Avon Ski Club member George Case enjoyed the English Alpine Championships held in Italy.

AS the Olympics were just coming to a close, the English Alpine Championships were getting underway in Bormio in Italy.

Avon Ski Club, based at Mendip Snowsports Centre, Churchill, where Jenny Jones first started snowboarding, had skiers competing at the championships, as well as another group race training for two weeks in Bansko, Bulgaria, with their local race club.

At the championships, George Case had a fantastic time. In the super giant slalom race one, he won the bronze medal and came first in his year group. In race two he came sixth out of 43 and once again was first in his year group.

In the giant slalom he came overall eighth after two runs (fourth in year) and in the slalom came seventh out of 50 (second in year group) When all the disciplines were added together George was third overall and this makes him eligible for selection to the English Under-14s development squad.

Michael Harvey, at his first English Championships, finished 16th in the Under-12s out of 48 in the technical combi, which is a mixture of slalom, giant slalom and rollers.

While all this was going on, another eight Avon sSkiers took to the slopes of Bansko, the club’s first visit to this resort and were met with some fantastic weather and some well-prepared slopes.

The team worked alongside the Ulen Race Club for slalom and giant slalom training and also managed a lot of exposure to all mountain skiing, which lies at the heart of the training program from Snowsport England.

With the massive awareness of Snowsports due to the Olympics, Avon Ski Club are, in conjunction with Sport England and Wesport, have started its new academy, which will offer subsidised entry to racing training.

The cost is £12 for two hours, and all equipment is provided (wear long sleeves and a pair of gloves).

Working within the Snowsport England Plan for children, the club has heavily invested in currently approved poles and stubbies, as well as a new wireless timing system, which puts them at the forefront of the clubs in the West of England.

For any information about the new academy or anything else related to ski racing, please contact Fraser Black on 07721 594676, or contact the club at enquiries@avonskiclub.co.uk