Tagged ‘World Cup’

A Full Update

Preparation

It has been a while since my last blog, so I thought I would start with a brief summary of what we have been doing! The summer was spent in Ipswich, England, catching up on my studies at the University of Suffolk and preparing physically for the World Cup season.

Women of Sport: The Real Me – A photography project by Nick Webster

The GB Telemark training kicked off in a different style this year, we decided to have a team building camp in Brittany, surfing and learning new skills.

Jack Emsley enjoying the waves in Penhors, France
Bonnie Price, Joe Gosling, Jack Emsley, Ben Emsley, Jasmin Taylor

We soon returned to the slopes to start technical training, as always, the team is based in Hintertux, Austria, staying at Tux Diamant in Lanersbach.

An international training camp in Hintertux! Photo credits to Laly Chaucheprat
Warming up! Thank you to Dare 2B for our kit this season
Free skiing in Hintertux, Austria

This season is slightly different for me as it is the first year I have my boyfriend, Will, with me for the winter. He can telemark now (just so you know).

Will, and his telemark skis!

FIS Cup

The first races of the season were FIS Cup events (a series of races running alongside the World Cup) with day-one, a Sprint, held in Villars sur Ollons, Switzerland. I finished in 5th and British new-comer, Bonnie Price finished 16th in her first international race. The British boys were also on good form with Louis Hatchwell in 16th, Sion Bingham in 17th, Alec Dixon in 23rd, Ben Emsley in 25th, and Colin Dixon in 26th place.

Alec Dixon, Louis Hatchwell, Jasmin Taylor, Sion Bingham, Louis Blyth, Colin, Dixon, Ben Emsley

That same weekend, on day-two, we raced another Sprint held in Les Houches, France which was a British hosted organisation. That day I finished in 2nd, and Bonnie Price finished in 17th place. The field was incredibly strong, with many World Cup athletes present, including the Germans, Swiss, British, French, Russians and Czechs. Louis Hatchwell placed 14th, with Sion Bingham in 19th, Ben Emsley in 21st, Alec Dixon in 22nd, Colin Dixon in 25th and Jack Emsley in 28th place.

Thank you to Leggett Immobilier for supporting us this season! Photo credits to Leggett Immobilier

Louis Blyth, one of our Development Team athletes finished 8th in the overall French Cup ranking, the results I have presented are based on the FIS Cup ranking (it was a dual purpose event to allow all ages to compete).

Photo credits to Guillaume Borga

It was also great to have Leggett Immobilier, GB Telemark, sponsor on place to support us.

British Championships

The British (Army, and Navy) Championships were held in Pralognan-La-Vanoise, France. The organisation was impeccable and the standard of skiing was higher than ever. Thank you so much to the British Army for putting on such a great event. The first race kicked off with the Giant Slalom (GS), a discipline now extinct from World Cup competition. This was followed by the Sprint, and then the Classic discipline.

The overall results for the women were as follows;

Jasmin Taylor
Bonnie Price
Dominique Symons

The overall results for the men were as follows;

Jasper Taylor
Louis Hatchwell
Sion Bingham

If you would like more information or to see the full results, click here. The team is bigger than ever, there is a lot of young talent coming through with the likes of Harry Fletcher, Louis Blyth, Sissi Compton and many more!

Ready to skate! Photo credits to ATSA
The men’s Sprint podium (L to R) Alec Dixon, Jasper Taylor, Sion Bingham – Photo credits to Max Screawn
Jasper Taylor through the finish – Photo credits to Max Screawn
The women’s Sprint podium (L to R) Bonnie Price, Jasmin Taylor, Dominique Symons – Photo credits to Max Screawn
Louis Hatchwell on course – Photo credits to Max Screawn
Sion Bingham skating to the finish – Photo credits to Max Screawn

British Champion 2020

World Cup

Pralognan-La-Vanoise

The British hosted event was the opening World Cup race of the season. It was amazing to have so many Brits in town supporting us, including my parents and god-parents! The two-days were both Sprint events and on day-one I finished in 4th, Louis Hatchwell in 20th, Ben Emsley in 22nd, Sion Bingham in 24th, Jack Emsley in 26th, Colin Dixon in 28th with DNF (did not finish) from Jasper Taylor and Alec Dixon. New-comers, Bonnie Price and Max Carnegie were the race forerunners.

The opening World Cup in Pralognan-La-Vanoise, France – Photo credits to Agence Zoom

Day-two of competition I found myself on the World Cup podium in 3rd place, this took my World Cup medal tally to 30 which means I now hold a British record. You can read an article with Planet Ski here and News Chain here. Bonnie Price finished 19th in her first World Cup event, Sion Bingham in 22nd, Jasper Taylor in 23rd, Alec Dixon in 24th, Louis Hatchwell in 26th, Ben Emsley in 29th, Jack Emsley in 32nd and Colin Dixon in 33rd place.

The women’s Sprint podium with (L to R) Amelie Wenger Reymond (SUI), Johanna Holzmann (GER), Jasmin Taylor (GBR) – Photo credits to Agence Zoom
The Opening Ceremony – Photo credits to Agence Zoom

First podium of the season, and the British record – Photo credits to FIS Telemark

Samoens

We then moved on to Samoens, France for the French hosted leg of the tour. There we skied two back-to-back Classic events, followed by a Sprint. I placed 6th, Jasper Taylor scored his first top-20 of the season with 18th, Sion Bingham 24th, Jack Emsley finished 25th, Colin Dixon 27th and DNF Ben Emsley who suffered a huge crash on course.

Checking the clock – Photo credits to Maely Vb
Colin Dixon across the finish line – Photo credits to Maely Vb
Sion Bingham in the finish area – Photo credits to Maely Vb
Ben Emsley searching for oxygen after a tough race – Photo credits to Maely Vb

In day-two of Classic racing, I had more success finishing 2nd, always good to be back on the podium. Jasper Taylor placed 19th, Sion Bingham 22nd, Ben Emsley 23rd, Jack Emsley 24th with Colin Dixon in 26th position.

