GB SNOWSPORT NAMES 12-PERSON CROSS COUNTRY SQUAD FOR 2021/22 SEASON

Andrew Musgrave, Andrew Young and James Clugnet form three-man Elite Squad

Progress made in 2020/21 season sees promotions for four athletes in Performance and Continental Cup Squads

The 12 athletes who will represent Great Britain in Cross Country skiing for the 2021/22 season have been revealed, with James Clugnet, Andrew Musgrave, and Andrew Young heading the line-up in a three-man Elite Squad.

The Continental Cup Squad sees Gabriel Gledhill and Hamish Wolfe both move up from last season’s Performance Squad in place of the retired Nichole Bathe, while Beinn Horsfall and Joseph Rosenfeld are promoted from the Junior Squad to the Performance Squad, where they join Cameron Cruickshank and James Slimon.

Ida Ewald is a new addition to the nation’s Junior Squad, joining returning squad members Samuel Bojarski and Tristan Marshall with Molly Jefferies stepping back from the squad to focus on education commitments.

Despite a covid-disrupted 2020/21 season, GB Cross Country skiers nevertheless saw impressive results for the nation’s athletes, including Andrew Young’s Bronze in the Sprint in Davos, and a Silver in the Dresden World Cup, the best ever result for a British Cross Country athlete. Andrew Musgrave achieved the country’s best ever result in the Classic discipline with a 6^th place finish in Ruka and three top-10 finishes at World Championships, while James Clugnet recorded an outstanding 8^th place finish in the Davos World Cup Sprint Free.

The nation’s younger talent also made significant contributions, with Gabriel Gledhill, James Slimon and Hamish Wolfe all competing at the WJC/U23s in Vuokatti, Finland, in February. Gledhill, meanwhile, was called up to the WSC as an injury reserve gaining valuable experience at the sport’s highest levels.

Sophie Morrison, GB Snowsport Olympic Team Manager, said:

“We are delighted with the progress our Cross Country Squads made last year despite the very real challenges faced by all our athletes throughout the season. Across all four of our squads we have some really talented and committed competitors, and we’re looking forward to supporting each of them to achieve more excellent results this year.”

Andrew Musgrave, GB Cross Country Elite Squad athlete, said:

“Last year was a tough one for everyone in the sport, but with so many of us achieving excellent results I think we really showed what we can do as a country. One of the great things about this team is that we really drive each other on, and our results show that we’re on the right track. My finish in Ruka and World Championships results give me something to build on, and like the rest of the squad I’m super focused on getting myself into top condition for the new season.

“We all know how big this year is for British athletes in all disciplines and, as a team, we’re raring to go!”