10 in the World Junior Championships along with two top-15 finishes in World Cup competition. Bonnie Price recorded top-15 places consistently, and Sissi Compton recorded a top-15 place in the World Junior Championships.
Sponsor support making a difference
Without the support of its sponsors, GB Telemark would face ever higher barriers to success on the slopes. This season will see dartbus, a transfer company offering affordable and environmentally responsible operations between Geneva and Val Thorens, Tignes and Val d’Isere, on board as a new sponsor, while Leggett Immobilier International, an award-winning estate agent operating nationally though France and beyond, will continue to support the team as they have done for a number of seasons.
The team is also delighted to have the support of Point 6 UK, who provide the athletes with the best quality socks for training and competition, VOLA who provide waxes and ski preparation tools to keep skis fast and in great condition for the winter season, and Maier Sports, the team’s kit provider who pride themselves on their great for all with their wide range of sizes.
Looking ahead to 2023 – Jaz Taylor
The tour will travel from France to Switerland, then on to Norway, Slovenia and Germany before returning to Switzerland once more for the World Championships in Murren. I really enjoy racing in Slovenia, and the World Championships should end the season in style. We’ve been training in Hintertux this pre-season, and I personally spent the summer in Australia working as a race coach and ski instructor during the southern hemisphere season. It was really nice to change things up and experience a new place and people.
Final year as a Junior – Magnus McIntosh
I balance ski racing and university. My main focus at the moment is to train hard and gain experience on the World Cup Circuit again this season. During the off-season I practice my skate by roller skiing around the hills near Edinburgh where I live. After university I will dedicate myself to skiing and be able to hit the ground running. As my last year as a junior, I am looking ahead to my final Junior World Championships at the end of this season where I hope to get a podium finish.
Building on a positive 2021-22 – Colin Dixon
After having a positive 2021-22 season, I’m looking forward to the upcoming season with races scattered all throughout Europe including some very fun and technical slopes to compete on, certainly in Melchsee-Frutt (Switzerland). I am inpatient to begin the 2022-23 World Cup season, hoping to build on last season and proud to represent Great Britain at the International level.
As the new year approaches, we take a look back on a year that changed the game for British snowsport
Looking back at 2022, it would be easy to forget just how much of a game-changer the past 12 months has been for British skiing and snowboarding. A year that began with a sharp focus on the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games ended up becoming so much more, with history made from Austria to Alpe d’Huez.
The roll call of successes is significant, particularly for a nation frequently told that we don’t have the legacy of a “serious” snowsport nation.
Charlotte Bankes delivered Britain’s first ever Snowboard Cross Crystal Globe with six victories and eight podiums in eight World Cup races, with two more from three races in the 2022/23 season to date.
Makayla Gerken Schofield not only provided the best ever Olympic Moguls performance from a British skier, but proceeded to back it up with a blistering start to the 2023/23 season yielding five top-10s in five World Cups, including a fourth place in Alpe d’Huez, the best British finish in a Single Moguls World Cup competition.
Andrew Musgrave’s mastery of the 10km distance came into its own at the dawn of the 2022/23 season with fifth, fourth, and third place finishes at consecutive World Cups, the latter at Beitostolen marking the first British Cross-Country podium since Andrew Young’s second place in Dresden in 2020, and Musgrave’s first podium since 2017.
Kirsty Muir’s Olympic debut delivered two top-10s including a fifth place in the Big Air competition in a year which saw her finish in the top-10 in all four World Cup competitions she entered, marking her out as one of the world’s most exciting young Freeskiers at just 18 years old.
And no discussion of exciting youth talent would be complete without mention of 15-year-old Mia Brookes whose 2021/22 season returned a scarcely believable eight victories and one runner-up spot from nine competitions, including two medals at the Junior World Championships, before heading straight into the top-10 on her World Cup debut.
Ollie Hill returned from the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games with Britain’s first ever Paralympic snowboarding medal, his bronze in the Banked Slalom adding to the bronze he secured at the World Para Snowsport Championships as part of the Team event alongside James Barnes-Miller.