The women’s Classic podium with (L to R) Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Amelie Wenger Reymond (SUI), Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI)

In the final race, I finished 5th, Jasper Taylor skied very well into 17th, Jack Emsley scored a personal best (PB) of 21st place. Unfortunately it was a DNF for Ben Emsley, Colin Dixon, Sion Bingham who all happened to fall on the same gate, all boys walked away injury free.

Leaving it all on the hill – Photo credits to Maely Vb
The finish area – Photo credits to Leggett Immobilier

Thank you to Leggett Immobilier, team sponsor, for coming along to support us on location. It was also great to have Irish athlete; Max Screawn, join us for the duration of these races as one of our own! He made an awesome World Cup debut with 21st, 28th and 19th place finishes, very respectable.

Now the tour travels on to Rjukan, Norway for the next round of competitions!

The 2019 World Cup Season

After Christmas the British team, along with the French, spent time training in La Thuile, Italy. The conditions were amazing and it allowed for some great progress. I was joined by BBC Ski Sunday, who came to film over a few days. This was a really fun and interesting experience where TV presenter, Graham Bell, attempted to telemark in a giant slalom, on a jump and to skate for the first time.

BBC Ski Sunday Presenter Graham Bell with Jasmin Taylor in La Thuile, Italy

The training group with the BBC Ski Sunday team before Christmas

The first World Cup race was also held in La Thuile, it is a super steep slope and has hosted many alpine World Cup events over the years. Graham Bell and the Ski Sunday team turned up again, and Graham actually fore-ran the Classic event which proved to be quite the challenge. I managed a 2^nd place finish, and 4^th the day before in the Sprint discipline.

The first World Cup podium of the season in La Thuile. Photo credits and thanks to Luca Nava

The final steep section, possibly the steepest slope of the tour. Photo credits and thanks to Luca Nava

The prize from the first podium. Photo credits and thanks to Sara Mo Vanacht

The first race was the Sprint, followed by the gruelling Classic where Sion Bingham (30^th, 26^th), Ben (27^th, 23^rd) and Jack Emsley (DNF, 29^th) were also competing. Louis Hatchwell achieved a career best finish of 12^th place in the Sprint discipline but unfortunately did not finish (DNF) in the Classic. Jack Harvard Taylor and Tanner Visnick were in the commentary booth. US athlete, Tanner, suffered a serious ankle injury in training just before the first race. This is a real shame because Tanner is an amazing skier, and was showing real form on the slopes.

Team-mate, Louis Hatchwell, in the hot seat waiting for his competitors to finish, he looks quite comfy. Photo credits and thanks to Luca Nava

Meanwhile, the British Championships were hosted by the army in Pralognan-la-Vanoise, France, and from what I have heard they were a real success and well attended. The new overall British Champions are Sissi Compton (British C Team) and Robert Houstoun (British A Team), while Colin Dixon (British B Team) was victorious in the Classic discipline. There were also some great performances from Ben Silva (British C Team), Magnus McIntosh (Magnus had joined us for training in La Thuile), Naila Cardwell (British B Team) and Louis Blyth (Club des Houches).

My team-mates, (L to R) Naila Cardwell, Colin Dixon, Sissi Compton and Ben Silva in Pralognan-la-Vanoise

The British Championship Classic podium: 1st place; Colin Dixon, 2nd place; Robert Houstoun, 3rd place; Louis Blyth

Then the World Cup tour travelled to Pralognan-la-Vanoise where we joined the rest of our team-mates. The first race was the Sprint, I skied clean on the first run taking the lead by over 2 seconds, the second run was very intense but I am proud to have taken my first victory of the season and against Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI) who has proven to be one of the best athletes in snow-sport history. This occurred right before the BBC Ski Sunday program was broadcast to 1 million viewers on mainstream TV, and 80,000 viewers on BBC iPlayer back home in Britain. The support and feedback following the article has been overwhelming.

The opening ceremony in Pralognan-la-Vanoise, France. Photo credits and thanks to Agence Zoom

A team photo after opening ceremony

Louis Hatchwell on course in Pralognan-la-Vanoise. Photo credits and thanks to Agence Zoom

Sion Bingham powering through the run in Pralognan-la-Vanoise. Photo credits and thanks to Agence Zoom

Trying to find the front of my ski in France. Photo credits and thanks to Agence Zoom

The flower ceremony with (L to R) Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI). Photo credits and thanks to Argeline Tan Bouquet

The prize giving ceremony and British national anthem with (L to R) Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI). Photo credits and thanks to Agence Zoom

The French hosted race was a World Cup debut for Ben Silva and Magnus McIntosh where they finished 31^st and 29^th in the Sprint and 34^th and 33^rdin the Classic. Sion Bingham finished in 22^nd and 21^st, Jack Emsley 30^th and 32^nd, Louis Hatchwell DNF and 22^nd, Colin Dixon 27^th and 29^th, and I finished 4^th in the Classic. A great weekend of racing! You can see an article from BBC Sport here.

The winning moment caught on camera. Photo credits and thanks to Colin F Shepherd

We then moved onto the third round of racing in the southern French Alps in Pra-Loup. The event kicked off with a tough Classic, I felt like I was fighting an uphill battle from the very beginning so I was very pleased to walk away with 2^nd place and team-mate, Ben Emsley achieved a career best of 23^rd position. The following day, the Sprint, I took my fourth podium with a 3^rd place, and again Ben achieved another personal best of 20^th position. The third and final day of racing was the Parallel Sprint, the first of the season. I finished in 5^th after crashing out in the loom against Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI) who went on to take 2^nd place, Ben finished in 17^th place after racing Theo Sillon (FRA). BBC Sport caught wind of the action again, which you can see here.

Last season there were 21 World Cup races, this season had just 12 although it is a World Championship year, these races are counted separately.

Awaiting the start of the Parallel Sprint in Pra-Loup. Photo credits and thanks to Argeline Tan Bouquet

On the podium in Pra-Loup, France with (L to R) Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI), Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI) and Jasmin Taylor (GBR). Photo credits and thanks to Argeline Tan Bouquet

Following these races in Italy and France, we had a short one week break which I spent back in Les Houches. It was so nice to see my boyfriend, Will, who came to visit and we enjoyed some powder skiing together.

