Snowsport GB 2006
Careful planning and a measure of good luck with the weather means that the leading members of The British Land Alpine Ski Team are now well prepared for the imminent winter season which will demand the best from them all as they seek to produce Britain’s best ever performance at the Olympic Winter Games in February.
Taking advantage of a rare time window when all were back in Britain between training camps, a press conference in London at the end of last week launched this crucial season. Snowsport GB’s Chairman Oliver Jones, and Chief Executive Officer Jason Cockburn, reported that summer
training for the seven athletes who are most likely to represent Britain in the Olympics alpine events had exceeded expectations.
Jones, in particular re-affirmed that the key missions of Snowsport GB are to ensure that the maximum amount of revenue raised by the national governing body finds it was to ‘the front line’ to ensure the racing and training programmes are fully optimised, and also that the organisation
will continue its quest to help reduce the financial burden placed on young skiers seeking to become the next Finlay Mickel, Chemmy Alcott or Alain Baxter.
CEO Cockburn confirmed that the building blocks are in place to ensure that the skiers have their best opportunity possible to return Britain’s best ever performance at a Winter Games.
The investment in making an inspired choice to train on the winter snows of Argentina and Chile looks to have laid strong foundations for the coming competition season.
For the technical skiers three separate camps in Argentina, starting in July before some of the sport’s superpowers headed there in August, offered an instant dividend with excellent conditions, quiet training pistes and a near perfect choice of different terrain and snow conditions. Downhiller Finlay Mickel has split his time between Argentina initially for technical foundation work with the team before moving to Chile.
“In the seven years I have been with the team these were some of the
best conditions we have had. It is never easy to judge exactly where the
athletes are compared with their rivals at this stage, but the I can see
that they have all made good advances and are skiing well technically.
The advantages of skiing on winter snow and so many different terrains
should really help as we make the transition into the early races.
Getting a good start to the North American events on the World Cup will
be very important this year, and it is only then that we will really
know how we will compare” Explained Christian Schwaiger, Head Coach to
the British Land Alpine Ski Team.
In Chile Finlay Mickel’s alliance with the American speed team has
strengthened and means he has been able to train with world cup winner
Bode Miller and World No 3 Daron Rahlves. In timed downhill training
Mickel has skied regularly to within hundredths of a second of Rahlves.
“Working so closely with Bode and Daron you get a good feel for how they
go about things, what makes them tick and an insight into why they win.
I do feel that learning that can really help me this season” Explained
Mickel.
Reports from Argentina also confirmed that Chemmy Alcott was regularly
beating the World No 3 in Giant Slalom Maria Jose Riendas and is back on
track in terms of her strength and fitness programme and the problems
with her feet which compromised her last season.
Veteran commentator Nick Fellows, who will be enjoying his 30th year in
the sport as athlete or professional observer, closed the formalities
describing the current team as “the most exciting British team ever”
…and the j2Ski Team wish everyone the best of luck!
