Ski Club sponsored skier Ed Drake is 2009 British Champion
Betony Garner and Carrie Hainge
Monday 06 April 2009
Saturday saw the final day of racing in the senior British Land National Championships with the overall mens title being decided in the final race - the Giant Slalom.
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Ed competing in Meribel last week
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The racecourse and scoreboard at the British Land Championships
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With more clear skies for the final day of racing it was a tight start to the race with Ski Club sponsored skier Ed Drake taking a marginal lead after the first run followed by Andy Noble and Noel Baxter. Dave Ryding and Dougie Crawford were in fourth and fifth respectively with less than a second seperating the top racers. All was to play for in the second run.
As well as the GS title up for grabs Ryding, Drake and Crawford all had a chance to become overall British Champion so tension ran high.
Ryding had an exceptionally second run and put in a good time, but he was not quite good enough to beat Drake who came out on top with a strong second run getting the fastest combined time. Andy Noble came in third.
With Drake and Ryding taking the top two spots this meant that it was a tie for the overall title, with both of them scoring the same amount of points. So the two young racers now share the crown of British Champion for 2009. They join Chemmy Alcott who earlier in the week became the overall ladies title winner.
Speaking after prize giving, Drake said, “I’m really pleased with taking joint first in the overall today. It was one of my goals for the Championships but I’m happy to be sharing it with Dave. We’ve worked hard and trained together all season so there’s no frustration.”
He added, "This year it’s been great and with all the guys back and creating that extra bit of competition between us all, it has made this year much more exciting.”
This exciting last day caps off an amazing week of racing in Meribel which has seen the best of British performing to a high standard and giving hope in the lead up to next year's Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The Championships which has been supported by British Land for 32 years have undoubtedly been a success and next week it is the turn of the children who will be competing from 6th-10th April, again in Meribel. The Ski Club wishes them all the best of luck.
Read parts one, two and three of Bet and Carrie's blog from Meribel.
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