Will being shy, or just looking at how much snow there is…

An amazing view of Mont Blanc from Les Houches, France

Some bad news struck in the form of team-mate, Sissi Compton, getting injured. Sissi broke her ACL whilst training, but everyone is behind her wishing her well. She will be back stronger than ever.

The next round of racing in Oberjoch, Germany kicked off with a Sprint where I finished 3^rd, Louis Hatchwell DNF, Alec Dixon 31^st and Ben Emsley in 30^thplace. Then the Parallel Sprint where I qualified in 4^th place. I raced Johanna Holzmann (GER) in the semi-finals where I suffered one of the biggest crashes in my career, I had to race the small final with borrowed poles and my training skis because of the damage which had occurred to my equipment. Full of adrenaline, I won the dual against Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA) taking 3^rd place. Luckily the German team doctor was on location to treat my arm after the race which had swollen to twice the size. The boys all finished in joint 17^th place.

The Sprint podium with (L to R) Johanna Holzmann (GER), Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Martina Wyss (SUI), Simone Oehrli (SUI). Photo credits and thanks to Stefan Hess

Louis Hatchwell racing in the Parallel Sprint. Photo credits and thanks to Bernhard Krempl

The crowd in Oberjoch, Germany. Photo credits and thanks to Bernhard Krempl

Ben Emsley on course. Photo credits and thanks to Stefan Hess

Jasmin Taylor (GBR) vs. Johanna Holzmann (GER). Photo credits and thanks to Bernhard Krempl

I think it was at this moment I realised that this might hurt… Photo credits and thanks to Bernhard Krempl

Slightly worse for wear… Photo credits and thanks to Guro Helde Kjølseth

The aftermath of the crash… A huge thank you to Sebastian Sinz, the German Team doctor who was on location to generously provide his help and expertise!

The Parallel Sprint podium with (L to R) Johanna Holzmann (GER), Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA). Photo credits and thanks to Bernhard Krempl

Both races were broadcast on mainstream German TV with over 2.5 million viewers on each feature. There was another BBC Sport article published (see here) and a report on the local BBC news channel back home.

Feeling slightly worse for wear, battered and bruised we travelled on to Krvavec, Slovenia for World Cup Finals and the World Junior Championships. There were more junior women, than junior men which is a really positive sign for the sport. Again, we started with the Classic event where I took my final podium of the season, a 3^rd place, taking my total to 29 World Cup podiums equalling the British record set by Free-skier, Gilly Curry in 1994. There was an article published by Planet Ski here and one by BBC Sport here. This podium places me 2^nd in the World Cup Classic standings, earning me a silver medal. Louis Hatchwell finished in a respectable 20^th place.

The race hill in Krvavec, Slovenia

On course in the Classic. Photo credits and thanks to Morten V Eriksen

Louis on course in the Classic. Photo credits and thanks to Morten V Eriksen

The prizes in Slovenia. Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

The World Cup podium earning me a joint British record with Johanna Holzmann (GER) and Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI). Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

A silver medal in the World Cup Classic standings with with Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI) and Johanna Holzmann (GER). Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

Alec and Colin Dixon did not compete in the World Cup Classic, reserving their energy for the World Junior Championships where unfortunately, Alec DNF but Colin placed in 16^th position.

Alec racing in Krvavec, Slovenia. Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

Colin on course. Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

Qualifications for the Parallel Sprint were held the next day, picking up too many penalties, I found myself in 8^th place. Louis crashed and therefore didn’t qualify; Alec qualified in 32^nd and Colin DNF. The following day, Alec finished in joint 17^th place and I finished in joint 5^th place. In the World Junior Championship Parallel Sprint, Colin finished 17^th and Alec in joint 9^th place. This 5^th place result puts me in 4^th in the World Cup Parallel Sprint standings.

(L to R) FIS Chairman; Andrew Clarke, Jasmin Taylor, Coach; Sebastien Mansart. Photo credits and thanks to Argeline Tan Bouquet

The very last day, a Sprint, tensions were running high with overall rankings vulnerable and not yet in the bag. I finished in 4^th behind Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI), Johanna Holzmann (GER) and Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA). This 4^th place just behind Argeline meant I maintained 2^nd in the World Cup Sprint standings, another silver medal. Not only that, I have a new world ranking within the top 3, my goal for the season earning me a bronze medal in the Overall World Cup standings. Great Britain finished 5^th in the Nations Cup standings, our joint best result.

A silver medal in the Sprint World Cup standings with Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI) and Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA). Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

A special moment. Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

A silver medal in the Sprint World Cup standings. Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

The Overall World Cup podium earning me a bronze medal with Johanna Holzmann (GER) and Amelie Wenger-Reymond (SUI) Photo credits and thanks to Goran Kroselj

The final day in Krvavec was spent in the commentary booth with Monica Huszcz Delevaux where I watched Alec finish in 16^th and Colin in 12^th in the World Junior Championship Sprint event. The races were broadcast on Slovenian mainstream TV which is again, hugely beneficial for the sport.

A team photo in Krvavec, Slovenia with (L to R) Colin Dixon, Alec Dixon, Sebastien Mansart, Jasmin Taylor. Photo credits and thanks to Neil Dixon

Still a team photo… Photo credits and thanks to Neil Dixon

At least it was a team photo… Photo credits and thanks to Neil Dixon

Now I return to the UK for a few days rest before travelling back to France for more training in preparation for the World Championships later this season in Rjukan, Norway. As always, thank you to everyone making it possible: boyfriend, family, friends, coaches, team-mates, university, organisers, committees, federations and fellow athletes.

The Olympic Bid

Following the FIS Congress earlier this year, the International Ski Federation (FIS) voted to put forth various sports (that sit under the FIS) to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Telemark was successful in this vote but was unfortunately not successful at the final hurdle; the IOC stage. The decision took place a few days ago and while the answer was not the one we were hoping for, telemark as a sport is the strongest it has ever been.

