GB Alpine Squad named ahead of 2021/22 Season
May 02, 2021·Alpine SkiingGB Snowsport has confirmed the 50-person squad that will represent Britain on the International race circuit for the 2021/22 season. Six athletes will represent GB Snowsports at World Cup level, two women and four men.
The squad will be looking to build on last season’s results, which saw the nation return a number of outstanding finishes including victories and podium positions in World Cup and Europa Cup races.
Amid a challenging year for the global snowsports circuit, GB’s Alpine programme returned some outstanding results including a third career World Cup podium for 34-year-old Dave Ryding at Adelboden in January. Charlie Guest returned a series of career-best results including a Gold in the Europa Cup Finals in Reiteralm, meaning she has now won more Europa Cup races than any other British Alpine athlete, and Billy Major was crowned Europa Cup Champion in a season which saw him moved up to the World Cup squad. Laurie Taylor, meanwhile, secured his first ever Europa Cup podium position with victory in the Slalom at Val Cenis, and Alex Tilley achieved a 17th-place finish at the Cortina World Championships, her best-ever Giant Slalom result at a World Championships.
Paul Trayner, GB Snowsport Alpine Director, said:
This is a pivotal season for Britain’s Alpine athletes, and I’m delighted that we’re in a position to name such a strong squad to represent the nation. Last year was an incredibly challenging year for everybody in our sport, but in the face of difficult circumstances British Alpine athletes showed the world that they are capable of making their mark on the biggest stages. Congratulations to all our athletes on their selection, and particularly so to the seven young skiers who feature for the first time.
World Cup athlete Dave Ryding said:
It is an honour to be selected to represent Great Britain again on the global stage, and I think the whole squad has reason to feel optimistic about the year ahead. I was really proud of my performances last season, and the podium finish at Abelboden is something I want to build on in the build-up to Beijing.
Fellow World Cup squad member, Charlie Guest, said:
Despite all the challenges we faced in the last 12 months, last season was an amazing year for British Alpine skiers, and I’m really happy to have played a part in that. This is a huge year for everyone in the GB squad. Knowing how hard everyone’s training and the support that’s going into Alpine right now, I’m sure we’re going to see more brilliant results for GB over the next 12 months.
WORLD CUP SQUAD
Female: Charlie Guest, Alex Tilley
Male: Billy Major, Charlie Raposo, Dave Ryding, Laurie Taylor
EUROPA CUP SQUAD
Female: Reece Bell
Male: Jack Gower, Leo Karavasili, Rob Poth, Roy Steudle, Max Vaughton*, Owen Vinter, Zak Vinter
Source: GB Snowsport