Ryding & Brookes Take Silver for GB at Kitzbühel & Laax

22nd January 2023

Last modified on January 24th, 2023

Well, what a stunning race that was for Dave ‘The Rocket’ Ryding.

True to his nickname, the Brit rocketed up the leaderboard with a faultless second run.

🥈𝘿𝘼𝙑𝙀 𝙍𝙔𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝘼𝙆𝙀𝙎 𝙎𝙄𝙇𝙑𝙀𝙍 🥈

👏 A 𝙝𝙪𝙜𝙚 day in Kitzbuhel for the British no. 1 🇬🇧#fisalpine | @daveryding | @TeamGB pic.twitter.com/241yFw4Idg

— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 22, 2023

Going into run 2 only 16th fastest and 1.56 seconds behind the leader, it was always going to be a difficult task to make the podium.

But as racer after racer following Ryding faltered, the excitement built and it was clear that a great result was on the cards.

He saw off a slew of big names, including Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen.

Could he match his historic victory, achieved on the same racecourse exactly one year ago?

Unfortunately not.

Ryding’s good friend, Daniel Yule, beat him to the top spot, though Ryding had the fastest second run of all of them.

Lucas Braathen of Norway was third.

Before the race, Ryding said “I still feel like I want to fight,” and fight he did with coming second

Kitzbühel slalom 2023 podium

It is another brilliant achievement for the 36-year-old who learnt his trade on a dry slope in the north west of England.

• The Dave Ryding Story

It’s his sixth World Cup podium but his first this season which had not been going his way until now.

His best previous result was 12th in Madonna di Campiglio in December.

He said he never expected to be on the podium after his first run.

“I don’t know how I did that.  You know, I nearly stopped believing,” Ryding told BBC Ski Sunday.

“I was having a tough year but just went for it.”

He said he knew his second run was good and he thanked his serviceman for doing a great job.

“I saw the green. I’ve not seen it all year and then I saw point 83 and I thought ‘we’re going, we’re going up’.

“I’ve got to give it to the team. They’ve done an amazing job.”

He added: “The old dog can still step up occasionally.  I don’t know what it is with this place but three podiums here, it’s nuts.”

Kitzbühel has been Ryding’s best hunting ground.

It was where he first made it onto the World Cup podium with another silver in 2017.

And, of course, there was that great victory in 2022 when he became the first Briton to win in the history of the alpine World Cup.

• Ryding Returns to Scene of World Cup Triumph

Reaction has been coming in.

🥈FOR @daveryding ryding 🇬🇧🚀

Amazing work ⚡️💪#gbsnowsport pic.twitter.com/0lI0FTf49A

— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) January 22, 2023

It is such an honour to share the incredible skiing, success, humour and charm of this absolute champ and his ridiculously hard working team. @daveryding @GBSnowsport @BBCSport #skisunday @ZoidFilminRobot pic.twitter.com/uDEpAWGX3Z

— Chemmy Alcott OLY (@ChemmySki) January 22, 2023

Congratulations also go to GB’s Billy Major who finished in the points in 23rd.

Meanwhile, Ryding’s is not the only World Cup success for GB this weekend.

Teenager Mia Brookes, who is making her World Cup debut this season,  had a phenomenal slopestyle competition in Laax, Switzerland, finishing second.

We’re sure it’s not going to be her last podium.

Last week she was 5th in the Big Air in Kreischberg, Austria.

Mia turned 16 just a few days ago.

She is the youngest British athlete to make it onto a World Cup podium.

“I can’t believe it’s happening, like, especially sharing a podium with my heroes is pretty sick, pretty special, so yeah, super happy,” she said.

Huge congratulations to Mia.

Podium full of emotions 🥹🤩

First @fissnowboard World Cup podium at only 16!!!🥈

Congratulations @Mia_brookes 🇬🇧💪#gbsnowsport pic.twitter.com/XdWPrR39Fn

— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) January 22, 2023

Mia Brookes was two years old when Dave Ryding made his World Cup debut 🤯

Both are currently celebrating silver medals on a memorable weekend for @GBSnowsport 🥈 pic.twitter.com/JJRE30wrgF

— Team GB (@TeamGB) January 22, 2023

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