The official statement from FIS Telemark

Prior to the IOC decision, the World Cup athletes headed up a social media campaign which not only raised the profile of our sport, but has shown our unity and that we are a strong force. I spoke with BBC reporter, Nick Hope, leading up to the decision. There was an article published on ‘BBC Sport’ here and ‘BBC Get Inspired’ here.

An article with ‘BBC Sport’ by Nick Hope

An article with ‘BBC Get Inspired’ by Nick Hope

The story also ran on the BBC World News television channel 7 times throughout the day of the decision. BBC World News has over 378 million viewers per week and over 52 million per day. You can see the report below which includes other international World Cup athletes; Amélie Reymond, Phil Lau and Tobi Muller.

The video below is the version included on the ‘BBC Get Inspired’ news article.

You can read about the FIS sports which did make Olympic inclusion here with an article by ‘Planet Ski’ and how it affects British Ski & Snowboard athletes and disciplines here with their official statements. I believe telemark would bring diversity to the Winter Olympic Games and it remains my dream to one day see telemark make Olympic inclusion. Thank you to everyone that has supported the journey along the way, the job is not done yet.

The Final World Cups

We arrived in Rjukan, Norway for a training day prior to the Norwegian round of World Cup racing. The conditions were superb and the set up was as perfect as ever. Rjukan is the location for the World Championships next year so it very much felt like a warm up in preparation. It was just myself and Robbie Houstoun competing from Great Britain and the racing kicked off with an afternoon Sprint. I finished in 5th and Robbie finished in 37th place.

Gaustatoppen in Rjukan, Norway

The race hill in Rjukan, Norway

The following day was the Parallel Sprint event and after a tricky qualification run I was paired against World Cup winner, Simone Oehrli (SUI). Simone took the win meaning I finished in 9th place. Robbie unfortunately didn’t quite make the qualification cut.

Buckling up for the Parallel Sprint

Out of the start gate in Parallel Sprint

Shaking off the previous day, I took the Parallel Sprint start gate once more though this time with a fresh perspective qualifying in 7th place. I met Gøril Strøm Eriksen (NOR), moving on to the quarter finals where I met Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA). After winning the first two rounds, I raced Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI) in the semi finals and unfortunately missed a gate meeting Guro Helde Kjølseth (NOR) in the small final. I was pleased to finish back on the podium in 3rd place. That race was also broadcast on NRK1, which is a main TV channel in Norway at prime time viewing and a great achievement for the sport.

The Parallel Sprint podium in Rjukan, Norway

After the race, we went up to the top of Gaustatoppen and skied powder, it was a real joy and wonderful way to switch off post competition.

Gausatoppen with Canadian telemark team member, Antoine Belanger-Morin and team-mate, Robbie Houstoun

The summit of Gausatoppen

Amazing snow!

The final race day in Rjukan was another Sprint and my 100th World Cup start where I finished on the podium in 3rd place behind Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA) and Johanna Holzmann (GER).

The Sprint podium in Rjukan, Norway

The tour then travelled to Murren, Switzerland for World Cup Finals and the World Junior Championships. The first day of racing was the Team Parallel Sprint where myself, Ben Emsley and Robbie Houstoun raced the formidable Norwegians. I managed to win my race though on the whole, the Norwegians took the victory progressing on to take 3rd place. The junior team; Naila Cardwell, Alec Dixon and Sion Bingham also lost out to Norway.

The scenery in Murren

Team Parallel Sprint in Murren with Ben Emsley and Robbie Houstoun

The final Parallel Sprint was a success for me – I took the win after qualifying in 2nd place. This victory gave me enough World Cup points to finish in 2nd place in the Parallel Sprint overall standings. It was a real rush to compete that day and amazing to feel such a strong team affect with my team-mates cheering from the sides.

The start gate in the Parallel Sprint

On course in Murren

The Parallel Sprint podium in Murren with Johanna Holzmann (GER) and Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI)

Coach Seb was pretty happy with my victory…

The World Junior Championship Parallel Sprint was held the following day where all the British juniors finished in 17th place. Jack Harvard Taylor made his return to the commentary box where I paid him a visit for an interview.

Interview with Jack Harvard Taylor

The World Junior Championship Classic saw Naila Cardwell finishing in 10th place which is a personal best. The top British male was Sion Bingham who finished in 13th place. The final World Cup Sprint race followed on that afternoon, I finished in 4th place which resulted in 4th place in the Sprint overall World Cup standings. Ben Emsley achieved a career best, finishing in 23rd position. We were joined by Dave Edwards, the current CEO of British Ski & Snowboard, which was a real privilege. Melanie Byrom, the chairman of the Kandahar Ski Club, was also on place to support with many club members.

The GB Telemark Ski Team with British Ski & Snowboard CEO, Dave Edwards

The very last day was the Classic, I finished in 6th position which was good enough to finish 3rd in the overall Classic World Cup standings and 4th in the general World Cup standings. Robbie Houstoun finished in the top 20 for the first time with a 19th place. In the World Junior Championship Sprint, Sion Bingham was the top Brit once more finishing in 16th place, followed by Alec Dixon in 21st, Colin Dixon in 23rd and Jack Emsley in 24th place.

My tired eyes say it all, happy with my Classic bronze medal in Murren

It has been an incredible season! So proud to have finished with 4 victories across all 3 disciplines, 14 podiums and 2 medals in the overall standings. Thank you to my team, coaches, team-mates, sponsors, supporters, family, friends, federations and committees for making it totally awesome.

The GB Telemark Ski Team

Victory in Slovenia

Following the long trip back from America, the tour moved on to Oberjoch, Germany for more World Cup competitions. The first day kicked off with the Sprint where I finished in 3^rd place achieving my 10^th podium of the season.

The Ladies Sprint (L to R) Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA), Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI) Photos by lkjsdhflakshf

The Ladies Sprint (L to R) Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA), Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GRB), photos by Bernhard Krempl

Louis Hatchwell is still struggling with reoccurring injuries and took the difficult decision to not race in Germany. Sion Bingham skied hard finishing in 26^th and Ben Emsley in 31^st place. Jack Harvard Taylor returned to his seat in the commentary box adding his expertise and enthusiasm.