Those same Championships in Lillehammer in January returned a further nine British medals, with James Barnes-Miller taking silver and bronze in Snowboard Cross and Dual Banked Slalom, Neil and Andrew Simpson taking silver in Super-Combined, Shona Brownlee silver in Super-G and bronze in Giant Slalom, Millie Knight and Brett Wild gold in Super-Combined and bronze in Super-G, and Menna Fitzpatrick and Katie Guest gold in Slalom and silver in Super-Combined.
Snowsport athletes also contributed all six British medals at the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games, with Ollie Hill’s bronze adding to Neil and Andrew Simpson’s outstanding gold medal winning performance in Super-G and bronze in Super-Combined, Menna Fitzpatrick and Gary Smith’s silver and bronze in Super-G and Super-Combined, and Millie Knight and Brett Wild’s bronze in Downhill, the latter marking the final medal winning performance of Knight and Wild’s incredible partnership before Wild’s retirement post-Games.
In Telemark, Jaz Taylor continued to deliver exceptional performances at World Cup level with eight podiums including two World Cup victories across another glory-filled 2021/22 season.
And then, back in January, there was the big one. But we’ll return to that in a moment.
Because off the slopes, there were major strides made across the sport. New commercial partnerships with Rubicon RAW, Swisspeak Resorts, Team Aker Daehlie and a strategic partnership with Apex2100 added to continuing support from brands including Snow+Rock, Fusalp and HealthKind to show that British skiers and snowboarders continue to emerge as one of the most exciting properties in the British sporting system.
Meanwhile, the GB Alpine Championships returned with outstanding performances from junior and senior athletes after an enforced two-year covid hiatus, while new advanced in sport science and medicine yielded important developments in the critical field of head injuries management.
But there’s only so long that we can avoid mentioning perhaps the moment that will most define British snowsport in 2022. The day in January when Dave Ryding, after years of graft and dedication, delivered the crowning moment in British Alpine skiing history by taking victory in the Kitzbuehel Slalom and showed the world that belief in British snowsport was no fleeting fancy, but a simple case of giving the best skiers and snowboarders in the world a platform to deliver performances that many believed were out of reach for British athletes.
Changing the game. Dave did it, and behind him stand dozens of athletes ready to do the same. For GB Snowsport and for the athletes, coaches, technicians, and team members competing under the banner it marks the next step in a truly special journey.
Header Image: Dave Ryding of Team Great Britain takes 1st place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men’s Slalom on January 22, 2022 in Kitzbuehel Austria. (Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
The campaign, initially launched in 2020, has developed new guidance on sun protection for those visiting the slopes
GB Snowsport are delighted to be among the snowsport organisations backing the Melanoma Fund’s efforts to improve sun protection habits for those visiting the slopes this winter season.
During summer spots, it is widely known that sunscreen sweats, washes and rubs off easily, meaning we must reapply more often. However, snow and strong winds erode sunscreen even faster, exposing skin to the intense UV rays found at high altitudes.
The Melanoma Fund created Sunguarding Sport in 2020, providing sun protection guidelines for all in sport and outdoor recreation, now used by hundreds of NGBs and outdoor organisations.
This season, the charity has collaborated with GB Snowsport, Snowsport England, Snowsport Wales, Ski Club of Great Britain, and leading UK ski travel agents to promote the following tips:
Apple a broad-spectrum SPF30+ water resistant product, paying special attention to all exposed skin
Reapply ever two hours (or each time you break) to ensure full protection
The sun is strongest between 11:00am and 3:00pm depending on the season and your location, so pay special attention during this time
Avoid damage to eyes by wearing good quality ‘UV protection’ lenses. If switching from goggles to glasses during the day, remember to protext newly exposed skin
Wearing a helmet not only offers crash protection, but also ensures that your forehead, scalp, and ears are sun protected
Michelle Baker, CEO of the Melanoma Fund
“If you’re into your skincare, remember that over exposure to the sun can undo all that amazing work, making us look weathered, and at risk of skin cancer. It really is simple – remember to apply and reapply your SPF.”
