GB Alpine Ski Racers for Next Season Announced

1st May 2021

Last modified on May 20th, 2021

49 athletes are in the squad that will represent Britain on the international alpine skiing circuit for the 2021/22 season. They will be looking to build on last season’s good results in an Olympic winter.

Last season saw GB return a number of outstanding finishes including victories and podium positions in World Cup and Europa Cup races.

There was a third career World Cup podium for 34-year-old Dave Ryding at Adelboden in January, Dave Ryding back on the podium

Charlie Guest returned a series of career-best results including a gold in the Europa Cup Finals in Reiteralm, meaning she has now won more Europa Cup races than any other British Alpine athlete.

Billy Major was crowned Europa Cup Champion in a season which saw him moved up to the World Cup squad.

Laurie Taylor secured his first ever Europa Cup podium position with victory in the slalom at Val Cenis.

Alex Tilley achieved a 17th-place finish at the Cortina World Championships, her best-ever giant slalom result at a World Championships.

We reported on the success across all the snowsport disciplines earlier on PlanetSKI as we looked back at the season.

What a year for GB skiing and snowboarding: Season Review

It all came amid a challenging year for the global snowsports circuit with the pandemic impacting on all events.

GB Snowsport. Image © GBSnowsport

GB snowsport has now announced the squad for next winter with the Beijing Winter Olympics taking place in February 2022.

World Cup Squad

Female: Charlie Guest, Alex Tilley

Male: Billy Major, Charlie Raposo, Dave Ryding, Laurie Taylor

Europa Cup Squad

Female: Reece Bell

Male: Jack Gower, Leo Karavasili, Rob Poth, Roy Steudle, Max Vaughton, Owen Vinter, Zak Vinter

FIS Squad

Female: Emelia Ackerley, Abi Bruce, Daisi Daniels, Alexa Elliff, Sophie Foster, Giselle Gorringe†, Lois Jackson, Darcie Mead, Victoria Palla, Isla Ward, Sarah Woodward, Julia Wordley,

Male: Diaco Abrishami, Seb Avent, Will Beney, Tom Butterworth, Toby Case, Jack Cunningham, Jake Doyle, Lucas Ellis, Ed Guigonnet, Rob Holmes, Georgie Honeybone, Tom Hudson, Calum Langmuir, Max Laughland, Christian McCourtie, Kaylan Huisman Muro, Thomas Rampton, Dominic Shackleton, Ted Slade, Jack Upton, Aidan Urquhart, Arie Van Vuuren, Oli Weeks.

The squad also features seven new athletes named in the FIS squad for the first time.

“This is a pivotal season for Britain’s Alpine athletes, and I’m delighted that we’re in a position to name such a strong squad to represent the nation,” said GB Snowsport Alpine Director, Paul Trayner.

“Last year was an incredibly challenging year for everybody in our sport, but in the face of difficult circumstances British Alpine athletes showed the world that they are capable of making their mark on the biggest stages.

“Congratulations to all our athletes on their selection, and particularly so to the seven young skiers who feature for the first time.”

World Cup athlete Dave Ryding said: “It is an honour to be selected to represent Great Britain again on the global stage, and I think the whole squad has good reason to feel optimistic about the year ahead. I was really proud of my performances last season, and the podium finish at Abelboden is something I want to build on in the build-up to Beijing.”

World Cup squad member Charlie Guest said: “Despite all the challenges we faced in the last 12 months, last season was an amazing year for British Alpine skiers, and I’m really happy to have played a part in that. This is a huge year for everyone in the GB squad. Knowing how hard everyone’s training and the support that’s going into Alpine right now, I’m sure we’re going to see more brilliant results for GB over the next 12 months.”

The 2021/22 Alpine World Cup Season is scheduled to begin on 23rd October with the Giant Slalom World Cup Opener in Sölden in Austria.

All eyes will be on Beijing in February 2022 as it hosts the Winter Olympics.

Team GB has some realistic medal chances as we have reported earlier.