Gloucester. Newly extended, fresh matting in place, looking resplendent on a sunny autumn Saturday morning and prepared for the biggest start list of the 2013 artificial racing season. The All England Championship was coming home.
First up was the opening run of the u10 & u12 event. With stubbies now very much the accepted route forward for the lower aged racers it was great to see our younger racers ski racing without the worry of dealing with full sized poles in a best run of two counts shoot out.
In the girls race Nadine Hugec stamped an immediate authority on proceedings, nailing the fastest run in the first run. Eva Pascoe ran her close on run 1 and whilst beating Hugec on the 2nd run it wasn't enough to overcome the BSA racer's first run. Both girls proving too good for 3rd placed Eleanor Eaves with Grace Black and Charley Fellows just edged out.
In the boys race Toby Case completed a dominant season with a comprehensive win over a field deep both in terms of numbers and future potential. Pendle racer Robert Holmes proved too good for the remainder of the field, shading a highly competitive 2nd place shoot out and nudging Joseph Thompson, 2004 born racer Jack Upton and Josef Huppach into 3rd, 4th & 5th respectively.
With the stubbies lifted and full poles in place showtime had certainly arrived. The time to deliver was now.
For the ladies it was very much a case of the race for first place being virtually over before it had barely started as Cardiff racer Emily Hopkins - the first athlete down - destroyed course 1 with a blistering run. A blur of red and blue gates brushed aside as she tore through a tough opening course only Hannah Bozier ever looked likely to get close to Hopkins' time. Jenny Davies, Bozier's Aldershot team mate, found some good speed to place 3rd on run one 0.8 seconds back but they were the only two racers within a second of the leader.
In contrast, the male race witnessed a massacre as almost a third of the field perished before their day had barely begun. Like lemmings perishing over the cliff edge, too many racers either failed to inspect properly, failed to move quickly enough or were overly reliant on ceramic prepared edges to complete a tough but rewarding challenge set by home slope coach Headley Beavis. Get it wrong and it was quickly over, get it right and the rewards were obvious.
Of the top 15 only a few got close to completing and apart from excellent runs from Michael Molloy and Stuart Riches there was no challenge within half a second of midway leader Tom Hales' magnificent opening effort.
The post lunch second run produced very much the same fare as the morning action as Emily Hopkins refused to settle for taking the percentage option for the win and went full out for a second time. Just over 18 seconds later the challenge from the rest was decimated as Hopkins majestically threaded her way to a thumping victory.
Again, Hannah Bozier provided a challenge but she was the only racer to finish with a full second of Hopkins.
Jenny Davies again proved best of the rest in 3rd whilst Francesca Lee claimed a deserved 4th just in front of Sophie Ogden, Alex Bullock and the matt returning Nia Jenkins.
In the male race things were always going to be a lot closer, given that the three first run leaders were split by just shy of three tenths. First to go was third placed Stuart Riches. Frustratingly however Riches couldn't quite repeat the smooth run he found in the morning and whilst his challenge faded somewhat it was still good enough to place him as leader, just in front of Harry Hornsby, David Hatcher and Ben Clarke as he crossed the line.
Next down was Norfolk's Molloy, who knew that if he was to challenge for the overall win he would need something a bit special down Gloucester's re-extended challenge. And special it was, nailing 23 turns in a smidgen over 18 seconds. His challenge was real and laid down in front of first run leader Tom Hales.
Stood at the top Hales took his time, snapped his bindings and buckled down, took a few deep breaths and composed himself. He knew that this was his chance - no mistakes and the title was his. His run was good, very good but when push came to shove Molloy's 2nd run proved just too good and Hales found himself nudged down into 2nd. No doubt the Cardiff racer will be as disappointed as Molloy pleased but he can take solace in the fact that if he retains his appetite then his time will surely come.
There was no denying the winners however. And whilst Molloy's win was both fully deserved and hugely impressive given the limited training due to his full time military commitments Emily Hopkins undoubtedly stole the show. Her victory was as dominant and as brutal as they come. Indeed on a day where class would ultimately tell, Hopkins proved the new undisputed queen of the matting.