Chris Scott, Head of External Relations at GB Snowsport
“Nobody knows better than our athletes and coaches that exposure to the sun can be a real issue out on the slopes. GB Snowsport is proud to support the Melanoma Fund’s Sunguarding Sport campaign, which provides excellent tips for both the seasoned professional and those getting out on snow for the first time.”
Jade Gerrard, Participation Manager at Snowsport England says
“Creating new routines on the slopes is easier once you understand the rationale behind it, which is why we are keen to support this important advice. Get out there, have fun, but protect your skin as you would other part of your body.”
For further tips on protecting skin on the slopes, visit Sunguarding Sport: https://www.melanoma-fund.co.uk/sunguarding/snowsports
We are pleased to confirm the appointment of two new Independent Non-Executive Directors to the organisation’s Board effective immediately.
Greg Bennett, who will act as GB Snowsport’s new Treasurer following the departure of Paula Cardwell earlier this year and as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, is an experienced non-executive, currently serving as Non-Executive Chair of FinTech Appital Ltd, and Independent Non-Executive Director of Harbour Solutions Group and Mizuho International plc, where he also serves as Chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee. A Chartered Accountant, Greg is a keen skier who brings extensive stakeholder management and corporate fundraising experience.
Michael Oesterlin brings more than 30 years of international television and film and entertainment experience to the Board with a track record in international business development and content sales for companies including Useful Global Media Solutions, A+E Networks International, 21st Century Fox International Television and Warner Bros. International Television. Originally, a nationally ranked US Freestyle and professional mogul skier, Michael has taken up alpine racing with the Kandahar ski club and, as a member of Ski Club of Great Britain and a supporter of Snow Camp, is a committed champion of Britain’s grassroots and high-performance snowsport industry.
Rory Tapner, GB Snowsport Chair, said:
“I am delighted to welcome Greg and Michael to the Board and look forward to working closely with them at this critical stage for GB Snowsport. They were the standout candidates from a thorough recruitment process, and I am sure they will play an important role in supporting Britain’s exceptional ski and snowboard athletes. The whole Board looks forward to the fresh perspectives that Greg and Michael will bring and to working closely with them.”
Greg Bennett said:
“I am delighted to be joining the Board of GB Snowsport at this time. The performances of the athletes supported by GB Snowsport have been outstanding and are a success story of which Great Britain should rightly be proud. I look forward to assisting the organisation as we build on that success and head into the next Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina in 2026.”
Michael Oesterlin said:
“Given Great Britain’s long snowsport heritage, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in broadening the reach, extending the depth, and increasing the competitiveness of British skiing and snowboarding. GB Snowsport’s role in this incredible sport is close to my heart, and I am pleased to have the chance to contribute to its growth and development.”
In other changes to the Board, Robbie Clyde has stood down as Snowsport Scotland’s appointed representative to be replaced by Snowsport Scotland Chief Executive, Scott Simon. Louise Wright has tendered her resignation having served as Snowsport England’s appointed representative.
We thank Robbie and Louise for their contributions to GB Snowsport through their terms of service.
Newly announced partnership will support Britain’s Telemark squad with 2022-23 season on the horizon
The GB Telemark Squad have today welcomed dartbus on board as a new sponsor ahead of the 2022-23 season. As team sponsor, dartbus will be supporting the Telemark team as they look to build on a series of impressive results from last season, which included two race wins, a further six podiums, and multiple top-10 finishes at World Cup, FIS, and Junior World Ski Championships levels.
The announcement comes shortly after confirmation of the nine athletes that will represent Britain in Telemark across the new season, which will see a six-person World Cup squad backed up by a three-athlete FIS team.
Jaz Taylor, Telemark World Cup squad member, said: We’re really pleased to have dartbus on board as the newest team sponsor. Support like this makes a huge difference to us as athletes and we cannot thank them enough.
Tom Kisby, owner of dartbus, added: “dartbus is delighted to be a sponsor of the GB Telemark Team. As an environmentally responsible direct transfer provider operating from Geneva to Val Thorens, Tignes and Val d’Isere, we care passionately about skiing and our mountains. In sponsoring the Telemark Team we hope to provide inspiration to even more skiers so they can enjoy this wonderful sport for many years to come.”