Jasmin Taylor off the jump, photo by Bernhard Krempl

Jasmin Taylor in the Sprint, photo by Bernhard Krempl

Sion Bingham off the jump in Oberjoch, Germany, photo by Bernhard Krempl

Sion Bingham off the jump, photo by Bernhard Krempl

Sion Bingham on course, photo by Bernhard Krempl

Ben Emsley jumping, photo by Bernhard Krempl

The second day saw the Dual Sprint take place, starting a little lower on the Sprint hill. Sion qualified in 25^th, meeting Thomas Rufer (SUI) in the knock outs. Ben was 30^th in qualification and met Bastien Dayer (SUI) in his first World Cup Dual Sprint – both Sion and Ben finished in 17^th place. I finished in 4^th place after racing Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI) and Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA) in the semi and small finals. Johanna Holzmann (GER) took the victory and our races then made it to national news coverage on German television.

The spectators in Oberjoch, Germany, photo by Bernhard Krempl

Singing with the French National Team, photo by Bernhard Krempl

Meanwhile, some FIS races took place in Lelex Mont Jura, France where many of my British team-mates were competing. Congratulations to Alec Dixon who won Saturday’s competition overall. The 2^nd Brit was Colin Dixon finishing in 8^th with new comers – Jack Emsley in 19^th and Ben Silva in 21^st also progressing fast. Ben Silva also finished 3^rd in his age category – another great achievement. Sissi Compton finished 7^th overall, 2nd in her age category and Naila Cardwell unfortunately did not finish (DNF).

Ben Silva on the podium in Lelex Mont Jura, France

Victory for Alec Dixon at the FIS race in Lelex Mont Jura, France

The second day of competition in Lelex saw Alec finishing in 3^rd overall, Colin in 10^th, Jack in 16^th and Ben in 17^th (3^rd in his age category once more). Sissi was 6^th overall, 2^nd in her age and Naila 13^th overall, 4^th in her age category.

Colin Dixon on course in Lelex Mont Jura, France

Louis decided to return home to the UK to fully rehab his ankle but before leaving, we all celebrated Louis’s birthday in Germany. Sion also returned home due to university commitments.

Louis Hatchwell on his birthday in Oberjoch, Germany

A celebratory dinner for Louis

After Germany, we travelled on to Slovenia for the final two days of racing. Unfortunately, the first race was cancelled due to heavy snow fall.

The Sprint race was cancelled following a heavy snowfall in Krvavec, Slovenia

The final day was a Dual Sprint on the pistes of Krvavec. I qualified in 3^rd place meeting Magdalena Kopecka (CZE), then Martina Wyss (SUI), then Johanna Holzmann (GER) and finally Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA) in the final. I won all rounds and took my first victory in the Dual Sprint. Ben Emsley had the pleasure of racing Bastien Dayer (SUI) once more and finished in 17^th place.

There was 35 minute programme, produced by TeleHo, on a Slovenian national television channel. The episode followed the official Olympic Opening Ceremony where 32% of the Slovenian population were watching – a huge percentage and phenomenal step for telemark. You can watch my edit HERE. I am now looking forward to watching the Olympic Games, good luck to everyone competing.

The winning moment! Photo by Urban Urbanc/Sportida

Just through the finish line with Johanna Holzmann (GER), photo by Urban Urbanc/Sportida

The Parallel Sprint podium in Krvavec, Slovenia with (L to R) Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA), Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI)

The podium with (L to R) Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA), Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI), Johanna Holzmann (GER)

Since the beginning of the season I have had 3 victories, 1 in each discipline; the Classic, Sprint and Dual Sprint. I have finished on the podium 11 times in 14 races across 5 different countries. It’s been a blast! The last two rounds of racing will take place in March, hosted in Norway and Switzerland. That means we have time for some much needed rest and then more training.

You can catch up on all the racing via the live-stream link HERE. Thank you as always to everyone making it happen!

My first World Cup victory

After spending Christmas at home I returned to Les Houches for training ahead of the next round of World Cup races. The second event in the calendar was hosted by the British in Pralognan-la-Vanoise, France. The production was very professional and the organisation team put on a great show. The first day of racing was the Sprint, followed by a long, gruelling Classic. I finished in 3^rd place on both days. Naila Cardwell finished in 14^th and 17^th with Sissi Compton forerunning and also doing GB Telemark proud. Colin Dixon finished in 29^th and 36^th, Colin’s brother; Alec finished in 24^th and unfortunately, did not finish (DNF) on the Classic. Sion Bingham has been skiing really well in training, making big improvements, Sion finished with 23^rd in the Sprint and a career best of 20^th in the Classic. Ben Emsley, one to watch, finished in 30^th place on both days. Former British Champion, James French, finished in 17^th and 24^th, so very respectable show all round. Louis Hatchwell still suffered from injuries and did not race but was on location supporting. Jack Harvard Taylor was again in the commentary box and there was an awesome turn-out of British supporters – including my parents!

L to R, Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA), Johanna Holzmann (GER), Jasmin Taylor (GBR)

The top three, photo courtesy of Pralognan-la-Vanoise Tourist Office / Yvan Lastes

Training buddy, Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA) winning her first World Cup. Photo courtesy of Pralognan-la-Vanoise Tourist Office / Yvan Lastes

Some brilliant GB supporters…

My parents on location in Pralognan-la-Vanoise, France

The World Cup tour then travelled to the USA for more races in Suicide Six and Sugarbush, Vermont. This meant that Louis Hatchwell and I missed the British Championships which followed on in Pralognan-la-Vanoise. The full results from the championship are listed here. I would like to note how well Sion Bingham and Sissi Compton have done – now the current British Champions. Ben Emsley has also progressed enormously, last year he crashed out in most race runs and now he’s one of the very best in the country.

