BRITISH SCHOOLGIRLS’ RACES

29/30 January 2007

Flaine, France

Photos

Organised by The Ladies’ Ski Club and sponsored by World Challenge Expeditions.

Just when we thought that nothing could ever go wrong in Flaine, we arrived to find precious little snow and green pistes. Fortunately a couple of days later the snow fell and the resort looked white again. But it wasn’t enough for the race pistes although it was cold enough for the resort to begin making snow though, sadly, but not surprisingly, they were more concerned about their February holidaymakers than they were about racing. All the same, we were lucky with many other races being cancelled hand over fist, the Club des Sports did their best for the girls and the races took place on the Mephisto piste. A Giant Slalom was not on the cards because it was impossible to plant the poles, with hardly any snow in the middle of the piste in some places. Slalom was easier to manage with sufficient snow down the side of the piste - so it was that there were two slaloms and 150 happy girls.

The girls much preferred the new piste, it was less daunting than the usual Stade. Franki Simonds (LEH) won the first race, but only after Lizzie Francis-Venezia (BARSC/DHO) was disqualified after a terrific first run. Steph Ovenden, (Cheltenham) stormed through from a start number of 131 to finish second. Both Steph and Sasha Sassoon (Wycombe Abbey) had been put in their schools’ B teams to give their A teams a chance of winning the ‘best team with no registered racers’ category (Sasha eventually finished twelfth overall). Liz Palfrey (Vikings) was third. Emily Evans (Rochester) skied quite beautifully to win Children 1 ahead of all the other children skiers. Eloise Greenhalgh (Surbiton High) was the best of the rest and first in the older Children 2. Katy Peace (BARSC/DHO) and Violet Miller (Queen Margaret’s York) were second and third respectively in Children 1 with Kirsty Dixon (LEH) and Alexandra Askew (Rochester) the same in Children 2. LEH finished as the best British school ahead of the Parker sisters from Sheffield High, and Rochester. Ella Hartley (Mount House) was the best unregistered Child and Georgina Johnston (Downe House) the best unregistered Junior.

The parallel, always the highlight of the event, took place later in the afternoon with 48 teams competing. It was as exciting as always and produced some of the best team racing ever seen. Both the Aiglon teams made it to the quarter finals (something not achieved by anyone else) but it was Rochester who beat Sheffield High in an exciting final. The girls are good friends and the camaraderie was there for all to see with hugs all round at the finish.

Tuesday’s races produced the same winner, Franki Simonds, but this time it was Amanda Rennie (St George’s Edinburgh) who came in second with Elizabeth Stevenson (Aiglon) third. It was lovely to have Aiglon back on the podium - they hosted the races in Villars for many years. Emily cruised through to win the Children 1 category, again ahead of Eloise who won Children 2. Piera van de Wiel (Downe House) was second in Children 1 with the other Miller twin, Daisy (Queen Margaret’s York) third. Alexandra Askew & Kirsty Dixon swapped positions this time in Children 2. Ella and Georgina were again the best unregistered racers, with LEH the best school.

In the combined there was no surprise with Emily winning Children 1, Eloise Children 2 and Franki taking the overall. What did surprise everyone though was Emily finishing second overall. It was a fantastic result for someone still in the Children 1 age group and she thoroughly deserved her success. Hannah Parker (Sheffield High) was third. Not surprisingly, Ella and Georgina were the best unregistered racers in their categories whilst Isabella Hardy (St Swithun’s) daughter of the well known skiing journalists, Peter & Felice Hardy, finished first in Children 1. LEH was the best team ahead of Rochester & Sheffield High and Wycombe Abbey won the prize for the best team with no registered racers.

Base Camp Group, DHO, Kandahar and SCGB also sponsored the races. Much appreciated prizes were donated by Atomic, Base Camp Group, DHO, Fat Face, Salomon, Snow+Rock and World Challenge.

Slalom 1

CH1 1 E Evans (Rochester); 2 K Peace (BARSC/DHO); 3 V Miller (Queen Margaret’s York
CH2 1 E Greenhalgh (Surbiton High); 2 K Dixon (LEH); 3 A Askew (Rochester)
Overall 1 F Simonds (LEH); 2 S Ovenden (Cheltenham); 3 E Palfrey (Vikings)
Unregistered racers JR G Johnston (Downe House) CH E Hartley (Mount House)
Best British School Lady Eleanor Holles

Slalom 2

CH1 1 E Evans (Rochester); 2 P van de Weil (Downe House); 3 D Miller (Queen Margaret’s York)
CH2 1 E Greenhalgh (Surbiton High); 2 A Askew (Rochester); 3 K Dixon (LEH)
Overall 1 F Simonds (LEH); 2 A Rennie (St George’s Edinburgh); 3 E Stevenson (Aiglon)
Unregistered racers JR G Johnston (Downe House) CH E Hartley (Mount House)
Best British School Lady Eleanor Holles

Combined - Individual

CH1 1 E Evans (Rochester); 2 P van de Wiel (Downe House); 3 D Miller (Queen Margaret’s York)
CH2 1 E Greenhalgh (Surbiton High); 2 A Askew (Rochester); 3 K Dixon (LEH)
Overall 1 F Simonds (LEH); 2 E Evans (Rochester); 3 Hannah Parker (Sheffield High)
Unregistered racers JR G Johnston (Downe House) CH2 Ella Hartley (Mount House) CH1 I Hardy (St Swithun’s)

Combined – Teams

Best Unregistered Team: 1 Wycombe Abbey A; 2 St Mary’s Calne; 3 Bryanston
Best British Schools & Best Teams Overall: 1 Lady Eleanor Holles (F Simonds, K Dixon, L Parmenter); 2 Rochester (C & E Evans, A Askew); 3 Sheffield High (H & H & O Parker)

Parallel

1 Rochester; 2 Sheffield High