By Mrs Mason-McLeod (Director of Sport)

On Sunday 6th October, the British Indoor Ski Racing Championships took place at the Xscape Milton Keynes snowdome, where 42 teams, including 126 competitors, battled it out in challenging conditions. Representing BGS was a determined team made up of Holly Tutt (U19), Katie Partridge (U16), and Amelia Atherton (U14).

A slight technical issue saw the racing poles replaced by shorter, stubby poles, which created a more level playing field, particularly for the more advanced skiers, as this was not something they trained with on a regular basis, if ever! Holly kicked off the proceedings with a strong performance, followed by Amelia and Katie. All three skiers completed their first runs faultlessly, despite the added challenge of the timing system malfunctioning, leaving them unaware of their current standings.

Nevertheless, their focus and skill shone through. Holly finished as the 2nd fastest in the U19 category, and Amelia claimed 5th place in the U14 category, an outstanding achievement for both.

The excitement continued with the team parallel slalom, where BGS faced Wycombe Abbey in their first knockout round. After a clear win, the team advanced to round two against North London Collegiate, where another stellar performance saw them progressing to the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, BGS was narrowly edged out by a strong East Hampstead team in a hard-fought race.

Despite the close loss, BGS finished 4th overall out of 42 teams - the school’s highest-ever placing in the event. Congratulations to Holly, Amelia and Katie for their fantastic performances and representing BGS so brilliantly.