L to R, Ben Emsley and Sion Bingham

The current British Champions, Sissi Compton and Sion Bingham

Meanwhile in Suicide Six, I took my first World Cup victory in the Sprint event. I made a bet with my mum, who has never put a pair of ski boots on, that if I won a World Cup, she would learn to ski. The next morning I awoke to this photo…

My mum down at the Suffolk Dry Ski Centre in Ipswich, Suffolk

First World Cup victory

L to R, Team Captain; Louis Hatchwell, Jasmin Taylor, Team Coach; Sebastien Mansart

L to R, Johanna Holzmann (GER), Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA)

Louis Hatchwell finished in 18^th, remarkable considering everything he has had to contend with recently. The following day was the Dual Sprint; I won the qualification run though in the end, finished 3^rd behind Johanna Holzmann (GER) and Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA). Louis qualified in 16^th place and eventually finished in 9^th place.

The start hut in Suicide Six, photo courtesy of Sebastien Mansart

On course in Suicide Six, photo courtesy of Herb Swanson

The Dual Sprint small final against Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI), photo courtesy of Herb Swanson

In action, photo courtesy of Herb Swanson

The final racing day in Suicide Six was a Sprint, here I finished in 2^nd and with tricky conditions, Louis unfortunately DNF. We had one travel day between races, it was a full on week to say the least. The British teamed up with Czech racer, Kamil Dostal so we were four whilst travelling and sight-seeing. In Sugarbush, I shared an apartment with competitors; Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA) and Goril Strom Eriksen (NOR). Argeline asked me to go to the door and outside waiting for me, was former USA telemark racer Madi McKinstry. I lived with Madi during the 2013 season and it was awesome to see her again – we always have so much fun.

L to R, Sebastien Mansart, Madi McKinstry, Jasmin Taylor

The competition in Sugarbush kicked off with a Classic. Again, I took the victory which means my grandma will attempt to ski as well…

The Classic in Sugarbush, photo courtesy of NSF Telemark

There was a change in the schedule and it was decided that another Classic would run on day two – it’s very rare to have two Classic races in a row. Here I finished in 3^rd place and Louis finished in 19^th place. The final day, a Sprint, was the closest race of all, though the closeness was not to my advantage. Despite having the fastest second run, I finished 4^th after collecting gate penalties. I finished 2^nd in the overall point standings for the American races behind training buddy, Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA).

A nice moment with Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA), photo courtesy of Herb Swanson

We flew to and from New York so stopped off to be tourists on our way back. During our stay there, I featured on BBC Ski Sunday back at home, in England. That was pretty awesome!

The Flatiron building with, L to R, Kamil Dostal, Sebastien Mansart, Jasmin Taylor, Louis Hatchwell

Diner in New York

Times Square, New York with Sebastien Mansart

Making good use of my World Cup prizes in New York City

You can catch up on the live-stream highlights here. Now on to Germany, then Slovenia for more races…

World Cup Finals and World Championships

The final round of World Cup racing was held in Thyon, Switzerland. Thyon is renowned for its punishing Classic race and yet again, this year was no exception. There were two other Brits competing; Louis Hatchwell and Sion Bingham. Louis scored a personal best result finishing in 15th place which is a huge achievement after many difficulties with equipment this season. Sion finished in 22nd place. I came 5th to therefore claim a 4thplace in the overall World Cup Classic ranking, which is another personal best result.

Louis on course (Photo credits and thanks to GORAN KROSELJ)

On day two, we competed in the Parallel Sprint event. I qualified in 3rd position and retained this place after racing Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI), Amelie Reymond (SUI) and Guro Kjolseth (NOR) in the head to head heats, achieving my 6th World Cup podium finish. Louis and Sion both finished in 17th position. My overall World Cup Parallel Sprint ranking is now 5th position.

My 6th podium finish in Thyon, Switzerland

The final Sprint race was unfortunately not such a success after crashing in the first run, Louis finished in 29th and Sion in 27th position. Yet again, I finished 5th in the overall World Cup Sprint ranking and moved up to a personal best overall World Cup ranking of 4th place. Louis Hatchwell, the only other Brit to complete the entire World Cup circuit, climbed up to achieve a world ranking of 24th position, also a huge improvement from last season.

After a short break, the telemark community travelled on to La Plagne/Montchavin, France for the FIS World Championships. This is a race held once every two years which can also determine the world’s best skiers and is considered as the most important ‘one-day’ event in the telemark calendar. From Great Britain, the other athletes competing included Louis Hatchwell, Sion Bingham, Alec Dixon and Naila Cardwell. This event has a different feel to it – bigger and more prestigious including a spectacular opening ceremony, more media promotion and the highest quality and largest field of athletes competing.

The nations preparing for the opening ceremony in Montchavin

The GB Telemark Ski Team with the Czech Telemark Ski Team being serious as always…

On stage at the World Championship opening ceremony

On stage for bib collection at the World Championship opening ceremony

Fireworks at the World Championship opening ceremony

The Championships kicked off with the Team Parallel Sprint where we (Louis, Sion and I) were matched against the formidable German team. The Germans skied fast and took the win, going on to finish in 3rd place behind Switzerland and Norway.

The second day of racing was the (individual) Parallel Sprint. I qualified in 4th position and went on to finish 5th after losing out to Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI) who eventually took the bronze medal. Naila Cardwell skied well and finished in 9th position.

The Classic race piste in La Plagne

Day three was the Classic event which contained a very long giant slalom and two skating sections. I am very proud to say I finished on the podium with a bronze medal. Naila finished in 17th, Louis in 22nd and Sion in 31st position.

The Classic World Championship podium with (L to R) Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA), Amelie Reymond (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GBR) (Photo credits and thanks to Swiss Telemark)

Enjoying my medal with my coach, Seb Mansart and team-mates (L to R) Alec Dixon, Louis Hatchwell and Naila Cardwell

The very last day, the Sprint, was challenging for the race organisers but they did a brilliant job to run the race so smoothly. I finished in 10th place after collecting too many penalties, I gave it the best I had in that moment but it just wasn’t my day. Alec finished in 36th place and Naila in 16th, completing their first ever World Championship races. Sion finished in 39th position.

