Season starts with a bang as Tilley leads the way

The snowsport season got off to flying start this weekend, with Alpine star Alex Tilley equalling her career best World Cup result in Soelden, Austria, and four British athletes picking up FIS ranking points in Chur, Switzerland.

Racing in Bib 40, Tilley laid down a marker at the traditional season opener in Soelden, coming home in 13th place and equalling her previous career-best GS World Cup finish in Courchevel in 2017. Going into the second run in 24th position, she then posted the fifth fastest second run of the competition putting her comfortably in the top-15 and just 0.9 seconds outside of a top-10 finish in her first race in the new GB Snowsport x Fusalp Alpine team kits.

Joining her in flying the British flag in Austria, Charlie Raposo got some valuable race minutes in the Men’s GS, coming 41st in a strong field.

The Freestyle Ski and Snowboard squads were also in action over the weekend in windy conditions at the Big Air World Cup in Chur, Switzerland. James “Woodsy” Woods and Chris McCormick landed 26th and 31st placed finishes in the Men’s Freeski competition, while Katie Summerhayes finished in a strong 18th place in the Women’s event. Billy Cockrell’s 43rd place result in the Men’s Freestyle Snowboard event rounded out the weekend’s action for British athletes as the winter season got back underway.

Header Image: SOELDEN,AUSTRIA,23.OCT.21 – ALPINE SKIING – FIS World Cup season opening. Image shows the rejoicing of Alex Tilley (GBR). Photo: GEPA pictures/ Thomas Bachun