Just before half term, the Stover School Ski Team headed up the M5 to Gloucester for the South West Schools Championships. The team formed just over three years ago and has been the overall Prep school winner for the last two years. However, with two new Prep Schools joining this year’s competition and more racers than ever before, the 10 strong Prep team had a tough fight on their hands. For the Senior School, we had 4 racers raring to race.
For the Senior team, Jack Cox, fresh from his recent wins in France and moving up from the Prep level competition set out a strong marker winning his age group and finishing as the third fastest boy in the Senior Competition. Elliot Edwards, racing in the highest age bracket and against some GB squad members was in touching distance of the podium with both Kate Watt and Bethany Sell finishing with their fastest ever times on the slope meaning that the Stover Senior team finished just outside of the medals.
For the Prep school, Frazer Cox who together with his brother is edging ever closer to National recognition had arguably one of his best ever races and was utterly untouchable at Prep school level, finishing several seconds ahead of the next fastest with a time which was third fastest for all boys at any age. One leading coach from another school commented that it was probably the best technical run he had ever seen by a Prep School racer in 30 years of coaching. Whilst Jack and Fraser have created a brotherly legacy, Tom and George England may be the next in line. Racing for the first time for the School, both skied well with Tom just pipping George and their places split by Lucas Cox. A special mention for Lynsey Sell who, despite feeling unwell, also skied a PB.
The Prep School Team is a great mix of ‘new’ racers and ‘originals’ who have raced from the start. Of the originals, Hudson Cooper-Thompson, Rosie Arnold, Emily Sell, and Felicity Bill-Gigg all raced hard. Their combined performances together with a quick run by Arabella Armitage who won a great Silver in her age category meant that for the first time in the history of the competition, a single School has won the Trophy three years in a row. This is a true team competition and so strong is the Stover prep school team, that any combination of our five fastest racers would have won the overall Prep Competition.
The Stover School Ski Team trains on a Friday evening at the Torquay dry ski slope at 1730. Whether your child wants to race or just improve their skiing, they are very welcome and for this half term only, we have secured enough space on the slope to also run a beginner / early intermediate group. Please get in touch with Miss Robinson if interested.