World Championship Bronze Medallist

The entire World Cup season and World Championship races have been amazing. It wouldn’t be possible without my family, friends, coaches, supporters, team-mates, competitors and sponsors who make it fun, inspiring and just completely awesome – a huge thank you to all.

Next up, the final French Cup races and French Championships!

Slovenian & German World Cups

We arrived in Krvavec, Slovenia ready for the racing to begin with a Parallel Sprint. I qualified in 3^rd position, paired against my most regular Norwegian opponent, Mathilde Ilebrekke, in the first round. I won the dual and moved forward to meet Switzerland’s Amelie Reymond but lost out which meant meeting Argeline Tan Bouquet from France in the small final. I won and am proud to say I achieved a 3^rd place podium position. My team-mate and only other Briton competing, Louis Hatchwell, finished in 9^th place after racing Gaetan Procureur and Nicolas Michel, both competitors from Switzerland. The race was streamed live on the Olympic Channel Facebook page and had over 2.1 million views with more than 350,000 people following the entire race.

Parallel Sprint (L to R) Beatrice Zimmermann (SUI), Amelie Reymond (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GBR)

The Parallel Sprint race piste

The following day was a Team Parallel Sprint in which each nation must put forward a team of three racers including at least one girl and one boy. As Louis and I were the only competitors from Great Britain racing in Slovenia we faced a tough task of winning both our runs to move forward. Unfortunately, the strong Slovenian team took the win.

The beautiful views in Krvavec, Slovenia

Krvavec, Slovenia

The third and final day of racing in Slovenia was a Sprint and I finished in 3^rd place and on the podium once more. It felt great to have skied well with two penalty free runs, and to finish the racing on a high. Louis also had a great day scoring a personal best result, finishing in 16^th place.

Congratulations between NOR and GBR

Sprint (L to R) Mathilde Illebrekke (NOR), Amelie Reymond (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GBR)

Sprint (L to R) Mathilde Ilebrekke (NOR), Amelie Reymond (SUI), Jasmin Taylor (GBR)

We had a few days between the races in Slovenia before moving on to Germany, so we took the opportunity to visit the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana, which was beautiful.

Tourists for the day in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Ljubljana, Slovenia

The races in Germany were initially set as a Sprint on the first day and a Parallel Sprint on the second, but the snow conditions were unfortunately lacking and so the organisers took the decision to run two days of Parallel Sprint races. The Parallel Sprint ranking is usually decided with a qualification run and this determines which opponent you will meet in the head to head knock outs. On Saturday, I qualified in 4^th place and met Argeline Tan Bouquet (FRA) losing out; Argeline went on to finish in 3^rd place. Louis finished in 17^th place after racing Elie Nabot (FRA) and Colin Dixon (GBR) qualified for the first time in a World Cup Parallel Sprint meeting eventual winner, Tobias Mueller (GER) gaining great experience to take forward.

Jasmin Taylor in Oberjoch, Germany (Photo credits and thanks to Telemark Weltcup Oberjoch)

The final day Germany started well with a good qualification run putting me in 2^nd place. I met Guro Helde Kjoelseth (NOR) in the first round and after a very close race, Guro took the win and went on to finish in 2^nd position. Louis had a tricky qualification run and met Sweden’s Olle Collberg, despite skiing very well, Louis narrowly missed out after making mistakes in the skating section.

The race piste in Oberjoch, Germany

On the chair lift in Oberjoch, Germany

All in all, a great round of racing – many positive points to take forward and work on in training ready for the next World Cup tournament in Norway.

British Championships & World Cup Podium

It’s been a while since my last blog, time always seems limited once the season starts. After a snow-less new year in the French Alps, the British (and Army) Championships kicked off in Pralognan La Vanoise, France and the snow finally began to fall. We had the opportunity to train giant slalom with a small jump before the racing started and it gave everyone the chance to get a feel for the snow once more.

The racing began with a Giant Slalom, a discipline which is now ‘extinct’ from the World Cup circuit. It includes a flagged gate section with a jump, no loom or skate so it felt a bit like a training run. The following race was the Sprint and finally we concluded the championships with a Classic. Most mornings, we all gathered on the piste ready for inspection at 06:40am, it was still dark and -20 degrees. The racing was great fun and the perfect warm up event for the World Cup races to follow.

Inspection in the dark

Still inspecting…

Giant Slalom
1st James French (World Cup Team)
2nd Jasper Taylor (World Cup Team)
3rd Sion Bingham (World Cup Team)
4th Jasmin Taylor (1st Female, World Cup Team)
5th Louis Hatchwell (World Cup Team)
6th Ed Lees
7th Colin Dixon (World Cup Development Team)
8th Olli Wotton (World Cup Team)
9th Naila Cardwell (2nd Female, World Cup Development Team)
10th Tara Parks (3rd Female, World Cup Development Team)

Sprint
1st James French
2nd Louis Hatchwell
3rd Jasmin Taylor (1st Female)
4th Alec Dixon (World Cup Development Team)
5th Sion Bingham
6th Fred Thomas (World Cup Team)
7th Colin Dixon
8th Ed Lees
9th Olli Wotton
10th Jasper Taylor

Classic
1st Jasper Taylor
2nd James French
3rd Louis Hatchwell
4th Sion Bingham
5th Olli Wotton
6th Alec Dixon
7th Ed Lees
8th Jasmin Taylor (1st Female)
9th Colin Dixon
10th Ben Atkinson (World Cup Development Team)

It’s awesome to be British Champion for another year – thank you to everyone making it possible. GB Telemark has made a great deal of progress in the last year; new clothing with Dare 2b, a new van courtesy of Aquatronic Group Management and a new training set up with team coach, Sebastien Mansart. The outcome; a new and much improved GB team.

The Great British Telemark Ski Team

Playing in the snow!