First up was the opening run of the u10 & u12 event. With stubbies now very much the accepted route forward for the lower aged racers it was great to see our younger racers ski racing without the worry of dealing with full sized poles in a best run of two counts shoot out.
In the girls race Nadine Hugec stamped an immediate authority on proceedings, nailing the fastest run in the first run. Eva Pascoe ran her close on run 1 and whilst beating Hugec on the 2nd run it wasn't enough to overcome the BSA racer's first run. Both girls proving too good for 3rd placed Eleanor Eaves with Grace Black and Charley Fellows just edged out.
In the boys race Toby Case completed a dominant season with a comprehensive win over a field deep both in terms of numbers and future potential. Pendle racer Robert Holmes proved too good for the remainder of the field, shading a highly competitive 2nd place shoot out and nudging Joseph Thompson, 2004 born racer Jack Upton and Josef Huppach into 3rd, 4th & 5th respectively.
With the stubbies lifted and full poles in place showtime had certainly arrived. The time to deliver was now.
For the ladies it was very much a case of the race for first place being virtually over before it had barely started as Cardiff racer Emily Hopkins - the first athlete down - destroyed course 1 with a blistering run. A blur of red and blue gates brushed aside as she tore through a tough opening course only Hannah Bozier ever looked likely to get close to Hopkins' time. Jenny Davies, Bozier's Aldershot team mate, found some good speed to place 3rd on run one 0.8 seconds back but they were the only two racers within a second of the leader.
In contrast, the male race witnessed a massacre as almost a third of the field perished before their day had barely begun. Like lemmings perishing over the cliff edge, too many racers either failed to inspect properly, failed to move quickly enough or were overly reliant on ceramic prepared edges to complete a tough but rewarding challenge set by home slope coach Headley Beavis. Get it wrong and it was quickly over, get it right and the rewards were obvious.
Of the top 15 only a few got close to completing and apart from excellent runs from Michael Molloy and Stuart Riches there was no challenge within half a second of midway leader Tom Hales' magnificent opening effort.
The post lunch second run produced very much the same fare as the morning action as Emily Hopkins refused to settle for taking the percentage option for the win and went full out for a second time. Just over 18 seconds later the challenge from the rest was decimated as Hopkins majestically threaded her way to a thumping victory.
Again, Hannah Bozier provided a challenge but she was the only racer to finish with a full second of Hopkins.
Jenny Davies again proved best of the rest in 3rd whilst Francesca Lee claimed a deserved 4th just in front of Sophie Ogden, Alex Bullock and the matt returning Nia Jenkins.
In the male race things were always going to be a lot closer, given that the three first run leaders were split by just shy of three tenths. First to go was third placed Stuart Riches. Frustratingly however Riches couldn't quite repeat the smooth run he found in the morning and whilst his challenge faded somewhat it was still good enough to place him as leader, just in front of Harry Hornsby, David Hatcher and Ben Clarke as he crossed the line.
Next down was Norfolk's Molloy, who knew that if he was to challenge for the overall win he would need something a bit special down Gloucester's re-extended challenge. And special it was, nailing 23 turns in a smidgen over 18 seconds. His challenge was real and laid down in front of first run leader Tom Hales.
Stood at the top Hales took his time, snapped his bindings and buckled down, took a few deep breaths and composed himself. He knew that this was his chance - no mistakes and the title was his. His run was good, very good but when push came to shove Molloy's 2nd run proved just too good and Hales found himself nudged down into 2nd. No doubt the Cardiff racer will be as disappointed as Molloy pleased but he can take solace in the fact that if he retains his appetite then his time will surely come.
There was no denying the winners however. And whilst Molloy's win was both fully deserved and hugely impressive given the limited training due to his full time military commitments Emily Hopkins undoubtedly stole the show. Her victory was as dominant and as brutal as they come. Indeed on a day where class would ultimately tell, Hopkins proved the new undisputed queen of the matting.
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