Schoolboys races 2011
The first Schoolboys races were held in Veysonnaz in the Valais in 1999 – there were 32 boys and a relaxed atmosphere. (The Schoolgirls have been going since man first strapped wooden planks to his feet and started sliding around and found the experience quite enjoyable. I remember going into the woods with Soss Roe and cutting twigs to stick in the ground as markers – some turns were more up the hill than down).
The Meiringen Schoolboys of 2011 was state of the art – catsuits, two pairs of skis to the start, trainers and managers, self-addressing poles, drills, walkie-talkies and all the paraphernalia without which a modern race cannot be run. And 160 competitors ranging from Minis to Children to Juniors. Plus anxious parents (for anxious read enthusiastic and for enthusiastic read pushy). We have come a long way.
It was wonderful to see passionate and eager boys, a busy ski-tuning room and a very high standard of skiing. Equally good to see dedicated and long-suffering officials who stand out in the cold for hours on end time-keeping, gate-keeping and generally keeping, whatever it is they need to keep, in order that the race goes on. The chief gate-keeper,Glan Williams,has now been doing the job ever since the Schoolboys started and was awarded with a beautiful picture book of Kitzbuhel, full of awesome pictures of the Hahnenkamm, and signed personally by Hias Leitner, one of the golden boys of Austrian skiing during the 1960s. Thank you for your great efforts Glan.
There was a tangible competitive spirit in the air and gentle banter between the various trainers, teachers and coaches. It was all light-hearted but deadly serious. The competition pistes were quite excellent and a real test of alpine skiing. The whole piste was visible from top and bottom – but the sun never saw it – the very reason for the excellent conditions.
Quo vadis? Now what? Capacity entry, high standards and super organisation. The future might necessitate knock-out events – the best go forward to the Schoolboys proper. En verra.
Ingrid Christophersen
This year the DHO was represented by George Logut, Luke Maynard, Ben Richardson and James Saunders in the Children category whilst Ben Alexander, Austin & Silas Curtis, Guy Robinson and Benjamin Stammers were in the Juniors.
George Logut did very well, finishing 5th and 6th respectively in the two GSs and 3rd in both runs of the slalom. Luke Maynard, who is spending the winter with Ambition, was 7th and 10th in the GS whilst Ben Richardson and James Saunders, who are new to the racing game, finished respectably in the middle of the field. Luke didn’t finish the first run of the slalom but came 10th in the second and our two newcomers, Ben and James, were again in the middle of the field.
Ben Alexander did well to finish 4th in the junior GS and 6th in the slalom. Benjamin Stammers finished 9th and 14th whilst Silas Curtis surprised everyone by finishing 19th in the slalom. He finished 28th in the GS, just behind Guy Robinson, but Austin sadly didn’t make it to the bottom. Both Austin and Guy made it to the bottom of the slalom, with Austin faring better than Guy.
The DHO therefore had two on the podium – George Logut was 3rd in the Children 2 Slalom overall and Ben Alexander came 2nd in the Junior 1 GS. Well done to both of them.
In the team event, George Logut’s Kingswood 2 team won the prize for the best British based school in the Children category. Overall, Millfield 1 (with Benjamin Stammers) finished 4th and the Curtis brothers’ Wellington was 9th.
The DHO prize of a week’s training at the October camp for the best non-registered Children 1 racer in the Giant Slalom went to Misuki O’Hara of Aiglon.
Sarah Robinson