(L to R) Fred Thomas, Colin Dixon, Jasper Taylor, Naila Cardwell, Louis Hatchwell, Jasmin Taylor, James French, Ben Atkinson, Olli Wotton, Alec Dixon, Sion Bingham

The new catsuits (L to R) Naila Cardwell, Alec Dixon, Colin Dixon, Jasmin Taylor, Louis Hatchwell, Sion Bingham, Olli Wotton, Jasper Taylor

Team-mate, Tara Parks, is unfortunately missing from these photos due to a bad crash in the Sprint – we are all wishing her the very best for a speedy recovery, she will be missed. Following the British Championships, we travelled on to La Thuile, Italy for the next round of World Cup competition. I finished on the podium in 2nd place behind Amelie Reymond (SUI) and ahead of Mathilde Olsen Ilebrekke (NOR) in the Sprint event.

The podium (L to R) Jasmin Taylor (GBR), Amelie Reymond (SUI), Mathilde Olsen Ilebrekke (NOR)

The flower ceremony

Jasper Taylor finished in 15th place, Sion Bingham finished in 22nd and unfortunately, Louis Hatchwell crashed out. The second day of racing, a long and tough Classic on the steep Italien piste also went quite well – I finished in 4th position and Jasper again in 15th place.

Straight after the race, everyone packed up and left for Meribel, France for the continuation of competition. Saturday afternoon and evening, we raced in the Sprint event on the main Meribel ‘stade’ under the flood lights. This race was a tricky one for me, I picked up several penalties on the first run so had some work to do on the second run. The second run was going well until a near crash on the last two skiing gates, I just survived and pulled it back to finish in 7th place. It was very close between the British boys; Louis finished in 21st, Jasper finished in 22nd, Sion in 23rd and Alec Dixon in 32nd. New comers, Ben Emsley completed his first World Cup ever despite crashing out and Naila Cardwell finished in 11th place.

The Meribel ‘Stade’

The final day, a Dual Sprint started well for me – I qualified in 3rd place and won my first round of head to head racing. Following this, I was drawn against Mathilde Olsen Ilebrekke (NOR) and lost out, Mathilde went on to take 2nd position and I therefore finished in 5th place. Naila and Louis finished in 9th position, Alec, Jasper and Sion all finished in 17th place.

Filming for the World Championships

It has been a brilliant week all around for British skiing, congratulations to Dave Ryding and Andrew Musgrave for their amazing performances, you can read the federations write up HERE. It was lovely to have some British support and a sizeable crowd watching live – all in all, a very strong start to the year for everyone.

The racing starts again in Slovenia on Saturday 28th January continuing on Sunday and Monday before moving on to Germany for more racing on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th February. You can watch the live streaming HERE.

Opening World Cup in Hintertux

The British Telemark Team, along with our in-van resident US skier, Nicolas Belissent arrived in Hintertux on Monday. We spent Tuesday and Wednesday preparing for the weekend ahead with some gate training. It was great to be joined by my personal sponsors, Kneissl and METRO for a few days too! Thursday was the official World Cup training day where everyone tested the jump and loom for the first time, it was a great opportunity for our newer racers to witness the high international standard.

The racing started on Friday with a Sprint, nerves and tension were running high but all in all, GB Telemark had a great day. I finished in 4^th, after skiing into 5^th position on my first run and I won the second run! This hasn’t happened before so I feel this is a huge positive from my weekend of racing. My team-mates; Tara Parks finished in 9^th place in her first ever world cup race, Louis Hatchwell was 18^th, a new personal best, Jasper Taylor finished in 20^th and Alec Dixon was in 27^th position. Naila Cardwell, Development Team member, did a great job of fore-running and gained lots of valuable experience.

Jasmin Taylor in Hintertux (Photo credits and thanks to Tux Finenberg)

Jasmin Taylor GBR, Mathilde Ilebrekke NOR, Amelie Reymond SUI, Beatrice Zimmermann SUI, Maelle Froissart FRA (L to R) (Photo credit and thanks to FreeHeeler magazine)

Jasmin Taylor GBR, Mathilde Ilebrekke NOR, Amelie Reymond SUI, Beatrice Zimmermann SUI, Maelle Froissart FRA (L to R) (Photo credits and thanks to FreeHeeler magazine)

The following day, another Sprint race, the great snow conditions continued although, we as a team, didn’t have such a good day. I finished in 6^th position, Tara in 13^th, Jasper in 19^th, Alec in 30^th and Louis unfortunately crashed out.

GB Telemark Ski Team in Hintertux

Jasper Taylor flying off the jump (Photo credits and thanks to Tux Finenberg)

The third and final day of racing, the Dual Sprint (or Parallel Sprint) commenced with a qualification run, followed by intense, action packed, head-to-head racing. Louis and Jasper were drawn against each other and despite a great performance from Jasper who qualified in 12^th, Louis took the win. Louis then met Ondrej Hegar from the Czech Republic but a mistake after the jump meant he finished in 9^th place. Alec raced against Jonas Schmidt from Germany; Alec skied so well but lost out to a formidable Jonas who went on to take 2^nd place overall. I was drawn against Kathrine Reischmann from Germany and Tara was drawn against Mathilde Ilebrekke from Norway. I then moved forward to the next round to race Mathilde who took the win and I finished in 5^th place, Tara finished in 9^th place.

Jasmin Taylor GBR vs Kathrine Reischmann GER (Photo credits and thanks to Tux Finkenberg)

Louis Hatchwell vs Jasper Taylor (Photo credits and thanks to Fux Finkenberg)

Louis Hatchwell vs Jasper Taylor (Photo credits and thanks to Tux Finkenberg)

Jasmin Taylor with GB Telemark coach, Sebastien Mansart (Photo credits and thanks to FreeHeeler magazine)

You can catch up on all the live streaming HERE. This year the camera production team, Tele-Ho, have developed further platforms including a Norwegian channel and a Facebook live link which generated 15,000 views alone! Jack Harvard Taylor, former GB Telemark Team athlete, is now the official commentator and in my opinion, has done a fantastic job. Thank you to: the race organisers, production team, GB Telemark sponsors (Aquatronic Group Management, VOLA and Dare 2b) coach, Seb Mansart and team support, Neil Dixon. All in all, a very solid start with many positives – now for some rest and more training before the next races in January!