The Rocket Rocks!
17th November 2023
Last modified on November 20th, 2023
Dave Ryding came fourth in the first race of the season as he embarked on his 15th World Cup campaign. On the eve of the race he said he has no intention of retiring.UPDATED
What a start for Dave Ryding and a very good call to keep on going.
He was 15th after the first run and then put in a blistering second run to narrowly miss out on the podium.
It sets him up very nicely for the season ahead.
Image c/o FIS
“What a way to start the season, over the moon with my performance but also our team as a whole!
“Think I might sleep for a few days now.
“Big shout out for Gurgl and the show they put on for their first ever World Cup!
“Great job and what a challenging piste!
“Always nice to feel at home in the alps.”
GB Snowsport has posted on the British success:
🎢 of emotions 🤩
Dave Ryding rocked 4th, Billy Major nailed 16th, and Laurie Taylor’s run had us on the edge—even if it ended with a ‘Did Not Finish.’ 🏆⛷️
Incredible skiing and start to the season 🙌
Congratulations 💪#gbsnowsport pic.twitter.com/ebNPeYkkEN
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) November 18, 2023
3/3 💪
Thrilled to cheer on our fantastic trio as they carve their way into the second run of the first @fisalpine Slalom World Cup this season at Gurgl! 🤩🇬🇧
Results after 1st run:@daveryding 15th@BillyMajorSki 24th@LaurieTaylorSki 28th
2nd run – 12:45 PM GMT‼️ pic.twitter.com/1z5JQlfj2r
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) November 18, 2023
Austria took all three places on the podium in their home race:
1. Manuel Feller
2. Marco Schwarz
3. Michael Matt
It is the first Austrian hattrick in slalom since 2001.
There has been swift reaction from PlanetSKI readers:
Lynne Kefford – Well done Dave and good luck for the rest of the season.
Phillip Thorp – Brilliant Dave. Excellent start The Rocket.
Mark Cocker – Congratulations
Russ Sparkes – Fabulous Dave. Well skied!
Tracey Hill – Awesome….well done Dave Ryding.
Peter Lock – Awesome result. Well done Dave!
There was a protest by climate change activists who ran into the finish zone and sprayed the snow with orange paint.
The race was stopped for about 10 minutes as officials dragged the activists away.
The Norwegian skier, Henrik Kristoffersen, had to be pulled back as he lunged towards them in protest at their actions.
Elsewhere GB’s Andrew Musgrave made the podium in Cross Country skiing.
Podium vibes in Beitostolen 🥉🤩
Andrew Musgrave clinches 3rd place at the @FISCrossCountry race today 💪💥
Congratulations @musgraveandrew 🔥#gbsnowsport pic.twitter.com/AVvEJoLW0E
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) November 18, 2023
Dave Ryding has finished on the podium in a World Cup race at least once in the past three seasons.
In 2022 he became the first Briton – and oldest competitor – to win a World Cup slalom.
“The 20-year-old, 25-year-old me would have given anything to be in the position I am in now,” Ryding, who turns 37 next month,” told BBC Sport on the eve of the race.
“It would be a disservice to my younger self not to give it another go when I’ve got it in me,” he said, adding that he will carry on competing “until the legs fall off”.
Dave Ryding. Image © PlanetSKI
Ryding started his season in Gurgl on Saturday, the first time the Austrian resort has hosted a World Cup slalom.
🎿 Thrilled to witness history as Gurgl hosts its first-ever @fisalpine Slalom World Cup! 🌟
Best of luck to the dynamic trio – Dave Ryding, Billy Major, and Laurie Taylor – as they carve their way into the first men’s slalom world cup of the season! 🚀💥 pic.twitter.com/aPPg9kwG4b
— GB Snowsport (@GBSnowsport) November 17, 2023
Three of his six World Cup podiums, a win and two second places, have come at Kitzbuhel in Austria.
PlanetSKI’s James Cove spoke to Dave in Gurgl a couple of winters back in Covid times.
The 5-strong British alpine ski team had a funding black hole of £800,000 after UK Sport removed them from the World Class Programme.
The athletes set up crowdfunding to continue with their ski careers.
We reported on it at the time on PlanetSKI:
“It started tough with the funding thing,” Ryding in his BBC interview.
“There was a lot of mental stress going on, which certainly wasn’t easy to deal with through the season.
“Compare our budget to the Swiss team, who we are out here training with, or the Austrians.
“We’re in the couple of hundred thousand and they’re in the £20-30million, so it’s a big difference.”
Ryding, though, can also see some positives.
“We’re quite a small team, so we can do what we want more than these big teams can and we can be more flexible,” he said.
“We have a much better environment within the team because we’re much closer as athletes and staff.”
This season he hopes “to be the best I can be”, adding: “If you do that, you can’t do much more.
“I have the oldest win, which is something I’m quite proud of. If I get the ball rolling early, who knows what I can achieve?
He predicts that team-mates Billy Major and Laurie Taylor can push on this season.
“They keep me on my toes – more so,” Ryding said.
“They’re rapid, so it’s looking good for British skiing. There’s no reason why week in and week out there can’t be three of us in the top 30 and better.”
After competing at his fourth Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022, Ryding said it would be his last.
But could he make the start hut in Milan-Cortina in 2026?
“I don’t know. I’m still here. That’s all I can say,” he added.
“I can’t think long term any more because it’s just not realistic. But I can think yearly and then be in the best shape I can each year.”
