British Masters Championships 2011

Masters racers, Judy Reid and Kerry Turnock, were in Megeve, France in mid-February representing Hemel Ski Racing Club at the British Masters Championships. The event, organised by Kandahar Ski Club, is part of the FIS Masters Cup Race Series and attracted two hundred international racers to compete in the events of Super G, Slalom and Giant Slalom.

The Super G course stretched virtually the whole length of the black graded Cote 2000 piste, providing a race that lasted over a minute and half - definitely a challenge for some of the more ‘mature’ Masters ski racers! The snow was in excellent condition, despite the warm conditions, and provided a rock hard surface ideal for speed ski-ing. Kerry finished 11th and Judy a credible 19th in her first Super G since returning from injury.

The Slalom was held under blue skies on the steeper top section of the race piste. Shadows on the first run course at a difficult combination proved to be particularly tricky, whilst the off-set turns on the steep rewarded the brave at heart. Judy Reid put in a storming second run to move up the rankings and win gold in the C5 (50-55 years) age group, placing 16th overall. With a tenth of a second separating the C2 (35-40 years) age group after the first run, Kerry Turnock fought a close run race but had to settle for Bronze, placing 9th overall.

Despite the best efforts of the Megeve Ski Club, the Giant Slalom on Sunday was abandoned half way through due to inclement weather for safety reasons. The British Championships positions, extracted from the above International races, resulted in Kerry as winner with Judy in second place.

Judy Reid has been training with Phil Brown of Impulse over the 2010/11 season and competing in national FIS races. At the Welsh Ski Championships held in January in Champery, Switzerland, Judy was fastest female Master in the FIS Slalom and GS, as well as the BASS Slalom and GS races. At the recently held English Ski Championships in Bormio, Italy, Judy won the Masters Super G event and was second, behind the much younger Masters racer Lucy Newman, in the Slalom and GS.

Kerry has continued her on-snow training with Simon Brown of ACRA, training in Austria and Norway. She has concentrated her racing efforts on the International FIS Masters Cup Series, competing in Austria, Croatia, France, Switzerland and Andorra. The finale of the season was the FIS Masters World Criterium Championships held in Andorra. Kerry managed a top thirty result in the GS and was lying in 15th position in the Slalom after the first run but unfortunately fell on the second run.