English Schools Finals Report – Norwich 2021

After a clean sweep across the age groups in the English Schools (Esskia) regional qualifier race in September, our teams took to the road again last weekend to compete in the English national finals in Norwich.  

Saturday saw the start of the racing with the U12 & U14 race. The Girls’ Prep team kicking off the show with some beautiful skiing which put them in second place after the first run, quick team chat and off they went again, digging deep and holding their nerve saw the U12 girls team come away as winners. The U14 team, were outstanding from the word go, winning comfortably by the end of the 2nd run, with Emily Magnani (Y8) being the fastest female in the U12 & U14 race. Darcy Davies also picked herself up the fastest unregistered racer shield of the morning. 

The rest of the Senior School pupils started their racing in the afternoon and spirits were high from the morning successes. The U16s were in a tough category with the whole team working together, fighting hard to find as many milliseconds as possible, ending up in second place by just .77 of a second. Congratulations going to South Hampstead High School. This just leaving the U19 girls left to put all their hard work in training into practise, and this they did, comfortably walking away as champions again.  

Sunday then saw more racing in the Open Championship, so our fastest 8 racers got to compete again as Surbiton A and B teams against best from all the other English Schools. After a slight change around of the teams after a positive test result, we were off to show what Surbiton was all about, and this they did in amazing forming, supporting and cheering each other throughout as the fast times just kept coming and coming. By the end of the race SHS A team were crowned English Schools National Champions for now 7 years running, sharing the podium with a very impressive 3rd place for SHS Bs (New Hall were 2nd). Well-deserved medals all round, and two teams comfortably through to the British Schools Finals in November in Llandudno. 

Over the half term break we return to a bit of snow training, which will be followed by Surrey Schools and the British Championships in November.