The 2022-23 Telemark World Cup season is set to begin in early January, with the first FIS race in Hintertux due to be held on 2-3 December 2022.
GB Snowsport are delighted to welcome Rubicon RAW as the Official Energy Drink of GB Snowsport.
The multi-year partnership, which comes into effect immediately, will see Rubicon RAW supporting British skiers and snowboarders as the Milan-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic cycle gets underway.
Athletes across different diciplines’ World Cup teams will sport Rubicon RAW logos on race suits and competition equipment as part of a wide-ranging partnership that will also see GB Snowsport and Rubicon RAW collaborate on different opportunities to bring British World Class skiers and snowboarders closer to fans across the country.
The announcement of the deal comes at an exciting time for the country’s snowsport scene, with the 2022-23 World Cup season just underway and with three British athletes having already registered top-10 finishes.
Vicky Gosling, GB Snowsport Chief Executive, said
“We are delighted to have a major energy drinks brand like Rubicon RAW come on board. We value partnerships with brands that align with our core values and this is certainly the case here. We look forward to a winning partnership that supports our mutual growth and shared belief in the potential of Britain’s ski and snowboard athletes.
Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at Barr Soft Drinks, said:
“We are excited to be entering into a partnership with GB Snowsport and to share our passion for high energy sports with their fans and communities across the UK. We are looking forward to working with the teams at such an exciting time for the sport and supporting their program to put British World Class skiers and snowboarders onto World Cup and World Championships podiums.“
Billy Cockrell, GB Snowsport Freestyle Snowboard World Cup Squad member, said:
“We’re all super excited to have Rubicon RAW on board as a partner for the next few seasons and we’re really looking forward to working with them. We’ve got an amazing squad this year and it’s so great to have a partner who really cares about snowsport and wants to help us share it with more fans at home and around the world.“
Rubicon RAW is a high caffeine energy drink made with 20% fruit juice and natural caffeine and B Vitamins. Launched less than two years ago, RAW has become a favourite among energy drinkers with its big energy hit that is full of flavour.
Announcement of Britain’s Telemark squad for the 2022/23 season sees nine athletes confirmed to represent Britain as the new season approaches
A six-strong World Cup squad headed by 2022 World Cup runner up, Jasmin Taylor, leads the British Telemark squad, with a total of nine skiers named in confirmation of the roster of athletes who will represent the nation through the 2022/23 season.
Sissi Compton, Colin Dixon, Ben Emsley, Timoté Gough and Magnus McIntosh join Taylor in the World Cup Team, with Alec Dixon, Louis Hatchwell and Bonnie Price making up a three-person FIS Team.
Among the squad’s achievements last year were nine podiums including a pair of victories in Les Houches for Taylor, two World Cup top-10s for Emsley, 13 top-20 finishes for Dixon, Gough’s seven top-10s including a top-5 at the FIS Junior World Ski Championships in only his second season of competitive racing, top 10s for McIntosh in in Thyon-4-Vallees, and twice in Murren in World Cup and FIS Junior World Ski Championships races, and seven top-20s for Compton, the youngest member of the World Cup Team at 19 years old.
Adrian Pery, Telemark Discipline Committee Chair, said:
“British Telemark skiers continue to have an outsized impact at the world’s biggest Telemark competitions, and their track record is a real source of pride for British skiing.
“All nine members of the squad are exceptional competitors and athletes, and they richly deserve their spots in the 2022/23 season squad.”
Jaz Taylor said:
“Last year the whole team put down some amazing results, and showed the world that we can be a real force in Telemark racing.
“I’ve been involved in the sport for long enough now to have seen a lot of the team come through the ranks, and I can honestly say that this is one of the most exciting squads we’ve had in the time I’ve been racing.
“We’re all fully focused on the season ahead, and we’ll all be doing our best to make the country proud.”
The 2022/23 Telemark World Cup season begins in Les Contamines from 6-9 January 2023, with the first FIS race in Hintertux due to be held on 2-3 December 2022.